The DFB team is in Disney World every single day. (And that’s NO exaggeration.)

So we ride a lot of rides. All. The. Time. And THAT means we’re getting pretty good at figuring out what ride tips are the best to rely on… and which ones are just internet rumor mumbo-jumbo.

So today, we’ve gathered FIFTY (that’s right — the big 5-0) ride hacks that have worked for us in the past — so that YOU can use them on your next Disney trip, too! Don’t worry about having to jot down any notes, though! We’ve got a PDF for you with all these hacks here.

Schedule an Early Breakfast

What do restaurants like Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table have in common (besides being character dining locations, of course)? They have breakfast reservations available for times BEFORE Magic Kingdom opens each the day. That’s right. While Magic Kingdom NORMALLY opens for everyone starting around 9AM, these dining locations tend to have table availability starting at 8.

If you happen to get your hands on one of these super-early tables, a Cast Member will check for your reservation at the park entrance and then let you into the Magic Kingdom before everyone else. (Pretty sneaky, right?) Now, I know we’re talking about RIDE HACKS here, but there’s something SPECTACULAR about walking into a practically empty Main Street USA and getting a clear view of Cinderella Castle BEFORE you have to share this view with THOUSANDS of other guests. (So make sure to grab a picture or two while you can!)

No, you can’t just make a reservation and then hop immediately onto a ride once you’re in the park. You’ll have to go EAT first. But AFTER you’re done chowin’ down, you can be one of the FIRST guests to get in line for one of your most-anticipated rides!

DON’T Prioritze Front-Of-The-Park Rides

POP QUIZ: You’re at EPCOT just in time for rope drop. Do you:

A) Get on Spaceship Earth (because it’s RIGHT THERE and CONVENIENT), or

B) Go deeper into the park to get in line for a ride like Frozen Ever After or Test Track, which you KNOW will get WILDLY busy later on in the day?

I know Spaceship Earth is beautiful and hypnotic, but do NOT let her pull you in like a siren would do to a sailor. Spaceship Earth’s lines usually stay pretty mellow — so use this early morning time to hit up the heavy-hitters, and backtrack to this one later on in the afternoon or evening.

Know Where To Go… When You Need To GO

I’m just gonna say this outright: If you’re in line for Rise of the Resistance at Galaxy’s Edge there are NO bathrooms inside the queue. Water fountains? Yes. Bathrooms? No. But if you’ve already waited a good chunk of time in the main line — enough time for your Blue Milk to have, uhm, *run its course* — are you DOOMED to have to endure this ride with a full bladder?

Nope! When you come across a cast member in line, let them know what’s up. They should be able to assist you toward one of the emergency exits so you can use one of the facilities backstage.

Know Which Ride DOES Have A Mid-Queue Restroom

Look at Flight of Passage, thinking three steps ahead of ALL those other attractions! Flight of Passage is the only ride on property with mid-queue bathroom.

These single-seater restrooms can be found as you pass into the bioluminescent jungle section of the queue, following the cave system waiting area.But these bathrooms are JUST gonna have the bare-basics (because YOU’VE gotta get back in line, PRONTO). So if you’re looking for a changing table or even a mirror, you’re not gonna find one here.

Ride Attractions In Sleeping Lands

If you arrive at EPCOT in time for rope drop, you MIGHT be surprised by the way the mornings work around here. While EPCOT technically opens at 9AM, the World Showcase doesn’t officially open until 11AM — meaning you’re not gonna be able to shop and munch your way around the pavilions for another 2 hours.

But even when the pavilions are in the process of waking up in the morning, you can STILL experience those pavilion rides starting at 9AM. So that means, you can get to the park and head STRAIGHT over to Frozen Ever After in Norway or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in France. (You could also technically go straight over to Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico as well — but, like I mentioned earlier, this one’s usually a walk-on. So you may wanna hold off until you get those bigger rides out of the way first. Just don’t forget about The Three Caballeros. They’re TRULY a national treasure.)

STACK Your Lightning Lanes

One of Disney Genie +’s most CONFUSING rules is also the most USEFUL. Though you can only make one Lightning Lane selection at a time, you can make another one just as soon as:

A) You use your previous one, or

B) 120 minutes have passed since you made your last Lightning Lane reservation. Whatever happens first.

That 120 minute rule can be ESSENTIAL for getting MORE Lightning Lanes in a single day. Let’s say it’s 10AM and I get a Lightning Lane for Slinky Dog Dash.The return time I’m given isn’t until 3PM — which is still five hours away. BUT because of the 120 minute rule, I can make my next Lightning Lane selection starting at 12PM, even if I haven’t been able to use my Slinky Dog one yet. And THAT means I could be holding MULTIPLE Lightning Lanes at any given time of the day.

Introduce First-Time Riders To The TAME Coasters

It’s SUPER exciting when your child FINALLY gets to be tall enough to start riding the “big kid” rides, but make sure you ease them into this new world of riding coaster FIRST. Because if you take them on something like, say, Expedition Everest right off the bat — and they’re absolutely traumatized by it — you may struggle to get them on anything else the rest of your trip.

The three BEST coasters that you can take new riders on that’ll help them get their feet wet with more thrilling attractions are:

1. The Barnstormer in Magic Kingdom
2. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom
3. And Slinky Dog Dash in Disney’s Hollywood Studios

These rides still feature some fun turns and bunny hills, but they’re not gonna take you down any major drops or send you on a 0-60 mph launch. Once you test the waters with one or two of these, you can start easing ‘em into some of the bigger thrills — like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind!

Pay Up

Alright — you KNEW it was coming. I’ve GOTTA talk about Disney Genie for JUST a second here. There are TWO premium parts of the Disney Genie planning tool that you can pay to use on your My Disney Experience App.

The first is Disney Genie +

Genie + starts at $15 per ticket, per day, and allows you to select Lightning Lanes that’ll bypass the main queues for MANY of the attractions you’ll find around the parks. If you buy Genie+ on the day of your visit, you can start making reservations (one at a time) starting at 7AM. Once the time for that reservation has passed, you can make another reservation (and so on).

The second part is Individual Lightning Lanes (Or, the pay-per-ride feature)

Not every ride’s Lightning Lane will be available through Disney Genie +. Instead, the newer (and most popular) rides you’ll have to pay for a la carte.For these rides, you can book reservations individually by paying a separate fee (which always fluctuates based on the ride’s predicted daily demand). Reservations for ILLs open up at 7AM for Disney resort guests, but if you’re not staying at a Disney World hotel, you’ll have to wait to get your ILL once the park officially opens for the day.

There’s a lot to learn about Lightning Lanes (and I’ll give you a COUPLE more tips for them in just a second here), but if you want a more in-depth look into how Disney Genie + and ILLs work, check out this video for even MORE tips, tricks, and all-things-Genie guidance.

Collect Your On-Ride Photos

Guests who purchase Disney Genie+ in Disney World will get FREE digital PhotoPass downloads for attraction photos taken on the day of their purchase! This includes photos at rides such as Space Mountain, Slinky Dog Dash, Test Track, Expedition Everest, and SO MANY OTHERS.

So if you wanna remember the absolute terror on your kid’s face as they meet their very first yeti — or if you wanna forever memorialize that peace sign you’re throwing on Test Track — your Disney Genie + purchase will make collecting these priceless memories so much easier on ya.

Avoid The Front Row On Slinky Dog Dash

Very rarely are you gonna find me advising you to AVOID the front seat of a coaster when you can. Even though we’ve already established that the very back rows are more intense for these types of rides, I still enjoy getting a clear, unobstructed view of the tracks and scenes in front of me.

And then there’s Slinky Dog Dash. Listen. Slink. You’re absolutely adorable. But you’re gigantic head blocks EVERYTHING. I can’t see the Toy Story Land below, or the ride sets, or ANYTHING really. So when you’re about to board this one, let a cast member know that you’d like to AVOID row one, if possible, and they’ll more than likely be able to do that for you.

Use The “Rules For Swimming” On Spinny Rides

Alright, what on EARTH do I mean by using the “rules for swimming” on spinny rides? You know how when you eat something, you’re supposed to wait 30 minutes BEFORE you go swimming so that your food can have some time to settle first? Yeah, copy and paste that concept BEFORE you get on spinny rides like Mad Tea Party in Magic Kingdom or Mission: SPACE in EPCOT.

You don’t wanna ride spinning rides on a completely empty stomach, but you don’t wanna ride ‘em RIGHT after you eat either. Instead, enjoy a meal, take a walk, and THEN come back to these attractions later on. If you’re sensitive to motion simulators, you may wanna apply this rule to rides like Soarin Around the World, Flight of Passage, Star Tours, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as well.

And — on top of that — make sure to pack those over-the-counter, non-drowsy motion sickness meds to help settle your stomach BEFORE the attraction (and avoid queasiness post-ride through).

Amp Up The INTENSITY

If you’re a major thrill-seeker, then THIS could be your favorite Disney hack YET. When it comes to most coasters at Disney World — like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Slinky Dog Dash — you’re gonna have a much more INTENSE ride if you’re sitting in the VERY back row.

Why? Because the first half of the coaster is literally YANKING along the SECOND half, making your ride through feel WAY more wild.

HOWEVER, if you’re with someone who isn’t used to roller coasters yet — or who straight-up dislikes more intense rides — then the closer you can get to the FRONT of the train cars, the better.

Initiate “The Bag Trick”

Backpacks and purses are SO handy to have in the parks. But what are you supposed to do with them when you’re on the roller coasters? Most of the rides do have somewhere you can keep your things stored — like a little pouch in front or to the side of you.

But if you’re carrying one of those heavy-duty hiker backpacks, these little pockets ain’t gonna do diddly squat. This is where the bag trick comes into play: Once you’re seated, just take the handles of your backpack and drape each one around each of your knees. And… that’s it. That’s all you’ve gotta do.

We’ve never had issues with bags flying off us before while using this method, but if you want a bit of extra security, just make sure your feet are in the center of those loop straps. If you loaded up in one of the gift shops and find yourself with giant Disney bags full of goodies that absolutely will NOT fit in your seat compartment, let a Cast Member know. They might be able to hold it for you near the exit or let you take turns while another person in your party waits behind with your stuff.

If you’re doing several thrill rides in a row, consider investing in a Locker Rental. You’ll find these near the entrance of the parks, as well as near water rides like Kali River Rapids (but they will cost you about $10-$12 extra to use for the day).

Save Time Before The Virtual Queue Drop

You wanna get on TRON: Lightcycle/ Run at Magic Kingdom? Then you’re gonna have to be QUICK about it. Tomorrowland’s new high-speed coaster uses Disney’s virtual queue system — which means in order to ride this thing, you’ll have to enter the virtual queue through the My Disney Experience App at either 7AM or 1PM.

But getting your Boarding Group number isn’t as easy as tapping a few buttons on your screen and securing your spot. As soon as these drop times go live, they’ll book up within SECONDS. If you so much as blink too long, you could miss your window of opportunity.

There IS a way to help you speed ahead of the other guests and secure your way to virtual queue victory. Beginning at 6AM, you can tap into the Virtual Queue and get your party all set up beforehand. That way, you’ll have fewer steps to worry about when you’re quickly trying to tap in at 7 or 1.

1. On the app, under “Join Virtual Queue,” you’ll find a button that says “Confirm Your Party.”
2. Once you hit that button, the app will find the people who are linked to your account.
3. You’ll select each person that you want to add to your party, and — again — hit “confirm party.”
4. Then you’ll be sent to a screen that’ll provide you with some more information about what next steps you’ll take when those virtual queues go live. When 7AM/1PM hits, you can refresh the page and click “Join Queue” to get a boarding pass ASAP.

Every second TRULY counts when it comes to these virtual queues — so DON’T take this extra step for granted! Get it OUT of the way just as SOON as you can so you don’t have to worry about it later on (when time is of the essence).

Hit Up Animal Kingdom’s Rides AFTER 2PM

The fact that Animal Kingdom is the park that closes EARLIEST out of the four could actually end up giving you the upperhand.For many folks who are using the park hopper add on, they’ll choose Animal Kingdom as their first park of the day. Then — once their park hopper activates after 2PM — they’ll jump over to a park that stays open later for their second half. And, hey, this isn’t a bad method — especially if you’re wanting to maximize your park time.

But, since a good chunk of people will LEAVE Animal Kingdom after 2PM, that means ride lines are gonna start dropping down, down, DOWN. So a ride like Flight of Passage — which could normally rack up a wait of 120+ — might actually dip to a more reasonable level.

PARTY In The Parks AFTER They Close

Why wait in lines during the day… when you could just WALK onto the rides at night? Throughout the year, Disney offers limited time separately-priced After Hours events at several of their parks.

These events are capped off for a very limited number of guests, meaning lines for rides during these nighttime parties are often significantly shorter. In terms of the regular After Hours events — which are offered at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and (now) EPCOT — you’ll be able to hang out in the parks THREE hours after they close for everyone else.

With these events, you’ll also get complimentary snacks — like popcorn, Mickey ice cream bars, and select drinks.

There are also THEMED after hours parties — like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas at Magic Kingdom, as well as H2O Glow Nights at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon — which will let you not only stay in the parks for LONGER to take advantage of those shorter ride lines, but ALSO let you experience the extra activities and themed events taking place during these late night parties, too.

For the record, if you want to experience these parks during the day, you’ll still have to pay for a regular theme park ticket AND the party ticket too — which can get rather PRICEY. However, you don’t have to buy a day ticket to buy a party ticket, and vice-versa.

After hours tickets will ALSO let you enter the parks 3 hours BEFORE the event kicks off — that way you CAN get some daylight park time in, regardless of whether you have a regular single day ticket or not.

Learn How To Use A TRON Locker

Confession: The Bag Trick ain’t flawless. You’re not gonna be able to have your bag on the NEW Tron: Lightcycle/Run coaster in Magic Kingdom — and that’s because of the way the seats work.

You’re gonna be riding this coaster like you would a bike — meaning you won’t have ANY room to place a bag between your legs. There IS a small compartment on the top of the lightcycle for you to store smaller items — like your phone — but, otherwise, you’re gonna have to use TRON’s FREE locker system.

Before you get to the vehicle loading area, you’ll be directed over to the lockers where you’ll temporarily store your larger items. To open a locker, just scan your MagicBand or physical park ticket. It’s a good idea to remember which number locker you selected, but even if you don’t, there IS a little touchscreen off to the side where you can scan your MagicBand/ park ticket — and it’ll remind you which locker is yours.

If you accidentally put your park ticket in the locker, just track down a TRON Cast Member and they’ll be able to reopen it for you. (But you WILL have to describe what’s INSIDE the locker first.)

Appreciate The Underdogs

Disney rides? Great. Amazing. 10/10, would ride again. Waiting in those super long lines though? Ehhhh…. Not so great. That’s why you gotta show some respect for Disney’s more lowkey rides. Not only will they provide you with little-to-no waits (under NORMAL circumstances, that is), but they’re still a ton of fun to experience. (And if you wanna ride them again? By golly, you can get in line and ride them again!)

Here are some of our FAVORITE underdog rides that you can choose to go on INSTEAD of waiting hours in line for something more “popular”:

In Magic Kingdom

Head into Fantasyland! You’ll find a handful of rides with minimal waittimes, including Mad Tea Party, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, and it’s a small world.

In EPCOT

You’ve got TONS of rides that aren’t gonna build too high of waits (again, on a NORMAL day. This may not be the situation if you’re visiting during one of those peak vacation times — but we’ll talk more about THAT later on).
Rides like Gran Fiesta Tour, Journey Into Imagination, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Living With the Land are easy-going and usually walk-ons.

In Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Finding any rides without those hefty lines is few and far between — but your best chances of lower waits will lie with attractions like Star Tours and POSSIBLY Alien Swirling Saucers.

And in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Ride times aren’t TERRIBLE here (unless you’re hanging out in Pandora World of Avatar). But if you REALLY want a short ride line — take a journey aboard the Wildlife Express! This little train will take you to Rafiki’s Planet Watch — a place where you can visit a petting zoo, explore the Conservation Station, and even sketch alongside Disney artists at the Animation Experience.

Switch Your Riders

Many guests still don’t know this free Disney tool is even a THING — but if you’re a parent or guardian with younger kids that don’t meet all the different height requirements, then you need need NEED to know about the Rider Switch program

Rider Switch is a way for a family with at LEAST two caretakers to tag team an attraction. If there’s a younger member in your group who can’t (or doesn’t want to) ride, all you have to do is request a Rider Switch with the Cast Member who’s stationed at the entrance of the ride.

It works like this: Person #1 can ride (either solo or with the rest of their party) while Person #2 waits with the kid(s) not riding. Then, after the first section of the group is finished, Person #2 who stayed behind can now switch with Person #1 without having to wait in line all over again. (Person #2 can also bring one other guest, so they don’t have to ride alone).

This is a solid way to make sure EVERYONE gets to ride the attractions they want to that day. (Because NO rider gets left behind!)

STOP Waiting In Manipulative Queues

Disney’s queue lines can be DECEIVING. Remember those underdog rides I talked about earlier — the ones you’ll NORMALLY only wait 10-15 minutes for, if even that? During busier times of the year, we’ve seen the very same rides have wait times that SPIKED up SO HIGH, we could’ve scaled ‘em like a mountain.

Here’s what happened at Gran Fiesta Tour RIGHT after Christmas (on December 30th): At the start of the day, things looked pretty tame. But by 11 AM, the line had shot up to a whopping 60 MINUTES. Sixty!!!!!!! How did they even FIT a sixty minute line in the Mexico pavilion? It’s not that big in the first place! By 5PM, the wait finally dropped down to around 20 minutes (which is still REALLY long for this one, but WAY better than an HOUR).

So, here are the three things you need to take away from this hair-raising, mountain-climbing scenario:

1. Keep an eye on wait times leading up to your trip and find out what the AVERAGE lines usually look like. That way, you’re not suckered into standing in line for an experience that usually has little-to-no demand. You can study wait times on the My Disney Experience App, but we ALSO release updated posts on our DFB site that covers what we’re seeing in the parks first-hand.
2. Wait it out. Much like Gran Fiesta Tour’s wait time dropped later on in the day, so will other rides that end up peaking by the mid-to-late afternoon. In the meantime, catch a show, do some shopping, enjoy a meal, and just DON’T waste your entire day waiting, waiting, WAITING.
3. Brace yourself for the busy if you’re vacationing when everyone else is. This might be a good time to invest in Disney Genie + — which we’ll talk more about towards the end of this video.

Adopt The Gamer Mentality

When you board Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Galaxy’s Edge, you’re not just on a ride… you’re in a video game.Even more so if you’ve been tasked with the role of the pilot. Piloting the Falcon is an absolute honor — but it’s also possibly the most stress you’ll experience on a Disney attraction.

The two pilots have two different controls — the pilot on the left hand side controls whether the ship goes left or right, while the pilot on the right controls whether the ship goes up or down.

Now, if you’re not big on video games, then the up and down controls for the right-hand pilot could be confusing. And that’s because the ship uses INVERTED controls. So when you pull UP on the control stick, the ship will actually go DOWN, and when you pull DOWN, the ship will fly UP.

If you’re nervous about potentially crashing this hunk of junk repeatedly, you may be better off with the left and right piloting controls instead. (Where left is left and right is right.)

Request The Best Soarin’ Views

Look, we love Soarin’ Around the World over in EPCOT, but she ain’t perfect. If you’re not familiar with Soarin’, this flying simulator ride uses a curved screen to help create the illusion of hang gliding without using 3D technology. And it works pretty well… for the most part.

But, if you end up on the sides of the ride, your view might end up looking less 3D and more like you’ve enjoyed one too many drinks around the World Showcase. And that’s because that warped screen can make the images warped. VERY warped.

So here’s how to prevent that:

1. When you’re in line, let a Soarin’ Cast Member know before they assign you to a row that you’d prefer Concourse B. That puts you in the middle of the attraction, and gives you the best immersive effects.
2. And, if you wanna improve your ride even FURTHER (and you’re not super-duper scared of heights, or anything) ask for the first row. The ride rows are vertically stacked, meaning rows two and three are not only lower, but also have dangling feet partially obstructing their views.

Requesting a certain section doesn’t mean you’ll also be guaranteed that section, but Cast Members do try their best to accommodate. You may just have to wait a little longer before you’re able to board.

Make The Coasters Feel Even FASTER

You know how I talked earlier about sitting in the back row of a roller coaster, and how that can make the experience all-the-more thrilling? Let’s up that intensity just a few more notches. For outdoor coasters, you might find that you enjoy a nighttime ride-through WAY better than a daytime one.

Take Slinky Dog Dash, for example. Not only is a nighttime ride-through gonna help you skip over having to stand in that sweltering line during the heat of the day (which can be downright miserable), but when you ride Slinky at night, you’re gonna be able to see the WHOLE Toy Story Land area lit up with so many RAINBOW lights. (Feel free to “ooh” and “aah” as you speed on by.)

For Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, you’ve kinda got the opposite situation — which can be just as fun. The track blends in with the night, so you can’t see where you’re going as well — giving it more of those Space Mountain vibes. (Okay, so it won’t be AS pitch-black as Space Mountain, but it’ll still be pretty dark and way more eerie.)

And with the brand new Tron: Lightcycle / Run coaster? You’ve got the LIGHT GRID you get to speed around — which won’t be illuminated during the day. (So if your Boarding Group number is telling you your return time isn’t gonna be until way, way, WAY later on? You might be WAY better off than you realize.)

Avoid The Carnotaurus (Or… Don’t?)

There are two types of people in this world: Those who want to avoid facing a man-eating carnotaurus head-on, and those who welcome the idea kindly. When you’re riding Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there’ll be a moment during the end of the ride when your Time Rover will come face-to-face with a carnotaurus. (Definitely NOT our dino.)

If you want the full impact of this rather intense moment, then you’ll wanna be sitting on the far right on the first row. However, if you’re riding with some younger and more skittish of these types of jump scares, then you’re gonna want them to be sitting on the far left in the back row.

Though cast members won’t always be able to accommodate these preferences, it’s always a good idea to ask them before you board. They’ll do their best to make sure you’re happy with your ride through!

Milk Those Disney Resort Benefits!

If you’re planning on staying at a Disney-owned resort — or an eligible Good Neighbor Hotel — then you’ve GOTTA take advtange of those resort benefits to really maximize your ride time. There are TWO resort benefits you need to be on the lookout for:

1. The first is the Early Theme Park Entry Benefit — where ALL Disney World resort guests can head into ANY of the 4 theme parks on ANY days 30 minutes before their official opening time!
2. And the second is The Extended Evening Hours Benefit — where Deluxe Resort guests (and deluxe resort guests ONLY) can stay up to two hours in select parks on select evenings. When Extended Evening Hours are available, they usually happen at EPCOT on Mondays, Magic Kingdom on Tuesdays/Wednesday, and Hollywood Studios on Thursdays. Hollywood Studios Extended Evening Hours are usually the most limited, so make sure to take a look at Disney World’s Hours and Events calendar on their website before your trip to see if you can align these benefits with your visit.

I Repeat: ARRIVE EARLY

Not planning on staying at a Disney Resort or Good Neighbor Hotel that’ll offer you these extra park benefits? That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of rope drop.If you can manage it, it’s still not a bad idea to get to the parks about 45 minutes before official opening time

Before the start of the day, guests will be permitted into just a small portion of the park (like Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom), but the other lands will be roped off until open. (And THAT’s where the name “rope drop” comes from!) If you’re there early enough to see these ropes OFFICIALLY drop, you could still be one of the first in line for any particular ride.

Arriving early can end up being the MOST beneficial for Magic Kingdom. Because if you aren’t relying on the Disney buses to deliver you up to the front gates, you’ll have to park and take either a monorail or ferry from the Transportation and Ticket Center — which will, then, carry you over to the Magic Kingdom. This extra journey could take up to 30-ish minutes — and THAT could very well eat into your ride time IF you don’t arrive early enough.

Don’t Panic When A Ride Isn’t Immediately Available

No, I’m not BACKTRACKING here. But I AM going to warn you — some rides may not always be up and at ‘em early in the morning. Take Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios, for instance. Recently, if we’ve seen Tower of Terror become “temporarily unavailable,” it’s been in the mornings more often than not. And that’s because… well… Tower of Terror has had a rough go of it lately.

Fortunately, it has multiple elevator shafts — so even if one or two have to go down, the others can still stay open (but lines might be WAY longer, since the ride will be running at half its usual capacity). So… sometimes, Tower of Terror has to “warm up” its ghostly Twilight Zone aura before being ready to drop more guests to their untimely doom throughout the day. That means when you get to the park at rope drop, and you’re ready to make a beeline to this haunted hotel, you’re plans might have to quickly shift to a DIFFERENT experience while you’re waiting for this one to go back online. So be FLEXIBLE. Again — make the My Disney Experience App your bestie so it can inform you right when a ride is back in business.

Ditch The Other Aerial Carousels

There are four aerial carousels in Disney World — and THREE of them reside inside the Magic Kingdom. You’ve got Astro Orbiter, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin But, if you’re in Animal Kingdom, you’ve ALSO got Triceratops Spin.

Though each ride has a different theme, they’re all essentially the same ride. So choose to go on ONE, and skip out on the others (if you’re looking to save yourself some time). Which one should you choose? If you’re a purist, Dumbo is the obvious choice. It also has one of the COOLEST queue lines on property, where your kiddos can pass the time burning energy around an indoor playground while you wait.

For a more thrilling experience, Astro Orbiter may be a better option. This Tomorrowland attraction can take you 80 feet up in the air and give you sweeping views of the park. You even have to take an elevator ride ABOVE the PeopleMover just to reach the carousel itself!

As for Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Triceratops Spin? I’d say you can choose those over the others IF you’ve got someone (or multiple someoneS) in your group who are Aladdin or Dinosaur enthusiasts.They could also both have shorter wait times than the other aerial carousels — because they’re just not as popular. But aside from that? If you’ve ridden one of the others, you REALLY don’t need to ride these. (Unless you’re some kinda aerial carousel completionist. Then just… ignore me, I guess.)

Walk Around the ACTUAL EPCOT Greenhouses

Needless to say, when you ride Living With the Land, you are NOT allowed to jump outta the boat and go exploring the gardens and greenhouses. But that doesn’t mean you’ll never have the opportunity to do so, IF exploring this lush environment is a dream come true for you.

The Living With the Land: Behind the Seeds Tour is a one-hour guided experience that lets you explore all four Living with the Land greenhouses (as well as a fish farm) to give you an up-close and personal look at the plant-growing technique Disney uses to cultivate their crops. (You MIGHT just get the chance to release ladybugs into the greenhouses too — to encourage plant protection! How cute is THAT?)

Tours are $35 per guest (which is actually the CHEAPEST behind the scenes tour you’re gonna find on Disney World property). But keep in mind that you’ll still have to pay for the full park admission price on top of your tour cost. It’s best to make advance reservations for this tour on the Disney World website IF you wanna for sure experience it during your upcoming EPCOT day — BUT you may also be able to make a day-of reservation OR be fortunate enough to walk-in (when extra tour space is available).

You can always check for that last minute availability in the same location that you’ll check-in for the tour itself — on the lower level of The Land Pavilion near the Living With the Land exit

Support Your FAVORITE Rides!

Why just RIDE Disney World rides… when you could WEAR them too? (Hm. That sounded better in my head. Ah, well. C’est la vie.) On the DFB Store website, we have TONS of different shirts, featuring your favorite rides!

We have shirts for the Big Thunder Mountain Fans, shirts for the Mad Tea Party Junkies, shirts for the Figment enthusiasts…

We even have shirts for RETIRED rides — like Splash Mountain. (If you still wanna sport your Frontierland pride.)

Each shirt comes in a variety of different styles, colors, and sizes — to make sure YOU can have it customized JUST the way you like it.

Shop the DFB Store here!

Skip The Shows

Blasphemous? Maybe. But it’s not uncommon for ride wait times to dip down during the parades and nighttime spectaculars. If you don’t mind skipping out on experiences like the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom or Fantasmic in Disney’s Hollywood Studios — in exchange for a more popular ride that you didn’t get the chance to check out earlier on because of the super-long queues — then don’t look back! Get in line NOW (and ask for forgiveness later).

Call On Chewie

Sorry, Hondo Ohnaka. You’re great and all, but — sometimes — we’d rather have Chewie screaming at us during our ridethrough on the Millennium Falcon rather than someone we can… actually understand.

When you ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, your default guide is set for Hondo. But if you successfully “hack into the ride’s mainframe,” so to speak, you can replace him with your favorite lovable wookie. This is how it works:

1. All six passengers MUST cooperate in order to pull off this hack.
2. Before the ride starts, do NOT activate your position right away (it’s a trap!!).
3. Instead, make sure the left and right pilots push their controls to the far left or right and far up or down. After they do that,
4. THEN they can push their activation button.
5. Behind the pilots, the engineers and gunners need to press and hold down one of the white buttons on their console before pressing the orange activation button.

If everyone does EXACTLY what they’re supposed to, then you SHOULD be able to hear the famous Chewbacca yell for the span of your flight!

Play Your Way Around The Queues

You don’t have to be bored out of your skull when you’re standing in line for a ride. (And you don’t have to solely rely on the Heads Up app to pass the time. IYKYK.) The Play Disney Parks app is a FREE app — separate from My Disney Experience — that’s chock full of activities and games specific to the ride you’re waiting in line for.

Some games you can play solo, some you can play with a partner, and some you might even be able to play with EVERYONE in line (like you can do with the Soarin’ Challenge in EPCOT).

It’s also where you’re gonna find the Star Wars Data Pad — which will allow you to interact around Galaxy’s Edge in a WHOLE NEW WAY. With the data pad, you can scan and collect cargo, hack into droid tech, translate the Aurebesh language, and tune into satellite transmissions.

Register Your Vehicle BEFORE It’s Too Late

One of the best parts about Test Track in EPCOT is that you can customize your own SIM vehicle in the queue’s design studio to pit against other riders. These vehicles will be registered to your MagicBand or physical park pass. Once you’re in the loading station, next in line, you’ll have the opportunity to scan your band/pass to have your vehicle uploaded to the ride — ready to RACE!

BUT don’t dilly-dally! Once you’re in that loading area, go ahead and scan your band/pass ASAP to get your car all uploaded to the system. Because if you wait until it’s time for you to board, you’ll miss your chance to upload your design.

The ride is still fun either way — but you’ll be missing that immersive element that allows you to be a little (or a LOT) more… competitive.

Jump In Line BEFORE The Park Closes

Here’s a tip that I’ve personally used time and time again. If you jump in line for an attraction JUST before park close — we’re talking even if you only have 10-15 minutes to spare — you WILL still get to ride this ride. (Unless something breaks down, of course — which has to be the gamble you’re willing to make IF you choose to try this last-minute strategy).

Now let’s say you’re about to get in line for Flight of Passage 10 minutes before the park closes, but the wait is still set at 60+ minutes. There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.

First off, yes, this means you will be riding this ride AFTER the park closes. As long as you can enter into the queue before it closes off for the night, you’ll still be golden. And secondly — that wait time you’re seeing may not even be accurate. At the end of the night, wait times are often projected a bit higher than they really are, so not only will you get on the ride, but you’ll also POSSIBLY be waiting in a shorter line to do so.

Track Down Single Rider Lines

Ready to “ride solo?” You may be more apt to say “yes” if you knew just how much TIME you could potentially save by switching yourself over to a party of one. (As Amy Adams would say, You’re havin’ a ME PAR-TAY!)

If you’re visiting Disney World by yourself or you’re traveling with a group who doesn’t mind splitting up the party in order to shed some time in line, then be on the lookout for the single rider lines. Single rider is offered at rides like:

• Test Track and Soarin’ Around the World in EPCOT
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• And Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

These waits can wind up being a lot shorter than normal standby lines. (They could even end up being shorter than the Lightning Lane queues, too — and you won’t have to pay a cent extra to test this theory out!) Oftentimes, the single rider strategy works best on Soarin, Smugglers Run, and Expedition Everest — but there are times when Test Track and Rock n Roller Coaster’s single rider can still get a bit lengthy. (But, hey, still worth a shot, right?)

Prepare For The Random Scare Zones

Traumatizing your kid at Disney World probably isn’t on your itinerary. (And if it is… well… we’ll leave that for the therapist to unpack.) Even if you avoid rides that you KNOW will scare your kid — like Tower of Terror or Haunted Mansion — there are some dark rides around the parks that have unexpected scary moments that could take you and your child off-guard. For example…

• Journey Into Imagination With Figment is colorful and cutesy and great for younger audiences, but it DOES have that suddenly loud BLAST at the end that could wind up being quite the jumpscare.
• The Seas With Nemo and Friends seems innocent enough, but there IS that angler fish towards the beginning of the ride who suddenly swims past you out of the darkness to chase around poor Marlin (who’s JUST trying to find his son, bless him).
• And despite Marshmallow from Frozen Ever After being a misunderstood ice monster, he’s still rather intimidating when you see him emerge right before that small drop at the ride’s conclusion.

The best way to prepare younger audiences for these potentially sinister moments is to give ‘em a heads up. Our friends over at AllEars have TONS of full POV ride throughs on their YouTube channel that you and your kids can watch before your trip. That way, they’ll know EXACTLY what to expect when they board these rides in real life.

Take The Shortcut To Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

For those of you who’ll be taking the Disney Skyliner from your Disney resort over to EPCOT in the morning — or for those of you staying in one of the EPCOT-area resorts — you’re in LUCK! EPCOT has both a front and back entrance. So for Skyliner folks — or folks just walking over from their room and to the park — you’ll be able to enter through EPCOT’s back gate (AKA: the International Gateway)

The international gateway is located between the France and UK pavilions. And you know what popular ride is in the France pavilion?? (You BETTER know because I JUST told you in the previous point.)

If you’re using Early Theme Park Entry AND entering through the International Gateway, you’ll be one of the FIRST people in line for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure — meaning you can SKIP over the massive main queues WITHOUT having to get a Lightning Lane to do so. (Magnifique!)

Beware Of Extended Evening Hours…

Extended Evenings Hours can be a GREAT way for those staying at the deluxe resorts to have some extra time in the parks (without all the extra lines). But don’t be fooled! Though most of the rides WILL stay open during these later times, some of them may close when the park does. (Either because it’s not listed as a ride that stays open OR because the ride has to go down for maintenance reasons for the rest of the night).

It’s also important to remember that you can’t COMPLETELY rely on Extended Evening Hours to get you through ALL the rides in one go. Two hours may be a lot of time, but if you’re trying to use all that time to get on every single heavy-hitter ride that you missed at, say, Hollywood Studios — because you decide to prioritize all of the shows during the day instead — you might find yourself putting WAY too many eggs into that extended evening hours basket. So use this deluxe benefit as a way to hit up a few rides you missed earlier — or to squeeze in some last minute re-rides — but don’t solely rely on it to help you accomplish EVERY ride in one night.

See If You’re Eligible For The THIRD Virtual Queue

SURPRISE! 7AM and 1PM may not be your ONLY chance at getting into a virtual queue for TRON! On select dates when Magic Kingdom has their Extended Evening Hours available, deluxe resort guests will be able to request to join a THIRD virtual queue at 6PM. (And, no, unlike the 1PM virtual queue drop, you will NOT have to be physically inside Magic Kingdom to join the virtual queue at 6.).

However, you still must have a valid ticket and a park pass reservation for Magic Kingdom on that day — OR you must have a valid park hopper ticket and have already entered the park you originally made your park pass reservation for).

Have Your Fireworks AND Your Coaster, Too!

Here’s just ANOTHER reason why nighttime rides continue to be the bomb-dot-com. Magic Kingdom rides — like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Astro Orbiter — can give you a totally UNIQUE view of the Cinderella Castle fireworks display. But you’ll have to time your visit JUST right.

The nighttime spectaculars are usually around 15 minutes long. So if you see that line for Big Thunder Mountain is pushing 30 minutes, you’re probably gonna miss the show. But if you were to jump in the queue 20-ish minutes before the show starts, you might just be able to pull off one of the COOLEST ride throughs of Big Thunder Mountain EVER.

Earn A High Score!

Don’t just RIDE Toy Story Mania in Disney’s Hollywood Studios… DOMINATE it. This gallery-shooter doesn’t just reward you with points based on luck. It’s all in the wrist… as well as knowing EXACTLY which targets are gonna give you the MOST points.

Because all the different ride tricks can be rather INVOLVED, I’m just gonna narrow it down to a couple of my favorite strategies that’ll help you rack up major points QUICKLY.

• Strategy One: Knock the fox off the hen house. I know this sounds kinda mean out of context, BUT when you’re in that first barn scene on the ride, shooting down the fox will reward you with tons of new high score targets to hit.
• And Strategy Two: Get a ring tossed around ALL the Little Green Aliens at the same time. Even if you’re actively COMPETING against your fellow ride partner, you’ll need to work together to accomplish this. If you do, the scene will change into a robot with an open mouth that lets you shoot as many rings as possible for 1,000 and 2,000 points each.

Check Forecasted Wait Times

In the afternoon, expect partially cloudy skies and a high chance of scattered crowds.” Okay… so the My Disney Experience App can’t give you ride forecasts like THAT — but it can still help you figure out what estimated crowd levels MIGHT look like for each ride on the day of your visit.

Just go to the Tip Boards option on your app, select the park you’re currently visiting, and choose the “Attractions And Shows” list. Then, scroll down to the ride you want to learn more about.

On the right side of the attraction, tap on the “view details” link. This will open up a new screen that’ll show you a graph of what estimated wait times should look like each hour of the day. Though these estimations are subject to change, the graph can still give you a good idea for when queue lines are predicted to be more reasonable… or skyrocket and be at their busiest.

Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris When All The Animals Are Out

Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the ONLY ride in Disney World where you’re gonna be able to see HUNDREDS of living, breathing, non-animatronic animals in a single tour. But because these animals are real — and not just programmed to entertain you — your ride through on this safari is gonna be different every single time.

If you want the BEST chance of seeing MORE animals out and active during your ride, AVOID getting on this one during the heat of the day. Because if YOU’RE feeling hot, sweaty, and miserable — so are the animals. And that means most of your ride will consist of the animals hiding out or sleeping or just avoiding the public entirely. (I’ve never related with a ride so much in my life.)

However, when it’s cooler out — like in the early mornings and around dusk — you’re probably gonna see more animals up and roamin’ about. That being said, different animals prefer different times of the day — so you might see certain animals when the sun’s rising and completely different animals when the sun’s setting. And then there are some animals who LOVE the rain. So if you know things are about to get drizzly, then you know which ride you can turn to NEXT.

Look Out For Closures

I know you don’t wanna hear this, but refurbishments happen way too often in the Disney World bubble. But here’s the GOOD thing — they’re almost always announced WELL before they actually happen. If you don’t visit the parks often — or maybe you’re about to go on your very first trip! — make sure that the ride you’re desperately anticipating will be open and waiting to meet you.

You can check the refurbishment schedules on the Disney World website — and we’ll keep ya posted, too!

Avoid Riding The Train At The WRONG Time

The Walt Disney World Railroad is such a chill way to explore Magic Kingdom from the comfort of your train car (and give your feet a much-needed break in the meantime). But not EVERY time is TRAIN time. (Heh. I need that on a shirt or something.)

If you happen to be riding this locomotive during the Festival of Fantasy parade, there’s a good chance that you might be stopped in your tracks (literally)! The train will have to stop at Main Street, U.S.A. to let all the parade cross through backstage — and that takes a solid 15 minutes.

The Festival of Fantasy Parade takes place in Magic Kingdom twice daily at 12PM and 3PM — though showtimes are always subject to change! If you don’t want to potentially get stuck on your train ride, try to avoid getting in line around these times. (Unless, that is, you WANNA get stuck to give your feet an even LONGER break — as well as catch the tail end of the parade, while you’re at it.)

Make Buzz Lightyear Proud

You’ve already learned how to score BIG on ONE Toy Story gallery shooter… So why not learn how to master ANOTHER? Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in Magic Kingdom is wanting YOU to rack up the big points to become a GALACTIC HERO. But in order to accomplish THAT, you’ll need to know where, exactly, the targets with the HIGHEST POINTS are hiding out in this ride. So here are the three targets you need to be on the lookout for:

• Target #1 is located in the first room. Y’see that giant robot? (Trust me, you can’t miss it.) Aim for the targets inside its arms to earn 100,000 points.
• Target #2 can be found when you’re going through the Star Tunnel. Try to hit the body of the spaceship for another 100,000 points
• And Target #3 is on Zurg’s ship. There’s a target on the bottom of his ship that you’ll want to hit that’s worth 25,000 points.

There are a TON of different strategies out there to help improve your Space Ranger Spin score, but if you DO reach the ranks of Galactic Hero, don’t forget to pick up your Galactic Hero sticker from a Cast Member in the gift shop at the exit. (You can either wear that sticker for the rest of the day to let everyone else know how awesome you are… OR you can preserve it and, like, frame this major award when you get home or something.)

Be On The Lookout For “Plot B”

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is an adorable (and VERY chaotic) trackless dark ride in Hollywood Studios with a pretty straightforward story. (For the most part.) During the pre-show, you’ll learn the basic premise: Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto are on their way for a nice and relaxing picnic getaway at Runnamuck Park.

Buuuut things get a little chaotic when Engineer Goofy shows up! As Mickey and Minnie cross over the railroad tracks, Pluto and their picnic basket get launched out of the convertible and — subsequently — a cream pie lands in the steam engine’s smokestack. (Because of course it does.) This causes Goofy to lose control, and the train comes crashing into the station located just behind the movie screen! (It’s a REALLY fun effect, symbolizing your crossover from the real world and into the CARTOON one)

When you’re on the ride, Goofy’s engineer shenanigans continue to spice things up. After Goofy accidentally hits the track switch, all of the locomotive’s train cars get sent off on their own individual paths. But let me slam on the brakes for just a second here. Because if you’re following along with Mickey and Minnie during the entire ride, you’re gonna COMPLETELY miss out on the Plot B taking place (which stars Mickey’s bestest pal).

Remember how I said Pluto and the picnic basket get chucked from the convertible during the pre-show? During the ride, Pluto has made it his ULTIMATE MISSION to reunite Mickey and Minnie with this basket full of goodies (which proves to be QUITE the undertaking). Just goes to show you that Pluto continues to be the goodest boi in the Disney universe.

All this to say keep your eyes peeled for our yellow dog friend while you’re on the ride. That way, you can get a whole OTHER side of this rather wacky story.

Apply For A DAS Pass

So this isn’t a ride hack again, per se, but it is something IMPORTANT you’ll wanna know about if you — or someone you’re traveling with — will need additional assistance in your group. Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) is available for guests with disabilities that’ll prevent them from getting on rides due to not being able to stand in the queues for extended periods of time.

Here’s how the DAS passes work:

• Guests may register for DAS before their trip between 2 to 30 days ahead of their park visit. Once acquired, guests can start booking attraction return times. If you sign up for DAS ahead of your visit, you may book up to two one-hour return windows before your vacation. These 2 pre-arrival reservations are in addition to the return times you can book throughout your park day, too.
• You can also register for DAS on the day of your visit by going to Guest Relations at the front of the park
• When your ride return window comes around, you’ll show your DAS pass to a cast member at the front of the attraction and they’ll direct you through an alternative entrance for boarding.

Don’t Prioritize The WRONG Reservation

There may come a time when one of your Lightning Lanes clashes with one of your Advanced Dining Reservations. And if that happens… prioritize the Advanced Dining Reservation. Why? For a few reasons:

• Reason One: If you don’t show up to your ADR — and you didn’t cancel at least 2 hours before your reservation time — you’ll be charged a $10 per person no show fee. Meanwhile, if you miss your Lightning Lane return time, that’s not gonna cost ya a thing (except maybe your pride).
• Reason Two: Restaurants will try to hold your table at least 15 minutes AFTER your return time if you’re running late, but — otherwise — you’re gonna lose your reservation slot completely. For Lightning Lanes, you can usually talk to a cast member at the front of the attraction, explain the situation, and they’ll more than likely let you use your Lightning Lanes anyways.
• And Reason Three: It’s WAY easier to modify a Lightning Lane! If you find a DIFFERENT return time on your My Disney Experience App that works WAY better with your schedule, you have the option to modify your Lightning Lane to this new timeslot (and it won’t even reset your 120 minute countdown)!

We did it! You’re now officially EQUIPPED with 50 different ride hacks that you can use for your Disney World vacation! (Feel like a pro yet?)

Fifty may SEEM like a whole lotta ride tips and tricks, but we’re not done with ALL the ride advice YET! Keep checking back here with us for even MORE ride news, recommendations, and tips to come — and remember to drop us your email at disneyfoodblog.com/50RIDEHACKS to receive our ENTIRE ride hacks digital download, which you can refer back to!

The post 50 HUGE Disney World Ride Secrets first appeared on the disney food blog.