So you’ve planned a trip to Disney World, and you’re in the process of making your dream trip a reality.

Well, there is SO much to figure out: from transportation to where you’re going to stay to whether you want to add park hopping to your tickets and more. So we’re going to let you know about problems you might face when traveling to Disney World so that you don’t end up with any nasty surprises. 

Flight Delays

The first big problem you might run into in getting to Disney World is a flight delay or cancellation, which seem to happen way more often now than they have in the past. We’ve seen bad weather affect flights, but there have also been problems with pilot shortages, and more. There’s not a lot you can do to control these issues, but there is a way to be proactive about them.

First and foremost, you might want to consider travel insurance for your trip, if you don’t already have a credit card that covers costs you might incur during a flight delay or due to a flight cancellation. You’ll also want to stay on top of your airline’s website and/or app to make sure you get any alerts regarding your upcoming flight. You can’t control if/when these things happen, but you can be prepared for them.

We can also recommend getting a nonstop flight to Orlando if you can. This lessens your chance of having to deal with additional problems that can arise if you have to connect at another airport. The good news is that Orlando International Airport is adding more and more nonstop flights from cities all over the world ALL the time, so you now have more options than you might have had in the past.

Flying to Disney World is About To Get EASIER

Weather

With that being said, you also cannot control the weather. However, we have to talk about hurricane season because it can affect your trip to Disney World, as well as disrupt your plans AT Disney World. If you’re traveling to Disney World between June 1st and November 30th, you’ll need to be prepared in the event a hurricane is headed to Orlando.

You will have some options: Disney will often allow visitors to change their plans if a hurricane is headed its way with no additional fees. If you’re AT Disney World when a hurricane strikes, you’ll find that Disney is well-prepared to keep you safe, well-fed, and entertained, even if the parks close. 

6 Tips for Planning a Disney World Trip During Hurricane Season

Surge Pricing

Surge pricing at Disney World affects everything from the cost of your hotel to the cost of tickets to the cost of Genie+. That means that if you’re traveling at a busier time of the year, like the holidays, you’re going to pay a lot more for your trip than if you travel at a less busy time.

You also need to keep in mind that Disney World now charges different prices for different days at different parks. You might pay $134 to visit Animal Kingdom, but that same day in Animal Kingdom could cost you $159. Genie+ will also go up in price.

Genie+ will also cost you more, depending on the day you use it. We’ve seen it as low as $15 per day, but we’ve also seen it cost $35 on a busy day.

If you can, you’ll want to try to plan your travel around slower seasons like January or September. However, we get it — sometimes it’s more convenient to travel over Spring Break or the holidays, but you’ll just have to be prepared to budget for those higher costs. You could try to save some $$$ by skipping Genie+ and using other strategies (like rope dropping, Early Theme Park Entry, and Extended Evening Hours) to avoid long lines for attractions.

8 Rides You Definitely DON’T Need Genie+ for in Disney World!

100th Anniversary Crowds

EPCOT is about to become a lot busier as it becomes the center of Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in Disney World. That means we expect to see a lot more people in Disney World, specifically in EPCOT. EPCOT will be getting a lot of special additions for the celebration, including a new nighttime show, which will probably also be hard to get a good spot for.

That means if you want to ride attractions in EPCOT, Genie+ might be a good way to do so without waiting in long lines. We also expect that dining packages may be announced for the new nighttime show, which could allow you to get special access to specific viewing areas for the nighttime show around World Showcase Lagoon.

10 Huge Ways EPCOT Will Change on September 22nd

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Splash Mountain has officially closed in Magic Kingdom and the ride is currently being reimagined as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The only opening timeline we have is late 2024, but we can expect that when we get an official opening date, that date will be VERY busy in Disney World. New rides always bring a lot of interest, after all.

So if you’re planning to visit Disney World to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in 2024: be warned. It’s likely that the new ride will have a virtual queue, meaning you’ll have to have some fast fingers to grab a spot for you and your party once it becomes available (usually it’s twice a day). We also expect the ride to have the Individual Lightning Lane option, but it’s likely that will sell out fast, too.

What the Heck Does Tabasco Have To Do With Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disney World?

So if you’re visiting Disney World over the next year, you’ll need to be ready to navigate these problems. We’ll continue to do our best to help you prepare for your trip, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

4 Hotel Transportation PROBLEMS You’ll Run Into at Disney World