Let’s face it — Disney is smart. They have a bunch of tactics to get you to spend money or to keep you coming back for more. But, can you be smarter than Disney?

Disney wants you to spend money. They are a business, after all. There is a reason you exit rides through a gift shop and can pay for things just by using your MagicBand — it makes buying things so much harder to resist! They also use some smart tricks to make you see things differently, like forced perspective and that famous Go-Away-Green paint. But, there are ways you can outsmart Disney, and we’re going to break them down for you!

1. Take the Roads Less Traveled

We’re kicking off this advice with some words of wisdom from poet Robert Frost: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Even though Frost was probably (definitely) not talking about Disney World, it still applies here! And, while this poem is generally viewed as a metaphor, we’re going to take it literally and say you actually should use the less popular pathways in Disney World.

Instead of going down the walkways that can get SUPER crowded in the parks, take the paths that go AROUND the crowds! For example, in Magic Kingdom, many people walk through Cinderella Castle to see the beautiful mosaics inside and to, you know, say they walked through the famous castle!

It can get very crowded in this particular area, so we wouldn’t necessarily recommend using this path during really busy times like the morning rush or afternoons. Luckily, there are paths on either side of the castle that you can use instead to get where you need to go!

Over in EPCOT, it’s a bit more difficult to maneuver right now due to all the construction going on for the park’s huge transformation, but there are still some options! The walkway connecting Future World to the Odyssey (where you’ll find the EPCOT Experience) is still available, and it will take you off the main pathway and over to the Walt Disney Imagineering Presents the EPCOT Experience. This path will also take you into the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase!

At Hollywood Studios, there are a TON of bottleneck areas where you can wind up very close to other guests just trying to get where you’re going. If you’re trying to get over to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, go down the path where ABC Commissary is. It can get a little crowded on this pathway, but it’s usually a quicker and easier way to get over to Batuu without people invading your personal space.

At Animal Kingdom there are quite a few secret walkways that you should use even if it’s NOT crowded because they’re usually very peaceful and picturesque! One of these is just to the right of Satu’li Canteen as you’re leaving Pandora: The World of Avatar.

It’s a long wooden-looking bridge walkway that will help you move deeper into the park without having to go back onto the main part of Discovery Island. This path exits over in Africa AND you can sometimes see characters coming by on the flotillas in the waterway next to the path!

While these pathways might seem hidden, they are on all of the Disney maps, so take a look if you’re trying to get somewhere while avoiding crowds. But remember, these paths are our little secret!

Click here to see over 15 secret walkways to BEAT the crowds in Disney World!

2. Know When Popular Souvenirs are Going to Drop

If you want to grab the hottest new merch in Disney World, sometimes you have to get smart. First, you need to know exactly what you’re looking for ahead of time. We’re talking about things like premium popcorn buckets, limited edition items, or some designer Minnie ears.

Next, you have to find out where these merchandise items are going to be released. Check if they’re in-park exclusives or if they’ll be available online too. Once you figure out the where, now you gotta know the when. shopDisney will usually give you an idea of when the next item in a Disney series is going to be released, but if you really want to secure a certain item, you’ll want to log in to the website as early as you can.

Depending on how in-demand an item is predicted to be, this might mean getting up before the sun rises! New merchandise can sometimes be listed on shopDisney around 3AM to 4AM Eastern Standard Time. We know, we know. What about my beauty sleep?! Well, that’s gonna have to wait if you want to snag that popular merch!!

So, how do you find out about these product releases? Well, during Disney media events or press releases about upcoming festivals and other big events in the parks, Disney will usually discuss the new merchandise coming to the parks and (usually) give a timeline as to when you can expect to see those new items. But, if you miss the announcements from Disney don’t worry, because we’ll let you know right here!

If there’s a particular item you’re looking for, try searching our DFB posts. And subscribe to our newsletter for updates. We’ll give you the inside scoop on when you should be on the lookout for these items in the parks!

For example, recently the Figment popcorn bucket made its way back to EPCOT through Mobile Order and we shared ALL of those updates with you. The Figment popcorn bucket craze is REAL folks! If you subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) you won’t miss a thing!

Click here to see Disney’s new Mickey collection!

3. Plan to See TWO Holidays in ONE Trip

Yep, you read that right! Sometimes you can get both Halloween and the Holidays all in one trip. If you book your Disney World vacation at the end of October leading into the first week of November, you really can have it all.

Magic Kingdom will be in full Halloween mode on October 31st , but as soon as that clock strikes midnight, BAM! IT’S CHRISTMAS! Disney gets to work quickly, transforming ghosts and pumpkins into a holly-jolly winter wonderland.

Disney’s After Hours Halloween event (Disney After Hours Boo Bash) took place from August through Halloween night in 2021.

Disney’s After Hours event for the holiday season (Disney Very Merriest After Hours) started on November 8th in 2021, so if that’s the same timeframe for this year, you could potentially go to both the Halloween and Holiday After Hours events in one trip if you so desire. But, that could be a long vacation for you!

Note that as of writing, Disney has not yet confirmed whether these specific After Hours events will be returning for 2022 or if we’ll see the return of the previous holiday parties or new events. Be sure to check our newsletter for the latest updates!

If you don’t want a long vacation, what you can do is go to Magic Kingdom during its Halloween After Hours event and then wake up the next morning and go straight back to Magic Kingdom to get your picture with the Christmas Tree and all of the other holiday decor!

However, keep in mind that this specific week is also usually “Jersey Week” for Disney World. This is when the schools in New Jersey have their Fall Break and many families will head on down to Florida to check out all of the holiday festivities as well. Add on the fact that it would also be the period near Halloween night, and well, you know where this is headed.

The crowds could be pretty significant around this time, but you can still have fun if you do some planning ahead and if seeing that change in the holiday decor is important to you. Just be sure to get those dining reservations and Park Passes as soon as you can and consider using Disney Genie+ to get on some of those popular rides.

Click here to see if you should get Disney Genie+ during the Holidays in Disney World

4. Get Groceries Delivered to You

Did you know that you can get groceries delivered to you at Disney World?! Well, now you do! There are several different grocery delivery apps that will bring groceries to your hotel without you having to leave the Disney Bubble, like Amazon Fresh, Shipt, Instacart, and FreshDirect.

If you have a kitchen in your hotel room, making some of your own meals could save you a lot of money! But, this isn’t just for people with a kitchen in their room. You can also order snacks to pack inside your park bag to eat during the day so you don’t order ANOTHER DOLE Whip (but hey, we’re not judging if you do!).

You can also get microwavable meals from these grocery delivery services. A few Disney World hotel rooms have built-in microwaves you can use, but if you’re staying at one of the standard rooms at a value resort, this might not be available for you. HOWEVER, you can still microwave items at your resort’s food service locations! Microwaves can be used on a first-come, first-serve basis — just ask a Cast Member for assistance. You may also be able to request a microwave, but a PlanDisney response notes that there is usually a small supply and they are prioritized for those requesting them for medical reasons.

Some good ideas for microwavable meals could be things like instant ramen, oatmeal, soup, or mac ‘n’ cheese! Just make sure you give the delivery service plenty of time to get your groceries to you, because ordering in the morning and expecting your items within the half hour before you leave for the parks is probably not going to work.

Click here to see the big hotel news that’ll change how groceries are delivered to you in Disney World!

5. Say “No Thank You” to Upgrades

Disney World has a lot of vacation enhancements you can add on to your trip like a Park Hopper, Disney Genie+, Fireworks dessert parties, and more. But, you don’t HAVE to have ALL of these Disney upgrades to have a good time at the parks. Can they make things more convenient? Sure! But sometimes they can end up being a big cash grab for Disney , an expensive experience for you, and not truly necessary for your trip.

You can outsmart Disney by saying, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Turning down these upgrades can save you a big chunk of change! Instead of spending the money on these “extras”, you can try the “free” version of some of these upgrades.

If you want to do more than one Disney experience in a day but don’t want to buy a Park Hopper, you can try spending half your day in a park and then the other half at Disney Springs or doing fun things at your Disney hotel or other Disney hotels.

If you want to skip some long lines, you can use those single rider lines at certain rides to potentially get you up to the front faster (just know that your party will be split up!). You can also take advantage of things like Early Theme Park Entry or Extended Evening Hours (if you qualify) to get extra time in the parks with less crowds.

If you want to see the fireworks without being next to hundreds of other people in front of Cinderella Castle, you can try watching them from behind the castle or near the Tangled Bathrooms. You won’t be able to see the projections, but you can still get a great view of the fireworks without being in a sea of people!

Don’t get us wrong — some Disney upgrades can be worth the money. Just look over your trip and see if any upgrades are truly going to benefit you and your party in the long run, and whether they’ll be worth the cash for what you want to accomplish.

Click here to check out some hidden Disney World extras to see if they’re things that you’d be interested in.

And click here to see why you might NOT want certain Disney World upgrades right now.

There ya have it! Those are some of the ways you can outsmart Disney World on your vacation, but if you want to know more, check out our video below!

And, as always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news!

Click here to see new ways to save money on your 2022 Disney World trip!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Do you have any other ways you outsmart Disney? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Ways to Outsmart Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.