First Disney World Trip? 10 Things You Need on Your Itinerary

The Excitement is Real!

I know you must be so excited for your first trip to Walt Disney World. There are so many fun things to do while you are getting ready to go to be well prepared for your trip. The biggest of those is being prepared for the trip you are getting ready to go on. A Disney World vacation is quite an undertaking and can be overwhelming. So do yourself a favor and make sure you know what to expect and what you want to see on your first trip. In this article, I have included 10 things that are considered to be the biggest must dos on your first trip to Walt Disney World. I hope this helps as you continue your planning to be sure you are getting the most out of your experience.

First things first, some of these items may depend on the ages and sizes of your children. Many of what I have included can be adapted to younger versus older children, so I feel these are the definite must dos simply because they lend themselves to being truly for the whole family. After you read, if you have questions or think I left something out, feel free to comment below!

Ride the Mountains

There are three mountains in Magic Kingdom. The mountains are very popular and favorites among Disney visitors. The mountains are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain. Now, Splash Mountain was closed in 2023 for a re-theme to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The ride vehicle and track are relatively unchanged. So, since the track is the same, I still consider this to be a “mountain” attraction. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be opening June 28, 2025.

The only caveat to these being included in must dos for families is that all three mountains have height restrictions. Tiana’s and Big Thunder have a 40″ height requirement. Space Mountain requires 44″. So if your little ones fall below this, you can use rider swap.

To use rider swap, go to the cast member at the entrance to the attraction. Tell them that you want to use rider swap. They will ask who is riding first and who is staying with the child who can’t ride. Just one person has to stay behind with whoever can’t ride. The Cast Member will ask who will be riding again with the one who stays behind. Then they will set this up with each persons MagicBand/ticket to be able to scan in and use the Lightning Lane entrance for the second set of riders. Rider swap is helpful because the person who stays behind can still ride without having to use the standby line and they don’t have to ride alone.

Meet Mickey

So you’re taking your first trip to Walt Disney World. Now I want you to think about visiting someone’s home. Would you go in and ignore the host? No. So when you go to Disney, you need to meet the Main Mouse! Meeting Mickey is something your kids will remember for a long time. You can meet Mickey at every park and several character meals.

Meet Mickey in the Parks

• Epcot: Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (may also be found in ImageWorks at the exit of Journey in Imagination with Figment)
• Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater, just to the right at the park entrance after you pass under the train station.
• Hollywood Studios: Red Carpet Dreams on Commissary Lane
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Adventurer’s Outpost on Discovery Island

Meet Mickey at a Character Meal

• Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios (Dinner)
• Breakfast a la Art with Mickey and Friends at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Garden Grill in Epcot
• ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (Breakfast only)

Do a Character Meal

Character meals are a great way to see several characters (some you can’t meet anywhere else) and get a meal at the same time. No waiting in long lines but the trade off is a pricier meal. Most character meals are buffet, family style, or prix fix. A few do have a regular menu for you to order from though. When planning your day to include a character meal, you should allot at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. These can take a good chunk out of your park day.

You can find character meals in every park and some resorts. If you have a non-park day scheduled, a character meal at a resort is a great way to fit one in without taking up so much park time.

All of the Character Meals that have Mickey are listed above. Here are others that are currently available:

• Crystal Palace
• Cinderella’s Royal Table
• 1900 Park Fare
• Minnie Beach Ball Bash at Cape May Cafe (Breakfast only)
• FairyTale Dining at Artist’ Point (Dinner)
• Play and Dine with Disney Junior Friends at Hollywood & Vine (Breakfast)
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Eat Something Mickey Shape

The iconic Mouse is all over Disney World. There are hidden Mickey’s, Mickey merchandise, and Mickey shaped food. You really should eat something shaped like Mickey Mouse on your trip. It may be a simple Mickey bar that you can find all over the parks and resorts. You could grab Mickey waffles one morning for breakfast. Mickey Beignets are a favorite but you’ll have to trek over to Port Orleans French Quarter to get them. Either choice you make will be great and you may try to get more than one.

Watch a Show

Disney World is full of entertainment for all ages. Each park has a variety of shows and entertainment options that will fit with any interest you and your family is looking for. Shows that are outdoors allow food so you can take a drink or snack in with you, so that helps if you want to fit a snack break in with your show. Some of the most popular shows include Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom and Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios. There are many more, but it will depend on the interest and ages of your travel party as to which ones you will want to see.

Try an Iconic Disney Snack

There are so many things to eat at Walt Disney World that it can be very overwhelming when you have to choose. So for your first trip, try at least one iconic Disney World snack. Or even one each day of your trip if you really want to make the most of it.

Here are a few options for you to try:

• Dole Whip available at multiple locations
• Mickey Ice Cream Bar
• Mickey Pretzel
• Cheeseburger Spring Roll at the Spring Roll Cart in MK
• Cinnamon Roll at Gaston’s Tavern
• Fruit and Nutella Waffle at Sleepy Hollow
• School Bread at Kringla Bakery
• Cheddar Cheese Soup in Canada during the Food and Wine Festival
• Night Blossom at Pongu Pongu
• Citrus Swirl at Sunshine Tree Terrace
• Beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter
• Cheshire Cattail at Cheshire Cafe
• Churro
• Corn Dog Nuggets at Casey’s Corner
• Ronto Wrap in Galaxy’s Edge
• Jack-Jack Num Num Cookie
• Carrot Cake Cookie

Visit Pandora

The World of Avatar that is Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is a land like no other. This area is themed so well that my children believe that the mountains are actually floating; well, at least they did when they were younger. There are 2 attractions in Pandora; Na’vi River Journey and Avatar: Flight of Passage.

Na’vi River Journey is a dark boat ride through the bioluminescent rainforest. There is no height requirement for this ride. However, prepare your little ones for the dark environment and the large Shaman of Songs at the end of the attraction.

Avatar: Flight of Passage is the most popular attraction in the park with very long lines throughout the day. This ride is a 3D simulation of the flight on the back of a banshee. It does have a 44″ height requirement. It also has a different ride vehicle seat that you can try out before you get into the line to ride.

Both rides can get long lines. It is suggested to get in those lines early or closer to the end of the night for a ride with a shorter wait.

Play in Andy’s Backyard

Toy Story Land is the cutest land in Walt Disney World. Guests are shrunk down to the size of a toy and are playing in Andy’s backyard. There are 3 attractions in Toy Story Land, which include Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania, and Alien Swirling Saucers. In addition to the attractions there are a few character meet and greets and two restaurants, Woody’s Lunchbox and Rodeo Roundup BBQ.

The attractions are super fun and very popular. Slinky Dog Dash is usually the first Genie+ attraction to run out of Lightning Lanes in the park every day. It is a family coaster with a 38″ height requirement. Toy Story Mania is a 3D ride through a midway of shooting carnival games. You’ll probably want to ride this again to challenge each other to a better score! The third attraction in Toy Story Land is Alien Swirling Saucers. It spins and whips you around which causes lots of laughs and giggles. It has a 32″ height requirement, so little ones may not be able to ride until they are around 2 years old.

Be sure to take in all the atmosphere in Toy Story Land. From the domino seats to the popsicle stick walls, it’s a world all it’s own and like no other you will see.

Experience a Nighttime Spectacular

Nighttime shows at Walt Disney World have changed quite a bit in recent years. Fantasmic is finally back in Hollywood Studios, which we are all thankful for. It is an awesome show and a definite must see. Magic Kingdom has Happily Ever After back again, after leaving for a brief time. This show includes fireworks and projections on the castle as well as down Main Street, USA. If you don’t feel that the projections are necessary, you can see the fireworks from several (less crowded) locations around the park. Luminous The Symphony of Us is the night show at Epcot. It debuted in December 2023 and combines fireworks, lasers, and favorite Disney music to encompass all we love about Epcot.

Any of these are fantastic options for your choice of nighttime show. If you love fireworks and Disney, I’d say to make it a point to experience more than one of them. They are the perfect end to a Disney Day.

Purchase Souvenirs When You See Them

This last one can be very important. I know that Disney souvenirs can be expensive and you want to make sure you see everything before you choose which one(s) you are taking home. Some souvenirs can only be found in certain places. Also, some popular souvenirs may sell out before you come back to purchase it. So I add this particular tip just in case you stumble upon that souvenir that would be the perfect reminder of this amazing first family Disney World trip, don’t walk away–buy it now. And that’s all I’m gonna say.

Final Thoughts for Your First Disney World Trip

As I look back over all of these tips for a first time trip to Disney World, I can’t help but think about what is really important. It’s all about the memories you make with your family. I know the trip is expensive and you want to make the most of each day. It’s the experience shared with your loved ones that really makes the trip magical. The look on your child’s face when they sing along with Anna and Elsa in First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along. It’s the Daisy Duck plush that brings back the memories of your child carrying it for the remainder of the trip that you purchased that first day. It’s those moments that you will remember long after the trip is over and you can reminisce about in the days to come.

Life is short. Kids are only young for so long. Buy the ears. Take the trip. Make the memories now.

Check out my post here for the steps to plan your Disney World trip! If you need assistance, I’m also a Disney Vacation planner and would love to help you. You can use the link in the side bar for a free quote or email me at agreene@magicalworldvacations.com