Welcome back, Mousekefriends! We have 5 tips for a short Disney vacation from the best Disney Travel Advisors in the business, our agents from Kingdom and Cruise. Sometimes you just need a quick Disney fix with 3 days in the parks! We have great suggestions to make your trip run smoothly so you can make plenty of Magical Memories in those few days.
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1. Stay at a Deluxe Resort for Extended Evening Hours and Proximity to Parks!
Quick Disney Transportation:
Time is money, Mousekefriends! You need to be able to roll out of bed and right into the parks. You need to avoid bus lines and bus rides to save valuable time during your short stay. We recommend a deluxe resort on the monorail. Disney’s Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Polynesian are all on the monorail, which can deliver you right to Magic Kingdom and Epcot!
If you prefer being close to Hollywood Studios and Epcot, stay at Skyliner Resort like Riviera. Deluxe resorts like Beach Club and Yacht Club will allow you to walk right into Epcot in a matter of minutes!
Extended Evening Hours
Aside from the ease of transportation that these deluxe resorts offer, you also get Extended Evening Hours at some parks! They are usually offered on Mondays at Epcot and Wednesdays at the Magic Kingdom. WHAT ARE THEY?! From 9-11pm on the nights they are offered, deluxe resort guests get those parks to themselves, and it is glorious!! What a perfect way to check off a few more boxes during a short stay.
2. Get Park Hopper Tickets
There is no way to get 4 Disney parks done in 3 days without Park Hoppers! We recommend doing Animal Kingdom in the early part of the day and hopping to Epcot or Magic Kingdom in the evening – maybe on the evening with Extended Evening Hours!
Animal Kingdom is a relaxing stroll kind of park. You will still feel like heading to another park after your morning here. Head there at opening and rope drop Flight of Passage! Get to Kilamanjaro Safaris after that to catch the animals during the most active time of the day. You can even plan your Genie+ selections for you afternoon park while you’re still at Animal Kingdom in the morning! Which brings us to our next tip…
3. Purchase Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes
These time-savers are essential for a short visit! Nobody has 80 minutes to wait for Seven Dwarves! Genie+ (an additional purchase on the day of your visit) will allow you to book a return time for one ride at a time, depending on availability, throughout the day. The Individual Lightning Lanes (also an additional purchase) will allow you to select your return time for rides that aren’t offered through Genie +, like Guardians of the Galaxy, Rise of the Resistance, Seven Dwarves, Flight of Passage, and TRON. You can book those at 7am if you are staying on Disney property. Otherwise you have to wait until you’re inside the parks.
4. Don’t Try to Squeeze in Disney Springs or a Water Park Unless…
…You are booking a 2025 trip through one of our outstanding agents at Kingdom and Cruise Travel who will tell you that one of Disney’s two water parks comes with your Disney vacation on day of arrival! Which is an amazing perk! The water parks and Disney Springs are great to explore when you have a longer vacation, but we recommend skipping these on a shorter vacation, unless it’s your check-in day in 2025!
5. Purchase a Quick-Service Dining Plan!
We would pass on the Disney Dining Plan with table service meals for a short trip. As much as we love a sit down meal at one of Disney’s immersive restaurants, those are a time suck during a short trip. Maybe just pick one for your 3-day stay and have one of our KCT agents reserve it for you for your middle day!
The quick service options allow for mobile order through the My Disney Experience app! That saves you even more time during a short stay so you can focus on your favorite rides and shows.
Mouseketip!
Make a plan and pick your favorites! Our experienced agents can help you create an itinerary for your short stays that allows you to hit your must-dos, whether they are the new rides like TRON, or the nighttime shows like Fantasmic. One thing we know for sure is, a short trip will only whet your Disney appetite. We are here and ready to help you book a longer trip for next time!
- By Kingdom and Cruise Travel Advisor, Alli Matthews