Want a quick answer to some of the most frequently asked questions about Disney and Universal? These are my theme park quick start guides.

When you want to dive deeper into a topic, just tap the links on the slides, or check out the resource list below.

Theme park quick start guides

Harry Potter World Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disney World Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Universal Orlando Resort Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Universal Orlando vs Hollywood Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disneyland Avengers Campus Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Paris Disneyland Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disney Genie Fast Facts

By Sue Winter

Disney World Christmas Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

View all stories

Direct links to each quick start guide

• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood quick guide
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter quick start guide
• Disney World quick start guide
• Universal Orlando quick start guide
• Avengers Campus quick start guide
• Disney Genie quick start guide
• Christmas at Disney World quick start guide
• Disneyland Paris quick start guide

Looking for another fun destination? Here’s my Bora Bora quick start guide.

Go Informed theme park tips

With a little planning and strategy, you can have a fantastic theme park vacation. Check out these resources to get started:

• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando
• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World
• Universal Orlando complete hotel guide
• Disney World complete hotel guide
• Disneyland walking distances and training tips
• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood
• How to do Disneyland Paris in one day

Exclusive bonus tips in your inbox

Want to save money, avoid hassles, and have more fun on your theme park vacation? Sign up now to get two bonus mini-posts every month, exclusive to the Go Informed mailing list!

Click here to join now.

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The post Go Informed Theme Park Quick Start Guides appeared first on Go Informed.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 78. Click below to listen, or find it on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

Want some quick Disneyland advice? Here’s ten things to know before you go.

Go Informed Podcast episode 78: Disneyland Christmastime trip report

These photos are from my November 2022 trip to Disneyland. The holiday season was in full swing, officially starting in the middle of November each year.

We spent 4 days at Disneyland, staying in the Grand Californian Hotel. Here are a few things I highly recommend, based on our experience on this trip.

As always, we made a few blunders on this trip, which you’ll hear me discuss on the podcast. A couple of them even made my top ten park touring mistakes list here. If you want to know what NOT to do, be sure to check it out.

Stay in a Disneyland hotel

The hotels

The Disney-operated hotels at Disneyland are:

• Disneyland Hotel
• Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

Early theme park entry every day

Guests staying in one of the three Disney-operated hotels receive a 30 minute early-entry into the parks every day. Even though it doesn’t seem like much time, it’s actually a huge advantage.

We were able to leverage early admission to get a double rope drop each day. This gave us a head-start on Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance, even though these two headliners are not included in Disneyland’s early entry. Find out how we did it here.

Convenience

The Disneyland hotels are all within easy walking distance to both the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. Disney’s Grand Californian hotel is the closest to both parks and even has its own entrance into California Adventure.

Fly into John Wayne/Santa Ana airport

The closest airport to Disneyland is John Wayne/Santa Ana (SNA), less than 30 minutes from the resort. If your trip is only to Disneyland you won’t even need to rent a car, just catch a quick Uber or Lyft ride, then do everything on foot.

How far apart is everything at Disneyland? Check out this post for maps and common Disneyland walking distances.

Use Genie+ at Disneyland

Genie+ is Disney’s new version of FastPass. It allows guests to reserve time slots to skip long attraction wait times (this is called Lightning Lane). It’s not free, and you’ll have a less-than-simple app to deal with, but it really does make Disneyland touring much easier.

The first day of our trip was during a holiday weekend but we still had no problem reserving Lightning Lanes for top attractions. You can add Genie+ to your Disney vacation package so it’ll be activated automatically on every day of your trip.

At Disneyland, Genie+ also includes unlimited PhotoPass photos, which includes ride photos and those taken by the PhotoPass photographers around the parks.

Quick start guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lane

Disneyland Christmastime photos

Here are photos of some of the locations and Disneyland Christmas decorations mentioned in this podcast episode.

The Disneyland Christmas tree

Disneyland’s Main Street USA at Christmastime

The Disneyland castle during Christmastime

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Holiday

BTW, Halloween is also an amazing time to visit Disneyland. Here are 13 reasons why you should consider visiting Disneyland during Halloween season, from my newsletter.

The spectacular holiday lights on It’s a Small World

The Disneyland castle Christmas lights

Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel

Disneyland’s Blue Bayou restaurant

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel lobby Christmas tree

Giant gingerbread house in the Grand Californian Hotel

Christmastime in California Adventure’s Cars Land

Disney’s California Adventure Festival of the Holidays

Early theme park entry for Disneyland hotel guests

More theme park touring tips

Here on GoInformed.net, and on the Go Informed Podcast, you’ll find tons of tips for your trip to Disney and Universal. Here are a few of the most popular posts:

• Top ten all-time Disneyland tips
• All about Avengers Campus at Disneyland
• Disneyland walking distances and training tips
• How Universal Studios Hollywood compares to Universal Orlando
• How to rope drop
• 8 Disney park reservation quick tips

Join the mailing list for twice-monthly bonus tips

Want more tips, delivered straight to your inbox? Be sure to join my email newsletter list here!

Catch my weekly live Disney parks discussions on Facebook

This post and podcast episode were originally shared in a live Facebook chat. Tune in to my @goinformednet Facebook page Thursdays at 11am Pacific to join the conversation!

Thank you Joey McGirr, also known as The Disney Hack, for joining me in the live discussion. You can find more of Joey at TheDisneyHack.com.

This post contains affiliate links.

The post My Epic Disneyland Christmastime Photos and Trip Report appeared first on Go Informed.

Your theme park vacation may be the most intensive walking experience of your year. Now’s the time to get a handle on just how far you’ll go and learn how to be ready. Here are some common Disneyland walking distances, along with tips to help you get in shape for your trip, plus a fun Disneyland-themed bingo card to track your training.

Want to find out about walking distances at Disney World and Universal Orlando? Check out this post.

Audio tutorial

Go Informed Podcast episode 77 is a discussion of how to train for your Disney vacation. Find it on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

Get ready to walk

A day at Disneyland can easily add up to a half-marathon of walking. Get familiar with the distances so you’ll be ready to go.

Keep in mind that the distances you see here are just one-way. Running around inside the parks can add up quickly, so be sure to have a plan to avoid a bunch of backtracking.

One of my favorite resources for planning a trip to Disneyland is the Unofficial Guide. Find it on Amazon here.

Walking distances inside Disneyland

While Disneyland is far from the largest of Disney’s parks, there is still a lot of ground to cover. Here are some common Disneyland walking distances:

• Disneyland main gate walking distance to:
  • Sleeping Beauty castle: 0.25 miles
  • Space Mountain: 0.3 miles
  • Splash Mountain: 0.4 miles
  • Millennium Falcon: 0.5 miles
  • It’s a Small World: 0.4 miles
  • California Adventure main gate: 250 feet
• Loop around Disneyland: 1.5 miles
• Disneyland monorail stop in Tomorrowland to Haunted Mansion: 0.3 miles

Want quick answers to your top Disney parks FAQ’s? Check out my theme park quick start guides here.

Walking distances inside Disney’s California Adventure

California Adventure is a compact park, with even the farthest attractions only around a half-mile from the gate. However, California Adventure doesn’t have the hub-and-spoke layout you’ll find at Disneyland. This means more meandering pathways and not always direct routes across the grounds.

Here are some common California Adventure walking distances:

• California Adventure main gate walking distance to:
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout: 0.2 miles
  • Web-Slingers: 0.2 miles
  • Radiator Springs Racers: 0.3 miles
  • Incredicoaster: 0.4 miles
  • Soarin’ Around the World: 0.1 miles
  • Grizzly River Run: 0.2 miles
• Loop around California Adventure: 1.2 miles
• Grand Californian Hotel to Radiator Springs Racers, via the hotel’s direct entrance to California Adventure: 0.3 miles

Getting ready to walk is on my list of 8 things to do before your trip. Click here to find out what else to do before you go.

Walking between Disneyland and California Adventure

Because of the proximity of the two parks, most guests opt to park-hop, which means going back-and-forth between Disneyland and California Adventure. This can add significant distance to your total for the day. For instance, you’ll walk a full mile between Midway Mania in California Adventure to Rise of the Resistance in Disneyland.

Heads-up: At Disneyland you need an advance reservation to get into the park. Get my 8 quick Disney park reservation tips here.

Walking distances from Disneyland area hotels to the park gates

In addition, there are many hotels, both Disney and non-Disney, within walking distance of the park gates. Consider this distance when you choose your hotel. Here are a few landmarks to help you judge where to stay.

The Disneyland Esplanade is the plaza between the park gates for Disneyland and California Adventure. It’s about the width of a city block.

• Disneyland Esplanade walking distance to:
  • Disneyland Hotel: 0.5 miles
  • Grand Californian Hotel: 0.1 miles
  • Paradise Pier Hotel: 0.6 miles
  • Best Western Plus Park Place: 0.3 miles
  • Hyatt House: 0.6 miles
  • Anaheim Marriott: 1 mile
  • Best Western Plus Pavilions: 1 mile
  • Residence Inn Anaheim Resort Area: 1.6 miles

Get your feet ready to walk at Disneyland

One of the best ways to set yourself up for success on a Disneyland vacation is to train for your trip. Add walking into your routine weeks, or even months, before your trip. The more miles you do at home, the more miles you can do in the parks.

Start with your shoes

Make sure you have good walking shoes, and put some mileage on them before your vacation. The best shoes for Disneyland are the type that you could run a marathon in.

Two pairs of running shoes are even better than one. If you’ve got a second pair, you can rotate between them each day. And if you run into wet weather, you can change into dry shoes with no hassle.

You should also bring along some blister bandages just in case.

Think it never rains in Disneyland? Here’s the post I wrote after we experienced extreme weather there.

Track your progress

One of my favorite ways to track distance is in terms of the parks. Instead of counting miles on your neighborhood walks, imagine how many times you’ve walked to the castle.

Disneyland neighborhood walk Bingo card

I’ve created a Bingo card you can print to track your training. Use your phone or a fitness watch to see how far you walked today, then mark off those distances on the Bingo card.

There are about 13 miles total, which is easily how far you could walk in just two days at Disneyland. See if you can do this distance within a week at home.

Get your whole family walking

Make sure the rest of your group can go the distance too. If you’ve got kids in strollers, include them on your training walks. They’ll need to be ready for all that extra time in the seat.

Be realistic

It’s also important to recognize any limitations in your group. If you just know all this walking is going to be a difficulty, start working on a mobility plan B. It’s easy to rent a wheelchair or scooter right at the Disneyland main gate. Prepare for it ahead of time so everything goes smoothly.

Don’t miss my TOP TEN Disneyland tips right here!

Get theme park tips while you walk

Listening to a podcast is a great way to pass those training miles. Check out the Go Informed Podcast on your favorite podcast player. You get tips like:

• Super-quick guide to Disney Genie and Lightning Lane
• My Christmastime at Disneyland trip report
• Everything you need to know about Avengers Campus
• How to get your family to the park in time for rope drop
• How Universal Studios Hollywood compares to Universal Orlando

and lots more! Search your podcast app for Go Informed: Build A Better Vacation now.

Recent Go Informed Podcast episodes

Printable park maps and Disneyland walking distance bingo card

Here are the links to get PDF versions of the park maps and bingo card:

• Disneyland park maps with walking distances
• Disneyland-themed neighborhood walk bingo card

Want an Orlando parks bingo card too? Head over to this post for a Disney World/Universal Orlando themed bingo card.

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Be sure to join the Go Informed newsletter list to get twice-monthly bonus tips delivered straight to you. Sign up here.

Is Paris Disneyland on your bucket list? Click here to find out how you can do it in just ONE day!

60-second guide to Paris Disneyland

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Disneyland Walking Distances appeared first on Go Informed.

In 2021, Disney unveiled a major revamp of its long-standing FastPass system. Gone are the Disneyland days of running across the park to get paper tickets, and the months-in-advance Disney World FastPass reservations. Guests can still skip the regular line, but the system has a new name, new technology, and a new cost. Here is a bare minimum guide to Disney Genie and Lightning Lane.

July 2024 note: Disney has made some updates to the Genie+ system, including changing the name! Read this post first.

Go Informed Podcast episode 76

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 76. Click below to listen to the audio tutorial.

1 – Goodbye FastPass, hello Lightning Lane

FastPass has existed long enough that it’s become part of our everyday language, a brand-name like Kleenex or Band-Aid. Which makes it extra surprising that Disney has chosen to abandon this term.

If you’ve been to a Disney park in the last twenty years, you will recall FastPass as the system that allows guests to skip the regular line. It’s essentially a reservation to get in a shorter line at a specific time, thereby allowing more time to explore the park and skip a long queue.

During the 2020 park shutdowns, and subsequent reopening, Disney completely eliminated FastPass as an option. All guests waited in the same line for however long it took to ride.

It’s called Lightning Lane Now

Today FastPass is back, but without its legendary name. When you skip the regular queue, it’ll be a Lightning Lane you use. And you’ll get your Lightning Lane access using the Disney Genie app.

What else has changed since 2020? Here’s my glossary of the most commonly used Disney Parks words and phrases.

You can only book your Lightning Lane selections using Disney Genie

Disneyland’s paper FastPass kiosks are gone. If you want to get into the Lightning Lane you’ll need to use the electronic Disney Genie system. And it will not be free.

Got 60 seconds? Here’s a super-quick look at Genie and Lightning Lane

2 – Disney Genie is part of the Disney World and Disneyland app

You can access the Disney Genie system through the official Disneyland and Disney World park apps. It is not its own app.

As soon as you log into the park app, you’ll see the Disney Genie button. There is not a dedicated app called Disney Genie.

3 – Disney Genie is free, Disney Genie+ is not

Adding to the confusion, there are several different levels to the Disney Genie app.

Disney Genie provides tips and access to Individual Lightning Lanes

The basic Disney Genie service is free. It offers “plan your day” tips for where to go at the park. If you tell Disney Genie what you want to experience it’s supposed to give you a detailed park itinerary to make your day efficient and easy.

As of this writing, I do not recommend using Disney Genie to plan your day. The suggestions are not useful and won’t maximize your park time.

You can also use the free Disney Genie service to make Individual Lightning Lane selections. These are different from Lightning Lane, as you’ll see below.

Use the TouringPlans app to plan your day instead

TouringPlans.com offers a hugely useful free in-park touring app called Lines. This app really will help you get the most out of your day, including on-the-fly touring plans, ride wait times, dining info, and a lot more. It runs circles around Disney Genie’s functionality and will for sure make your day better.

You can also improve your park experience by getting an Unofficial Guide from TouringPlans.

4 – Disney Genie+ provides access to Lightning Lane reservations

Disney Genie PLUS is a paid add-on to the Disney Genie service. There is a daily charge to use this service, and every guest must have paid Disney Genie+ to get Lightning Lane reservations. (But not Individual Lightning Lane. Why Disney why??)

Disney Genie+ cost

Currently the cost to use Disney Genie+ is $20 per day at Disneyland and $15 per day at Disney World. Per person. Disneyland’s Genie+ includes the entire day’s PhotoPass photos but Disney World’s doesn’t.

Lightning Lane selections using Genie+

This is a bare-bones Disney Genie post so I will not get into step-by-step instructions. The main thing to know is that if you have paid Genie+ you can get Lightning Lane selections throughout the day, just by using the app.

Once you use a Lightning Lane reservation you can get another one. And since there’s no more running across the park to get a FastPass ticket the app is really quite convenient. You can get your next Lightning Lane pass while standing in line to ride something else.

Almost every attraction at Disneyland and Disney World has a Lightning Lane option, so if you really know your stuff you can avoid long lines most of the day.

5 – Individual Lightning Lanes using Genie

So, to recap: Lightning Lanes are the new version of FastPass, which you need to pay a daily fee to access. But there is also something else called Individual Lightning Lanes.

The top attractions in each park will not be available using the regular Genie+ Lightning Lane service. Yes, you can still get on these rides by standing in the regular standby queue. But if you want to skip the long line you will need to spend your way into the Individual Lightning Lane queue.

Individual Lightning Lanes are pay-to-ride for headliner attractions

The types of rides that require Individual Lightning Lane are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Avatar: Flight of Passage. For most guests, these are the must-see attractions in each park. Especially during peak season, lines can be very long – sometimes two hours or more – for these rides.

To skip the regular queue, guests must use Disney Genie to buy access to the Individual Lightning Lane on these headliner attractions. You will pay somewhere between about $7-$15 per person to get those Individual Lightning Lane passes, regardless of whether you’ve also paid for Genie+ or not.

Note that Individual Lightning Lanes can sell out early in the day. If you plan to use this service, be ready to book those attractions first thing in the morning.

Quick look at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus

6 – The paid Lightning Lane system can be worth it

Yes, FastPass isn’t free anymore. But the new paid Lightning Lane system can be worth it. You will definitely save time in line, and using the app makes getting your next pass easy. Do your homework to decide if you’ll need to buy Genie+ for every day of your trip, or maybe just a day or two, and whether you’ll want to use Individual Lightning Lanes.

Check out this issue of the Go Informed newsletter for more Genie+ cost/benefit analysis.

7 – Disney Genie is new and evolving

Be sure to check for current information about which attractions have Lightning Lanes and Individual Lightning Lanes. As the system has rolled out, Disney has begun adding fireworks and parade viewing, and character meets, to the Lightning Lane options. Individual Lightning Lane attractions are subject to change too.

The cost to use Genie+, and the functionality will all be evolving as well. Be sure your research includes up-to-date information from several sources.

Disney Genie Bonus tips

• Plan ahead
  • If you spend the money for Genie+, having a plan will maximize your investment. As these illustrative TripAdvisor reviews demonstrate, showing up with no preparation can lead to disaster.
• Bring an extra battery
  • You’ll be on your phone a lot to get those Lightning Lanes. Toss an external battery into your park backpack.
• You don’t have to get Genie+ for every day
  • Check a crowd calendar to see if some days are busier than others. You may be able to just use the standby lines for part of your trip.
• Follow my Pinterest boards for more info
  • There’s a ton of great info out there about Disney Genie. I’ve shared some of my favorite resources on these Pinterest boards:
    • Go Informed Disneyland Pinterest board
    • Go Informed Disney World Pinterest board

More tips for your Disney vacation

Here on GoInformed.net, and on the Go Informed: Build a Better Vacation podcast, you’ll find lots of tips to make your theme park vacation the best ever. Check out these posts:

• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World
• How to get your family to the parks in time for rope drop
• Disney World complete hotel guide
• All about Avengers Campus at Disneyland
• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Join the mailing list to get my twice-monthly bonus tipsheet. It’s like a little blog post made especially for you! Get your bonus tips here.

Here’s an archived newsletter you might like: 8 Ways to Skip the Line at Universal and Disney

The post 7 Disney Genie and Lightning Lane Bare Essentials to Know Now appeared first on Go Informed.

Marvel fans: assemble! Disneyland’s Avengers Campus brings the MCU multiverse to life, and it’s a must-see destination for every Marvel fan. The land combines immersive theming with the living presence of favorite heroes and two headliner thrill rides. Here is everything you need to know about Disneyland’s Avengers Campus.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 75. Click below to hear the show now, or search for Go Informed: Build A Better Vacation on your favorite podcast app!

Avengers Campus is in Disneyland’s California Adventure theme park

The newest land at Disneyland resort, Avengers Campus is located in the California Adventure theme park. Disney’s imagineers have cleverly converted some old spaces and added new to create an immersive land straight out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The land is themed to resemble the Avengers Campus that Marvel fans are familiar with. Huge-scale buildings sprawl through what purportedly was an old Stark Industries factory site. Looming above it all is the Collector’s fortress.

Just exploring the land can take hours because big and small details are everywhere. On top of the Headquarters building sits a full-size Quinjet. Around the corner you’ll find Doctor Strange’s ancient sanctum with its supernatural Orb of Cagliostro. Keep a sharp eye for the many Spider-Bots that have escaped the WEB workshop.

Plan your Disneyland vacation like a pro with these top ten tips!

Disneyland’s Avengers CAMPUS backstory

How did all this get here anyway? The story goes that this site was known for its mystical properties going back centuries. Back in 1940’s Los Angeles, Stark Industries built a factory complex on this property. Then, years later, Tony Stark invited Doctor Strange to the abandoned site. That’s when he unveiled the ancient sanctum, opening up the multiverse and allowing Avengers superheroes to visit the campus across time and space.

The CAMPUS name is actually an acronym for “Centralized Assembly Mobilized to Prepare, Unite and Safeguard.” Part of its purpose is to train new recruits, so be prepared for a few challenges – especially on the Web-Slingers and Mission: Breakout rides.

Marvel character interactions and shows

At Avenger’s Campus you can meet a ton of Marvel characters. Watch for Captain Marvel and Black Widow prepping the Quinjet. Loki and Thor may appear on the Headquarters rooftop too, bantering with recruits below. Other regular visitors include Ant Man, the Wasp, Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Panther. You’ll see them both on the rooftop and on the street greeting guests.

Spider-Man performs his fantastic feats on the WEB labs rooftop. This stunt show takes place multiple times during the day and is definitely worth stopping for. After Spidey climbs down from the roof he hangs around to meet the new recruits.

At the ancient sanctum, Doctor Strange captivates guests with an impressive display of his powers. The show is even better at night when lighting effects intensify the wonder.

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Be on the lookout for seemingly random character processionals too. One of the most impressive is the Dora Milaje, who put on a demonstration several times a day.

Did you know you can also experience Marvel attractions at Universal Orlando and at Disney World? Here’s my post about where you can find Marvel in the US theme parks.

The rides at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus

There are two major attractions at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus. Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout is a top-tier thrill ride, while Web-Slingers is an interactive dark ride. Both are well-worth rope-dropping for.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout

While technically not a new ride, Mission Breakout takes on a new sense of place now that it’s surrounded by the Avengers Campus. The attraction was originally the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but got its new Marvel theme back in 2017.

Just like the original, inside the tower is an intense drop ride. Unlike the original, Mission Breakout places a lot more emphasis on the “up” part of the ride rather than “down”. Just like the Guardians movies, soundtrack plays a big role here. The drops are timed to flow with some of the best music from the movies and the story features all your favorite Guardians characters and plenty of humor.

Backstory for this ride is that the Collector has captured the Guardians and locked them away in the tower. You are part of the mission to break them out. How did the Collector end up putting his fortress right in the middle of Avengers Campus? Apparently Tony Stark gave him permission to put it there.

Web-Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure

Web-Slingers is a brand-new ride with lots of technical bells and whistles. A supercharged version of Toy Story Midway Mania, Web-Slingers challenges guests to capture an onslaught of rogue Spider-Bots while zooming around underneath Avengers Campus.

The attraction starts with an amusing introduction to the WEB workshop, hosted by Peter Parker. Something goes terribly wrong and suddenly spider-bots are everywhere. It’s up to the tour guests to help Spider-Man capture the bots and save the day.

In an incredible display of theme-park technology, riders zap the spider-bots using only hand-motion. The ride zips from scene to scene and there are seemingly an endless number of loose spider-bots to capture. Guests with lots of gaming experience will do best here. Think of this attraction as a 21st century shooting gallery. It’s both a ride and a game.

Big warning to arachnophobes out there – while the spider-bots definitely look mechanical, they move like real spiders. Depending on your sensitivity, you may want to completely skip the Web-Slingers attraction.

Avengers Campus Dining Options

Avengers Campus offers some of the most interesting and heavily-themed dining options at Disneyland. While there is no table-service restaurant, there are several quick service options and a cocktail bar.

Pym Test Kitchen

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the Pym Test Kitchen offers unusual twists on typical theme park food. Since it’s the Pym test kitchen, this is a place for giant pretzels and tiny eggs. All of the food is delicious and definitely a step above the usual quick-service offerings.

For breakfast, try the Calculated Breakfast, which features a very tiny fried egg.

For lunch and dinner, get the Not-so-Little Chicken Sandwich, which is basically a huge piece of delicious chicken schnitzel on a slider bun. Or, if your group – or your appetite – is big enough, order the gigantic Family Size Pym-ini. It’s big enough to serve 6-8 adults!

Shawarma Palace

A Tony Stark favorite, Shawarma Palace has been invited to set up two shawarma carts at Avengers Campus. If you like gyros, you’ll love the pita wraps filled with chicken shawarma. Plant-based fans can get the equally delicious falafel wrap.

Shawarma Palace is great for a light meal or a quick pick-me-up anytime of day. You’ll find the carts at both ends of Avengers Campus – near the WEB labs building and near Mission Breakout.

Pym Tasting Lab

Located right next to the Pym Test Kitchen, Pym Tasting Lab focuses on artisan beer and cocktails. An open-air space, the tasting lab is a great place to stop for a cold drink and take in the Campus atmosphere. And it’s one of my top 5 places to get a drink at Disneyland.

Terran Treats

Get your sugar fix at the Terran Treats cart near Mission: Breakout. Here you’ll find churros, cream puffs, and bottled soda.

Shopping at Avengers Campus

There are of course several shops at Avengers Campus where you’ll find Marvel gear. For Spider-Man merch, and accessories you can use inside the Web-Slingers ride, check out WEB Suppliers. The Mission: Breakout ride gift shop is your source for Guardians gear.

Hidden underneath the Quinjet you’ll find Avengers Vault, a collectables shop with all sorts of Marvel gadgets and gear.

Touring tips for Avengers Campus

Visit Avengers Campus in daylight and after dark

Be sure to make time to see Avengers Campus both during the day and at night. The nighttime lighting and sound effects make the campus completely different than during the day. I especially recommend catching the Doctor Strange show at night.

Rope drop Web-Slingers

Make Web-Slingers a priority if you’re planning to rope drop at California Adventure. As a new ride, this one will be very popular almost anytime you visit. Getting there first will save you a lot of wait time.

Mission: Breakout is also a solid choice for rope drop. Get there first and you may be able to ride multiple times before a real queue even starts to develop.

What’s rope drop? It’s when you arrive at the park before the gates have officially opened, and it’s a great way to save a ton of time waiting in line later. Here’s how to do it.

Early entry for Disney hotel guests is a huge advantage for the Avengers Campus attractions

If you stay in one of the Disney hotels (Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, or Paradise Pier), you’ll get a 30-minute head start in the parks every day. This extra-early rope drop will put you in a virtually empty Avengers Campus.

Check out this post and podcast episode to find out how we used our early entry to walk-on to Mission Breakout, have a leisurely stroll around the campus, then beat the crowd for Radiator Springs Racers. It’s Go Informed Podcast episode 78.

Here’s a quick look at what makes staying on-site at Disneyland totally worth it.

Disneyland is now undeniably a multi-day destination

With the addition of Avengers Campus at California Adventure, and Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, you absolutely cannot see it all in one day. To truly experience everything Disneyland resort has to offer, give yourself at least three days.

Three-day park hopper tickets will give you lots of time to explore Avengers Campus day and night plus check out the new Star Wars offerings at Disneyland. Even with just two parks compared to Disney World’s four, Disneyland has almost the same number of rides. Do yourself a favor and book a nearby hotel for a few nights.

More places to find Marvel and the Avengers

Anaheim is not the only home for the Avengers. Disneyland Paris opened its version of Avengers Campus in the summer of 2022. Disney has said that the Avengers need more than one campus worldwide so Paris is a companion to Disneyland, but not exactly the same.

Here’s my post about how to visit the Disneyland Paris parks on your European layover. Yep, you should definitely add this to your bucket list.

You can also find Marvel-themed attractions in Florida. Universal Orlando has a Marvel-themed land at Islands of Adventure, and in summer 2022 there will be a new Guardians of the Galaxy themed coaster at Disney World’s Epcot.

Learn more about Marvel in the US theme parks here.

More theme park tips

Here on GoInformed.net you’ll find lots of tips to improve your theme park vacation, including:

• Top ten tips for Disneyland
• Universal Hollywood vs Universal Orlando
• How to get your family up early for a day at the park
• How to use the single rider line
• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World
• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando

The Go Informed Podcast

This post is based on episode 75 of the Go Informed Podcast. Catch that episode, and the rest, on your favorite podcast app, including:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Spotify

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Join the mailing list to get twice-monthly bonus theme park tips, delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up.

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The post Live Your Superhero Life at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus appeared first on Go Informed.

As one of the biggest movie franchises in the world, Marvel is a natural for theme park attractions. In the USA, guests can experience Marvel attractions and meet characters in both Universal and Disney theme parks. Here’s where you can find Marvel and what to expect at each location.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 68. Click below to listen, or find the show on your favorite podcast player.

In the USA, Marvel attractions can be found at Universal Orlando, Disney World, and Disneyland

Good news for Marvel fans – whether you visit Disneyland, Disney World, or Universal Orlando you can rub shoulders with your favorite superheroes. Yes, Disney owns the blockbuster franchise today, but due to a pre-existing contract with Universal Orlando, there is an entire Marvel land located in the Islands of Adventure theme park.

Technically, Universal is supposed to have the theme park rights to Marvel in any park east of the Mississippi. However, Disney has found a loophole and is introducing selected characters at their Epcot park. So now Orlando visitors can experience unique Marvel attractions at both Universal and Disney.

On the west coast, Disney has opened a Marvel-themed land at Disneyland’s California Adventure. Dubbed the Avengers’ Campus, this land is an immersive visit into the MCU.

Why are all the parks working hard to bring Marvel to life? In our podcast chat, Joey shared some stats that show Marvel is by-far the highest grossing movie franchise of all-time.

Marvel at Universal Orlando

Marvel Superhero Island is Universal Orlando’s Marvel-themed land. It’s located in the Islands of Adventure theme park and feels like a journey into a Marvel comic book. Characters interact with visitors like action-figures come to life, rather than lookalikes from the movies. There are three major attractions in Marvel Superhero Island.

Marvel Attractions at Universal Orlando

• Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Doctor Doom’s Fearfall

Listen to my audio tour of the Islands of Adventure theme park here.

Marvel at Disney World

Thanks to a complicated loophole, Disney is also able to offer Marvel attractions in Orlando. The big Marvel-themed ride at Disney World is Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This highly-themed indoor roller coaster opened in 2022 and is by far the most popular attraction in the park.

Want an at-a-glance look at Disney World? Check out my 75-second quick guide right here.

Marvel at Disneyland

Avengers Campus

Located in California Adventure, Avengers’ Campus is Disneyland’s Marvel complex. Immersive theming includes a Headquarters building topped by a full-size Quinjet, an Ancient Sanctum featuring encounters with Doctor Strange, and two major attractions. Movie lookalikes interact with guests and perform stunts throughout the day.

Even the dining options are fully themed. At Pym’s Test Kitchen, guests can enjoy huge chicken sandwiches and giant pretzels.

Marvel Attractions at Disneyland

There are two major attractions at California Adventure’s Avengers Campus:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
• Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure

Disneyland Avengers Campus Quick Guide

Go Informed Podcast episode 75 is all about Avengers Campus. Click here to read the related show notes.

More theme park tips from Go Informed

Here on GoInformed.net you’ll find lots of info to help you have a great vacation in the Disney and Universal parks. Be sure to check out these posts:

• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood
• 33 Things to know before you visit Universal Orlando
• 55 Things to know before you visit Disney World
• Park maps, walking distances, and how to train for your theme park vacation
• How to add Universal to your Disney World vacation

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Be sure to join the mailing list so you’ll get my twice-monthly bonus tipsheet, delivered straight to you. Click here to sign up for these exclusive tips, and to read what you’ve missed so far.

More episodes with The Disney Hack

• Christmastime at Disneyland trip report
• Comparing Disneyland and Disney World
• How to hack TripAdvisor One-Star Reviews

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Marvel Attractions in the Disney and Universal Parks appeared first on Go Informed.

Consider these 3 important tips before you book those flights.

Dreaming of your post-vax vacation? Me too!

Theme park travel is absolutely feasible in 2021, if you keep these points in mind.

Further discussion about theme park travel in 2021 on Go Informed Podcast episode 66

I dive further into this topic on the podcast, which you can find on your favorite podcast app, or click below to listen.

1: If you’ve never been there, 2021 is probably not the time to go

Not the advice you were expecting?

The fact is that if your heart is set on a first visit to Universal or Disney, all your dreams may not come true right now. That’s because a lot of the typical theme park experiences just aren’t happening in 2021.

Yes most of the attractions are operating, and you can still eat Mickey waffles to your heart’s content, and cast your spells in Diagon Alley. But parades and fireworks are discontinued. Mickey will wave from a distance but you won’t get a hug.

If you truly want the fully magical experience, it’s going to be best to plan your first visit for 2022 or beyond.

HOWEVER, if you’re OK with a modified theme park adventure, now is absolutely a great time to make those plans.

2: Theme park travel in 2021 is safer than you might think

Orlando’s theme parks have been operating safely since last July. Following and enforcing strict protocols for employees and guests, both Disney and Universal have welcomed millions of visitors this past year without incident. 

Many rules apply when visiting the parks, including mandatory face coverings even while riding attractions, temperature screenings at park gates, and enforced distancing in lines. This probably sounds familiar since you encounter some of the same guidelines even at your local grocery store.

The difference between a Disney park and the grocery store though is that at Disney these rules are constantly enforced. Guests are not just encouraged to wear a mask, it is a requirement that must be followed. Same goes for distancing and other safety measures currently in place.

As the California parks open this spring, expect the same level of compliance and enforcement.

3: In 2021 planning your travel in advance is essential

Look into your potential 2021 travel dates right now.

Summer 2021 is shaping up to be an explosion of travel, and guess what? The parks will still be operating at severely-limited capacity. Probably only 35% of the usual space will be available this summer at all the US theme parks.

The Disney parks require a reservation for entrance, and this is a good way to gauge whether your dates are a realistic time to travel. You can check out availability all the way through 2022 on the Disney World park reservation calendar here.

If you look right now (mid-April 2021) you’ll see that for the month of June 2021 pretty much every Disney World park is already booked. That means even if you have a ticket, if you don’t already have a reservation you’re not getting into that park.

The good news though is that July and August still look good. If you get your dates booked now you can grab those reservations. And since the park capacity is limited you can be sure that even though the reservations are full, the park won’t be wall-to-wall people. That’s exactly why they use this system.

No reservation system at the Universal parks

Universal does not have a reservation system, even though they are operating under the same capacity limits. This means you’ll need to use some other tactics to ensure your entrance into the parks. This includes getting there early and staying in an on-site hotel. (Hotel guests get priority for entrance even when the parks are closed due to capacity).

Want to know if the Universal parks are likely to reach max capacity? Check your dates on the Disney World reservation calendar. If all the Disney parks are full, then it’s likely the Universal parks will max out too.

Bonus tip 4: Consider travel for the end of summer or early fall 2021

Even though the early summer is shaping up to be pretty frenzied, I’d expect things to slow down a bit by mid-August. As kids go back to school – like REALLY back to school! – family travel will taper off.

The end of August and most of September normally see some of the lowest theme park crowds of the year. If you have the flexibility and the tolerance for crazy weather, this is actually an excellent time to travel to Orlando.

Resources to help you get there

Check out these posts and podcast episodes for more tips to help you plan your 2021 (or 2022) theme park vacation:

• 10 things to know about Universal Orlando during COVID-19
• Tips for Disney World during COVID-19
• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando (updated for 2021)
• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World (updated for 2021)
• Disney World ticket buying guide

Plus tons of tips on the Go Informed Podcast in any of these places:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube
• GoInformed.net

Get the Go Informed Newsletter

This post first went out to Go Informed email subscribers. Click here to join the list and get tips like these delivered straight to your inbox.

This post contains affiliate links.

The post 3 Surprising Things You Need to Know About Theme Park Travel in 2021 appeared first on Go Informed.

When the Disney parks closed in March 2020, The Disney Hack and I decided to start a weekly live discussion on Facebook. We’ve been chatting all things Disney parks almost every week since then. From our favorite hacks, to the movies you should be watching right now, to our fantasy Disney vacations, we’re bringing Disney into our lives, and yours, every Tuesday.

You can tune in to see us live Thursdays at 11am Pacific Time on my Facebook page. And you can watch all the past chats right here.

Want to catch more from us? Here’s a link to The Disney Hack website. And you can listen to me on the Go Informed Podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Check out our archived chats below!

Mistakes we’ve made in the parks | February 23, 2023

Get ready for some interesting stories as we share our mistakes, so you don’t have to.

Disney snack chat | January 26, 2023

Maybe eat lunch before you watch this one – we’re talking all about food at Disney World. Get our tips for how to save time & money while dining at Disney.

Disney Parks news round-up | January 19, 2023

There has been a LOT of big announcements coming from Disney lately. Fellow Disney geek Ric joins us to break down all the news, and make our predictions for what’s yet to come.

What should you do if it’s your last trip to Disney World? | January 12, 2023

Today we ponder the unthinkable: what if you knew this was your last Disney World trip ever? Find out what we’d do, and what we wouldn’t, on this nostalgic episode.

All about Sue & Joey | January 5, 2023

We kick off the year with a “getting to know you” chat. Just how did Joey & I end up hosting a weekly Disney chat for over two years & counting?? Find out how this whole thing got started, and how we ended up being such huge Disney geeks.

Armchair Imagineering for 2023 | December 22, 2022

What would we like to see change in the parks for 2023? Find out in this final discussion of 2022.

Christmas in the Disney parks | December 8, 2022

We take a deep dive into what it’s like to visit the Disney parks during Christmastime.

The post Disney Parks Conversations that Scratch Your Disney Itch appeared first on Go Informed.

On this episode of the Go Informed Podcast I’m joined by my friend The Disney Hack. We compare Disney World and Disneyland, including where to stay, how long to go, and what makes each destination unique.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 50. Click the Play button to hear my discussion with the Disney Hack for lots more detail about this topic.

Disney World vs Disneyland Geographically

In our discussion, location came up time and again. The location of Disney World vs Disneyland is a key factor in the entire Disney vacation experience.

Disneyland is located in the middle of urban Southern California, while Disney World is literally its own city in central Florida.

The weather can play a big factor in touring at Disney World, especially during the summer months, while Disneyland’s Southern California weather is pretty consistently perfect.

The Size of Disney World Compared to Disneyland

Disney World is MUCH bigger than Disneyland.

Disneyland has two theme parks, literally across the street from each other, plus three Disney hotels and a shopping/entertainment district called downtown Disney. The area covered by the entire Disneyland resort is less than one square mile.

Disney World covers about 43 square miles, which is roughly the size of the city of San Francisco! At Disney World you’ll find four theme parks, 2 water parks, about 30 Disney-owned hotels, golf courses, and a huge shopping/entertainment district called Disney Springs.

Disney World has multiple forms of free resort transportation. At Disney World you can get around on a bus, monorail, boat, or skyliner gondola. Disneyland’s unique form of transportation is the monorail, which takes guests right into the park.

Here is a quick infographic about the size of Disney World.

Staying at Disneyland compared to Disney World

There are three Disney-owned hotels at Disneyland: the Disneyland hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier, and the Grand Californian. At Disney World there are about thirty Disney-owned hotels.

Because there are only three Disney hotels at Disneyland, rooms at each of these hotels come at a premium. However, dozens of chain hotels and motels are located within about a mile of the Disneyland entrance, many literally across the street. Crossing the street to stay in a less expensive hotel takes guests back to the real world but can save money.

At Disney World, the vast number of hotels means that guests can stay in a Disney property at pretty much any price point. Disney World’s value hotels compare in price to a Best Western. Moderate hotels compare to a Marriott, and Deluxe hotels compare to Ritz-Carlton. (All of Disneyland’s hotels will fall in the “Deluxe” range of pricing). And by staying on-site at Disney World, guests stay in the “Disney Bubble” – avoiding the return to the real world even after leaving a theme park.

Get my Essential Guide to the Disney World Hotels here.

The Parks and Attractions at Disneyland Compared to Disney World

At Disneyland, the theme parks are Disneyland and California Adventure.

At Disney World, the theme parks are Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

There are actually a lot of attractions that appear at both Disneyland and Disney World. Even though these are the “same” rides, there are differences between them.

In fact, many of the duplicate attractions are better in Disneyland. The Disneyland rides are generally the original iterations, and they are often longer in duration with more details.

Unique attractions at Disneyland include the entire Cars Land, Avengers Campus, and many Fantasyland rides that date back to the time of Walt Disney.

At Disney World you’ll find one-of-a-kind experiences like Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom, as well as Epcot’s World Showcase.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is at both Disneyland and Disney World. The attractions in this land are virtually the same on either coast.

Disney’s California Adventure is home to the Marvel Avenger’s Campus. Find out more about Marvel in the USA theme parks on Go Informed Podcast episode 68.

Dining At Disneyland Compared to Disney World

In my opinion, the dining options at Disneyland do not compare to dining at Disney World.

From standard theme park fare to world-class dining, Disney World has hundreds of dining options.

My one must-do dining experience at Disneyland is the Blue Bayou restaurant. Blue Bayou is located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (just one of several reasons I think the Pirates ride is better at Disneyland). The Disney Hack recommends getting the Fantasmic dining package when you make your Blue Bayou reservation. This gives you reserved seating at Fantasmic and even a seat cushion while you watch the show.

Disney World has themed restaurants throughout all the parks and in the resort hotels. Disney Springs is home to restaurants from some of the top chefs in the world. And Epcot’s World Showcase features dining experiences that take you from Paris to Marrakesh to Tokyo and beyond. If dining is one of your favorite vacation activities, Disney World is your playground.

FastPass at Disneyland is Different Than at Disney World

At Disney World, FastPasses are electronic, and you can reserve your FastPasses up to 60 days before your trip. The reservations are free with your park ticket, and require a lot of strategy. You can get my tips for FastPasses at Disney World on episode 12 of the Go Informed Podcast.

At Disneyland, guests can only obtain FastPasses once they have entered the park. There are two ways to get FastPasses at Disneyland – either get a paper FastPass from a kiosk near the attraction or select FastPasses electronically using the Disneyland app. Disneyland’s electronic FastPass system is called MaxPass and it currently costs $20 per guest per day – on top of your basic park ticket.

Max Pass also includes unlimited PhotoPass photo downloads. The convenience of choosing your next FastPass while you wait in line is, in my opinion, really worth it.

How Long to Stay at Disney World vs Disneyland

Even though Disney World is so much bigger than Disneyland, there are actually about the same number of total attractions in Disneyland’s two parks compared to the total between Disney World’s four parks. This means you can see a lot more at Disneyland in a shorter length of time.

Because of its smaller size, the Disneyland resort is a better choice for a long-weekend vacation. A good length of time to see all of Disneyland is 3-4 days.

Disney World has a practically endless amount of attractions and diversions. I recommend at least five days, but ten days would be awesome.

How Annual Passholders Can Affect Your Day at Disneyland Compared to Disney World

Because of its location in such a major urban area, Disneyland has a ton of annual passholders. These regulars will often go to the parks just for a few hours or even only for a bite to eat. As a tourist at Disneyland, especially on the weekend, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the crowds of local passholders.

Disney World is the opposite. The majority of park guests at Disney World are tourists, many traveling from far away. Most Disney World visitors are staying in an on-site or nearby Orlando hotel and are visiting the parks for the first time. Weekends can be busier but in general every day is about the same as any other at Disney World.

One More Reason to Go to Disney World: Proximity to Diagon Alley

As you probably know, I’m a huge fan of the Universal Orlando theme parks. Especially the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal is just about a 30 minute drive from Disney World, and is easy to add to your Disney World vacation.

Here’s my audio tour of Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Here are my tips for how to add Universal to your Disney World trip.

Here’s my comparison of Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood.

Thank You Disney Hack!

It was great sharing this episode with Joey from The Disney Hack. You can find his show on your favorite podcast app and at TheDisneyHack.com.

You can also catch our weekly Facebook Live Hack Chats right here.

And, if you liked this episode, don’t miss our very amusing discussion about One-Star TripAdvisor reviews on episode 54.

You can also catch Joey and I chatting about Marvel in the Disney and Universal theme parks on Go Informed Podcast episode 68.

Social Media Links for The Disney Hack:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDisneyHack/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedisneyhack/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedisneyhack

Episode 31 of the Disney Hack Podcast is my discussion with Joey all about the Covid-19-related theme park closures. Click here for the show notes and to hear our conversation.

Join the Go Informed Mailing List

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Thanks for Supporting the Show!

Leave a Rating or Review on Itunes: Here’s a link to the Go Informed podcast on iTunes. Thanks for listening, and for your review!

Additional Resources for Planning Your Trip to Disney World and Universal Orlando

55 Things To Know Before You Visit Disney World

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

Adding a Visit to Universal to Your Disney World Trip

The Go Informed Podcast

Find all the episodes in the series 10 Days to a Better Disney World Vacation here.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Disney World Compared to Disneyland – Go Informed Podcast Episode 050 appeared first on Go Informed.

On March 12, 2020, Disney and Universal announced the indefinite closure of all US theme parks due to coronavirus precautions. So what does this mean if you have a trip coming up, or are looking to visit the parks this year? Here are my tips to help you cope while the Universal and Disney parks are closed.

Hey guys, this post was written in April 2020. While I think there’s still a lot of useful info here, you should also check out these posts: 10 Things To Know About Universal Orlando During COVID-19 and Tips for Disney World During COVID-19.

Listen on The Disney Hack Podcast

You can hear my discussion about the coronavirus Disney park closures on The Disney Hack Podcast episode 31. Click the Play button to listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic. Or search for The Disney Hack podcast on your favorite podcast player.

What to Do if you have a Universal or Disney Trip Already Booked

Lenient Cancellation Policies

Disney and Universal are being very lenient with their cancellation policies. Even if you have a package booked for dates into June you can most likely cancel with absolutely no penalty.

Airlines are also waiving most or all change/cancel fees and penalties. If you booked your air on your own outside of a package, check your airline’s website for details.

Your Travel Agent is On Top of This

If you are fortunate to have booked through a travel agent (not a call center), your agent should be totally on top of this. They can make all the phone calls for you to take care of whatever changes you need to make. And give them a big pat on the back – they have probably been spending the past several weeks on-hold dealing with all manner of travel challenges.

Be patient if you don’t hear back from your agent immediately. There are so many trips affected that a certain amount of triage is going on. Those who have trips in progress or happening in the next few weeks will get first priority.

What if Your Trip is Later This Summer?

If your trip is a few months out, both Disney and Universal are allowing guests to delay making final payment, and are waiving most cancellation penalties. As things continue to play out, these policies will likely be fluid. Watch the Disney and Universal websites for the most up-to-date info.

Your Disney Vacation Got Cancelled – Now What?

Consider Modifying Your Original Plans

Is there a festival or seasonal party you really would like to see? Maybe you want to choose a totally different time of year than you had originally planned.

Do you think you want to try a different hotel? Stay a different number of days? Maybe combine Disney and Universal?

Maybe your original vacation was at an off-site resort. Were you regretting this decision? Staying on-site at Disney and Universal have some pretty great perks. This is your chance to build the trip based on all your new knowledge.

Use Your Newly-Acquired Park Knowledge

Maybe you were going to Disneyland but now that you think about it, Disney World really looks great. Your plans are already changing – there’s nothing to stop you from planning the replacement trip for a completely different destination.

When you book your new trip, you’ll get another chance to land those FastPasses and dining reservations. You’re a pro now right? This second time around will be easier than the first.

Ask for Help and Safeguard Your Trip

Do you wish you’d had help when everything went sideways? Find yourself a good travel agent. It won’t cost you anything extra to book your next trip, and a good agent may even be able to save you money. Plus they have your back when you need help. Ask around for a referral.

Seriously consider purchasing a cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance policy when you book your new trip. As we’ve seen, you never know when something might pop up to prevent you from traveling. Travel insurance can give you peace of mind knowing you’ll be protected if you have to cancel.

What To Do While the Parks are Closed

Take a virtual trip to the parks. You’ll find audio tours of all the Universal Orlando and Disney World parks in the Go Informed podcast archives. Just search for the show on your favorite podcast app and scroll back through the episodes.

Watch the movies! The Disney and Universal theme parks are loaded with references to classic movies. Spring for a Disney+ subscription and you can watch loads of Disney movies, Mickey Mouse cartoons, and even a great documentary series about how the parks were built. And here’s my post all about the movies that inspired the rides at Universal Orlando.

Start planning that do-over trip, even if you don’t have the dates in mind. Even just a rough plan will give you something to look forward to as we wait for things to get back to normal.

Make sure you’re following Go Informed on social (@goinformednet pretty much everywhere) and subscribed to my newsletter for updates as they happen.

Use this time to get more informed about what to expect on your vacation. Order some guide books, listen to theme park podcasts, and check out my tips here on GoInformed.net:

55 Things To Know Before You Visit Disney World

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

Adding a Visit to Universal to Your Disney World Trip

The Go Informed Podcast

Find all the episodes in the series 10 Days to a Better Disney World Vacation here.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

Top Guide Books

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland

The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

This post contains affiliate links.

The post COVID Closed the Universal and Disney Parks – Now What?? appeared first on Go Informed.