Are you planning your first trip to Disney? If it’s your first trip, or even your 20th time going to Disney, you probably have a countdown going months before. I just recently got back from Disney, and it was awesome! I think Disney is honestly a great vacation for anyone of any age.

This wasn't my first trip to Disney, but it was my first time in a long time. Disney is “The Most Magical Place on Earth”, but it can be very overwhelming, especially if your time there is limited; there is seriously so much to do, you could stay a month and never get bored! There is something for everyone to do at Disney, between shopping, rides, shows, food, swimming, etc.

When I was at Disney, we did four parks in four days (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and then Epcot). Some people suggest to take a “rest day” during your trip; this is great advice, since we were exhausted! I’ve only been to Disney twice, so I’m not a pro, but I collected some suggestions from friends and family. From my own personal experiences and research from friends, here are my top 10 suggestions to make your Disney vacation memorable and magical.

1. Plan ahead, do your research, and be prepared for a busy week.

Before going to Disney, do your research online. You don’t want to get to Disney and say “So what do you want to do today?” Disney isn’t a relaxing vacation where you can sleep in until noon, and then talk about what you want to do all day. If your time at Disney is limited and you want to make the most of your trip, be prepared to wake up early and stay up late! Even if you don’t like to plan ahead, you should determine what park(s) you are going to each day, get an idea of what rides you want to ride, and make some meal reservations.

2. Stay on Disney property and take advantage of Disney transportation.

If you want the full Disney experience, definitely stay on Disney property! We stayed in the Cars themed suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and they were great! When it comes to getting around at Disney, I suggest taking Disney transportation. Disney buses come by all Disney resorts and parks every 20 minutes, so no matter where you are in Disney, you can take a bus to another park or hotel.

3. Get your Disney gear the first day.

I highly recommend buying Mickey ears, especially if it’s your first^t time at Disney; they look great in pictures! BUT, if you are going to pay for Mickey ears, Disney shirts, lanyards for your trading pins, autograph books, etc., you want to be able to enjoy them the whole trip.

4. Take a picture in front of the castle

Taking a picture in front of the castle in Magic Kingdom is mandatory for any Disney trip, but make sure to take other pictures too! However, don’t worry about taking the perfect picture for everything you do, because it’s impossible. You’ll waste so much time stopping for pictures and making sure everyone looks good.

5. Meet the characters.

If you have kids of any age in your Disney group, you’ll want to meet some of the characters for sure! If you want to ensure you will meet a certain character, plan dinner reservations where the character is scheduled to be. You’ll get an awesome dinner, plus you’ll have a chance to chat with your favorite character, get a picture with them, and get their autograph. You can also find schedules of when and where characters will be, so you can find them in the park for pictures and autographs.

6. Bring your own poncho.

If you’ve never been to Disney, you’re wondering why this is one of my top 10 tips… If you have been to Disney, you know what I mean. In Disney, or Florida in general, there’s pretty much a 100 percent chance it’ll rain at some point during the day. It may only rain for 10 minutes, or it might rain all day. Bring your own poncho, rain jacket, and or umbrella unless you want to pay $20 for a poncho at Disney. Also, don’t let the rain ruin your day. There’s plenty to do at Disney in the rain, or inside if you’re trying to stay out of the rain.

7. Dining plan.

If you plan on eating at Disney, get the dining plan. You’ll save a ton of money! Our plan included a snack, a counter service, and a dinner every day. This was way too much food, but if we would’ve paid out of pocket for each meal, it would’ve been so much! If you choose not to purchase the dining plan for your Disney trip, I suggest packing snacks in your bag.

My favorite meals from my recent Disney trip are definitely the Luau at the Polynesian Resort (dinner and a show), the Rainforest Café in Disney Springs or in Animal Kingdom, and Cinderella’s Royal Table at the castle in Magic Kingdom (you’ll get to meet Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Jasmine, and Sleeping Beauty).

Okay, so #1-#7 are basically general tips for your Disney trip… the next three tips deal with rides, shows, and events that you MUST do at Disney (these are my favorites)!

8. Rides

My top three favorite rides at Disney are: Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom, Rockin’ Rollercoaster in Hollywood Studios, and Soarin’ in Epcot. I also really loved the Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom; this is a must do for Disney, in my opinion. (We actually did the safari twice. Our first time was during the day and we saw a ton of animals. Then we went on the safari at night and it was incredible! If you do the safari at night, I recommend doing it during the day first though, so you have a better idea of where everything is.)

9. Shows

If you’re really into rides, you may think the shows at Disney are a waste of time, but they can be really fun (and a lot of them are indoors and have AC, which is great after sweating alllll day). So my top two favorite shows at Disney are The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic (a limited time show) at night in Animal Kingdom and Fantasmic in Hollywood Studios.

10. Events

I guess this sort of goes along with shows, but it’s a little different. I definitely recommend being at Magic Kingdom when they open, at least one day, to see the opening ceremony (you won’t regret it). The Polynesian Luau is definitely something you want to add to your plans; the food is delicious and the show is wonderful. Lastly, I highly recommend watching the Electrical Light Parade. It takes place down Main Street in Magic Kingdom every night, followed by illuminations on the castle, and then fireworks!

If you're going to Disney soon, I hope my tips help you have an amazing time. If you're not going to Disney anytime soon, I'm really sorry that you read this, you'll want to start planning a trip now.