Disney World Loopholes 90% of Guests Don't Know — Transcript

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1. 0:00Disney is hiding secrets that can save your family  hundreds of dollars and hours of time in the
2. 0:04parks. So, today we're sharing the insider Disney  loopholes from hidden perks to shopping hacks.
3. 0:10And stick around as we reveal the loophole that  can save families 5% off everything regardless
4. 0:15of the current promotions. That way, you'll be one  step ahead of everyone else in the parks. Up next.
5. 0:27Welcome aboard everyone. I'm Don B from Eat Sleep  Disney. And if you ask cast members at your hotel
6. 0:33when the buses start running to the parks, they'll  usually reply something like, "Oh, it's about 45
7. 0:38minutes before park open." But what they're  neglecting to emphasize is that they actually
8. 0:42mean park opening for early entry. And actually,  we tend to find that the first buses to any theme
9. 0:48park actually arrive a full hour before early  entry. So, if Magic Kingdom opens at 9:00 a.m. and
10. 0:55early entries at 8:30 a.m., your resort buses will  actually begin around 7:30 a.m. So, leave your
11. 1:02resort 60 to 90 minutes before a park opening, not  30. might sound excessive, but if you get on one
12. 1:08of those first buses, it ensures you're through  security at the gate when early entry starts,
13. 1:13and you'll be among some of the first guests  in line for those high demand attractions, and
14. 1:17then you'll be ahead of the crowds the rest of the  day, saving you hours in line. Another thing cast
15. 1:23members won't announce over the park loudspeakers,  but if you want to get in that one last final
16. 1:28ride, all you need to do is get in line 1 minute  before the park officially closes. If you're in
17. 1:34line before the park closes, they have to let you  ride the ride. Even if it takes 35 or 40 minutes
18. 1:40to get through the queue, the park can't legally  kick you out of line if you're already in it. So,
19. 1:44let's say Magic Kingdom closes at 10 p.m. and  you get into Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride right
20. 1:49at 9:59 and wait about a half hour or 45 minutes,  you're riding the ride around 10:30 while everyone
21. 1:55else is already back at their hotel. This works  at all four parks on any attraction. So that's an
22. 2:01extra half hour to an hour in the parks and one  additional free ride every single night. The key
23. 2:08is of course be strategic. Aim for high demand  rides with long cues during the day and then
24. 2:13get into line right before closing. You'll knock  out a headliner attraction that would normally
25. 2:18cost you an hour plus in line. We're fans of  staying on Disney property because of early
26. 2:23entry. That's where you can enter any Disney theme  park 30 minutes before the general public. But if
27. 2:29you're staying offsite, there is a chance you can  get into the parks before they officially open,
28. 2:34too. Now, I'm not saying you'll be able to get  into the early entry queue because Disney does
29. 2:38organize that very well, and you have to scan  and provide proof that you're actually staying
30. 2:42at a Disney resort. So, if you get there for  early entry and not staying at a Disney hotel,
31. 2:47they'll put you in a separate line. But often that  line is let in 10 or 15 minutes earlier than the
32. 2:52official park opening. So, you want to plan to  get to the parks about a half hour before they
33. 2:57open to the general public. Odds are you'll  be able to go through security, scan in, and
34. 3:02then be entering the park right when it opens to  everyone, putting you ahead of guests staying off
35. 3:07property or just arriving at the resort. Here is  something Disney doesn't exactly advertise. You're
36. 3:13allowed to bring your own food and snacks into  all four theme parks. That's right. Sandwiches,
37. 3:18breakfast bars, trail mix, fruit snacks,  whatever you want. There are no restrictions
38. 3:22on outside food except for alcohol and food and  drinks cannot be in glass containers. So, while
39. 3:27everyone else is dropping over $8 on a Mickey  pretzel or waiting a half hour for an $18 burger,
40. 3:32you can bring a backpack full of snacks and save  literally hundreds of dollars on food costs. Now,
41. 3:37you'll probably still want to experience some of  Disney's food, and you should. But you don't have
42. 3:41to buy every single meal in the parks. Pack your  breakfast, bring your own lunch or snacks, and
43. 3:45then splurge on table service restaurant or late  lunch or early dinner. And whatever you do, don't
44. 3:50reserve more than one table service restaurant per  day. Here's an easy money saver most people miss.
45. 3:55You never have to pay for water at Disney World.  Disney sells bottled water at the parks for around
46. 3:59$5, but there are two completely free options  that most guests don't know about. First,
47. 4:04there are water bottle refill stations throughout  all four parks and at the resorts. These are
48. 4:08filtered water fountains where you can refill your  reusable water bottle for free. You can find them
49. 4:12using the My Disney Experience app. Two, you can  walk up to any quick service restaurant that has a
50. 4:18soda fountain and ask for a free cup of ice water.  They'll give you a cup, no purchase required. So,
51. 4:23bring a reusable water bottle from home. Refill  at the water stations throughout the day. And if
52. 4:27you need water on the go, just grab a free cup of  ice water from any quick service location. While
53. 4:32they cost extra, lightning lanes are a great way  to save you time in Disney World. And depending
54. 4:37on the time of year, they really come in handy.  And if you're using lightning lanes, here's a
55. 4:41tiny detail that adds up. can actually arrive 5  minutes early to your scheduled return window. So,
56. 4:48let's say you have a 2:00 p.m. scheduled return  window to get to one of those attractions. The
57. 4:52Lightning Lane touch point will actually allow you  to enter 5 minutes early at 1:55. Now, 5 minutes
58. 4:58doesn't sound like much, but if you're using a  Lightning Lane multipass strategically, you might
59. 5:02be booking five or six, maybe even more Lightning  Lanes throughout the day. Those extra 5 minutes
60. 5:08add up to over a half hour of ride time. Now, when  it comes to being late for your Lightning Lane,
61. 5:13a major loophole that can actually save you hours.  When you book a Lightning Lane, you get that 1
62. 5:18hour return window. Again, let's say this one is  between 2 and 3:00 p.m. After that window passes,
63. 5:24the app shows your Lightning Lane has expired.  So, most people think they've missed it and they
64. 5:29move on. And you are allowed to go ahead and book  another Lightning Lane cuz the system is showing
65. 5:34that other one is no longer valid. But according  to our friends at All Ears, who have tested this
66. 5:39out multiple times, what Disney doesn't tell you,  you actually have 3 hours to use a Lightning Lane,
67. 5:45not just one. So that's an additional 2 hours  on top of the 1 hour window shown in the app.
68. 5:51So that lightning lane that's between 2 and  3 p.m., it's actually valid until 5:00 p.m.,
69. 5:57but after 3 p.m., the system thinks you missed  it and let you book another Lightning L. So,
70. 6:01you can then book one for say between 4 and  5:00 p p.m. and then use both the expired one
71. 6:06that's still valid and the 5:00 p.m. Now, we don't  recommend abusing this all the time, but if you're
72. 6:12running late into a lightning lane, don't panic.  You'll probably still be able to redeem that
73. 6:16lightning lane and book another one. And if you're  strategic, you can stack multiple Lightning lanes
74. 6:20in overlapping time windows. Along with timing  windows, there's actually hidden free perks that
75. 6:26Disney includes in your vacation. For example,  over at Epcot, there's a spot called Club Cool,
76. 6:31sponsored by Coca-Cola, and it offers unlimited  free tastings of eight international Coca-Cola
77. 6:37products from around the world. Zero purchase  required. You can walk in, grab a sample cup,
78. 6:43and try all eight flavors. And if you want to  go back and try them again later in the day,
79. 6:47you can literally cool off with free drinks  all day long. The flavors range from normal
80. 6:51to bizarre. It's a fun experience. It's completely  free and it's airond conditioned, so it's a great
81. 6:57way to take a break from the Florida heat. It's  located right next to the Connection Shop in Epcot
82. 7:02and many guests just walk right by it without  knowing it's even there. Here's another one that
83. 7:07shocks people and can literally cut your dining  cost in half. At most Disney restaurants, adults
84. 7:13are allowed to order from the kids menu. While the  menus will claim they're for children aged 3 to 9,
85. 7:18typically Disney allows anyone to order off  that menu. Kids meals typically run between
86. 7:24$8 and $15. And adult entre, well, they can run  between $18 and $30, if not more, depending on the
87. 7:30restaurant. Now, it isn't official Disney policy  printed anywhere saying adults can order off the
88. 7:36kids menu. But in practice, most servers will say  yes when you ask. While the portions are smaller,
89. 7:41portions of Disney are pretty big anyway. And  honestly, the kids menu often has the same quality
90. 7:46as adult versions, just less food. This loophole  definitely works at quicks service restaurants,
91. 7:51too. Whether you order in person or through mobile  ordering, guests can order from the kids menu,
92. 7:56even if there are no kids on the reservation. So,  if you're at a table service restaurant and not
93. 8:00super hungry, just go ahead and order off the kids  menu. The worst case, the server will say no and
94. 8:07you have to order an adult menu, but then you can  just share it. Disney doesn't charge a plate fee
95. 8:12for adults when they share a starter or entree,  so you can still save money using that strategy.
96. 8:18Just keep in mind this loophole only works at all  cart restaurants and restaurants that do not have
97. 8:23a prefixed menu. If you're dining at a venue like  a buffet or a signature restaurant that has a
98. 8:28three course meal like Be Our Guest, regardless  of what you order, you'll be charged full price
99. 8:32if you're over 9 years old. Now, Disney sells  themed popcorn buckets from anywhere for $15 to
100. 8:38$30. They're cute. They're collectible. They're  expensive. But Disney lurs you in saying that if
101. 8:44you buy a popcorn bucket, you can get unlimited  discounted refills for the length of your stay.
102. 8:50But here's the secret. Bring any old Disney  popcorn bucket from a previous trip. And I do mean
103. 8:55any. I have several popcorn buckets, and I've been  using the same one since 2021, and you can still
104. 9:01get the same discounted $2 refills every single  time. Of course, Disney isn't going to tell you
105. 9:07that your old bucket still qualifies for refills  because obviously they want you to buy a new one,
106. 9:12but the cast members at popcorn stands don't seem  to care. If it's a Disney popcorn bucket, you get
107. 9:18the $2 refill with some money saved. Of course, my  wife Heidi is just waiting for the day when I go
108. 9:24to get my old Disney popcorn bucket refilled. And  the cast member says, "Sorry, sir. I can't refill
109. 9:29this bucket. You didn't buy it during this trip."  As we mentioned earlier, there's one Disney World
110. 9:34loophole that can save you up to 5% off the top  of everything regardless of the current deals or
111. 9:40promotions. And simply, this hack is buying Disney  gift cards at Target and using a Target Red Card,
112. 9:47which automatically gives you 5% off everything.  You can then purchase those discounted gift
113. 9:51cards to pay for everything. Your park tickets,  your hotel rooms, food, merchandise, souvenirs,
114. 9:58lightning lanes, you name it. Everything.  You're essentially stacking a 5% discount on
115. 10:03top of whatever other discounts Disney's already  offering. So, if you're planning a $5,000 Disney
116. 10:09vacation, buying $5,000 in Disney gift cards  with your Target Red Card can save you $250.
117. 10:15That's $250 you can put in your pocket or use to  buy something else, maybe go to a nice dinner or
118. 10:20purchase souvenirs. Disney obviously doesn't want  you know about this, but it's completely legal,
119. 10:25totally legit, and honestly one of the easiest  ways to save money on your Disney trip.
120. 10:29You can get similar savings if you're a member of  a wholesale club like Costco or BJ's which often
121. 10:35offer discounted Disney cards as well. However,  these promotions and discounts do vary and are
122. 10:41based on availability. It is true Disney's website  has a lot of information and a pretty intuitive
123. 10:47booking engine. But here's something most people  don't realize. Disney authorized travel agents
124. 10:52are completely free. You pay the same exact  price, if not less, when you book through them,
125. 10:58than booking directly through Disney. There's  zero markup and zero fees. So, why pass up on
126. 11:05free travel advice? These Disney vacation experts  can help you save hours of research time and help
127. 11:10you find the perfect resort, dining options,  and offer other advice and tips. They can also
128. 11:15personalize itineraries and help with things like  dining reservations, lightning lane strategies,
129. 11:20as well as related travel bookings like flights  or nearby attractions and non-D Disney hotels.
130. 11:26But even beyond all that great support, here's  another reason to use them. Travel agents monitor
131. 11:31your reservation year round for new discounts.  When Disney releases a new promotion or discount,
132. 11:36your travel adviser can rebook you at the lower  rate without you having to do anything. So, after
133. 11:41booking your trip, you see Disney releases a 25%  off resort discount. Your travel adviser sees it,
134. 11:47calls Disney, and applies it to your reservation.  Now, Heidi and I are not travel advisers. That's
135. 11:53why we partner with MouseFan Travel. They are  the official vacation planner of Eat, Sleep
136. 11:58Disney. We plan all our Disney trips with Mouse  Fan Travel. And you can take advantage of their
137. 12:03great deals and promotions using our exclusive  link down in description. Now, that discount
138. 12:08hack we just mentioned travel agents can do, you  can actually do, too. If you've already booked
139. 12:13a Disney vacation directly with Disney and a new  discount gets released, you can't apply that new
140. 12:19discount to your existing reservation. Disney will  not automatically apply this new discount. No,
141. 12:25you need to contact Disney and tell them you want  the new discount applied to your reservation, and
142. 12:29they'll do it as long as supply exists. There are  some restrictions like blackout dates or specific
143. 12:36resort categories or specific promotions. However,  in general, if a new discount becomes available
144. 12:42for your travel dates, Disney will honor it even  if you booked months ago. Animal Kingdom has a
145. 12:47secret entrance that Disney doesn't advertise.  It's through the Rainforest Cafe gift shop.
146. 12:53Once you bypass the main security, if you see  a long line at the main entrance, walk over to
147. 12:57the Rainforest Cafe, which is located just to the  left of the main entrance, which is a hack most
148. 13:02travelers don't know about. Now, keep in mind,  the Rainforest Cafe doesn't open till 8:30 a.m.
149. 13:08And Animal Kingdom often opens at 8:00 a.m. with  early entry at 7:30 a.m. So, this entrance hack
150. 13:14won't help you for early entry or rope drop. But  for midm morning arrivals or if the main entrance
151. 13:18is slammed, it's a solid alternative. Over at  Epcot, most people walk around the entire World
152. 13:25Showcase Loop. It's 1.25 miles around, but by  the end of the day, your feet are going to be
153. 13:30killing and you'll be exhausted, especially if  you do this route multiple times. But there's a
154. 13:35friendship boat that often runs between the front  of the park and the back of World Showcase. It's
155. 13:39free transportation that can save you 30 minutes  of walking, and it's rarely crowded because most
156. 13:45guests don't even know that exists. The boats  aren't prominently marked on the park maps,
157. 13:50and there's no big signage directing you to them,  but you'll find the boat docks near the front of
158. 13:54Epcot with launches near the port of entry and  Disney trade gift shops and the back of World
159. 13:59Showcase with boat launches in between Morocco and  France pavilions, as well as a launch between the
160. 14:04Germany and Italian pavilions. If you're trying  to score a hard to get dining reservations like
161. 14:08Cinderella's Royal Table or Space 220, you can  take advantage of a dining reservation loophole
162. 14:14for guests staying at Disney resorts. Disney  tells everyone that dining reservations open 60
163. 14:19days in advance, usually around 6:00 a.m. Eastern  time. But what they don't emphasize is that Disney
164. 14:24resort guests get 60 days plus the length of their  stay. So 10 extra days for longer trips. So let's
165. 14:31say you're booking a 7 night vacation starting  December 1st. A regular guest can start booking
166. 14:36dining reservations on October 2nd, which is 60  days before December 1st, but you as a resort
167. 14:42guest can start booking on October 2nd for your  entire 7 night stay, which means you can book
168. 14:47reservations all the way through December 8th.  That's why we recommend trying to book those hard
169. 14:52to get restaurants towards the end of your trip  because you're going to be days ahead of everyone
170. 14:57else trying to get the same reservations who  are not staying on property. In some instances,
171. 15:01you'll literally have a complete week head start  on everyone else. If you're currently staying at
172. 15:07a Disney resort and you're already thinking  about your next Disney trip, book it within
173. 15:117 days of your current checkout date and you  can save up to 35% off your next stay with a
174. 15:16bounceback offer. Now, it's inconsistent. You may  receive a flyer or an email promoting this offer,
175. 15:23but more and more people are reporting that they  were not aware of this promotion. But it's simple
176. 15:27to take advantage of this perk. In fact, if you're  still on property, you can call directly from your
177. 15:32hotel room and speak to a Disney representative.  When you get home, you have 7 days to book,
178. 15:36either online, using the link in your email,  contacting your travel adviser, or calling Disney.
179. 15:41While taking advantage of the bounceback offer  is a great way to save money on a Disney World
180. 15:45vacation. It's not the only one. So, click or tap  on our Disney World on a budget video right here
181. 15:50on YouTube, where we show you how to have all the  fun and magic at Disney World for half the cost.
182. 15:55From booking strategies to dining hacks, we show  you how the experts save the most money at Disney.