Merging Into Life Podcast: Theme Park Secrets

[00:00:15]
Amanda Greene: Disney? I’m going to need to talk to your dad about this. I was thinking more like Cape Cod or the beach.

[00:00:23]
Kids: Disney!

[00:00:24]
Amanda Greene: Hold on, hold on, you guys. Welcome to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. Today on this show, we’re going to learn how to plan and then take your first trip to a theme park. A theme park makes me think of sunny days, exhilarating rides, very fun food options, family togetherness and lifelong memories.

But simmering just below the surface there’s a possibility of pure exhaustion, tantrums and massive lines. So how do we do everything in our power to have the ideal theme park experience we’re picturing? We bring in a theme park enthusiast and expert to guide the way.

[00:01:18]
Felicia Troy: It’s something that’s so ingrained in me that I just love a theme park. That’s my idea of a great vacation. Throw me around on a roller coaster. Do all the crazy stuff. That’s what I love to do. So having done it so often, I feel like I have great advice to give.

[00:01:32]
Amanda Greene: That was Felicia Troy. She’s AAA’s resident roller coaster riding, thrill-seeking, family loving theme park expert extraordinaire. And I have to say, like me, she loves her theme parks. Planning a trip specifically to a theme park, like a Disney vacation planning, is a big undertaking. It’s a lot more, I don’t want to say complicated, but there is a lot more to prepare now than maybe there was back when we were kids. So when someone comes to you with the idea that they would like to plan a trip, they would like to go to a theme park, where do you begin?

[00:02:06]
Felicia Troy: I think when we sit with people, we actually don’t really start with the meat and potatoes. We want to get to know you a little bit more. We want to find out what you like, what you don’t like, if you’re bringing kids, what they’re interested in, how old are they, what do they like to do every day?

Because I think it matters if you take the time to get to know somebody, you can plan something truly excellent instead of just being that order-taker that’s like, okay, you want to go here? Let me get that for you, and move on. We really try to get to know the person so we can fit you to the right trip.

[00:02:34]
Amanda Greene: Do we begin with planning what time of year we go, or do we start with something else? Where do we begin in this process?

[00:02:42]
Felicia Troy: I think we usually begin with are you celebrating something and what’s the goal of this trip? Sometimes it’s to celebrate grandma and grandpa’s 50th anniversary and we want it to be magical, but relaxed enough that grandma and grandpa can have a great time. Or it’s the kids’ first Disney trip and we want to get to the castle and we want to dress up like a princess. So, really what’s the goal? What are we trying to do? Are we trying to relax? Are we trying to get up and go? Are we trying to entertain the kids?

[00:03:07]
Amanda Greene: A little of both, ideally. As an expert, is there a time of year that you recommend people plan to visit?

[00:03:14]
Felicia Troy: So truly, if you want to go kind of on a lower time, now everything is busy in theme parks in general, but that after the holiday rush in January can be a good time to go which is a nice Disney tip for you! And if you’re going somewhere south like Florida, the weather can be a little bit better if heat’s hard for you. Especially us people in the Northeast, we sometimes have a hard time with heat. So January can be great.

Another great time can be September right after school start because the crowds die down and all the kids go back to school. And so it can be a great time even for an adult couple or an older couple with no kids to go because there’s likely going to be less kids in that timeframe. So it could be a good opportunity.

[00:03:50]
Amanda Greene: I know when we were planning a trip to a theme park, everyone was saying, “Don’t go in August. It’s going to be way too hot.” And you would see people online who go in August who have the wearable fans around their neck or a cooling towel, all of these things that they prepared so that they could make it through the day during really hot days of summer. Do you do that or do you just avoid August?

[00:04:14]
Felicia Troy: So, actually I’ve been in August. My birthday’s in August. My 21st birthday was spent in Epcot, so yes. But we like to just take a midday break in that heat of day when you can’t walk around anymore and everything’s sticky and you just don’t want to be outside. We’ll just go to the pool and then we go back to the parks a little bit later where the temperature’s more tolerable and we’re all less cranky.

[00:04:33]
Amanda Greene: So, speaking of the pool and just hopping back to the pool, that brings us to where to stay. Because if you want to be able just to hop back to the pool for a little while in the middle of the day, you need to be sort of close by. How would you even begin to choose where to stay?

[00:04:48]
Felicia Troy: Yeah, I totally agree. I think that there’s not a one size fits all answer for this, but I do love staying near the respective amusement park you’re going to. So whether it’s Disney, whether it’s Universal, whatever it is, I like to be on site. Because as I said, we enjoy taking the midday break going to the pool. But then there are people that do not care. They will spend the whole day in the theme park, and then later go back to their resort or hotel or wherever.

And it also depends on how many people are going. Sometimes you have a really big family and you need something that can accommodate that size. So I think we talk through the options and that’s what we typically do if you sit down with one of our advisors is we’ll talk through the best options for you and maybe what you want to be close to.

If you’re at Disney on the Monorail, taking the train to Magic Kingdom and all of that, that could be very worth it, as opposed to somebody who’s like, “I just want the least expensive accommodations. It doesn’t really matter. We’re going to rent a car.” So we try to go through every option. I personally always say stay at the theme park hotel, but that is me.

[00:05:50]
Amanda Greene: What is the nearby, I guess, transportation option for a place like Universal? Do they have something similar that will transport you back to an area resort?

[00:05:59]
Felicia Troy: They do. I love Universal. It’s almost even closer to be able to get to the theme parks. There’s a couple resorts you can just walk. So if you’re at one of their premier resorts, most of them you can walk. They also have a boat and the boat is very simple and easy. And then for the ones that are slightly further out and slightly, it’s really not that far, they have a bus.

So they do have the same type of transportation style where they include or have some way to get to their theme parks if you’re staying on property. We usually stay at the ones we can walk because I love a nice little walk to the theme park. But yes, it’s absolutely whether you’re at Disney or Universal, there’s options.

[00:06:36]
Amanda Greene: Okay, so we’re planning a trip. What else can we do to prepare beforehand? Are there any theme park tips or Disney tips?

[00:06:40]
Felicia Troy: So one of my biggest things is wherever you’re going, if they have an app, get used to it, download it, look through it, figure out what it offers. My best Disney tip is their app, you can do almost anything on it. You can order food. You can make a dining reservation. You can do your Genie Plus, which is the skip the line pass. You can even unlock your hotel room door. So it’s very good to get familiar with whatever technology that place is using because I think it’s going to help you in the long run.

When you arrive that day of travel, you’re flustered, you don’t know what’s going on. And then you pull the app and you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I’ve never looked at this thing. What am I going to do?” So if you’ve already familiarized yourself with it, I think it’s going to go a long way and make the experience better for you and everyone else.

[00:07:20]
Amanda Greene: What’s your take on watching a bunch of YouTube videos before you go on a trip to learn the Genie Plus or figure out your plan for the trip?

[00:07:28]
Felicia Troy: I love YouTube videos. I watch them. I have favorite influencers and all of that for Disney hacks. I think it’s a great way, but I also take the information with a grain of salt, because sometimes they put their own opinions in there and they might not be your opinions. So while you’re watching the videos, it’s great for instructional purposes, but don’t necessarily write off things that they might be giving you opinions on because you might actually like those things. Do with it what you will, but don’t let it shape your entire trip.

[00:07:53]
Amanda Greene: It seems like Genie Plus specifically, when you’re talking about Disney, people really want to do their homework before they arrive to the park and have a plan for their Disney vacation. What Disney tips or what else do we need to do on the app beforehand? What kind of issues might occur when using the app?

[00:08:09]
Felicia Troy: One of the biggest things that I find would be a challenge for most is how to mobile order and dining and all of that. I would watch a YouTube video or talk to your travel advisor about how do I mobile order? Because even when I went for the first time after they started it, I believe it was around 2020, I didn’t know what to do. I was confused. I was like, oh, do I hit this button? What do I do here? And I was like, wow, I didn’t even prepare for this and I’m supposed to be the expert.

But it is just a little bit weird and different, and it’s the same for Universal. They also have mobile ordering too. You want to try to get used to that. So that way when everyone’s starving and looking at you and my son would be like, “Mom, I need chicken fingers right now or I’m going to pass out,” you’re not fumbling through this app like, “What am I supposed to do?”

You already know how to order it. You’ve got it, and hopefully you’ve learned that you could order it early and have it ready. So all those things. So definitely worth looking at the food because food becomes the big thing when you’re on a trip and the kids are staring at you starving. You need to plan before it’s time. You need to have a plan for your food before everyone’s hangry.

[00:09:10]
Amanda Greene: Even me. 100%. What kinds of things or what should we bring to an amusement park with us to feel prepared and to be able to enjoy the day?

[00:09:18]
Felicia Troy: I mean, we obviously talk about the app. You’re going to need your phone for the app, so external batteries or phone chargers are huge. You want to make sure that your phone doesn’t die in the middle of the day. One, because you’re probably entertaining your kids in line with your phone and saying, “Here, watch a YouTube video,” So it drains the battery a lot faster until you’re on the app using your phone. No matter what, you’ll need some extra batteries.

You want to make sure you have all your medical stuff. Any medication that you might need, bring a little extra, bring it into the parks. Because if you’re all the way across the back of one park, you don’t want to have to walk all the way to your car, go all the way back to your hotel to get whatever it is you may need. I would say have the basic stuff too, just like Tylenol and all of that for kids and adults.

Another thing that I love to bring is little plastic baggies. That’s my one thing that I never travel without at a theme park. One, you can use it for extra food, extra treats that your kid doesn’t finish because inevitably they want chicken fingers, but they eat one. And then two hours later they’re like, “Where’s the chicken fingers?” And you’re like, “I don’t know. They’re gone in the trash.”

So now you can put it in a plastic bag, keep it in your bag, and then go back to it. Or it rains often if you’re going to somewhere like Florida, so having those plastic bags on hand if you need to put your phone in one or things that can’t get wet, it’s a nice option to be able to have something that’s not going to get ruined in the storm.

[00:10:33]
Amanda Greene: And I know that people who don’t use strollers at home because their kids have outgrown like a stroller to use regularly, use strollers at Disney because there is just so much walking that even if your kid has outgrown strollers for years, you probably want one for Disney or other amusement parks.

[00:10:49]
Felicia Troy: No matter if your kid walks every single day, it is still more walking at a theme park. It’s like 10 miles of walking in a day. And even if your five-year-old hasn’t used a stroller in two years, get it for the day. Even if they only get into it intermittently and just use it for breaks, you can also use it for your stuff.

If you go shopping or anything like that, then it’s something to push the stuff in too. So, not only can your kid get a break, but then your shoulders can get a break from not carrying around all the stuff.

[00:11:16]
Amanda Greene: And there’s plenty of stroller parking at all parks. They specifically have designated areas where you just park your little stroller and some people put a little flag on it so that you can recognize which one is yours.

[00:11:27]
Felicia Troy: Yes, absolutely. I would say the one tip for that is they sometimes move your stroller. They have cast members there organizing them to make sure it doesn’t stay too chaotic in that there’s little rows of strollers. So if you go back and look where you just put down your stroller and it’s not there, don’t panic.

Someone did not likely steal it. It’s just that the cast member had to move it to make space. So that’s why they put little flags or little balloons on strollers so that way you can easily spot yours in the sea of strollers. A small Disney hack is to just buy a balloon at the beginning of the trip. They sell them on every corner and tie it to your stroller and then you’re good.

[00:12:01]
Amanda Greene: An inevitable part of visiting a theme park or really any well-attended place that’s really fun is the long lines. There’s a lot of line waiting. What’s the best way of dealing with the long lines?

[00:12:14]
Felicia Troy: Short of getting some sort of express pass or Genie pass or fast pass, whatever it is at whatever respective theme park, which is always my suggestion, I would just make sure you pack something to keep people entertained. A lot of people play that heads-up game where you put the character or whatever and people try to guess it, or Disney has a Play Disney app that you can interact in different ride queues with the app and while you’re waiting in line.

So depending on what it is, I mean, I know putting your kids on an iPad or something isn’t ideal, but it does help pass the time in a line where there’s not much else to do. My big tip is if it’s a long line, go to the bathroom before you get in the line. Because we have been halfway through that line. You’ve been in the line an hour, and then your kid’s like, “I have to go to the bathroom.”

And you can’t say no. What are you going to do? And if your kid has outgrown any diaper or anything, then you just have to go and there’s not really a mechanism to come back.

[00:13:07]
Amanda Greene: Your next question is usually, well, how bad?

[00:13:10]
Felicia Troy: Oh yeah. I’m like, can you wait a little while? Yeah, no, exactly. So it is tough. And then sometimes it’s nice to have a little snack or some water in the line too. So if they’re like, “I’m starving, or I’m thirsty,” they have something as well. Prepare for those long lines.

[00:13:23]
Amanda Greene: I’m that mom that has my children basically ask every child in line their name, their favorite color. We get to know them. We’ve exchanged information to become pen pals. You make it work in the line. That’s another thing people do at theme parks too is give little gifts out to kids that they meet in line sometimes. I had my girls also make bracelets, and so they would give them out. Other people did stickers or like Dum Dum Pops, which is just another cute way to pass time in the lines.

[00:13:51]
Felicia Troy: We call it pixie dusting. So it’s you pixie dust people with different trinkets. And usually it’s not much, but it is a lot of fun. I do recommend that you stay away from edible pixie dust, so lollipops or candy, because you don’t know the allergy or the situation with the child. We just want to be really aware of anything going on. So I think a bracelet is a great idea. Keychains, stickers, even little bubbles or anything that kids can play with I think is phenomenal.

And I think it makes it more magical when you get a little treat from a little friend. My son has done that, made friends, and then he ends up going on the ride with the friend. And I’m in the back car and he’s riding with this random kid that we just met, and they’re having a great time. So it’s great.

[00:14:31]
Amanda Greene: Love that. It’s so cute the way kids can make friends anywhere they go.

[00:14:34]
Felicia Troy: Oh, it’s amazing.

[00:14:35]
Amanda Greene: Is there anything you think families should keep in mind when visiting a theme park for the first time?

[00:14:40]
Felicia Troy: Pretty much any theme park you go to, if you’re going for the first time, you’re not going to be able to do everything. Theme parks offer a lot of different things, whether it’s shows or rides or characters or whatever it is. I would suggest when you’re going for the first time, you sit everyone down in the family and you say, “What are your top three things? What do you want to accomplish with this trip? What would make you the happiest with this trip?”

And that way you can get everyone’s top things, their top ride or whatever it is, and make sure that you hit those points for each person. So you may not have done everything, but you’ve done the most important things to everyone in your family, and that will be a huge difference maker.

Because you might not realize that your son’s top thing is, I want to go to the pool and play in the pool for part of the day, and you’re so focused on being in the theme parks, you completely missed the pool. And then he’s bummed because that was the one thing he really wanted to do. So now if you make a list and really prioritize your itinerary to that list, I think it’s going to make it so much more magical.

[00:15:35]
Amanda Greene: These are such great tips for making the trip a wonderful experience. But a big part of this, paying for it. How do you save money on these trips? How do you make sure you aren’t going overboard and coming home to an uncomfortable amount of debt?

[00:15:47]
Felicia Troy: I think the biggest thing will be truly determining what your budget is. How far are you willing to go and what is comfortable for you? I think oftentimes we see the stereotypical planned Disney trip that’ll be on the Monorail, and they’ll go to all the fanciest restaurants and all of that. And that might not be the budget that you have, and that is so fine.

We can make magic with every single budget, but establishing that boundary for yourself and understanding where you stand in that is going to be really helpful. Because then if you’re working with a travel advisor, we can maximize what we’re working with once we know upfront. So it’s good to establish that. So one, you’re comfortable and the trip doesn’t feel like it’s taking over.

Sometimes it can get too heavy if you’re so far out of budget that it’s hard to enjoy because it’s just you’re so focused on that. But if you set that budget for yourself and you make it comfortable for you, I think you’re going to have such a great time and a great experience because you’re not worried about that.

[00:16:45]
Amanda Greene: And that comes back to what you were saying earlier about knowing what your travel style is. Do you prioritize skipping the line, or do you want to be at really nice dinners? And if your budget says you need to choose which one’s more important to you, I think skipping the line is more important personally.

[00:17:02]
Felicia Troy: That’s me all the way. We Genie Plus no matter what. I will eat pizza every night in order to skip my lines. That is absolutely how I feel. But I agree. And that’s why when you set those boundaries, then we can talk through those options for you. And I think it will help set expectations once you get there, because you’ll have an idea of the direction you want to go and what you want to do.

[00:17:23]
Amanda Greene: That makes sense. And it is hard because you want to try and do everything because you only have a short amount of time there. But you can’t do it all, and you really do have to prioritize what you want to do. What about downtime?

[00:17:33]
Felicia Troy: I think my biggest thing when going to any theme park is not scheduling yourself too much. I believe in just letting things happen and letting the magic come to you and letting the moments appear as they may. I find oftentimes people over schedule and then it doesn’t leave time for those magic moments that you have throughout your day.

While having an itinerary and having a schedule is a good thing, leave time for moments. Leave time for the special stuff, for the unscripted times where you just wander or you just find the next thing that interests you, because I promise those will probably be your favorite moments.

[00:18:09]
Amanda Greene: Well, I’m sold. Thanks so much, Felicia. Okay, before we make any final decisions about our summer plans, girls, can you come answer a couple questions for me?

[00:18:20]
Kids: Okay. Yes, Mommy.

[00:18:23]
Amanda Greene: Let’s pretend we are going to a theme park this summer. Would you rather get a pass that helps us skip the line or go to eat at your favorite restaurant, like one with princesses or something?

[00:18:37]
Kids: Eat at restaurants. I would usually get a pass to skip the line.

[00:18:41]
Amanda Greene: Okay, so we’d get hungry. What should we bring for snacks?

[00:18:45]
Kids: Uh, we should bring sandwich.

[00:18:48]
Amanda Greene: Sandwiches, okay. We would do a lot of walking. What do you think, should we bring a stroller?

[00:18:56]
Kids: No, I’d rather go on nature walk. Stroller.

[00:18:59]
Amanda Greene: Yeah, your feet are going to get tired. You’re a little younger. And when you think of a theme park, what’s the very best part?

[00:19:07]
Kids: Meeting Minnie.

[00:19:09]
Amanda Greene: Meeting the characters.

[00:19:10]
Kids: I really like getting the face paints in those pictures. Roller coaster. We never even went on a roller coaster.

[00:19:18]
Amanda Greene: You sure did.

[00:19:18]
Kids: I don’t remember that.

[00:19:20]
Amanda Greene: Mama was screaming. I was screaming so loud and holding onto you really tight. You don’t remember?

[00:19:28]
Kids: No.

[00:19:32]
Amanda Greene: We covered a lot today. Felicia really knows her stuff. If skipping the lines are important to you, pay the extra money for a pass. Familiarize yourself with the park apps, attractions, maps, and food options. Prioritize which rides you really want to go on. That way you can maximize your time in the park and minimize your frustration. Be strategic and thoughtful when picking a hotel.

You want a hassle-free vacation and cutting down on travel time can be huge. Think of everyone’s comfort, including your own. If that means bringing the stroller out of retirement, do it. These parks are big and you’ll put on a lot of miles. The less things to lug around, including your tired tot, the better. Figure out what matters most to each member of your group and plan around that.

But remember to leave time to just let the magic happen. Theme parks aren’t cheap and take a lot of effort to plan, but there is a reason more than 17 million people visited Disney World alone in 2022. Theme parks are amazing and totally worth it. So take the time to prepare and then go have the time of your life.

You’ve been listening to Merging Into Life, where we navigate life’s milestones one episode at a time, brought to you by AAA Northeast with assistance from JAR Audio. I’m your host, Amanda Greene. Worried you might’ve missed something? Check out the show notes for details from today’s episode. If you’re enjoying the show, follow us and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

And we’d love to know what you think. Get in touch at podcast@aaanortheast.com Talk next time. All right, so what do you think? Do you think this is the year to go? Should we just do it?

[00:21:14]
Amanda’s husband: Disney? Well, they’re only young once. Let’s just do it.

[00:21:18]
Amanda Greene: Girls, we’re going to go to Disney World.

[00:21:21]
Kids: Yay!

[00:21:25]
Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA, and/or its affiliates.