Here are some Disney time-saving tips and ideas for your first (or 50th!) Disney vacation.

1. There is a fastpass+ in Beta for the “you can’t get a reservation for the next 8 months” Be Our Guest restaurant. Check out this secret squirrel beta testing link to fastpass+ for Be Our Guest Reservations. The food is great and reasonably priced and the décor is gorgeous.

2. Take advantage of “Magic hours”. If you are staying on Disney World grounds, you can qualify for extra magic hours which means the park is open an hour earlier or a couple hours later depending on the day and the park. I suggest using this tool when planning your stay. 

3. Schedule your trip ahead of time using your MyDisneyExperience.com. 

4. Download the Walt Disney World app. With this app, you will be able to make reservations and check availability. You will be able change fast passes.

5. Schedule down time! It can get very hot. We would take a break at the pool or in our air-conditioned room every afternoon.

6. Make sure to see the new for 2014 3 pm Disney Festival of Fantasy parade at the Magic Kingdom. It has all the princesses and princes and is sure to delight children of all ages. 

7. Go to the Kilamanjaro Safari at the Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning. The animals will not be as active later in the day when the sun is high in the sky and beating down on them. This is one of our favorites.

8. Make sure to see Spectro Magic, highly recommend!

9. Soarin' is awesome, a must experience! You will feel like you are flying!

10. Get the Memory Maker. Spend $150 for the Memory Maker and you get to digitally download all of those photos.

11. Food we recommend: Pineapple Dole Whips (sold at the Dole stand in Magic Kingdom), a turkey leg or a funnel cake from the funnel cake cart at the Boardwalk. Rice Krispie treats dipped in chocolate from Magic Kingdom. French pastries at Epcot. I could go on and on!

12. Spend an evening at the Boardwalk. It is old-fashioned fun. You can take a bike ride, get a family charicature portrait sketched and watch the street performers. Plus be sure to check out the Boardwalk bakery.

13. Highly recommend spending the day at Downtown Disney too. They have movies, bowling and more. We enjoyed really delicious sweet potato fries and burgers at House of Blues. 

14. We have stayed at Coronado Springs Resort several times and it is so beautiful. There are several pools near every hotel and the cafeteria and restaurant are really nice.

15. For the Star Wars fans, Star Wars weekend (this year May 16 to June 15, 2014) is an epically awesome time. We were there for Star Wars weekend a few years ago and my son Cam had the most amazing time, fighting Darth Vader and enjoying the rides.