Disney World Hacks That Work and Ones That Don’t

Visiting Walt Disney World can feel like planning a military operation. Between booking Lightning Lanes, Securing dining reservations, and navigating crowds, it’s no wonder Disney guests look for every possible hack to make their experience smoother. However, not all hacks are created equal, especially in 2025, when Mickey and the gang have caught on to some of our tricks. Here’s a rundown of Disney hacks that still work and ones that have gone the way of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

Hacks That Still Work in 2025

1. Mobile Ordering for Food

Mobile ordering remains a game changer. Skip the long lines and order your meals via the My Disney Experience app. Pro tip: Place your order early in the day for peak dining times — you can always modify it later!

2. Rope Drop for Popular Rides

Getting to the parks early still pays off. If you can handle the early wake-up, rope-dropping headliners like Tron Lightcycle Run or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can save you from multi-hour waits.

3. Adults Can Order Kids Meals at Quick Service Locations

This dining strategy can save you money and stomach space. Adults can order kids meals at quick service locations through Disney World. This isn’t the case for table service and signature restaurants where adults must order from the adult menu.

4. Utilizing Rider Switch

If you have kids too small for certain rides, Rider Switch is still your friend. One adult waits while the other rides, then you switch without having to wait in line twice.

5. Get in Line for Rides During the Fireworks

If you’re Okay with skipping the fireworks, you will find the wait time is extremely low during them. Ride wait time for even the most popular rides drops significantly right before and during the fireworks.

6. Using a Grocery App

Grocery delivery services are a great way to save money. Getting food delivered to your hotels is extremely useful. You can have quick grab-and-go breakfast items, pack affordable snacks in your bag, and make your favorite snacks available for picky eaters.

7. Bring Plastic Resealable Bags

Resealable plastic bags are a huge game changer in the parks. They allow you to save your leftovers, keep your cell phone dry on water rides, and store wet things in your bag.

Hacks That No Longer Work in 2025

1. Using Lightning Lane to Skip the Line to Meet Characters

Disney removed the Lightning Lane selections for character meet and greets. Character meet and greets are only available in the standby line. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app to confirm the times of character meet and greets in the parks.

2. Staying on Property for the Best Perks

While staying on Disney property does give you the best perks and puts you in the Disney “bubble,” it isn’t always necessary. Several of Disney’s Good Neighbor hotels offer some of the same perks as Disney hotels but for a fraction of the cost.

Ask a Travel Agent about which non-Disney hotels have the best perks.

3. Pool Hopping Between Resorts

Once a favorite of resort-hopping guests, pool-hopping is tightly controlled. Most resorts now require room key access or verified MagicBands to enter pool areas.

4. Staying in the Park All Day

Staying in the park from Rope Drop til Fireworks isn’t for everyone. Taking advantage of Early Park Entry for resort guests has its perks, but staying in the parks all day long is exhausting, especially if you are spending more than just a few days at Disney World. Your family will get burnt out and cranky if you’re going all day, every day.

5. Convert Quick Service Credits to Snack Credits

If you purchase the Disney Dining Plan, you are allotted a certain number of meal and snack credits per day. The old dining plan allowed guests to convert their quick service credits to three snack credits, but that is no longer true. You can convert a table service to a quick service credit, however this is not recommended since table service credits are worth a lot more than quick service credits.

The Takeaway

The magic of Disney is ever-changing, and so are the strategies to make the most of your visit. Stay flexible, stay curious, and remember — a little bit of planning can go a long way toward a magical vacation.

What’s your favorite Disney hack, old or new?