Park Hopping with Friends | How to Make Everyone's Experience Magical

It’s fun to grab your friends and go to Disney- but not a lot of people are “Disney” people or they may not like the same things you’re used to doing. The three of us have our way of doing Disney, and it’s different than how my friend Megan and I do Disney. But it’s Disney and it’s important everyone has their version of a “magical time”.

So how can you make sure everyone enjoys the adventure?

• Make a Plan Ahead of time; know what each person wants to get out of their trip. Not everyone’s bucket list is the same.

• Thrill Rides or Dark Rides? Know before you go if the other person enjoys the same type of rides. For example, I don’t like riding Tower Of Terror but my friend Megan loves it, she’s never gotten me to ride it, but I will walk the queue line with her and then a cast member takes me back down to the lobby. This allows us the same hang out time, without me having to lose my lunch on the elevator.

• Compromise; If this is your friend’s first time in the parks but you’ve lost count of the times you’ve seen Cinderella’s castle and eaten churros, then consider allowing them to choose the majority of what you all do for the day. They’ll probably lean on you for what to do though since you’re the expert.

• Shopper? If you love the shops but your friend would rather spend more time in the parks, ask them if you all can swing through one on the way in or out of a park, or you go shopping while they wait in line for a ride you’re not crazy about.

• Characters? Here’s another area for compromise, your friend may not like meeting characters or prefer fur over face, but if you’re like me and love them all, it’s important to let your friend know there are certain characters you want to meet, and then be willing to meet their characters as well.

• Waiting in lines? Some rides and experiences are worth waiting for while others are not, it’s important to know ahead of time to decide which lines you both are willing to wait in, tha way you don’t jump in a long line your friend would rather have not done, or at least let them feel free to go and do their thing while you wait.

• Bag Check; Some people bring everything but the kitchen sink and others only bring their phone and magic band. Maybe make a plan on one person caring bag- or at least know if the other person carries a bag at all, because if you rely on them to hold your stuff then you might be in trouble.

• Early Bird or Night Owl? Know before you go if your Disney buddy enjoys those early morning reservations or prefers to stay out late and close Magic Kingdom. You both may need to make the choice to do one or the other- or if you’re the early bird plan to meet up with them later and go and get your early morning empty Main Street Pictures.