5. Budget (but don’t over-stress)

Image: Disney

Impromptu Disney days are fun, but Walt Disney World is still an expensive place. While we all would love to have a “Treat Yo Self” day at the Most Magical Place on Earth, crippling debt is not a good souvenir to leave with. For this reason, it is a good idea to at least have a basic budget for your improvised Disney day.

I know. It doesn’t sound particularly fun, nor does it feel like “letting go”. Your budget doesn’t have to be complicated. Just have a general idea what you can spend without introducing unnecessary financial stress. The idea is to give yourself a margin where you have lots of freedom to move and enjoy things during your trip without financial panic sneaking into your fun day. If you have the funds to just go wild, do so, but if not, a loose budget can help ensure your unplanned Disney day doesn’t end with unplanned for stress. Set a limit with some breathing room and stay within that.

6. Use transportation wisely

Planning on visiting more than one Walt Disney World park on your impromptu day? You won’t want to lose unnecessary time puttering about trying to park your car or floundering on Disney transportation. Getting around the Most Magical Place on Earth is rarely an exact science, but here’s a few guidelines to help you out.

If you have a personal vehicle and plan to park hop, you’ll need to decide if you want to drive your car from park to park or use Disney transportation. In our experience, Epcot tends to be the park we have the easiest time parking at quickly. Disney’s Hollywood Studios usually isn’t too bad either, but that will likely change when Galaxy’s Edge opens. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a very large park lot that is usually busier in the mornings, but it still isn’t too bad. You may have to take a little extra time to park here.

The biggest time-sink to avoid if you can is Magic Kingdom’s Transportation and Ticket Center—the most UnMagical Place at the Most Magical Place on Earth. Parking at Magic Kingdom is usually an unpleasant experience at best but getting from the TTC to Magic Kingdom can test the patience of even the stalwart traveler. If at all possible, the best way to park hop to Magic Kingdom is by bus from another park or a resort. The busses take you straight to the park, skipping the TTC entirely. If for whatever reason, you still end up at the TTC, never take the ferry. It’s almost always slower. Also, the Resort Monorail is often faster than the Express Monorail, even with stops at the Magic Kingdom resorts.

Image: CL Photographs, Flickr (license)

In general, the monorail is fun but usually proves very slow as a means of park hopping because of the necessary stop at the TTC. It is better on slow days, but it’s never a surefire thing. Disney’s busses may be frustratingly unscheduled, but they’re often the best way to get around. If you’re having trouble catching a park bus, you can always bus to or from a resort that connects by walkway to a park, like any of the Epcot Resorts or the Contemporary for Magic Kingdom. The Friendship Boats between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are a fairly reliable method of transportation, but if you have strong legs, you can sometimes speed up your trip by walking to the piers at The Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club, or the Swan and Dolphin. If all else fails, the walkway between Epcot and DHS is lovely.

In a real hurry? Use Uber or Lyft! These two services have become such a mainstay at Walt Disney World that Disney had to contrive their own Minnie Van service just to compete with them. By far, Uber and Lyft tend to be the fastest way to get around, so look them up if you’re looking to fly! If crowdsourced rides make you nervous, the Minnie Van service is good as well, just more expensive.

7. Be a kid again and try something new

Image: Disney

The one and only requirement to ensure success on an impromptu Walt Disney World day is to have fun, and the best way to do that is to tap into your inner kid.

Remember the wonder of just enjoying The Most Magical Place on Earth for the first time? Remember taking in the sights, the smells, the wonder of it? Throw off restraint, cut loose, and use your unplanned Disney day as an opportunity to be a kid again. Try new experiences you’ve never had the chance to enjoy. Have an ice cream bar or a school bread. Go goof around in the tunnels on Tom Sawyer Island. Watch that Epcot film you’ve never walked into, try an exotic soda in World Showcase, or volunteer to be an extra on the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Your impromptu Walt Disney day is about having some no pressure fun—throw off your worries and enjoy!

Have you ever had an improvised Walt Disney World day? What is your favorite tip to enjoy one?