Parents Guide to Mentally Preparing for WDW in 2022

Tusker House - 2018

So, you have made the decision that you are going to Disney. It's 2022; we have now survived what we hope is the worst of a pandemic. We were shut down as a nation. Walt Disney World was CLOSED down for the first time. Many of you probably canceled 2020 trips, and now you are ready to go back, except Walt Disney World has completely changed.

Change is difficult. You might be asking yourself, is WDW the same park it was before the pandemic? No, it is not. A lot has changed. Is it still the most magical place on earth? Absolutely.

My first and most important tip. The more you understand how WDW operates the less stressful your trip. Its not about planning every second of your day, I actually discourage that. But you need an outline of your day, and you need to understand where you are in the park and where your reservations, rides and lighting lanes in order to have an effective schedule.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Have Patience. We are coming out of a pandemic where we have been socially distancing and physically distant. Going to a crowded park of people trying to do the same thing will feel overwhelming even for the most extroverted of us. In 2022 WDW is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Magic Kingdom, the 40th anniversary of Epcot, and being fully re-opened. I can assure you that WDW will not have downtime this year. There will be unusually large crowds all year long.

2. Accept your child's personality. If you have a child that can't make it past 9 pm on a good night, do not expect them to all of a sudden become a night owl because you are at Walt Disney World. If they have specific triggers, be aware of them and mitigate them. If they are scared of rides at home, they will be scared of rides at Disney.

3. You need rest days. I get it. You are paying all this money we are going to maximize every minute. But it's a bad idea. You will start to snap because not only are the kids exhausted, and you are too! There is no tired like Disney tired. So for every two park days, a rest day is needed.

4. Give Grace to everyone at WDW. I know you are paying thousands, and you want perfection. But don't take that out on the cast members (all employees are called cast members.) They are just trying to do their job the best they can with their current resources. Breathe when you want to react, think about how to respond, and give some grace the children on this trip are watching you. Simply ask for what you need and they will try to accommodate you.

5. Let your child be a child. I will tell you now; kids don't listen. K, we all know this. Kids will have tantrums, and they will cry; they are exhausted. They will panic about riding certain rides. (I will give you tips to try and minimize this too, which will help reduce stress ALL around.) But let them be kids, go to the play areas and let them burn off energy. Get them a Mickey ice cream. Let the rules go a little. As long as bad behavior is not involved I am completely fine with spoiling them on the trip.

6. Accept who you are as a person. Sit down with yourself. Understand what triggers you and identify potential stressors at the theme parks. Determine what frustrates you when you are with you kids all day. Now amplify that because you are at a Disney park where overstimulation is the name of the game. ! Take the time to be very honest with yourself. If you know your triggers/stressors ahead of time, you can plan accordingly.

7. YOU ARE THE MAGIC. Yep, that is right. You are the adult, and YOU set the tone for the trip. You bring the magic of Disney to life. If you let yourself be in the moment, it won't take long before you are skipping down Main Street, taking selfies in front of Cinderella's Castle, and getting choked up watching fireworks.

For some of you this is a once in a lifetime trip, so have the best time! Enjoy living the memories! And if you have questions submit them to me and I will answer them! Have a Magical Vacation!