Attention college students: Are you heading to ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth’?

By Christie Succop, Copy Editor
Jillian Mapes, Assistant Managing Editor

July 19, 2007 | 4:45 a.m.

Walt Disney World -- maybe it’s the combination of sweltering heat and entertainers dressed as life-size rodents that terrifies you. It could be the presence of more strollers than you could ever fathom and the screaming children that occupy them that makes such a place seem like a hellish nightmare.

College students, fear not. With several key tips, your next trip to Disney World will be more fun than your first romp there at age seven. And hey, at least this time you won’t have to look like those old vacation photos of yourself wearing tacky clothes that your mom picked out (at least I seriously hope not).

The Lowdown:

It’s crowded. Disney World is an extremely crowded place. You have to carefully dodge your way through the parks without knocking over little kids or being knocked over by senior citizens in motorized wheelchairs. You have to wait in line for everything from the hottest, new rides to the bathrooms that never seem to have enough stalls. If crowds aren’t your thing, neither is this vacation.

TIP: Fastpasses can be obtained to avoid long lines for rides in the parks. A Fastpass allows you to come back at a certain time and go straight to the front of the line with minimal waiting. Be sure to get Fastpasses for new or popular rides so you can spend your time waiting in shorter lines for the less popular rides. This way, you don’t waste time waiting in long lines all day. Another way to save time is (I know you don’t want to hear this) to wake up early and hit the most popular attractions as soon as a theme park opens.

It’s hot. Disney World is a hot, humid place. Coupled with the crowds, it can sometimes be unbearable. Many rides and lines are outdoors, so the heat can get to you quickly.

TIP: Carry around a water bottle and sunscreen. Also, a good amount of rides exist indoors in air conditioning, so be sure to try one of those when conditions get too hot and sticky.

It’s for kids. Disney World is geared toward kids, and there is no doubt about that. Now that you are a little older, this becomes much more obvious. The movies and rides you loved when you were 10 years old suddenly aren’t so appealing 10 years later, and Mickey Mouse just doesn’t seem quite as real as he used to look.

TIP: It’s okay to be a kid again. Let your inner child run wild as you pose with your favorite characters and ride Dumbo the Flying Elephant one more time. Disney is all about magic, and sometimes you have to make your own.

It’s expensive. From hotels to plane tickets to food to park admission to transportation to souvenirs, your Disney World vacation can start to add up. It’s important to make sure you’re keeping track of all of your expenses. It’s easier than you think to spend $20 on food…in one meal. And that $20 Mickey hat that you’re never going to wear again probably looks better on the rack than on your head.

TIP: Try to get deals on your hotel, airfare, park admission and food through Disney’s Web site (disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/). If you stay in a Disney resort, you have a better chance of this happening. All transportation is included, and some hotels are even in walking distance of a park. Meal plans can be purchased in advance, and they include lunch, dinner and a snack. At first, it may sound expensive and like a lot of food, but it’s a steal because the meal plan covers numerous expensive, four-star restaurants. Plus, the food is delicious, and there’s really something for everyone.

Additionally, if you vacation toward the end of the summer or during Disney’s off-season (some of which coincides with Ohio University’s six-week winter break), then you will reap the benefits of a fairly cheap, all-inclusive trip.

It’s a huge complex; Disney World is massive. It consists of four theme parks, two water parks, vast shopping and dining areas, too many hotels to name and probably anything else of which you could possibly dream. This means you walk -- a lot. The theme parks are big in themselves, and walking from one side to the other is enough to exhaust anyone. Disney may be coming close to scientifically proving that it is impossible to do everything they have to offer in one week.

TIP: Bring comfortable shoes. With all the walking you’re doing, you will want something that gives you a little support (a pair of shoes that you don’t want to remove after 10 minutes). Also, decide how you want to spend your time, and plan accordingly before you arrive. Some people spend a whole day in a park and try to do as much as they can, while others hop from park to park doing only the things that interest them. However, multiple-day Disney passes with the “Park Hopper” option cost, on average, $40 more per person than standard tickets, which allow visitors to enjoy only one theme park per day.

It may be best to familiarize yourself with Disney’s accommodations, especially restaurants. It is nearly impossible to snag reservations 10 minutes before you’d like to be seated at one of Disney’s sit-down eateries. Trip-planning Web sites like allears.net can give some insight into the vast array of choices by providing restaurant reviews and menus, in addition to information about any other aspects of your trip.

Summertime is Florida’s rainy season, and, believe it or not, it even rains on Disney World. Luckily, storms are usually sporadic and short-lived. However, it’s no fun to be soaking wet.

TIP: Buy cheap, fold-up ponchos before going to Disney. They fit nicely inside a purse or backpack and take up little space. Carry them around with you at all times because you never know when Florida rains might fall upon you.

Overall, it is important to remember that Walt Disney World has endless variety. A vacation there is customizable to anyone, especially college students who aren’t afraid to release their inner children.

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