Every year, the graduating class of Cherokee partakes in their senior class trip to Orlando, Florida to experience the magic of Disney World for 4 days in the middle of April. Although Disney World is a popular vacation destination for some families, some may have never been, causing chaos during the month of April. This was a very similar experience that my family and I went through, having gone back in 2008 and never returning. With it being more than 10 years ago, I completely forgot everything about Disney; from the parks, resorts, rides, and even the rules. If you have also never been, and are attending your senior trip, then this might be extremely helpful for you. To go along with the required parent/guardian meeting one week prior, I will be dispensing important information that I learned firsthand down in Orlando.
- Make a plan with your roommates/friends.
Although this may seem obvious, making a plan is crucial. Knowing what time to wake up, what rides to ride, and what park to go to is important when trying to stick together as a group. Additionally, know that sometimes a plan might not always hold up. It’s important to realize that you may not get to do everything you want to with your friends, and realizing this before you go can help save yourself from some possible drama or fights.
2. Be Prepared to Sweat and Spend.
Florida has different weather than New Jersey does! Although it may be a cool 60 degrees in Marlton in mid-April, in Florida it’s almost double that, and when you’re walking around the park, it can feel as though it’s tripled. Make sure to bring cool and comfortable clothing (including shoes!) to walk around in. In addition to this, sunscreen is obviously a must. Sometimes setting aside breaks to reapply it after rides or after eating can be extremely helpful in avoiding sunburns. Also, bring lots of money to use while you’re down there. Disney is expensive! Even though the chaperones will provide you with a $25 Disney gift card, I’d still recommend bringing at least $100/day. I didn’t use all of the money, but just in case something comes up, if you find something that you want to buy as merch, or if your group is planning on using Genie+ or Lightning Lane, you have the money.
3. The First Day is the Most Important One.
The first day you land in Orlando is imperative, as it basically sets up how the rest of your trip will be. If you get sunburnt on the first day, it makes walking around again in the equally hot sun nearly impossible for the rest of the trip. This goes the same for hydration, eating, and respecting your friends/roommates. If you get into a fight on the first day with the people you’re rooming or hanging out with, it can snowball into something greater during the other 3 days.
4. Account For Transportation Times.
Depending on which resort you stay at, you should know the quickest ways to the parks and back in case you find yourself in a time crunch. For my trip, we stayed at the Pop Century, which is on the Skyliner transportation system. In case you don’t know the Skyliner, it’s a ski lift-like ride that connects Pop Century, along with other resorts, with Hollywood Studios and Epcot. To get to the other parks, Animal and Magic Kingdom, buses are your best friends. However, in the morning and at night are when these systems are the busiest, and keep in mind that you must check into your assigned park at 8:00 AM and be back by curfew which is at 11:00 PM. Take into consideration the rush of people who are also going to be crowding the bus depots or the Skyliner line when trying to get to and from the parks.
Finally, it’s nice to know some terminology that you might hear be thrown around:
Park Hopping- Checking into your assigned park and then going to another one. For example, if you have to check into Animal Kingdom for the day, you can go to check in, leave, and then go to any of the 3 other parks for the day. As long as you check into the assigned one you are good to go wherever, as long as it’s on Disney property.
Genie+– Genie+ is a program online that can reserve spots in line for places in the park you’ll be at for the day. However, you must pay it for the day and pick 3 rides you want to reserve. You don’t have to get it for all 4 days though, you can pick when you want to use it and for what rides. It costs approximately $25/day.
Lightning Lane– Another online program that you can buy to get a reduced wait time for rides. This is similar to Genie+, however, you don’t have to buy it for the entire day. Lightning Lane is paid and used for individual rides. It’s important to note though that not all rides offer Lighting Lane.
With this, I hope that you’re excited about your senior trip! Although it can be stressful, it absolutely makes up for it once you’re down in Florida having the time of your life with your friends.
