Disney World is a place of joy, but it can get confusing when you are a first timer. Take it from me, it is so difficult to figure Disney out to the last detail. I've gone for years, been a pass holder for years, and I still haven't discovered everything there is to know about the parks. I have developed some knowledge, and I feel like it would be nice to share with you. Here are some tips from a Disney pass holder:

What to Wear:

Comfy Shoes:

I don't know who would wear any heels to Disney, or new shoes for that matter, but I've seen/experienced these horrible decisions. I've also felt the pain of stiff sandals at Disney. Lots of blood. Looks kind of like a crime scene on my heel. Invest in a good pair of tennis shoes, boots, or super comfy flip flops (depending on the season you go in).

Spring/Summer weather:

FLORIDA IS NOT THE NORTH. WE ARE A SCORCHING WASTELAND. Jeans aren't good for you in 80-100 degree weather. Wear shorts, a dress, a T-shirt or tank top, and NEVER bring a jacket in the summer. You'll be begging for AC not for warmth. You'll be sweating your skin off.

Fall/Winter weather:

Wear a light sweater and jeans, or a t-shirt, jeans, and a hoodie you can take off. It doesn't get cold enough in Florida to wear a full on coat and snow boots. Just keep in mind Florida is in the South.

What to Bring:

Small backpack/bag, portable phone charger (or two in my case), hairbrush (hair ties), wallet, magic band, water bottle, small camera (in case you want to document your fun times w/o an iPhone), autograph books are always fun to collect, tissues/napkins, personal hygiene products, and I like to take touch up makeup (powder and such)

General Tips:

- You CAN get water for FREE! Yes for free! This isn't a fake tip, this is 100% genuine. If you walk up to any restaurant and ask for a cup of ice water they give it to you for free.

- Summer is the busiest time of year next to Christmas. November/September/March/April are the best times in my experience. Add a school day to that and you're set for a good day of fewer people, and more fun.

- Tourists are all around you. Learn how to maneuver around people quickly, and painlessly. They normally stop to read their maps and don't pay any mind to the people behind them.

- Learn the main pathways for the parks and use the opposite. Don't follow the herd, stand out!

- If you have a Disney Visa card there are places to meet characters (with almost no line!) Kylo Ren is the select character in Hollywood Studios, but this is mostly in Epcot.

- Look for "plaid vest" people. These are tour guides for super rich people (sometimes famous people). I've met Debby Ryan and Peyton List at Disney by looking for the plaid vest workers.

Character Do's/Don'ts:

-Do map out where the characters you want to see are. I usually take the time to check if any characters have moved from their original spots and timings on when they will be out beforehand. It establishes your map for the day/itinerary if your kids want to see specific characters and what rides you can ride in that area.

-Don't go see the super new/popular characters without a fastpasses (Anna and Elsa had been super long but since moving to Epcot it's been a shorter line). Usually the lines get crowded and it's unbearable to wait in the long lines in Florida.

-If you don't love fireworks: Do make time to go see characters or even ride rides WHILE the fireworks are happening. During a parade, this can work just as well, but normally it's still long during parades. Most of the tourists watch the shows so steering clear and doing something else unclogs the lines, giving you a clear path to fun.

-Do keep in mind the people you go with. My little brother hates going to see characters so when he is with us we keep away from meeting too many characters.

-Do make time to see the talking Mickey from Magic Kingdom. The technology is neat! I love meeting a costume character who talks since they have to be silent. Just check a video to see if your kid will be freaked out or not. He can be creepy.

-All the parks have different characters. Do make sure to plan accordingly to the park. Epcot is mostly princesses, Hollywood Studios is a lot of Star Wars characters, etc.

-Do meet Peter Pan and/or Gaston. They are always the most entertaining face characters to meet. They keep to character 100 percent of the time and there will never be a dull moment.

-Do keep and eye out for special character appearances. Epcot has Rapunzel and Flynn out every so often. They do this when they're training people to give them less pressure.

Magic Kingdom:

Magic Kingdom is the hardest to navigate through due to its popularity. Of course, this is the park everyone wants to go to because of the castle and it's the best for little kids. The waits are usually ridiculously long. I've narrowed down some of my go-to rides when this happens.

No Fastpasses Needed (Normally): Pirates of the Caribbean (15-40 minutes when busy), Haunted Mansion (15-40 minutes), Mad Tea Party (No wait-15 minutes), Dumbo (10-30 minutes), Peoplemover (Generally like no wait, longest I've seen it was 10 minutes), Carousel (5-15 Minutes), It's a Small World (5-30 minutes), Jungle Boat Cruise (10-25 minutes).

Fastpasses Needed: Space Mountain (35-90 minutes), Splash Mountain (40-90 minutes), Thunder Mountain Railroad (30-90 minutes), Mine Train (I've never personally seen the Mine Train less than 120 minutes), Peter Pan's Flight (Always long: 50-120 minutes), Astro Orbiter (35-50 minutes), Aladdin's Magic Carpet (This is generally longer than Dumbo's Flight but they're the same ride: 20-40 minutes), Barnstormer (25-60 minutes), Tomorrowland Speedway (This one gets longer throughout the day: 15-50 minutes), Winnie the Pooh (25-50 minutes), Under the Sea (30-60 minutes), Buzz Lightyear (30-70 minutes).

Shows: The best shows at magic kingdom are the ones where you can sit inside and take a break from the hustle and the bustle of the park. I enjoy going to the shows that last about 20 minutes so I can just take a break, drink some water, etc. It distracts little kids as well, so you can relax for a bit. The best ones for this are Carousel of Progress, Hall Of Presidents, The Laugh Floor, Stitch's Great Escape, Country Bear Jamboree, and Mickey's Philharmagic. There are other choices for shows that are outside and crowded. Some people like these, and I have to tell you I enjoy them every once in a while. The Parades are a must see for first time Disney goers! I love the Festival of Fantasy parade. It's so beautiful. The stage shows are quite fun to watch but the real doozies are the shows that fewer people attend. I love the Pirates stage show right out of the Pirates ride. Or the dance party show that goes on every couple hours at the stage in Tomorrowland. Just check out the paths less followed. They're usually gems.

Other Tips: Magic Kingdom has some wonderful places to go that nobody knows about. I can tell you some of my relaxing places to go (this may kill it for me but I have to share). On Main Street USA there is a small little area that you can eat with tables that are in an almost "alley" looking place. If you look between the jewelry store and I think it's the art store there are caricature artists. Go behind them and there you are. Private tables for you and your family to sit and relax. Tiana's old gazebo is a beautiful place to take pictures or even sit near. It's outside Adventureland and behind Frontierland shops. It takes a while to find if you've never been but it's so cute and I love it.

Bathrooms are always super busy (at least for girls). I've found some nice bathrooms to confide in when I have to go. There's one outside Space Mountain that is never busy. The Tangled bathroom between the Haunted Mansion and Fantasyland is perfect. There are even phone charging stations outside if you don't bring a portable phone charger. The last bathroom I've found that's less busy is the bathroom that is a secret passageway from Adventureland to Frontierland. It's next to a sunglasses store. It's a perfect area to cut through if you want to skip lands too.

Epcot:

Epcot is one of my favorite places to go to. I love it! It has diversity and culture and it makes me super happy. I just love that there are people from the actual countries in the countries. The World Showcase is a must see in your lifetime.

No Fastpasses: Ellen's Energy Ride (5-20 minutes), Gran Fiesta Tour (No wait-5 minutes), Journey Into Imagination with Figment (No wait-15 minutes), Living with the Land (No wait-10 minutes), Mission Space (5-20 minutes), Spaceship Earth (No wait-10 minutes), and Nemo and Friends (No wait-15 minutes).

Fastpasses Needed: Soarin (30-120 minutes), Frozen Ever After (No wait-120 minutes. This is a new ride so it's bound to be busy), and Test Track (30-120 minutes).

Shows: Epcot has a lot of shows to present the wide-ranging culture they have. They have movies to watch about the different countries. The American Adventure is one I have yet to see (surprisingly) but that's in America. The others are amazing, and I highly recommend watching them. Impressions de France (my favorite ever!), O Canada!, and Reflections of China. The other kinds of shows are just the pleasant, kid friendly shows. The Circle of Life (about the environment), World of Color show in Innoventions, American Music Machine, British Revolution, IllumiNations and Turtle Talk with Crush. There are also cool street shows to check out. It's almost like you're in the countries with "street performers."

Other Tips: I don't have much to say except check out the food. France has the best creme brûlées, Italy has an exceptional pizza restaurant, Japan has some bomb sodas, and Germany has delightful caramel popcorn. The food is definitely a must have. (Or must taste per say).

Another little tip is to check out the Art of Disney store. They have some little sketches that any Disney-lover would die for. Make sure to look into all of the country stores as well. They have neat little gadgets that could be perfect for gifts!

Hollywood Studios:

This park is the PERFECT place for teenagers. I used to want to come here every single time we went to Disney. It has more rides targeted towards older kids. The park is under construction as of now, but it will be expanded into a Pixar land and Star Wars land.

No Fastpasses: Great Movie Ride (No Wait-15 minutes) and that's it. Unless you get extremely lucky this is the only ride which is 100 percent no fastpass.

Fastpasses Needed: Rockin' Rollercoaster (15-70 minutes), Star Tours (10-50 minutes), Toy Story Mania (20-90 minutes), and Tower Of Terror (5-70 minutes).

Shows: There are barely any shows here, but the best ones to me are the ones inside where you can chill with your kids while they stare at the stage. Muppet Vision 3D, Star Wars Launch Bay Theater, Disney Junior Live, Frozen Sing Along, and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. My personal favorite is the Frozen Sing Along because you can scream the words to Let it Go and not be judged. The other shows are the on-stage outside performances that are pretty neat as well. The Beauty and the Beast show has a special place in my heart. I love the songs and the cute little characters. The Indiana Jones show is closing soon but if it's still open when you go...WATCH IT! There's 2 Star Wars shows: Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, and March of the First Order. They are both worth seeing if you LOVE Star Wars. Of course, the last one is Fantasmic! I haven't seen it in ages but gosh do I love that show. It's the perfect way to end my night.

Other Tips: The Star Wars Launch Bay is where you can meet characters like Chewbacca, and Kylo Ren. Jaws run around causing mayhem. There are also video games to play in case you want a break and your kid is still going crazy.

Animal Kingdom:

This is my least favorite park out of all of them so I don't have much to say. I can tell you about the rides and shows but I don't come here often so I don't have much else. There isn't much to do, and it's like a glorified zoo. It has never caught my interest.

No Fastpasses: Kali River Rapids (10-30 minutes), Kilimanjaro Safaris (10-35 minutes), Primeval Whirl (5-30 minutes), and TriceraTop Spin (5-10 minutes).

Fastpasses: DINOSAUR (15-50 minutes), and Expedition Everest (10-60 minutes).

Shows: It's Tough to be a Bug may freak out your kids, so beware. Festival of the Lion King is a great show to watch. It's loud and anything but boring. Finding Nemo:The Musical is also fantastic to watch for the Dory obsessed kids. There are also quite a few parades and street shows to attend.

Other Tips: There is a petting zoo to go to. If your kid or you loves animals you take a train to it.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to do in Disney World. I might put out more articles about Disney in the future. If there are any specific things you want to know leave a comment below! Thanks!