We just hit 100 episodes! To celebrate, we're sharing our favorite things at Walt Disney World!

We start by ranking all four parks, and Chip and I don't agree. Then we share our top three hotels, plus the budget resorts we'd pick in each category. From there we get into the best ride queues, the resort smells we can't forget, our go-to Disney Springs stops, and the quick service meals we'd eat today if we could. We keep it honest, because a favorite isn't always the right pick for every family. My favorite resort is Riviera, but it's not where I usually stay with my kids, and I explain why. You'll also hear which queue we'd skip every time and the resort scents we can't stop thinking about.

We wrap up with a Santa dinner at The Cake Bake Shop that costs a family of four over $900, plus our favorite character meals and the surprise character meets we love most.

Chapters

01:15 Looking back at 100 episodes and our guests

02:07 How a paralyzed vocal cord almost stopped the show

04:35 Why these are our favorites, not your rankings

05:03 Ranking the four Walt Disney World parks

06:54 The Animal Kingdom coffee that almost made me miss my flight

09:01 Chip's top three favorite hotels

11:25 My top three favorite hotels

14:50 Our favorite hotels on a budget

16:50 How I pick budget resorts for clients

19:00 Top three ride queues and the worst queue at Disney World

22:36 Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates queues

24:11 Honorable mentions: Tiana's and Tron

25:12 Our favorite Walt Disney World smells

29:33 Top three Disney Springs stops

34:51 Top three quick service meals

37:15 The most overrated snacks and meals

41:10 Hyped up things that are worth it

44:39 The $900 Santa dinner at The Cake Bake Shop

45:33 Favorite character meets and meals

49:20 Thank you for 100 episodes

👉 Need help planning your Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, or Disney Cruise Line vacation? Matt is a travel agent with The Magic for Less Travel, and his services are 100% free to you.

📩 Get a free quote: https://www.adventuresofadisneydad.com/get-a-quote

⭐ Enjoy the podcast? Please take a minute to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more Disney families find us.

Have a question? Email us: matt@adventuresofadisneydad.com

☕ Want to support the podcast? If this episode helped you, consider buying us a coffee or dropping something in the tip jar. Every bit of support helps keep the show going. https://adventures-of-a-disney-dad.kit.com/products/matthew-brandabur

📬 Have a Disney planning question? Leave a comment, send an email, or drop it on social. We read them all and use them for future episodes.

Chip and I opened up the listener inbox for Episode 99 and answered 7 of your Walt Disney World planning questions. We cover long trips, overhyped dining, strollers, and more. Plus, we share news about our Episode 100 listener giveaway.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to plan a long Walt Disney World vacation in the 8 to 14 day range, and why I raise my resort budget when we stay longer.
• Whether you should still buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass on a long Disney trip
• Why Disney World ticket prices drop per day on longer trips, and when a relaxed park day without Multi Pass makes sense.
• Why I cringe when people say you don't "need" Lightning Lane.
• Split stays with Universal and things to do in Orlando outside of Disney, from SeaWorld to an Orlando Magic game.
• The most overhyped Disney World restaurants right now, including The Cake Bake Shop, Topolino's Terrace for dinner, 'Ohana, and Regal Eagle Smokehouse.
• Summer House on the Lake cookies vs. Gideon's Bakehouse, plus Chip's worry about churro waffles and spring rolls.
• Whether Tusker House still lives up to the hype after we felt rushed through our last character breakfast.
• What we'd never buy again at Disney World
• Is Park Hopper worth it with little kids? Why it's now the first thing I suggest cutting from a Disney budget.
• Disney travel protection, and what it does and doesn't cover.
• How to plan Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando in one trip, and what one day at Epic Universe with Express Pass would have cost my family.
• What age kids stop using a stroller at Disney World, and what a double jogging stroller rental costs.
• Whether it's okay to split up as a family in the parks
• Should you surprise your kids with a Disney trip or tell them early?

01:51 How do you plan a longer Disney vacation?

03:54 Why the resort matters more on an 8 to 14 day trip

04:48 Should you still buy Lightning Lane on a long trip?

06:08 Relaxed park days and cheaper daily tickets

07:24 Rope drop, the time change, and the word "need"

08:10 Split stays and fun outside of Disney

09:27 What Disney World dining is overhyped right now?

11:31 Why I'm tired of The Cake Bake Shop

12:14 Summer House on the Lake cookies vs. Gideon's

12:56 Will churro waffles and spring rolls slip?

13:43 Is Tusker House rushing families?

14:39 Regal Eagle and the turkey leg baguette hack

15:49 What we'd never buy again at Disney

16:56 Why Park Hopper is the first thing I cut

18:01 My take on travel protection

20:16 Planning Disney and Universal in one trip

22:24 When do you retire the stroller?

24:46 Is it okay to split up in the parks?

28:11 Surprise the kids or tell them early?

👉 Need help planning your Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, or Disney Cruise Line vacation? Matt is a travel agent with The Magic for Less Travel, and his services are 100% free to you.

📩 Get a free quote: https://www.adventuresofadisneydad.com/get-a-quote

⭐ Enjoy the podcast? Please take a minute to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more Disney families find us.

Have a question? Email us: matt@adventuresofadisneydad.com

☕ Want to support the podcast? If this episode helped you, consider buying us a coffee or dropping something in the tip jar. Every bit of support helps keep the show going. https://adventures-of-a-disney-dad.kit.com/products/matthew-brandabur

📬 Have a Disney planning question? Leave a comment, send an email, or drop it on social. We read them all and use them for future episodes.

Most Disney planning advice is a list of things you should do. This week Chip and I flipped it. We sat down and talked through the things we will not do at Walt Disney World anymore, no matter what. If you are planning your first trip and you keep hearing that everything at Disney is worth it, this one is going to save you money, time, and a whole lot of frustration.

Chapters

00:00 The Things We Will Not Do at Walt Disney World

00:36 Chip's Rule: No National Chains at Disney Springs

01:15 T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe Are a Hard No

05:11 Why We Will Not Stay Off Property for a Park Trip

07:01 How an Airbnb Wrecks Your Booking Windows

07:52 The Hidden Costs That Erase Your Savings

09:04 The One Time Chip Stays Off Property

10:44 No Lightning Lanes, No Trip

11:10 The 45 Minute Wait Rule and Where It Came From

12:27 What Lightning Lane Costs a Family of Four

13:15 What We Cut From the Budget Instead

14:13 Chip Is Done Driving to the TTC

15:26 We Will Not Ignore the Resort

17:09 Pools, Table Service, and What Value Resorts Lack

18:38 Matching Families to the Right Disney Resort

21:11 Never Leave Your Kids Out of the Planning

23:36 We Will Never Skip the Midday Break

24:49 Two Table Service Meals in One Day

26:03 The One Exception: A Full Princess Day

27:16 We Will Not Rope Drop Every Single Day

👉 Need help planning your Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, or Disney Cruise Line vacation? Matt is a travel agent with The Magic for Less Travel, and his services are 100% free to you.

📩 Get a free quote: https://www.adventuresofadisneydad.com/get-a-quote

⭐ Enjoy the podcast? Please take a minute to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more Disney families find us.

Have a question? Email us: matt@adventuresofadisneydad.com

☕ Want to support the podcast? If this episode helped you, consider buying us a coffee or dropping something in the tip jar. Every bit of support helps keep the show going. https://adventures-of-a-disney-dad.kit.com/products/matthew-brandabur

📬 Have a Disney planning question? Leave a comment, send an email, or drop it on social. We read them all and use them for future episodes.