Disney Shorthand

There are SO many acronyms and abbreviations when going to Disney. Some of them are well-known, but they can be confusing for first time guests or those that (admittedly) don't pay too much attention to things like that. Today, we'll shortly go over a few of these so you're prepared for your next magical vacation!

ADR- Advanced Dining Reservations

Did you know that dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance of your Walt Disney World vacation? These reservations made in advance are commonly referred to as ADR's.

AK- Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is the third park to become a part of the Walt Disney World Resort and showcases the amazing world of animals, dinosaurs, and the Na'vi.

AoA- Art of Animation

The Art of Animation resort is the newest "value" resort at Walt Disney World. It's stunning decor absorbs you into the world of animation and showcases your favorite Disney films like The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Cars, and Finding Nemo. Also by staying here, you'll be able to ride the Disney Skyliner to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios!

AP- Annual Passholder/Annual Pass

The ticket to unlimited magic is by purchasing a Walt Disney World Annual Pass- often referred to as AP. Annual Passes for WDW will be available for purchase on September 8th!

CM- Cast Member

These are the employees of Walt Disney World! Because all of the guests at Walt Disney World are seeing "the stage" (employee-only areas are referred to as "backstage"), it makes sense that the employees are called Cast Members.

DAS- Disability Access Service

The Walt Disney World Resort has an excellent program for those that have a medical condition or scooters/wheelchairs that makes it more accommodating for guests. This program will soon require a live video chat with a Cast Member to determine need and to pre-enroll. Once in the park, DAS guests can make reservations for attractions without waiting in line- but guests using the DAS program will still have to wait the same amount of time as everyone in the standby queue.

DDP- Disney Dining Plan

For those that really like to plan ahead or want the greatest amount of convenience, the Disney Dining Plan is the way to go! Sure, you may be able to save money as well, but this program is all about convenience. The Disney Dining Plan (not available at the moment) gives guests a certain amount of dining credits for either quick service or table service locations per night of your stay. It's important to note that only guests staying in Walt Disney World Resorts are able to add the DDP to their vacation packages.

DG/DG+- Disney Genie/Disney Genie+

The new replacement for the former Fastpass service is an amazing way to tailor your family's vacation to your specific likes and Disney "must-do's". The Disney Genie service is a free service that allows you to see up to dait wait times, wait time projections, and even gives you the best itinerary based on what you're interested (I.e.- a princess itinerary or thrill itinerary). Disney Genie+ offers guests the opportunity to skip the standby lines on many attractions with a $15/ticket/day paid option. The Disney Genie+ service will also allow guests to reserve their first two time slots/attractions before the parks even open! We can't wait for this new program to be completely unveiled! Stay tuned for details.

DS- Disney Springs

Filled with incredible shopping, dining, and entertainment; Disney Springs is the honorary "5th park" of Walt Disney World.

DVC- Disney Vacation Club

The Disney Vacation Club is the ultimate way to stay at The Walt Disney World Resort. Members purchase points that translate into stays at the member's "home resort" or they can use them at a different Disney Vacation Club Resort. For more information on this program, visit disneyvacationclub.com.

EMH- Extra Magic Hours

Extra Magic Hours are a great way to spend time in the parks without the longer waits. These Extra Magic Hours are open to guests staying at select Walt Disney World resorts. Want to know how you can get Extra Magic Hours? Contact me to find out!

EPCOT- Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

That's right! EPCOT itself is an acronym! When Walt Disney first began planning EPCOT, his vision was a bit different from what we know as EPCOT today. The park was to be an actual community built and based on the future. Needless to say, the EPCOT we know is more of a celebration of different cultures and adds a focus on what the past has been and what the future may become.

ETPE- Early Theme Park Entry

Starting on October 1st, 2021- guests staying at any Walt Disney World resort will be able to enter any theme park of their choosing 30 minutes prior to official park opening.

FAGF- Flower and Garden Festival

This festival in EPCOT focuses on all things fresh and floral! This is typically the second festival that EPCOT hosts each year.

FAWF- Food and Wine Festival

The third of the EPCOT yearly festivals, this is the longest and perhaps the most popular. This is a showcase of the world's best food and drink that you're able to try throughout the World Showcase. If you go to any EPCOT festival, consider this one!

FOTA- Festival of the Arts

This is the first of EPCOT's yearly festivals and focuses on all things- you guessed it- ART! I personally love what all this festival has to offer, but if you're interested in attending there's a very small window of time at the beginning of each year to visit.

FOTH- Festival of the Holidays

Rounding out EPCOT's yearly festivals is the Festival of the Holidays. If you love the holiday season, then this is the festival for you! Traditional holiday food and beverages are available at each country, special decorations and celebrations, and the Candlelight Processional are all featured during this festival.

*For more information about the EPCOT festivals, click here.

HS- Hollywood Studios

This is the youngest park of Walt Disney World and features thrilling attractions like Rockin' Roller Coaster, Hollywood Tower of Terror, and Rise of the Resistance. This park also features phenomenal shows including Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!

MDE- My Disney Experience

MDE is a phone app that's incredibly useful when in the parks. The app can manage reservations, look up current wait times, and can even be your room key when staying at a Walt Disney World resort!

MK- Magic Kingdom

The park that started the Walt Disney World Resort, Magic Kingdom is said to be the home of magic. This is where your vacation can visit many different lands inspired by fantasy, adventure, the future, and more.

MM- Memory Maker

This great addition to any guests stay is a fantastic way to make sure your vacation memories last a lifetime. With Memory Maker, guests can pay $169-$199 (depending on whether you purchased in advance or not) to download all of their photos taken by Photopass photographers or inside of attractions like Space Mountain or Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. If you're only there for a short time, there's a single day option as well!

MNSSHP- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

This party (although not happening in 2021) is a "Spooktacular" party filled with rare character meet-and-greets, trick-or-treating, and shorter wait times!

MVMCP- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

This party (also not happening in 2021) is a merry celebration filled with character sightings, hot cocoa and cider, a cookie crawl, and shorter wait times!

PH- Park Hopper

If you don't want to be restricted to one park per day, you can add a Park Hopper option to your base ticket. A Park Hopper ticket allows guests to visit more than one park per day after 2pm. This may change in the future, so stay tuned for potential updates!

QS- Quick Service

Quick Service refers to Walt Disney World dining options that don't have a wait staff. They typically resemble traditional fast-food dining options, but some have incredible options you'd be hard pressed to find at your local McDonald's or Burger King. It's a great choice if you want to dine in the parks but want to do it on the cheaper side.

RotR- Rise of the Resistance

The newest attraction in Hollywood Studios is sure to thrill any Star Wars fan. Part of the franchise come to life when riding this uber-popular attraction. Boarding passes are hard to come by most days, but soon there will be a way to "guarantee" you'll be able to ride this attraction during your next visit. Stay tuned for details!

TS- Table Service

This refers to restaurants with wait staff. The Walt Disney World Resort has plentiful dining options for everyone in your party. The "nicer" of these dining options are considered table service. You can take a break from the heat by booking a dining reservation for a table service restaurant up to 60 days in advance of your stay. One of my favorite table service locations would have to be

TTC- Transportation and Ticket Center

If you're driving and visiting the Magic Kingdom, you'll probably park at the Transportation and Ticket Center. This "hub" allows you to take the monorail to the park or even transfer from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT and the surrounding resorts. This serves as a meeting point for the three monorail lines.

VQ- Virtual Queue

For Walt Disney World's most popular attractions, you may have to have a spot in the virtual queue in order to ride. As of right now, the two attractions on the virtual queue system are Rise of the Resistance and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure (opening on October 1st to the public). Using My Disney Experience right at 7am on the day of your visit is the best way to secure your place in the virtual queue for these attractions.

WDW- Walt Disney World

This one is obvious, but it's got to be said. Walt Disney World has become a dream come true and a second home for so many around the world. On October 1st, the resort will celebrate the 50th birthday. I can't wait to see what the next 50 years will have in store!