Returning to Disney? 8 Ways to Make Your Next Trip Feel New

“I’ve been to Disney World six times — what’s left to see?” Our advisors hear this question constantly, and the answer is always more than you’d think. Disney refreshes attractions, opens new restaurants, and adds new resorts year over year — plus there’s a long list of underrated experiences even veteran visitors miss. Here are eight ways our advisors send returning clients home with brand-new memories.

1. Stay at a resort you haven’t tried. Disney has opened three new resorts since 2019 alone — Disney’s Riviera Resort (Skyliner-connected, EPCOT/DHS-area), the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve (added 2021), and the converted Polynesian Island Tower (opening late 2024). If you’re a Pop Century regular, try the Riviera. If you’ve been Deluxe, try a DVC studio rental for the kitchenette + laundry combo.
2. Hit the headliners you haven’t ridden. Recent additions include Tron Lightcycle / Run (Magic Kingdom, 2023), Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT, 2022), Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Hollywood Studios, 2020), and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Magic Kingdom, 2024 — the reimagined Splash Mountain). Lightning Lane Multi Pass for these is worth the cost.
3. Eat at a restaurant you’ve never tried — including breakfast and lunch. Most veteran visitors have a “regular” rotation of three or four restaurants. Disney has 400+ dining locations across the parks and resorts. Try Topolino’s Terrace (Riviera Resort breakfast), Steakhouse 71 (Contemporary, opened 2021), Space 220 (EPCOT, 2021 — dine in a “space station” with Earth views), or Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge character meal with Snow White and the Evil Queen).
4. Book a behind-the-scenes tour. Disney runs a long list of guided experiences — Keys to the Kingdom (5 hours of Magic Kingdom backstage), Behind the Seeds at Living with the Land (1 hour, cheap, fantastic), VIP Tours (private guide to skip every line), the Wild Africa Trek at Animal Kingdom, and several backstage food-and-wine programs at EPCOT during Festival season. Tours book up; reserve early.
5. Try the parks at a different time of year. A summer trip and a December trip are two completely different vacations. EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (Aug–Nov), International Festival of the Holidays (Nov–Dec), International Festival of the Arts (Jan–Feb), and International Flower & Garden Festival (Mar–Jul) make EPCOT a different park in each season.
6. Hunt Hidden Mickeys. Disney’s Imagineers hide the classic three-circle Mickey silhouette (ºoº) throughout every park — in queue line decor, on murals, in carpet patterns, in ride scenery. Steven Barrett’s Hidden Mickeys guide is the canonical reference; treating a park day as a Hidden Mickey hunt turns even the most-ridden attraction into something new.
7. Go bowling at Splitsville. Disney Springs’ 50,000-square-foot bowling-and-billiards venue with a full menu — and a real bar — is one of the most-skipped non-park experiences. Best on a rest day or a rainy afternoon.
8. Add a Disney Cruise or Adventures by Disney trip. If you’ve done Walt Disney World repeatedly, the natural next move is a Disney Cruise (3- to 14-night itineraries from Florida and beyond) or an Adventures by Disney guided land tour (worldwide, with kid-friendly itineraries). Our advisors book both alongside Disney World trips so you can split a vacation between the parks and a cruise.

Planning a return Disney trip and want a list of “things we haven’t done”? Talk to one of our advisors — we’ll go through your history and surface attractions, restaurants, and tours you genuinely haven’t experienced.