Disney Lingo
Whether you’re planning a Disney trip or in the middle of the parks, you could be thinking you’re hearing a new language. Don’t sweat it, it’s not the heat or the crowds playing tricks on you. You’ve come to the right place, and you’ll be speaking Disney in no time.
Rope Drop - This means that you’re going to be at the parks right when they open or “drop the ropes” for guests to start riding rides, eating churros, and taking Instagram-worthy pictures. This strategy allows guests to ride popular rides without waiting in long lines, and it might also give you an extra forty-five minutes to your vacation to slow down and take it easy. This simple act of rope dropping has become a cultural phenomenon in the Disney realm, with small Disney shops selling rope drop merch and taking to social media to tell other fans “the right way to rope drop (insert land here) but there really is no wrong or right way to rope drop.
My Disney Experience - While this might be a good title for a YouTube video, this actually is the name of the official Walt Disney World app. This is a really great tool when planning your vacation and will actually help you organize your itinerary with family and friends. Within this app, you can
Save time in line by selecting(and redeeming lightning lanes for) attractions, experiences, and dining locations
Connect Disney PhotoPass images to your Disney account
Charge purchases to your Disney World Resort during your stay
LL-This stands for Lightning Lane, which is a paid skip-the-line service offered by Disney. There are three types of passes you can purchase, and we’ll go through each one so you know which is the perfect one for you.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass – This is your cheapest option, letting you enjoy multiple attractions with set arrival times, so you know exactly when to head to each one. You will pick your first attraction when entering the park, and once you do, the app will show you the next arrival window for that ride. After redeeming the ride (once you ride it or 2 hours after your first selection), you can book your next attraction. You are welcome to do this throughout your park day. With your purchase of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you automatically get select digital downloads from your day. This option is only for eligible attractions. This pass costs $32-34 per person per day, but prices vary by park and day.
Lightning Lane Single Pass – This pass allows you to pay for which eligible ride you want to skip the line for, and gives you the option of choosing from two high-demand rides, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers. You can purchase a pass for one or both rides and book the next available window to ride. This pass usually costs $12-28+ per person/per ride, but the price depends on the park, attraction, and day.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass: This is going to be your most expensive Lightning Lane package. This one-time purchase includes a one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane attraction. You can ride the attractions you want, when you want, without worrying about scheduling arrival windows. This pass includes a one-time ride on the most in-demand attractions. You will also get to enjoy select digital downloads of pictures from your day. This pass starts at $129 and can go up to $400 per person per day, depending on the park.
DVC – This stands for Disney Vacation Club, which is Disney’s timeshare program. This club can save you up to 50% or more on future vacation bookings. How does it work? Become a member today, purchase a real estate interest directly from Disney Vacation Club, and get points. You can use these points to book accommodations at Disney Resorts and other destinations.
Park Hopper – a ticket that lets you visit multiple parks in one day. You can start your day in one park, and then you can “hop” to another park at 11:00 am for Disneyland and 2:00 pm for Disney World. These times are subject to change, and on certain days, park hoppers may not be available for purchase.
Pixie Dust – You might hear this word a lot around the Disney Parks, after all, all it takes is a little faith, trust, and Pixie Dust, but this is a little different than Tinkerbell’s dust. Usually, when you hear guests referring to this, it means that an unexpected magical moment or surprise was made for them by a Cast Member. This has become a very envied experience for someone who has never gotten “Pixie Dust-ed” before, and guests have begun asking Cast Members to Pixie Dust them. Please do not ask for this, as half the magic lies in its surprise and kindness.
ADR – This stands for Advanced Dining Reservation, which you can make online 180 days prior to your trip on The Disneyland app (Disneyland in the app store) or the My Disney Experience app.
DAS – This stands for Disability Access Service and helps to put special rules in place for those who cannot wait in lines but still enjoy the rides and the magic that the park has to offer.
AK – Disney’s Animal Kingdom
BW – Disney’s Boardwalk
DCL – Disney Cruise Line
DHS – Disney Hollywood Studios
DL- Disneyland
WDW- Walt Disney World
DCA – Disney’s California Adventure
DS – Disney Springs
EP – Epcot
MK – Magic Kingdom
MM – Magic Morning Hours. This is something guests staying at an on-property resort can use in the morning before the park opens for non-resort guests. At Disney, this can be anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, during which you can ride attractions before other guests are let into the park. At Walt Disney World, you can spend about 30 minutes before other guests come into the park for the day. This is included in your resort cost.
EMH – Extra Magic Hour is a separate ticket (sometimes at a higher price). This is a limited opportunity for a small number of Annual Pass/Magic Key Holders, including a hot breakfast at specific locations. This is different from Early Magic Hours, as it is a paid experience, and the attractions guests have access to are limited and can change without notice.
Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Park: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
Extra Magica Hour for Disney’s California Adventure: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
QS – This abbreviation stands for Quick Service, which means it is a casual dining option that doesn't require reservations, and you can order your food through the Disneyland (California) or My Disney Experience (Florida) app.
Queue / Virtual Queue - Disney Parks use the term "lines” for attraction queues. These include traditional and interactive queues. Virtual Queues is a free, mobile-based line available through the Disney Parks app for new or high-demand attractions. Guests can go on the apps starting at 7 am to join what Disney calls “Boarding Groups,” and, if successful, will receive a notification to return within one hour of their assigned time. If you do not receive a boarding group at 7 am, guests are welcome to try again at 1 pm.
Magic Band – A Magic Band is a waterproof wristband used at Walt Disney World and Disneyland for various purposes: entering the parks, unlocking Disney resort rooms, paying for food/merchandise, redeeming Lightning Lanes, and linking PhotoPass memories. It’s all in one secure device that replaces your park ticket and cash/card payments. The new models of Magic Bands feature color-changing lights and vibrations so guests feel even more of an interactive element to the parks.
AP - Annual Passes are guests who pay for a year of Disney and can renew their pass, if they wish, at the beginning of the new year. Walt Disney World offers four tiers for its passes: Incredi-Pass ($1,734 including tax), Sorcerer Pass (1,099 excluding tax), Pirate Pass ($869 excluding tax), Pixie Dust Pass ($489 excluding tax).
Magic Keys - These are Disneyland’s new name for their annual passes. Disneyland offers four different tiers of Magic Keys: Inspire Key, Believe Key, Explore Key, and Imagine Key, all of which have different offerings. Inspire Key is priced at $1,899, Believe Key is priced at $1,474, Explore Key is priced at $999, and Imagine Key is priced at $599.
Fab Five – Disney Lovers refer to Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto as the Fab Five. They are seen as the core characters of the parks, merchandise, and media. These five represent the Walt Disney Company and the films that give them a special place in the parks and our hearts.
Single Rider Line – Available at select attractions across Disney parks. It generally has a shorter wait, which makes many guests eager to try it out. However, this method is used to fill empty singular seats in attraction vehicles. Those who volunteer for the single rider line will most likely be split from their party and won’t be able to ride the attraction next to them or at the same time.
Walk On - When you hear someone excitedly tell their party, “Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railroad is a walk-on!” This means there is practically no wait time to get on this ride, and you can walk through the queue with no interruptions and “walk on” the ride.
Backstage – Disney parks are a show; there are characters who perform and cast members who help keep the show going, which is why you might hear cast members or Disney influencers refer to “Cast Member Only Areas” as backstage. Disney has a reputation, and their cast members are expected to smile and maintain the magic, so when they are working, they are on stage. Cast members are forbidden to share photos or videos of backstage areas to maintain the illusion of the Disney show.
PhotoPass – This is Disney’s professional photo service for guests. Being able to capture the magic can be a difficult task when you’re on vacation, which is why you can ask the PhotoPass cast members to help you out. PhotoPass spots are located throughout the parks so you can get the best photos and backgrounds without all the planning and research. Just hop in line, and the wonderful PhotoPass photographers will do the rest. PhotoPass is a paid service; you can get it with a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Disney PhotoPass+. These packages will give you access to download all your magical moments captured throughout your visit.
Disney Bound(ing) - This term is used to refer to a guest who is subtly or more outwardly dressed as a character. For instance, if you wanted to dress like a certain bear from the Hundred Acre Woods, you might wear yellow shorts, a red shirt, and Pooh-inspired ears. This is a fun and unique way to show your style and favorite character.
