The best Disney World tips are usually acquired through experience. We go to the park, we stand in line for an hour, then we come back and tell our friends "do NOT go to Disney World during the time in which you were there!

Recently, I saw a tweet of the crowd level on December 31st at Epcot. Spaceship Earth, a ride that you can walk onto 90% of the time, had crowd levels backed up so to a level I personally have never seen. So we can take that information, and realize that if you are going to Disney World in the last week of the year, expect ridiculous crowds.

Today I'd like to share a number of things I've learned over the years so that your vacation can be more fun, and you can better enjoy your time at Disney.

The Best Disney World Tips

There is one tip that you need to follow, regardless of when you are there. Get there early!

On vacation people do not want to wake up at the crack of dawn. You may feel the same way. But for many of us, Disney World isn't something we get to do all that often. As such, don't waste your time sleeping until 8 or 9. Trust me, you will regret it.

A key to getting ahead at Disney is understanding crowd behavior. Crowds generally all do the same thing. They walk into the park at the same time (10:30-12pm), they head to the same places first, they eat at the same time, and they leave at the same time.

So in understanding this crowd behavior, we can get ahead of the game. Let's talk about the four main activities, arrival, food, peak times, when the crowds leave.

1. People tend to wake up around 8-9, eat breakfast and head to the parks. This is without question true, because if you try coming to Disney around 11:30, you'll be in the middle of a stampede of people. This will greatly decrease your ability to do anything in any reasonable amount of time.

2. Lunchtime usually occurs between 12-1. If you try eating at 12:30, you will be absolutely swamped by people. I find it better to try eating just before 11AM. That may seem really early, especially if you've traveled from another time zone. But trust me, it's worth it!

3. Peak times are between lunch and 4. Most guests are going to be at a resort during these times. If you've gotten there early, 2 o'clock is a great time to leave, catch a nap and prepare to return as the heat and crowds cool down.

4. Crowds leave different parks at different times. Parades and firework shows typically send people headed to the exit. When the afternoon parade happens at the Animal Kingdom, crowd levels fall significantly when it ends. The night-time parade and fireworks in the Magic Kingdom are always followed by a mass exodus of people. Why? Well they are at the entrance, everybody is leaving, and it must seem like the smart thing to do!

Why on earth would you spend an hour fighting traffic to get to your car after the parade, when the park is at it's most empty point of the day!

I'm hopeful that some of these disney world tips can help you in the planning of your future vacation. If you effectively learn when to arrive and how to handle the crowds, that's the first step in building an effective disney park plan.

You also don't want to plan late evenings and early mornings together. Try and schedule your time so that if you are getting up at 6 to get there early, you make sure the family gets a good amount of sleep the night before. Also, take plenty of naps and try and stay hydrated in the Florida heat. If you do these things, you'll have an incredible time in Disney World! Please share any additional tips you may have below!