10 of the biggest misconceptions people have about Disney World before visiting, according to travel experts

This is one of the major misconceptions first-time visitors have before going to Disney World, travel experts told Insider.

Disney World, which is near Orlando, Florida, actually covers almost 25,000 acres, which is around 40 square miles, Travel + Leisure reported.

"The property is roughly the size of San Francisco, and so bopping from one theme park to another or one resort to another takes about as much planning and effort as getting from one place to another if you're visiting San Francisco, or New York City, or Washington, DC," said Jill Knonenborg, a travel agent who specializes in Disney destinations and shares her park advice with her 77,000 followers on TikTok.

For reference, you could fit 50 of California's Disneylands inside Disney World, which is made up of four main theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, Travel + Leisure reported.

Additionally, there are 34 on-property accommodation options, a shopping-and-entertainment district, two water parks, a sports complex, and even a pet hotel.

So, Knonenborg added, "Give yourself the time to get from point A to point B."

According to Rachael Saldana, who describes herself as a Disney travel-planning expert at Allonsy Travel, you need at least a full day to visit each park at Walt Disney World.

Magic Kingdom is the exception. Saldana would recommend at least two days just for that park.

There are 250 entertainment options and attractions across the four parks, including Magic Kingdom's Walt Disney World fan-favorite rides such as "Star Wars": Rise of the Resistance and "Guardians of the Galaxy": Cosmic Rewind.

"Magic Kingdom has the most to do, and it's very difficult to get everything done in one day," said Saldana, who also shares her Disney advice on her TikTok account, @rachaelplansDisney.

"I tell this to my clients all the time: Disney and Universal are places that change and ever evolve, and you're going to come back. You're never just going to go to Disney World one time and never go again," Stephanie Peters, a certified autism travel professional with Hiatt Magical Vacations, told Insider.

Different rides at Disney World open and close every year, meaning the parks themselves are constantly changing. One of the newest offerings is Magic Kingdom's TRON Lightcycle / Run, a high-speed roller coaster inspired by the 1982 movie "TRON." It opened to visitors in April.

Peters' advice — which she also shares on TikTok — is to "really sit down and pick out what you want to prioritize, and then make sure you get those done. And then everything else is just a bonus."

Saldana said people continue to confuse the location of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which, like Disney World, is in Orlando. The parks are about 10 miles apart.

"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not at Walt Disney World. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is at Universal. Universal and Disney are very separate companies. They do not get along," she said.

Disney and Universal have long been theme-park rivals, but Insider's reporters note there are perks to each: Cindy Marie Jenkins says Universal is better for young kids and parents, while Casey Clark thinks Disney offers the better experience, despite some higher prices.

Insider noted the average cost of a typical five-day trip to Disney World for a family of four was $6,033 in 2021. The price for a one-day, one-park ticket in 2022 was between $109 and $159, but Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios were anticipated to see more than a 12% increase by 2023, CNN reported.

While a Disney vacation will still be out of reach for many American families, Saldana believes people who say the trips can't be more affordable perpetuate a common misconception. She said she's been able to help families of four get near to a six-night stay for around $3,000.

"When you get down to it, I work with all kinds of budgets and we make it happen — unless you want to go to Disney for a week for a thousand dollars. That's not happening," Saldana said.

Disney, for one, has different tiers to accommodate different budgets: a value tier, a moderate tier, a deluxe tier, and a villa tier, with each tier being more expensive than the one before.

According to Touring Plans, which uses artificial intelligence and data to help users plan their Disney vacations, the variations between each tier include differences in room size, views, dining options, transportation, amenities, and other characteristics such as Disney-themed building exteriors.

"The tickets, yes, they have gone up in price, but there are lots of things that you can do to make a Disney vacation fit your budget," Saldana added.

Disney regularly offers promotions. For example, for people wishing to visit during the remainder of 2023, there is a discount of up to 25% until December on select Disney resort hotels, and it can be applied to packages you've already booked, according to Walt Disney World Resort. For Florida residents, military personnel, or people with an annual pass, there are also other discounts available.

In 2019, Autism Travel conducted a survey of 1,000 parents of children with autism and found 87% were not taking family vacations. The survey also found 93% of the parents said they would be more likely to travel if autism-certified options were available.

Peters said her clients generally don't embark on such trips out of fear and anxiety, but she said an example of Disney striving to be special-needs-friendly is through its Disability Access Service.

"DAS is a service put in place pretty much for people who have any sort of cognitive disability that would make it difficult for them to actually stand in the physical queue line," she said.

There are 173 rides across Disney World, but there are plenty of other things to do, too. Visitors can eat at themed restaurants or watch themed shows, meet their favorite Disney characters, visit the World Showcase at Epcot featuring 12 different countries, embark on a Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom, or settle in at the end of the night for the spectacular fireworks display.

Amber Travis, a Missouri-based Disney travel agent with Mickey Travels, said that even if there are other theme parks that people believe might have better rides, Disney World is "an immersive experience."

"It's the quality, the smells, the music, the sounds, everything. I don't think people realize that until they get there," said Travis, who shares Disney-travel strategies on TikTok. "It's not just a theme park where you're trying to ride rides. It's so [many] other things that people can't experience unless they go."

Across the resort, there are more than 400 places to eat, according to the Walt Disney World resort website, which includes everything from coffee shops and sit-down establishments, to snack carts and lounges.

However, the iconic Disney treats like the Dole Whip and Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzels don't come cheap. The average family of four at Disney World could spend up to $1,100 on food during a typical five-day trip, Insider reported in 2021.

But a common misconception is that you have to eat at a Disney World-affiliated place.

"You can pack your own snacks, you can bring your own water bottles, and you can pack sandwiches if you don't want to pay for Disney food. They allow that," Travis said. "They do have restrictions as far as what kind of cooler you can bring in, but you can even bring that."

A cooler can't be larger than 24 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 18 inches high, according to the resort's website. Reusable ice packs or frozen water bottles are permitted, just not loose or dry ice.

Of the 122 table-service, character-dining, and fine/signature-dining restaurants across Walt Disney World, 116 require reservations, according to the official resort website. Additionally, there are 210 other more quick service, fast casual, and food truck options. But if you want a sit-down dining experience, you need a reservation.

"You're not really going to get a dining reservation if you just play it by ear. You really do need to be booking your dining 60 days in advance," Saldana said.

Once spots are available to book, she recommends you make your ideal dining reservations, especially as you can cancel them later if you want.

"But if you don't have it, you're not really going to get a walk-up, especially at popular dining reservations," she said.

Knonenborg acknowledges that Disney adults get "dinged" a lot on social media, but Disney World really isn't just for kids anymore, she said, especially in the last 10 to 15 years.

"The parks have made a huge effort to create experiences that are geared toward adults or even exclusive to adults. Just because you don't have a 6-year-old to bring along who is obsessed with Anna and Elsa, don't worry. Disney World might still be a fantastic destination for you," Knonenborg said.