Just the Facts – the Disney Facts
Sometimes it’s fun to just learn new and interesting facts. It is a bonus if those new facts are Disney-related!
Acronyms are everywhere in today’s world. Texting has provided a new language of acronyms for many of us to learn. Disney itself is no different. Disney has its own language, including a vast array of acronyms and number references. A dedicated set of articles in this series will review this Disney language, including the acronyms and the numbers.
The relevance of numbers in the world of Disney was reviewed in a previous article, in this series. Acronyms have also been a part of Disney history (I’m looking at you EPCOT). Let’s dive into the alphabet of these Walt Disney World acronyms.
Reality – IKR! LOL!
You have been working with your TA, and now you are at BLT with the CM helping you link your new MB+ to MDE, when you realize the LL for SDD and 7DMT aren’t there or they overlap with you ADR for your EPCOT day and you have no idea how this happened. OMG! When is the DME coming? (RIP)
To some DizN fans, this makes complete sense. To others, it most likely looks like a different language. What we all have to realize is that this is Disney reality. It is part of the planning and part of the vacation itself.
Parks
WDW – Walt Disney World
Yes, well, duh! We have to start somewhere. And we aren’t going to DL in this article (Disneyland), just Walt Disney World.
MK – Magic Kingdom
This park opened in 1971 and is the flagship for WDW. It is divided into eight different areas.
First, guests enter the park and walk right down the middle of Main Street USA. Guests will then enter the Hub, which consists of the Partners Statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse as well as the park’s icon, Cinderella Castle.
From the Hub, to the right is Tomorrowland, to the left is Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square, and to the front is Fantasyland and New Fantasyland.
Guests access the Magic Kingdom via boat, monorail, bus, or walking from a nearby resort. Car parking is at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) where guests take the monorail or ferryboat to the park.
Additionally, guests can technically choose to walk to the Magic Kingdom entrance from the TTC. The route became available at the end of 2020 when a walkway was completed that connects the Grand Floridian Resort to the Magic Kingdom. The walk is approximately two miles and takes 30 to 50 minutes to complete depending on the pace. This same walkway can be used if staying at the monorail loop resorts.
EPCOT – Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
This is the OG Disney acronym – the original Disney acronym. This park opened in 1982. It has a uniqueness that travelers won’t find at other theme parks. It is divided into four different areas. The park icon, Spaceship Earth, is located in World Celebration. To the East is World Discovery, and to the West is World Nature.
The second half of the park is World Showcase, which consists of Pavilions dedicated to 11 countries. These countries from east to west are Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The USA, Japan, Morocco, France, The UK, and Canada.
Guests can access the main entrance near Spaceship Earth by either monorail or bus. Additionally, guests can enter the park via the International Gateway in the World Showcase by monorail, boat, or walking from a nearby resort. The Disney Skyliner also transports guests to access the park via the International Gateway.
Car parking is near the front entrance to the park or at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) near Magic Kingdom. A separate monorail loop brings guests to EPCOT from the TTC.
HS – Hollywood Studios
The park opened in 1989 and was originally know as MGM Studios. It changed to its current name in 2008.
This park has six distinct areas, each of which celebrate different histories of iconic movie making and entertainment. The entrance leads onto Hollywood Boulevard. The park icon, Tower of Terror, is to the right of the entrance on Sunset Boulevard. To the left is Echo Lake as well as Commissary Lane. Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge are the newest portions of the park.
Guests can access the park via car, bus, boat, or walking from a nearby resort. The Disney Skyler also transports guests to a station near the entrance to Hollywood Studios.
AK – Animal Kingdom
The park opened in 1998 on Earth Day. The park icon is the Tree of Life which is in Discovery Island, one of six different sections of the park. Guests enter the park through the Oasis section and can head to Dinoland USA on the right. Continuing counterclockwise, guests will travel to Asia then Africa. Finally, the newest section of the park, Pandora: World of Avatar, is the sixth distinct section of Animal Kingdom. Guests can access Animal Kingdom via bus or car.
Attractions
G+ – Genie Plus (+)
This is the new, add-on service that will help the guest maximize time in the park.
LL – Lightning Lane
This is the reimagined name for what used to be called the Fast Pass lane. This is a separate queue for the attraction that is used for guests with an ILL, G+ attraction, DAS pass, and rider swap.
ILL – Individual Lightning Lane
This is a “pay to ride” option for the premier attractions at each park. The ILL options at each park are Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, and Avatar: Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom.
SWGE – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
This out-of-this-world, immersive land opened in 2019 and is a must-do for any Star Wars fan visiting Hollywood Studios. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run are two fan favorite attractions in this land. Intergalactic guests of the planet Batuu, the setting for the land, can also dine on various delicacies from the land and participate in droid and light saber activities.
TSL – Toy Story Land
This Pixar-movie inspired land opened in Hollywood Studios in 2018 and makes people of all ages feel like a kid again. The trifecta of attractions as well as a perfectly themed quick service location makes this a fan favorite for the entire family.
SDD – Slinky Dog Dash
This is a perfect coaster for both young kids starting their roller coaster journey and their parents who are enthusiasts themselves! Most people don’t include it’s sister ride in Toy Story Land, Alien Swirling Saucers, on any acronym list. ROTFL!
RoR – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
This is the premier ride in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios. It is a state of the art trackless vehicle that is a different experience for the guest on each ride.
RnR – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Have you ever wanted to zoom upside down and all around in a limousine? Well, this ride gives you that chance! At the end of Sunset Boulevard, guests will be able to board a limousine and take a ride with the band Aerosmith. Fans of rock ‘n’ roll, rollercoasters, or a combination of both will not be disappointed by this high speed attraction!
ToT – Tower of Tower
This ride is the park icon for Hollywood Studios. The screams of terror-filled fun that guests hear as they walk down Sunset Boulevard toward the ominous hotel awaiting their entrance will give anyone chills before the thrills!
FoP – Avatar Flight of Passage
This is the premier attraction of Animal Kingdom. It allows the guest to become part of the Na’vi culture by taking a ride through the moon of Pandora aboard the back of an ikran, which is better known to humans as a mountain banshee.
FotLK – Festival of the Lion King
This is a fan favorite, Broadway-style stage show in Animal Kingdom. It celebrates the scenes from “The Lion King” movie via song, acrobatic stunts, and other entertainment.
7DMT – Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
No one can feel Grumpy after taking a Happy ride through the mine train at the Magic Kingdom. It’s a great coaster for all ages, so you shouldn’t feel Dopey when you get off this ride. The Doc’s orders to have some fun and not be Bashful to find adventure can easily be met on this premier ride in Fantasyland. Be careful from that pixie dust though. It may make you Sneezy or Sleepy!
BTMR – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
This rollercoaster is part of the three mountains of Magic Kingdom. It is another coaster that is enjoyed by both young children and adults. Please just watch your hats and glasses on this ride. It is best that you remove them before boarding the wildest ride in the wilderness.
Resorts
BLT – Bay Lake Tower
Adjacent to the Contemporary Resort, this deluxe resort houses many DVC room.
POFQ – Port Orleans French Quarter
This moderate resort is quiet and quaint with a fun-filled pool and water slide as well as a food court with New Orleans inspected, mouth-watering cuisine. It shares an overall resort footprint with it larger-in size moderate sister resort, Port Orleans Riverside.
AKL – Animal Kingdom Lodge
This deluxe resort is one of the most unique on property as guests can awake each day with a view of the savannah!
ASM – All Star Movies or All Star Music
These value resorts are filled with nostalgia for movies and music. The food courts and resort pools round out the resorts for some wholesome family fun!
Dining
ADR – Advanced Dining Reservation
Many restaurants across the Disney bubble recommend reservations. These restaurants are in the parks, at the resorts, or at Disney Springs and include character dining, signature (or fine) dining, and dinner shows. As a reminder, guests must have a valid park ticket and park reservation to access dining reservations made at a park. Guests staying on Disney property can book their dining reservations 60 days prior to arrival. If you have a “must do” dining location for your upcoming trip, make sure your travel advisor works with you to secure these dining reservations.
DDP – Disney Dining Plan
A former fan favorite, the dining plan is currently on a temporary hiatus from booking.
QSM – Quick Service Meal
Just like it sounds, a quick service meal can be either ordered on the app via a MFO or ordered at a service window with a CM. The guest can take their food to surrounding seating to enjoy their meal. Please don’t be fooled by its name. Many quick service dining locations serve delicious foods that will please many pallets.
TSM – Table Service Meal
Table service meals are what a guest may compare to a typical restaurant. A hostess seats the guest and the wait staff serves the guest. Typically reservations are suggestion for most table service dining locations.
MFO – Mobile Food Order
For QSM locations, the guest can order their food ahead via the app so it is ready to pick up at the desired time, thus saving them and their party precious park time!
BOG – Be Our Guest
Be our Guest restaurant is inside the second castle in the Magic Kingdom. Yes, there is a second castle. Be our Guest is inspired by the Beauty and the Beast movie and is located in New Fanstasyland. Both lunch and dinner is a prix fixe signature dining experience where guests can meet and greet The Beast.
CRT – Cinderella’s Royal Table
Within the walls of the Magic Kingdom iconic castle, guests can feel like royalty at Cinderella’s Royal Table. This signature dining experience is set in a medieval style room like one may have expected Cinderella herself to have dined in.
Mouse – cellaneous
CM – Cast Member
All employees at Walt Disney World are referred to as cast members. Each employee is part of the magical story unfolding within the park every day.
MB+ – Magic Band Plus (+)
A Magic Band is your life line l while in the Disney bubble. It is your room key, park ticket, and virtual wallet. The new Magic Band+ brings even more features to the guest experience.
TTC – Ticket and Transportation Center
This is the main parking area for Magic Kingdom guests. Once parked, guests can take the monorail or ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom. Also, EPCOT guests can park here and take the separate monorail loop to the park from the TTC.
MDE – My Disney Experience
This app is available for both iOS and Android devices and is the lifeline for Walt Disney World guests both before and during their vacations. This app houses park maps, walking directions within the resort, park hours, estimated attraction wait times, dining reservations, photopass memories, ILL, G+, and so much more.
DAS – Disability Access Service
This program assists guests who have difficulty with a conventional queue due to disability. Pre-registration online for this service is required.
DVC – Disney Vacation Club
This essentially is Disney’s version of a timeshare. A member is purchasing a small portion of the resort with the rights to use that home resort a certain amount of time in the year.
AP – Annual Passholder
Guests that are Annual Passholders can visit the parks as much as they want as long as they have a Park Reservation made online in MDE.
DCL – Disney Cruise Line
Disney has its own fleet of luxury cruise ships. Sailings of these ships occur from ports around the world. Currently there are five ships in the fleet with another just recently being announced to be in the works. These ships are the Wonder, Magic, Fantasy, Dream, and Wish. The Disney Treasure is the newest shipped being imagined!
MVMCP – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
This specially ticketed event celebrates the magic of the Christmas season in the Magic Kingdom. On select nights between the beginning of November and the end of December, guests can ride the attractions, meet favorite characters in their special holiday attire, enjoy delicious treats, and watch magical parades and fireworks shows. Guests may even see it “snow” in Florida during these parties.
MNSSHP – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
This specially ticketed event allows guests to enjoy the spookier side of Magic Kingdom. On select nights from the middle of August through the end of October, guests can find both thrills and chills during the party. Attractions, characters, treats, and entertainment bring the Halloween spirit in a no-so-spooky way during this party. A bonus to this party is that you can trick-or-treat throughout the park!
ABD – Adventures by Disney
There’s more to Disney than just parks, cruises, and movies. The Adventures by Disney vacations take the guest to a whole new level of the Disney experience. Imagine the personal, pixie-dusted customer service of Disney mixed in with adventure around the work. Now that’s ABD!
Disney ABC’s
Anyone can make an acronym from anything in the Disney universe. You may have heard more than these in your Disney adventures. What we have reviewed today are some of the main acronyms that most vacationers will deal with while on a Walt Disney World vacation. So, tell me, are you ready to work with your TA not only on your ADRs for your stay at POFQ but also your LL and G+ plan to ride 7DMT, FoP, SDD, FoP, RoR, RNRR, ToT?
About the Writer
Hi DizN Friends! My name is Mardanna Soto, aka MarDizNDanna, and I love all things Disney. My family and I love everything about the Disney and Universal Parks! Every trip is unique and so very special.
Contact me for a no obligation quote that will take you to the Magic! °o° I can provide some pixie-dusted planning to get you on your magical vacation! Let’s connect!
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