Disney Acronyms & Lingo You Need to Know Before Your Next Walt Disney World Trip

If you're a first-time frog or a seasoned Disney World veteran, understanding the language of the parks can help enhance your experience and make you feel like a true part of Disney magic. With so much to see and do at Disney World, it's really no surprise that there are plenty of acronyms and abbreviations used to describe various attractions, services and areas within the parks. For first-time visitors, we think it can be overwhelming to try and keep track of them all. In this blog post, we'll go over some of the most common Walt Disney World acronyms, abbreviations and lingo to help you navigate the Disney parks like a pro.

Hop To

• Glossary
• Most Common Terms
• General Park Terms
• Dining Terms
• Additional FYI Terms

"Let's get an ILL for SDMT before our ADR for CRT at MK. Then we can PH to DHS to ride SDD and ToT before taking the DSL back to AoA for the night."

"Huh," you say! Don't worry, frog friends — here's the translation ...

"Let's get an individual Lightning Lane for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train before our advance dining reservation for Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom. Then we can park hop to Disney's Hollywood Studios to ride Slinky Dog Dash and Tower of Terror before taking the Disney Skyliner back to Art of Animation for the night."

Disney World lingo is a unique "language," if you will, that is spoken by cast members and by folks who frequently visit Disney World. It includes a variety of Disney acronyms, abbreviations and phrases that are used to describe different attractions, services and areas within the parks. For example, "WDW" is a commonly used abbreviation for Walt Disney World, while "MK" refers to Magic Kingdom, one of the four theme parks on the property. Cast members, or CMs, who are employees of the parks, use terms such as "Guests" to refer to visitors and "On Stage" to describe areas of the parks that are visible to visitors. "Off Stage" is used to describe areas of the parks that are not visible to visitors.

Other terms such as "Early Theme Park Entry" and "Lightning Lane" describe special services and perks that are available to guests. In addition to these specific terms, Disney World lingo also includes general phrases including "Have a Magical Day" and "See Ya Real Soon," which are often used by cast members to bid farewell to guests.

There's no shortage of Disney acronyms, so we've gathered them all in this post — and we also break down the most common ones or other terms you should know for your next Disney World trip.

Most Common Disney Acronyms & Abbreviations

WDW: Walt Disney World Resort

Let's start with the most basic acronym on this list. WDW stands for Walt Disney World, which is the resort as a whole. This includes all of the theme parks, water parks, hotels and other attractions located on the property.

MK: Magic Kingdom Park

Magic Kingdom is one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World, and it's often considered the most iconic. It's home to Cinderella Castle, Main Street, U.S.A., and classic attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain.

EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

EPCOT is another one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. It was originally conceived as a futuristic city and a showcase for technological advancements, but it has since evolved into a theme park that celebrates the cultures and cuisines of the world in addition to innovation and imagination.

HS: Disney's Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios is one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World, and it's focused on all things Hollywood movies. It's home to attractions such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

AK: Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Animal Kingdom is the fourth and final theme park at Walt Disney World. It's themed around the natural world and features attractions such as Kilimanjaro Safaris and Avatar Flight of Passage.

BB: Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park

Blizzard Beach is one of two Disney water parks — themed after a ski resort.

TL: Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon is one of two Disney water parks — themed after a post-tropical storm paradise.

General Park Terms

CM: Cast Member

Cast members are the employees of Walt Disney World. They can be found throughout the parks, hotels and other areas of the resort.

G+: Disney Genie+

Genie+ is a paid service that allows guests to skip the regular standby line for select attractions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It includes Lightning Lane access to over 40 attractions, through reserving the next available time window, one reservation at a time.

LL: Lightning Lane

Lightning Lane is the entrance used by guests with a Disney Genie+ reservation or an individual Lightning Lane reservation to access select attractions.

ILL: Individual Lightning Lane

This is a separate paid service that allows guests to make a reservation for a specific attraction at a specific time, similar to the old FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. This service is only for select attractions.

DAS: Disability Access Service

The Disability Access Service (DAS) is a system available at Walt Disney World to assist guests with disabilities in accessing attraction queues. This service is designed to provide a more accommodating experience for guests who are unable to wait in a traditional queue environment due to their disability.

Guests who require DAS can visit Guest Relations at any of the four theme parks to request assistance. A cast member will then work with the guest to create a plan that meets their individual needs. The DAS provides guests with a return time for an attraction that is comparable to the current wait time for the attraction. This allows guests to enjoy other experiences in the park while they wait for their turn to ride.

RS: Rider Switch

Rider Switch is a system offered at Walt Disney World that allows guests with small children or children who do not meet the height requirement for an attraction to take turns riding the attraction without having to wait in line twice.

SR: Single Rider

Single Rider is a system offered at select attractions at Walt Disney World that allows guests to enter a separate queue line and fill in empty seats on the attraction alongside other single riders, in order to maximize the ride capacity and reduce wait times.

RD: Rope Drop

The term "Rope Drop" refers to the official opening time of the park, when the rope is dropped to allow guests to enter the park and start exploring. While it's true that sometimes guests are allowed into the parks before the official opening time, the term "Rope Drop" still refers to the official opening time.

Getting to the park early for Rope Drop is a popular strategy for beating the crowds and getting a head start on popular attractions such as Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

PH: Park Hopping or Park Hopper

The Park Hopper Option allows guests to visit more than one theme park per day at Walt Disney World.

DPPS: Disney Park Pass System

The Disney Park Pass System is a new reservation system that was implemented by Walt Disney World in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this system, guests must have both valid theme park admission and a park reservation in order to enter a WDW theme park. It's important to note that park reservations are subject to availability and may sell out quickly, especially during peak times or holidays. Guests should make their park reservations as early as possible to ensure they can visit their preferred park on their preferred date.

ETPE: Early Theme Park Entry | EEH: Extended Evening Hours

For guests staying at any of the on-site hotels in Walt Disney World, the Early Theme Park Entry has replaced the morning Extra Magic Hours (EMH). With ETPE, guests can enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes before the official opening time. However, Extended Evening Hours are available only a few days a week and are exclusive to guests staying at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts. During EEH, these guests can enjoy additional time in the parks after regular closing hours.

MB: MagicBands

MagicBands are wristbands that utilize RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology and are used for various functions across the Walt Disney World Resort. These functions include unlocking your Disney Resort hotel room, entering theme parks, accessing Genie+ attractions, making purchases and linking your Disney PhotoPass photos to your account.

PP: Disney PhotoPass

PhotoPass is a photography service provided by Walt Disney World that allows guests to have professional photos taken by Disney photographers. These photographers are located throughout the parks and can take photos of you in front of iconic locations or with Disney characters.

While the PhotoPass service itself is free, guests must purchase the digital downloads or prints if they wish to keep the photos. Guests can view their photos on the My Disney Experience app or website and can purchase them individually or as part of a package.

Disney World Dining Acronyms & Lingo

ADR: Advance Dining Reservations

ADRs allow guests to book a table at a restaurant in Walt Disney World up to 60 days in advance. This is especially important for popular restaurants, which can book up quickly.

Quick Service (QS) or Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR)

These are typically counter-service restaurants where guests order at a counter or register, pick up their food at a designated area, and then seat themselves. These restaurants are more casual and offer a variety of quick and easy meal options.

Table Service (TS) or Table-Service Restaurant (TSR)

Table-service dining at Disney World refers to restaurants where guests are seated at a table and a server takes their order, brings their food and provides table service throughout the meal. These restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisine, ranging from casual to fine dining, and are located within the theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs.

Table-service dining experiences at Disney World often feature immersive theming. Plus some restaurants offer character dining experiences where guests can meet and interact with beloved Disney characters while they eat. Other table-service restaurants at Disney World also offer unique entertainment, such as live performances or shows. Advance reservations are recommended to ensure availability and minimize wait times.

More Hopful Disney Acronyms to Know

MNSSHP: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is an annual event held at Magic Kingdom during the Halloween season. It includes special entertainment, character meet-and-greets and trick-or-treating.

MVMCP: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is an annual event held at Magic Kingdom during the Christmas season. It includes special entertainment, character meet-and-greets and a holiday parade.

DVC: Disney Vacation Club

The Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare program that allows members to stay at Disney-owned properties worldwide.

While it might seem intimidating at first, knowing the various Disney acronyms and terms can make your trip to the parks more enjoyable and efficient. From Disney Genie+ to Rider Switch, and from table-service to quick-service restaurants, understanding the lingo can help you navigate the parks like a true Disney professional! Let us know if there are any Disney acronyms we left off or if there's one you have a question about. We are hoppy to help! 

Related: Planning A Disney World Vacation in 2023? Here Are 16 Key Things to Know 

Hoppy planning!