A Quick Disney Vocabulary and Disney Abbreviations Lesson

Is it just me or does it sound like you’re speaking a foreign language at Disney sometimes? I swear they should give you a Disney vocabulary and Disney abbreviations cheat sheet when you book a Disney vacation. 

While this Disney lingo has become normal to me, I can’t help but think how confusing it can be for someone going for the first time (or the first time in a long time). So, I put together a full guide to Disney vocabulary and Disney abbreviations. 

This post includes Disney World vocabulary, Disneyland vocabulary, and more. It’s all in alphabetical order to make it easy to scroll to whatever you’re looking for. 

_{Disclosure: You may see affiliate links throughout this post, which means these are the things I handpicked! If you purchase something through these links, I will get a small commission at absolutely no extra charge to you. And that sure means a lot to me, so thank you in advance! See the privacy policy for more information.}

Disney Vocabulary

First, let’s look at some of the Disney vocabulary words with their meaning. These Disney words are some of the most popular ones you’ll come by as you’re planning your Disney vacation. 

Advanced Dining Reservations

Securing a reservation for a restaurant in advance. 

If you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World, your advanced dining reservation booking window will open 60 days prior to your trip at 6 AM EST. 

If you’ll be visiting Disneyland, your advanced dining reservation booking window will open 60 days prior to your trip at 6 AM PST. 

Attraction

A ride, show, or any other entertainment at the theme parks. 

Backstage

The behind-the-scenes area of the Disney Parks. Did you know you can take a tour of the backstage area at Magic Kingdom?

Cast Member

A Disney employee. 

Character Dining

A dining experience at Disney in which characters are present. The characters usually visit your table during your meal, allowing you to say hi, take pictures, and get their autographs. 

Disney Dining Plan

A pre-paid dining package. You can choose from different plans to best meet your family’s needs.  You can only purchase a Disney Dining Plan if you purchase a vacation package (resort + park tickets). 

Disney Genie

A free service offered in the My Disney Experience app to help you organize your day based on your interests and favorite attractions at Walt Disney World.

Disney Vacation Club

Disney’s version of a timeshare, in which members purchase points to use toward resort stays. 

Enchanting Extras

Additional paid experiences in the parks or at the resorts. Examples of Enchanting Extras at Disney include Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, getting a haircut at Harmony Barber Shop, building a lightsaber, and fireworks dessert parties. 

Extra Magic Hours

As a perk to on-property guests, Disney offers Extra Magic Hours. These are extra hours either before park opening or after park closing that only Disney resort guests can enjoy. 

Genie+

A paid service that allows you to skip the line at an attraction by booking a Lightning Lane reservation on the My Disney Experience app.

Check out my full Genie+ guide here.

Hidden Mickey

Mickey designs hidden throughout the Disney parks and resorts. 

Imagineer

The Disney employees behind the creativity and development of the magic of Disney including the resorts, theme parks, attractions, and cruise ships. 

Individual Lightning Lane

An “a la carte” Lightning Lane you can purchase for select attractions.

Lightning Lane

The queue at an attraction that bypasses the standby line. In order to book a Lightning Lane, you will need to purchase Genie+. 

MagicBand/MagicBand+

An RFID bracelet that’s linked to your plans from My Disney Experience, allowing you to scan into the park or Lightning Lane, enter your room, or even charge your credit card (if you have it set up to do so).

Memory Maker

A photo package that includes all photos taken throughout your vacation by Disney’s photographers.

Minnie Van

A ride service provided by Lyft and driven by Disney Cast Members at the Walt Disney World Resort. You can book a Minnie Van through the My Disney Experience app. Minnie Vans can seat up to 6 guests and include up to 2 car seats. 

Mobile Ordering

A service offered through My Disney Experience, in which you can order and pay for your food in advance at select quick service and table service restaurants. 

Monorail

Disney’s transportation system consisting of a railway in which the track is just a single rail/beam. At Walt Disney World, the Monorail services the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Transportation and Ticket Center, Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort, and Grand Floridian Resort. 

Mousekeeping

Housekeeping services at Disney’s resort hotels. 

My Disney Experience

Online portal and app full of Disney World planning tools, including but not limited to resort and dining reservations, park tickets, Genie+, park hours, attraction wait times, and where to find character meet and greets. 

Park Hopping

Visiting more than one Disney theme park in one day. In order to park hop, you will need to add the park hopper option to your theme park ticket. Check out if the park hopper option is worth it or not here. 

PhotoPass

A service of Disney photographers located around Disney Parks and Resorts to capture fun photos of your family on your Disney vacation. 

Pixie Dust

An unexpected and extra magical moment or perk that you receive at Disney. Getting “pixie dusted” at Disney may come in the form of a room upgrade, a free Lightning Lane, a special character interaction, and more. 

Quick Service

Restaurants at Disney in which you do not need reservations. At these restaurants, you will receive your meal quickly, seat yourself, and be responsible for disposing of your trash at the end. 

Rider Switch

A service that allows everyone that can (or wants to) ride an attraction to do so…even if there are some people in your party that can’t (or don’t want to) but also can’t wait by themselves. If you want to use Rider Switch, speak with the Cast Member at the entrance to the ride. 

The first group using Rider Switch will wait in the standby line while the others check out other fun things around the park. Then the second group using Rider Switch will go through the Lightning Lane, so you avoid two long wait times. 

This is an especially great service to know about if you’re going to Disney with toddlers or babies.

Rope Drop

Arriving to the park at or prior to park opening. 

Skyliner

Disney’s gondola transportation system. At Walt Disney World, the Skyliner has stops at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, and Pop Century. 

Standby Line

The normal queue for an attraction at the Disney Parks. 

Table Service

These restaurants are sit-down meals, whether that’s family-style, table service, or buffets. All character dining is included in this category. 

Transportation and Ticket Center

The central transportation hub for the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. 

The Transportation and Ticket Center includes parking for the Magic Kingdom, as well as Monorail and Ferry services to get from the parking lot to the Magic Kingdom or the Magic Kingdom resort area. There is also a Monorail connection that goes from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot. 

At this hub, there is also a ticket center where you can purchase theme park tickets. 

Virtual Queue

A service offered for select attractions at Disney in which you enter the queue via your app and wait for your “boarding group” to be called before returning to the attraction. You will have one hour to return to the attraction once your boarding group gets called. 

Disney Abbreviations

We wouldn’t be talking about Disney slang if we didn’t review the Disney abbreviations, too! 

ADR: Advanced Dining Reservation

AH: After Hours

AK: Animal Kingdom

AKL: Animal Kingdom Lodge

AOA: Art of Animation 

AP: Annual Pass

BB: Blizzard Beach

BBB: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

BC: Beach Club

BCV: Beach Club Villas

BG: Boarding Group

BLT: Bay Lake Tower

BOG: Be Our Guest

BRV: Boulder Ridge Villas

BTMR: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

BWI: Boardwalk Inn

BWV: Boardwalk Villas

CBR: Caribbean Beach Resort

CM: Cast Member

CR: Contemporary Resort

CRT: Cinderella’s Royal Table

CSR: Coronado Springs Resort

DAS: Disability Acess Service

DCA: Disney California Adventure

DCL: Disney Cruise Line

DDP: Disney Dining Plan

DL: Disneyland

DLR: Disneyland Resort

DS: Disney Springs

DVC: Disney Vacation Club

EEH: Extended Evening Hours

EMH: Extra Magic Hours

FOP: Flight of Passage

EP: Epcot

EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

FW: Fort Wilderness

G+: Genie+

GF: Grand Floridian

GFV: Grand Floridian Villas

GoTG: Guardians of the Galaxy

HEA: Happily Ever After

HS: Hollywood Studios

ILL: Individual Lightning Lane

LL: Lightning Lane

MCO: Orlando International Airport

MDE: My Disney Experience

MK: Magic Kingdom

MMRR: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

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

MVMCP: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

OKW: Old Key West Resort

PH: Park Hopping/Park Hopper

POFQ: Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

Poly: Polynesian Resort

POP: Pop Century Resort

POR: Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

PP: PhotoPass

QS: Quick Service

RotR: Rise of the Resistance

RR: Riviera Resort

RS: Rider Switch

SDD: Slinky Dog Dash

SR: Single Rider

SSR: Saratoga Springs Resort

TL: Typhoon Lagoon

ToT: Tower of Terror

TS: Table Service

TT: Test Track

TTC: Transportation and Ticket Center

VQ: Virtual Queue

WDW: Walt Disney World

WL: Wilderness Lodge

7DMT: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Final Thoughts: Disney Vocabulary and Disney Abbreviations

Whew! I know…it seems like a lot. But I promise, as you get into this whole planning thing, you’ll become fluent in Disney vocabulary and abbreviations. 

For Disney World tips sent straight to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter. And don’t forget to check out all the other Disney World info on the blog!