Let’s face it, a trip to Disney will hit you smack dab in the face with a whole lot of “Disney speak.” Knowing these keywords on your next trip means you’ll sound like a pro. We’re hooking you up with a full list of the lingo that only serious Disney fans know. And remember with Disney slang, like all other things in life – fake it til you make it!

the names

Park names

Let’s start with the basics: almost every park under Walt’s sun has a shorthand associated with it. Insiders rarely use the full names since they’re so lengthy. The good news about this lingo? Most of the time, they’re just acronyms.

• AK – Animal Kingdom

• MK – Magic Kingdom

• HS – Hollywood Studios

• EC – EPCOT

• DCA – Disney’s California Adventure

• Dland – Disneyland

ride names

Just like the parks, most rides have quick and easy ways the pros refer to them. The simple hack for sounding Disney fluent on this one? Shorten the name down to the single most memorable word in the ride title.

• Splash – Splash Mountain

• Haunted – Haunted Mansion

• Space – Space Mountain

• Racers – Radiator Racers Springs

• Indy – Indiana Jones Adventure

• Pirates – Pirates of the Caribbean

• Neemo – Finding Neemo’s Submarine Voyage

• The list goes on!

people

Shorthand for all the people you’ll encounter during a day at the parks.

• CM or Cast Member – Anyone who works at Disney!

• AP – Annual Passholders, a quick way to reference anyone who holds an annual pass to a Disney park.

• Plaids – Dressed in red and green plaid vests, these special cast members are dedicated VIP tour guide hosts. You’ll see them leading groups around the parks enabling exclusive “skip the line privileges.”

• Photopass Photographers – Scattered around the parks in khaki vests, these photographers will snap pictures of your group. They’ll also use your personal camera if you ask. Be sure to ask for a “magic shot,” which adds animated fun to your pictures.

food & Dining

Let’s get you up to speed on some of the unique phrases coined for dining at Disney. No shortcuts here – get to studying!

• QS – Quick Service, aka food that you order at a counter and find your own seating to eat.

• TS – Table Service, where a waiter will come directly to your table to take your order and deliver your food.

• Signature Dining – The highest-end dining the parks offer. Expect excellent service and a big price tag to match.

• DDP – Disney Dining Plan, a prepaid food package that allows you to eat at certain restaurants around for the parks in exchange for credits granted by the package.

• Eat/Drink Around the World – A challenge that involves dining at each of the 11 country pavilions inside EPCOT’s World Showcase.

• Sip & Savor – A special event voucher that is offered for purchase during many food-centric events (think Food & Wine Festival or Festival of Holidays.)

around the parks

Here’s the everyday Disney slang you’ll encounter around the parks.

• FP or Fastpass – A reserved ticket that grants a specific time window when an attraction can be accessed with a very short queue. Most major attractions inside the park offer Fastpasses that can be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

• Maxpass – A feature within the parks apps that allows users to digitally reserve their Fastpass tickets from anywhere inside the park.

• Rope Drop – All Disney parks allow admission ahead of their scheduled open time but individual lands are roped off from visitors. “Rope drop” happens at the official park open time and includes a special announcement!

• Good Night Kiss – A special event at Magic Kingdom that happens precisely at park close time. Be at Cinderella’s Castle to experience it!

• Hidden Mickey – Hidden all over the park are nods to the mouse that started it all! Look for the signature Mickey Mouse silhouette hidden in plain sight all around the parks. This is one of our favorite bonus activities to do in the park!

• Dark Ride – A specific category of rides for slow-moving rides where the majority of the experience is spent in the dark. Many of the original Disneyland attractions are dark rides (think Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride or Peter Pan’s Flight)

Remember to pin this list and review it before planning your next Disney trips. We’ll continue to update this guide as new words are added to the Disney vocabulary!