Molly Staffordsmith’s day in the Most Magical Place on Earth kicked off at 6 a.m. in a distinctly less enchanting locale: the Philadelphia International Airport.

Staffordsmith, a 22-year-old from New Jersey who works at a financial-advisory firm, had a detailed plan. As she and her father took off on Spirit Airlines, her sister logged into her Disney app from home and snagged them a coveted spot on Tron Lightcycle Run at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

After landing, Staffordsmith and her dad took an Uber straight to Tomorrowland to board Tron, a ride in which passengers straddle seats like on a motorcycle.
Then they hustled half-a-mile across the park, grabbed a breakfast burrito to share, and lined up for the Pirates of the Caribbean, where they waited an hour to board a weathered barge that floats by Dead Man’s Cove and a town ransacked by buccaneers. A whirlwind of rides later, including a sprint to Space Mountain, it was time for their final adventure: the 8 p.m. flight home.
“It was truly a magical day,” says Staffordsmith. “Everything worked out. And it was fantastic.”

Die-hard Disney fans are taking their love for the parks to another level: Partaking of the whole Disney travel and park experience in a single day.

Whether to save money, accommodate tight schedules, or simply test one’s limits, the endeavor requires meticulous planning, comfortable footwear, and an encyclopedic knowledge of Disney’s sprawling park system.

“The 24-hour thing can be challenging but it’s totally doable,” says Magda Santiago, a 52-year-old fitness-retreat planner from New Jersey, who has conquered all four Walt Disney World theme parks in one go.

Homemade sandwiches, $11 flights​

She goes to Disney World at least twice a year, usually flying Frontier Airlines out of New Jersey’s Trenton-Mercer Airport at 5 a.m., and getting home between nine and 11 p.m. that day. She carries a small backpack with a sweater and a change of clothes.

Her pro-tips: Avoid Magic Kingdom on Mondays (Wednesday rocks). Start with Animal Kingdom’s less-crowded rides, then hit Hollywood Studios. Cap off at Epcot, margarita in hand.

For Audrey Tremaine, 22, Disney-in-a-day was the budget-friendly choice for her second anniversary with her boyfriend.

“Well, it’s cheaper than a hotel,” the recent college graduate remembers thinking.
Airline points slashed their Spirit Airlines flights to $11 each. Flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on a Tuesday, weekday Disney passes, homemade sandwiches and minimal extras kept the total to around $240 per person.

“I would totally do it again,” says Tremaine. “It is a huge money saver, especially if you’re on a budget.”

Tremaine’s boyfriend, Jakob Coker, 22, advises—book a later flight. Their 8:30 p.m. departure meant rushing out by 6:20 p.m.

Jennifer Abbey, a 32-year-old marketing executive, tackled Disney with her sister in 12 hours. Using airline miles, they booked a pre-Thanksgiving trip for minimal crowds.

She left her Brooklyn apartment at 4:45 a.m. for a 6 a.m. JFK flight. The sisters used the airline’s free Wi-Fi to book the rides they wanted.

Prioritizing favorites and short lines, they hit Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot before their 8 p.m. flight. Total cost? About $225 each. Abbey says the trip was mostly about the adrenaline rush.

“It was a fun experience, but it was exhausting. I’m not quite sure I would do it again,” Abbey said. “But I can check that off my bucket list.”