Over the last few years I’ve had a number of people ask me for advice on their upcoming Disney World vacations. I’m not an expert in any way, but I’ve been going to the parks since I was a child and I do have quite a bit of experience under my belt. Over the next few weeks I will be talking about my favorite tips and tricks for making your Disney World vacation the best.
Before I start with the planning, I want to encourage any of you who are resisting a Disney Vacation to give it a try. While Walt Disney World isn’t for everyone, it’s truly a magical experience for children and adults alike. The thought and detail within the Disney parks is almost overwhelming. The level of customer service cannot be beat! There’s a little something for everyone on Disney property. Rides, shows, water parks, fine dining, mini golf, shopping, horseback riding, holiday celebrations, guided tours – you name it! Having a good plan can vastly affect your Disney experience.
Today I want to talk about the importance of planning when considering a Disney vacation. Let’s be real, Disney World can be expensive and even stressful for some. Ticket prices, hotel stays, food, souvenirs, etc. will all add up to a pretty penny. I believe that to get the most out of your money, time, and sanity, planning out your trip is essential.
First, consider what’s important to you and your party. Prioritizing is key when planning a trip of this type. Here’s a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you want to come back to a luxurious hotel room with all the bell and whistles after a long day at the park? Or, would you prefer saving on the hotel room and possibly use that savings on souvenirs or an extra day in the parks?
- What are your date options? Crowd sizes vary depending on the time of year, festivals within the parks, new ride openings, and race weekends. Weather should also be a factor when deciding dates. Historically, Saturdays are the busiest and Mondays are the least busy.
- Which parks will you be visiting and on which days? This will affect your fast passes and dining options.
- How important will dining be to your party? Are you interested in fine dining? Character meals? Will your budget allow you to eat at the parks or will you need to bring your own snacks/packed lunches? Do you or someone in your party have dietary restrictions? Will you be purchasing a Disney Dining package?
- What are your park priorities? Are character meet and greets important to you? Do you want to ride as many rides as possible? What fast passes are you interested in? What about parades?
- What logistics do you need to consider? Will you be flying or driving to Orlando? Will you be renting a car from the airport or using Disney’s Magical Express buses to get to your hotel? Do you need to rent a stroller or wheelchair?
- Are you interested in any of the “Extras” at Disney World, such as appointments at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique, races, or guided tours?
Making a list of your priorities will help to weed through some of the planning process. For example, Ray and I are not interested in character meals, so when we’re planning our dining reservations we can automatically eliminate character restaurants.
I’m very passionate about the planning process because I hate to see people fail to plan and end up having a not-so-magical trip. I truly believe that a well thought out plan (with consideration from everyone in your party), can vastly improve your trip. I also believe it’s important to have flexibility within your Disney World plans. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes rides break down. Sometimes it’s 100 degrees with 90% humidity. Sometimes you’re feet are too tired to walk one more step. Always plan for breaks and be flexible!
Do you have any Walt Disney World planning questions? Send them to me! The next post in this series will be on choosing a Walt Disney World hotel.
