How do I plan a Disney vacation?

A vacation to Walt Disney World takes lots of planning!!!  It truly has grown so much, that if you haven’t been there in a long time, or if you are a first timer, it can be quite over whelming.  That is where I come in!!!

I can take all of that stress away from you, and you can just have fun looking up videos of attractions & your resort.  I truly enjoy what I do!  I love helping families plan something magical & memorable!

What steps are involved in planning a Disney World vacation?

The first thing you should do is figure out what time of year you want to go!

Are you are a teacher & can only go during school breaks?  Are you planning a trip around a special event?  Or, are you totally flexible and want me to guide you towards a good time of the year to visit?

The truth is…whenever you CAN go to Disney World, you will have a good time!!!  You might just have to adjust your plans & expectations at certain times of the year.  Some months will be super duper hot & humid, and you will definitely want to take breaks from the heat & sun during those times.  Some months could be extra stormy & rainy, and you will want to be prepared for that.  Some weeks will be majorly crowded, but with your Fast Passes, you can reduce your wait time on some of the popular attractions.

And Disney is doing lots of things to spread out the crowds throughout the year.  They are getting this done by changing the way tickets are priced, by adding fun events during lower crowd seasons, and by offering promos.

My favorite times of year to visit are during the end of January – mid February, after spring break – mid May, and after Thanksgiving – mid December!  (The CHRISTMAS decorations are our family favorite!)

The second thing you should do is pick a resort that you would like to stay at!

I always recommend staying ON Disney property, for a few reasons!

One being, I can only help you if you stay on Disney property.  Another reason is because staying inside the “Disney bubble” has so many nice advantages.  The complimentary Magical Express from Orlando International Airport (MCO) is an awesome one.  No need to rent a car & pay for resort parking.  Being able to easily go back to your resort if you want to take a break comes in very handy.  If you are a park open to park close type family, you can also take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours that are offered some days at the parks.

And, when you stay on property, you get MAGIC BANDS!  These are your amazing little wristband/bracelets that you can customize for each member of your party.  They will be your room key, park tickets, Fast Passes, Dining Plan credits, and form of payment (with a pin code assigned by you)!  They’re super slick!

There are three different resort levels on Disney property: Value, Moderate & Deluxe.  They each have various amenities & prices that reflect their level.  The Value resorts are the lowest priced resorts on property.  They also happen to be the most “Disney” themed resorts, which often appeal to kids.  The Moderate resorts are similar to the Value resort, and most have rooms with doors opening to the outside.  However, their pools have water slides.  Most have a table service restaurant.  And, they are quite large…having multiple bus stops throughout the resorts.  The Deluxe resorts are fabulous, each with their own unique themes & lots of amenities.  The pools are awesome.  The restaurants outstanding.  Most are extra close to at least one of the parks, with different ways of getting to those parks closest to them.

Beyond the three main resort categories are also the Deluxe Villa properties (the Disney Vacation Club rooms) & the Fort Wilderness Campground & Resort.

If you ever have questions on them & wonder what might be best for your family, please ask me questions.  That is what I’m here for!  I’ve stayed at several, and it is my goal to personally stay at all of them eventually…so I have first hand knowledge to share with you.

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Then, let’s think about what type of tickets you want!

With the four Disney theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom…I definitely recommend at least one day per park.  That would mean I usually wouldn’t recommend LESS than a 5 night stay at Disney World.  Your arrival & departure days can be spent relaxing at your resort or checking out Disney Springs.  If you can stay longer…AWESOME!  That just means MORE fun in the parks & more availability for down time.

They also have the park hopper option, which allows you to visit more than one park in a day.  That can come in handy for various reasons.  We use it sometimes after we’ve rested at our resort in the afternoon.  When the kids wake up from their nap (or Papa & Grammy), we usually decide if we want to go back to the park we began our day at, or if we feel like checking out something different that evening.  The spontaneity that it allows is wonderful.  However, I don’t think it is always necessary.

Let’s talk about dining at Disney World!

Once we tried the Disney Dining Plan, we were hooked!  Adding that to your package makes your trip feel more like an all-inclusive trip.  You can know up front what you are spending for your food.  We love it because those character meals are expensive!  We love it because it allows us to try many different foods.  Don’t think that Disney World just has “theme park” food.  It is amazing!  And the snack credits can offer you LOTS of yummy things!!!

When I’m getting to know what you are looking for in a Disney vacation, you can ask me any questions you have on dining at Disney!

You’ve put your package together (dates, resort, ticket type & selected a Dining Plan).  Now what?

• We decide what table service reservations you want me to try and book for you
• We determine what day you should visit what park (sometimes based on what dining I find for you)
• We think about any “extras” you might want to add on to your trip: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Pirates League, dessert parties, etc
• We select your Fast Passes
• I type up a daily itinerary for you that has reminders & tips for each of your days
• Then, you go and have a fabulously magical vacation at Walt Disney World with your loved ones!