Where do you start when planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can feel overwhelming. There is so much to see and do. Even if you’ve visited Disney World in the past, things are changing all the time. So much time and money are invested into a Disney vacation, you want it to be perfect. So here are a few simple steps to help you not only with planning a trip to Disney World, but also to making it your best Disney vacation possible.
1.) Why are you planning a visit to Walt Disney World?
This may seem like a fairly obvious question. You want to have a magical trip, but what does that look like for you. What is the main purpose of your trip? Are you traveling with kids whose main goal will be to meet their favorite Disney characters, or a group of foodies who want to dine at the best Disney restaurants? Is it a long trip to rest and recharge or a short trip to visit your favorite Epcot festival? Is it a Disney only trip, or will you also be visiting other destinations in the area? Having a clear purpose in mind can help you set reasonable expectations for your trip, because you can’t do it all.
2.) When will you visit Walt Disney World?
Choosing the time of year you plan to visit Walt Disney World can have a HUGE impact on your trip. There are a few factors to consider about the time of year you are planning a trip to Disney World:
Crowds
If you want a laid-back trip with little time wasted waiting in line, planning a trip for Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or Spring Break would not be the best choice, as these are some of the most crowded days out of the whole year. Walt Disney World is typically most crowded during holidays or any time kids are out of school. Crowds are lower when kids are in school. Are you open to pulling your kids out of school to visit Walt Disney World with lower crowds? Keep in mind, more popular times of year are more expensive, while less popular times of year are cheaper. Lower crowds and lower prices are a win-win if you have flexible dates!
Weather
Another factor to consider when planning when you should visit Walt Disney World is the weather. Summers in Florida can be extremely hot and miserable. About half of the year is also considered hurricane season in Florida. This doesn’t necessarily mean a hurricane is bound to ruin your summer vacation, but the large amount of rain that comes with hurricane season is nothing to scoff at. If you want to avoid the rain and scorching temperatures as much as possible, plan your visit sometime in January through May or December.
Seasonal Events
There are lots of seasonal events to factor in when planning your trip to Walt Disney World.
There are four different Epcot festivals that take place throughout the year. Epcot International Festival of the Arts typically runs mid-January through mid-February. Early March through early July is when the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival takes place. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival typically runs mid-July through mid-November. And Epcot International Festival of the Holidays typically runs late November through late December.
Disney also offers several other seasonal events. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party takes place select nights August through October, and sometimes early November. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party happens select nights November through December. Jollywood Nights takes place select nights November through December. There are also special After Hours events that take place at different times throughout the year. Crowds, weather, events, and seasonal offerings are all important to consider when planning your trip.
3.) What’s your budget for a trip to Walt Disney World?
How much should you spend on a Disney vacation? That is totally up to you. When you’re planning a trip to Disney World, the possibilities are endless. You can go all out and spare no expense with a stay at the Grand Floridian plus a V.I.P. Tour. Or stay a little more budget conscious with a couple of days in the park and a stay at a value resort. Both of these options can be magical in their own ways. When budgeting, you should take in to account your hotel, park tickets, transportation, special events, dining, tips, special magical add-ons like Genie+ and Memory Maker, and souvenirs. Keep in mind that if you plan to dine at a sit-down restaurant, even if you purchased the dining plan, you still need to pay for gratuity. The dining plan does not include tip, so make sure you budget for that, as well.
4.) Who’s in your travel party?
When planning a trip to Disney World, it is important to think about who is going with you. Does your travel party include your immediate family or extended family? Are you taking a solo trip or a trip with friends? Thinking about your travel party is an important step to help you make the most of your trip. Young kids or older adults may not be up for walking miles and miles per day. You may need to bring or rent a stroller or ECV. Most standard rooms at Walt Disney World accommodate four to five people. If you have a larger party, consider if it’s best to book a suite, multiple rooms, or stay off-site. You will also need to know how many people you are traveling with to book dining reservations. So, if you’re thinking of inviting family to travel with you, do it sooner, rather than later.
5.) Where will you stay at Walt Disney World?
When planning a Disney trip, there are many factors to consider when choosing your resort. The first question to ask yourself is should you stay on Disney property or off-site? There are many perks that come with staying on Disney property, but there are often cheaper options off-site. The location of your resort is also something to consider. If you’re planning to spend lots of time at Magic Kingdom, consider a resort on the monorail loop. If you’re planning on spending lots of time at Epcot, consider a BoardWalk area resort. Keep in mind that Disney World property is huge. Even a hotel on Disney property can be a twenty to thirty-minute drive to some of the parks. Of course, your budget is another thing to consider when choosing your resort. Disney offers three different options for resorts: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Each vary in price, location, amenities, and theming.
6.) How long will you visit Walt Disney World?
How many days do you need when planning a trip to Disney World? Well, it depends on what you want to do. It is a good idea to plan at least one day for each park. If you want to see all four theme parks, plan at least four days. There are also two waterparks and Disney Springs to explore! You may be able to visit one park in the morning and another in the evening. However, this can take a lot of time, and usually isn’t recommended for your first trip. If you’ll be participating in any special events, you may not need a park ticket for that day.
Will you visit the parks every day of your trip? Sometimes it is a good idea to have a rest day, because a Walt Disney World trip can be pretty exhausting. Have a relaxing morning: sleep in, hang out at your resort’s pool, visit Disney Springs. Take time to slow down and enjoy. You are on vacation after all
Will you visit the parks on your arrival and departure days? If you have a short trip, you might want to consider visiting the parks on your arrival and/or departure days to maximize your time. But you also need to weigh whether or not paying for a partial day in the parks is worth it for you. There are plenty of other great options to consider for your arrival and departure days if you don’t want to spend money for a park ticket.
7.) Where will you eat at Walt Disney World?
There are so many restaurants to choose from at Walt Disney World, and they’re not all created equal. There are several levels of dining at Disney World: signature dining, table service dining, character dining, and quick service dining. If you plan to dine at any type of restaurant other than quick service restaurants, you should make dining reservations as early as possible. When planning a trip to Disney World, you can make dining reservations sixty days in advance, and if you’re staying on Disney property a few days before. There are Disney restaurants at every Disney Resort hotel, the theme parks, waterparks, and Disney Springs.
Types of Dining at Disney World
Signature meals are the most expensive fine-dining options, like Tiffins Restaurant and Victoria & Alberts. Table service is a sit-down meal option where you order from a menu and your food is brought to you like Skipper Canteen or Round-up Rodeo BBQ. Character meals are usually table-service type meals or buffets where you can meet Disney characters while you dine, like Chef Mickey’s or Garden Grill. Some restaurants are only character meals for certain meals of the day. For example, you can only find characters at Topolino’s Terrace for breakfast, not dinner. So make sure you double check if you are wanting to dine with characters! Quick service meals are fast food like options and do not require reservations, like Casey’s Corner, Flame Tree Barbecue, or Woody’s Lunchbox.
Even if you only plan to dine a quick service restaurants that don’t offer reservations, it’s a good idea to do some research and choose a few quick service restaurants you’d like to eat at in each park. It’s no fun to get stuck eating at a restaurant you don’t love because your group got hungry and you had to find the closest place to eat ASAP. While most restaurants have kids meals that appeal to all picky eaters, there are some options that are better than others. Choose the restaurants you want to eat at, and make your reservations 60 days in advance or 60 days before the first day of your trip if you’re staying on Disney property.
8.) Which theme parks will you visit?
There’s something for everyone at each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, two waterparks, and Disney Springs. But you may not have the time or budget to visit all of them. So how do you determine which one(s) you should visit on your trip to Disney World? It all depends on what’s important to you. Let’s explore some of the things each park has to offer:
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is the original Walt Disney World theme park that opened in 1971. Home to Cinderella Castle, this is the park many think of when they think Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom has more attractions than any other park at Walt Disney World, and is made up of Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Tomorrowland, and Main Street U.S.A. Magic Kingdom is also home to the fan-favorite fireworks show Happily Ever After.
Epcot
Epcot is known for the iconic Spaceship Earth (which looks like a giant golf ball) and World Showcase which hosts pavilions from countries around the world. While some think Epcot may not be exciting for kids, there are so many fun things. If you have (or are) are Disney Princess lover, Epcot is a great place to meet them, and it’s the only Walt Disney World park where you can meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen. There is also The Seas with Nemo and Friends, which is home to the one of the largest aquariums in the country.
Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the park that has seen the most change over the last decade. It is home to new lands including Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. These immerse lands along with the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride are great reasons to visit. Keep in mind, this park only has two rides without height requirements (the fewest of any Walt Disney World theme park), and while there are plenty of great shows (like the For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration and Disney Junior Play and Dance!), this is something important to consider if you’ve got young kiddos. Hollywood Studios is also home to the popular nighttime spectacular show Fantasmic!
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is often regarded as a half-day park, and depending on your priorities, you may or may not agree. If you’re all about rides, you can easily knock out Animal Kingdom in half a day. But if you’re interested in exploring animal trails, seeing shows, and discovering all the hidden details Animal Kingdom has to offer, a full day (or more) might be better for you.
You should also consider any dining reservations you may have (or want) and plan your days according to those reservations and availability.
9.) What are your must-dos at Walt Disney World?
Planning your must-dos when visiting Walt Disney World is a must-do! Your must-dos can be rides, snacks, shows, character meet-and-greets, restaurants, whatever it is you really want to accomplish at Walt Disney World. It’s a good idea to have everyone in your travel party choose a few things that they really want to do each day of the trip. Make a plan to get these things done so everyone in your group gets to do something they want. Everything else is a bonus.
10.) Plus-up your park plans
Coordinate all of your plans, and make sure everything flows well. Do your dining reservations align with the parks you plan to be at each day? If seeing the parade at noon is a must-do for you or someone in your group, make sure you don’t have something else scheduled at that time. You can also add in some extras if you’d like. Want to be able to download all your Disney PhotoPass photos from your trip? Look into purchasing Memory Maker. Traveling with a little princess who would love her own royal makeover? You could make reservations at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Want to skip the standby lines at lots of attractions? Look into purchasing Genie+. You can also consider adding on tours, special event tickets, V.I.P. experiences, After Hours Events, or dessert parties. Do some research on what you and your group might enjoy. Then get busy packing!
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Email
Instagram