Planning a trip to Disney World or any of Disney Parks? Don’t miss these 10 tips to help with your plans!
I'm sharing my Top 10 Tips for planning a Disney vacation! We go to Disney World one to two times per year, anywhere from three days to 10 days, so I want to share all of the tips and tricks that I have learned about Disney World with you!
Tip #1 - Timing & Trip Length
Gregg and I like to visit Disney World in the off season, when it’s less busy. We don’t have children so we don’t have to factor in school holidays, etc. and typically go some time between April-May which is when kids are back in school after Spring Break and the Parks tend to be a lot less crowded.
We’ve also gone in mid-August. A lot of Florida schools are back in session (or almost back) or kids are moving away to college, so that is another really slow time. We waited only 35 minutes for Seven Dwarfs which is unheard of any other time of the year!
For our honeymoon, we did three days at the end of January. Again, kids are back in school, so it was really, really slow. That time, we were able to see Festival of the Arts and not deal with a ton of crowds!
Another time that was less crazy-busy was when we went two weeks before Christmas, back in 2018. We went down to attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! The party was super busy and super packed, which we expected, but in general the parks weren't that busy during the day.
We like to go in those “off-season” times for long weekends, but determining how long to make your trip really all depends on your preference! We have found that we usually like to go for five to six days, planning two trips of that length in a year.
When we were there in April of 2021, we stayed for nine days and then we went for four days for my birthday in August. We found nine days was a little bit too long, but the four days was a little bit too short. So we thought we’d see what five or six days was like, since we do tend to visit Disney less than a year apart.
Then, in May, 2022, we went for 5 days, which we found to be the perfect amount of time for us. 5 days gives us time to arrive the morning of day 1, have 3 relaxed park days, and then go home day 5.
Overall: you need to consider what you can handle and what you prefer doing. If you haven’t been to Disney World before (or haven’t been in an long time), don’t try to see everything and do everything in one trip; you’ll run yourself ragged and there's way too much new stuff to see it all! Consider going for a shorter time but making plans for a second trip OR booking for a longer stay - this is something a travel advisor can help you figure out!
Tip #2 - Where to Stay
We planned our August, 2021 trip very last minute (3 weeks ahead) and, at that point, we were stuck with less choices. We ended up staying at Pop Century, which we were okay with because it was on the Skyliner and we wanted to do Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. However, on a normal trip, when we plan to stay longer, we like to stay at the moderate or deluxe resorts.
One of the things that we really, really love is renting with Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points. There are a couple of different companies to choose from. David's DVC Request is who we used for our honeymoon and we've used them for all of our other DVC rental trips. We absolutely love them and I don't think I'll ever go anywhere else. With DVC points, you are able to stay at those deluxe resorts for about 50% of what the Disney retail price is!
I like using a company like David’s DVC Request because you have a contract so you're protected, the owners are protected, and no one can 'just back out.' The only downside is that there is no flexibility with your dates. If you booked through the Disney website, and something were to happen, they are able to help you flex things a little bit. Whereas with the DVC rental you're locked in to the dates.
Overall: you need to factor in your budget, resort amenities, location, and how long you'll be there. The moderate and deluxe resorts tend to be a bit bigger and more comfortable than the value resorts. Deluxe resorts have the best pools, amenities, and proximity to the parks, but the Value resorts are the most budget friendly.
Tip #3 - The Eats
Next thing I look at when planning a trip, is dining & food! I always like to try and look at the menus, as a lot of them are seasonal. The other thing to keep in mind is when dining reservations open - 60 days out from your arrival day.
Dining reservations typically open at 7 a.m. Disney time (Eastern Time) but, because we’re an hour behind, I have to get up at 6 to book some reservations that may book up quickly – like Oga’s Cantina, Ohana Dinner, Sanaa, sometimes California Grill if there are a lot of events or celebrations. So make sure you book reservations where you can and frequently check back if you don't get what you want - cancellations do happen!
If you’re not sure about a restaurant or their menu, but think you might want to try it, book the reservation anyways. You can typically cancel 24 to 48 hours in advance but make sure to check the restaurant policies to be sure (some Disney Springs restaurants aren't owned by Disney and have their own policies). If you are torn between three different places for dinner Friday night, you can book all three as long as you cancel two of them beforehand (to avoid a fee)! It gives you a little bit of flexibility to look at menus and figure out where you want to eat if you're not entirely sure.
Another benefit to checking out the menus ahead of time is that it gives you a good idea of how much it's going to cost. We always price out the most expensive items and also factor in how much for tipping, to make sure we’re budgeting the best we can.
Overall: Check out the menus and don't be afraid to try a restaurant you haven't been to before! Menus frequently change seasonally and may not be the same as when you made the reservation. Dining opens 60 days from your arrival date and any reservations can be canceled 24-48 hours in advance.
Tip #4 - Annual Passes
**At the time of this blog post, Annual Passes are currently suspended for new sales and are only available for renewal. When this changes, I will update this post to reflect that and any changes**
Depending on when you're going, how long you're going for, and what you're planning on doing, look to see if an annual pass might be worth it for you. I posted a video here on deciding if the annual pass would be worth it for us for our April 2021 trip. It was totally worth it already but because we decided to go in August, I didn't have to buy a park ticket and actually saved money on both trips. As part of the annual pass, I already had Memory Maker, save 10% on food, and saved 25% on merchandise!
Now, Disney did revamp their annual pass program a little bit – the price went up and no longer includes Memory Maker – but I still think was worth having on our May 2022 trip.
Because we live in Texas and are 'non-Florida residents,' we have to pay the higher AP price no matter what. When I factored in the pass plus the cost of the Memory Maker, it ended up coming out to be the exact same amount as I spent on my annual pass last year. Definitely check it out for your trip as you also save on table service, signature service restaurants, merchandise, and more.
Overall: Consider if purchasing an Annual Pass would be helpful. In addition to the ticket benefits, you can save 10% off food, 25% off merchandise, and get some free perks that come with it (such as AP specific merch, photo ops, and events). Often, the resorts offer AP discounts, which can be up to 30% off room rates. The Memory Maker is also a $99 add on to an AP, which can save money from the retail price of $169-$199.
Tip #5 - Memory Maker
I always suggest considering the Memory Maker when booking a trip. If you purchase before your trip, it’s about $169, or $199 at the park, and only $99 to add to new annual passes!
Memory Maker truly lets you live in the moment of your Disney vacation. While walking down Main Street Magic Kingdom, you can get one of their photographers to take the picture of you and your family in front of the castle. I love the fact that you don't have that family member missing from all of the photos, because they’re taking them. Disney's PhotoPass Photographers are all over the parks and are even sometimes found at resorts for special events.
Disney also has what's called a Magic Shot. For example, when we were at Jungle Cruise, there was a picture of us in front of it and then they were able to add in special elements! We have pictures of us with Iago in the Morocco Pavilion and the Figment from Food & Wine. 360 Shots are available in certain parks (one in Galaxy Edge and near Spaceship Earth) - it takes the photo of you and then zooms out over the entire park to see the Millennium Falcon or Spaceship Earth.
You also get all of your ride photos! Seven Dwarfs, Haunted Mansion, Rockn' Roller Coaster, Test Track, and more, all have photos on the ride that are included in the Memory Maker.
Overall: Definitely get the Memory Maker! It allows you to live in the moment, put your phone away, and still get those photo memories. You can get photos all over the parks from the photographers, rides, and more!
Tip #6 - Water Bottles
Pack your water bottle with you! Throughout the parks, there are kiosks and stands with free cups of ice water. I find that I’m never in front of one of these kiosks when I’m actually thirsty so now we take water bottles with us! We stick them in the mini-fridge, full of water, overnight and then, as they get empty throughout the day, we stop at the water kiosks and fill up our water bottles with the cold water.
If you’re there in late spring, summertime, or early fall it is way too hot to not have water! Yes, it's sometimes heavy to take those bottles with you but it’s worth it to not have to pay five dollars for each bottle of water or hike half way across a park in search of the free cups.
Overall: Consider taking a water bottle with you and keep it filled up to have throughout the day. When you find a cart with free cups, take one and fill you bottle to always have water accessible!
Tip #7 - See it, want it, GET it
If you see something you know you want, buy it. One of my biggest struggles is when I see something and I love it, I’ll think “I'll come back and I'll get it later”. BUT - when I go back to get it, I either can't find it, it's gotten moved, or it's sold out! Now, I'm not talking about those impulse buys (like ears or pins), I'm talking about specific items that I collect and search for, such as Alex & Ani bracelets.
I've learned to either I take a picture of exactly where the item is or I just get it right then. Chances are, I may not come back to that store again during that trip or I may come back and it's sold out or moved (they rearrange those stores constantly). So if you see it, and you love it, buy it!
Overall: If there's a specific merch item you want, get it when you find it. Disney often rearranges their stores and stuff can sell out fast! So to prevent the regret of not purchasing something, consider getting it when you see it.
Tip #8 - Festivals
When you’re planning your trip, look to see if there are any Epcot festivals happening! The Food & Wine Festival, Festival of the Holidays, Festival of the Arts, and Flower & Garden Festival happen year round and are great ways to have new experiences. Typically, there aren't festivals during the summer (late June - early August).
When you're planning a trip, often you'll be looking at what restaurants you want to eat at, but also check out the festivals because the festival booths have some of the best food that I've had in the parks!
There have been days when we've gone to Epcot, ate lunch & dinner at the festival booths, and never even needed a restaurant! The festival booths have 3-5 small bites per booth and are usually themed by country. There is a cost to the small bites – averaging $3 to $8 with some up to $15 – but they're shareable bites! Gregg and I have shared three or four dishes and that equals a meal for us. You can munch around during the day and enjoy the festival atmosphere instead of sitting in a restaurant.
Overall: Don't forget to check out the Epcot festivals and their food booths! You can try new foods and favorite foods without needing to commit to a whole meal and still enjoy the festival.
Tip #9 - Disney Springs & Rest
This is especially for those who have never been or haven’t been to Disney in a while; don't forget Disney Springs and to do some No-Park Days.
Disney Springs is amazing with such a cool atmosphere. The World of Disney store is there as well as Days of Christmas and some other very unique stores with stuff you can't even get in the parks (Art of Disney and Disney Style)! There are other shops where you can pick up things you may have forgotten, too (like Sephora, Uniqlo, and Under Armor).
Also, make sure to give yourself some non-park days. Park days consist of a LOT of walking on a LOT of pavement under a LOT of sun. Anytime I’ve tracked my walking at a Disney Park, I’ve never walked less than 9 miles! You need some chill days - trust me, your feet will thank you!
When we were there for the nine days in 2021, we planned two days where we did no parks. The first day, all that we did was Disney Springs and then on that second day, we slept in, chilled by the pool, relaxed and went to dinner. Be sure to plan yourself some no-park days!
Overall: Make sure you take some non-park time to rest and explore what else the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer!
Tip #10 - Plan for Splurges
PLAN on some luxury splurges while on your trip. It’s a vacation, it’s fun, it’s meant to take care of you!
One of the things we love doing is planning a date night, dressing up and going to a signature restaurant. I also like to buy the really fancy ornaments and that's okay because we plan & budget for it!
Don't be afraid to splurge on a couple of those little things that will make your trip magical!
Overall: When you're planning a Disney World trip, make sure to plan for a couple splurges. They don't have to be big and huge, but maybe a Pandora charm or Signature Restaurant dinner. These help make the trips memorable and special.
I’d love to hear any tips you might have or what your favorite tip was, in the comments below!
Ready to plan your Disney World trip? Just fill out this information form so I can provide you with a complimentary personalized quote!
Комментарии