WDW 101: How do you plan the best family trip ever to Walt Disney World?
For some, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. For others, it becomes an annual pilgrimage to visit their favorite Walt Disney World resort for a family vacation. One of the greatest aspects of Walt Disney World is that it still is able to cater to all types of vacationers. Everything is possible at the Orlando area complex - a weekend trip with the girls, couples getaways, honeymoons, that first family trip to Disney, family reunions, and even sports teams traveling for tournaments in the area. The only way to maximize your trip, no matter the reason for the vacation, is to plan and prepare as best as possible. We’re going to outline the top planning steps to make your next Walt Disney World vacation the most memorable of all! Each step will be thoroughly covered in its own blog post - like these here!
The first planning step - what time of year to go to Walt Disney World and how long will you stay?
So, you know what Walt Disney World is and where it is (Orlando, Florida for those still wondering). And since you know where it is, you know that Florida weather can be two things…hot and unpredictably wet. The first, and possibly the most important planning step, is determining what time of year you want to make your trip. This will impact everything from crowds, to what you pack, to ticket costs, and room rates. It will also drive your decision on how long to stay on your visit, and everything you’ll need to pack while you’re in Orlando. Remember, there are some times of the year when it is cold in Walt Disney World and you’ll need to pack accordingly - that’s why we have created our FREE Walt Disney World packing guide for you!
The second planning step - what is your Walt Disney World budget?
A magical vacation to Walt Disney World with the family is an awesome experience. It certainly is not an inexpensive trip by any means. This is why acknowledging, understanding, and planning your budget wisely will go a long way in making the vacation more enjoyable. Walt Disney World does try to make this affordable in a few ways. The first is through Value & Moderate Resorts. The second is through the Disney Dining Plan, which allows you to pre-pay for a large portion of your meals. Thirdly, there are frequent discount programs Disney will promote that feature discounted resort rooms or theme park packages. All that to say - there are ways to do Disney and stay within your budget…if you plan ahead!
The third planning step - where are you going to stay at Walt Disney World?
Ok, now you know exactly the time of year when you’re planning to go to Walt Disney World. You know your budget for the trip. You know everything you’ll need to pack based on the time of year you’re going because you downloaded our free packing checklist. Now, where are you going to stay? A lot of factors come into play when settling on either an on property Walt Disney World Resort, or opting for a Disney Good-Neighbor Hotel. Your travel budget (download our free Walt Disney World travel budget tool) may be the most important factor in determining where you rest while not trekking through the theme parks. There are tiers into which the Walt Disney World Resorts are categorized based upon cost: Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, and Deluxe Resorts. Certain Walt Disney World Resorts come with their own benefits & amenities that are specific to that property. Good-Neighbor Hotels are local hotels featuring reciprocal Walt Disney World benefits, just not quite the same as the on-property resorts (Swan & Dolphin, and Swan Reserve are the exceptions). Each resort category, including those off-property with reciprocal benefits, will be covered in their own dedicated blog.
The fourth planning step - what are the Walt Disney World theme park ticket & dining options?
Gone are the days of requiring park reservations for each day of your visit. This COVID era crowd management strategy being removed means you simply need to purchase theme park tickets for the number of days you plan to be in the actual parks. A highly popular add-on to your base theme park tickets is the Park Hopper option, allowing you to navigate between different parks on the same day. Beyond theme park tickets are the Enchanting Extras events, themed parties (like the increasingly popular Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party), and unique dining experiences, each an additional cost to your standard theme park admission. This is where your budgeting and vacation “must-dos” need to align. Many of the events or extras can add some serious dollars to your trip (fortunately you used our FREE budgeting tool). This holds true for dining experiences featuring character meet & greets. The Disney Dining Plan helps offset a lot of the cost for these dining experiences, as well as helping you to pre-pay for many of your meals across your visit.
The fifth planning step - which theme parks should you visit during your trip to Walt Disney World?
All of them, of course! Crafting a schedule for your time in Walt Disney World is important in order to maximize your visit. Parks are not equally busy on every day as crowds do tend to fluctuate. We talk about crowd calendars and crowd levels in a separate planning post in our WDW 101 series. Many people also plan their theme park itinerary around dining options & desired character experiences. If your trip allows, try to plan a rest or break day that could include hanging around your resort pool or a quick trip to Disney Springs.
The sixth planning step - should you go visit Disney Springs?
This one depends on a couple of factors: do you have the time to work Disney Springs into your schedule and do you really want to go visit? Disney Springs is a massive outdoor mall featuring numerous restaurants, shops, and entertainment options. Bus service runs from Walt Disney World Resorts to Disney Springs, allowing easy access to guests staying on property. If you prefer to drive, don’t worry, parking garages are available at Disney Springs. Keep an eye on event calendars as this non-theme park attraction can become surprisingly crowded without a lot of advanced notice. There are some amazing culinary options available at Disney Springs. If you are a big foodie and looking for something a bit different from theme park food, then the trip may be a must-do for your next visit.
The seventh planning step - should you go to one of the ‘extra’ events at Walt Disney World?
We mentioned it previously, many of the extra events in Walt Disney World will be an extra cost in addition to theme park admission. However, many people travel to Walt Disney World annually for the popular Run Disney Events, and do not visit all of the theme parks during their visit. There are also families who plan annual vacations around seasonal Walt Disney World Parties & Events. Careful research & planning, as well as understanding what your family wants to get out of the trip, will help you decide if these “extras” are worth the time and the cost.
The eighth planning step - what should we pack for our Walt Disney World trip?
We have you covered on this topic with our FREE Walt Disney World packing guide! A lot of what we’ve covered will prepare you to pack for your trip - the time of year, length of your stay, and your planned ‘extras’ at the theme parks. One thing to keep in mind will be souvenirs. These souvenir purchases can be a bit bulky and tricky to squeeze into your original luggage. Our suggestion is to pack an additional duffle bag that is dedicated to souvenirs. Plan accordingly when counting out your allocated carry-on & checked luggage to allow enough flexibility to bring all of your bags back home. You’ll also want to include a bag for your time inside the theme parks to help you stay organized. Finally, knowing what you’ll pack will also determine what items you may want to rent, such as strollers, bed accessories, and anything else that could make the trip with younger kids a bit smoother.
The ninth planning step - what are your options to pay for your next Walt Disney World vacation?
You’ve made your budget and determined all of the magical extras you want to add to your trip. You’re ready to book your trip (via our Travel Services!) and want to know your options to pay for the trip. While Disney Travel no longer offers installment plans, you do not have to pay for the entire trip up front. If you plan far enough in advance you can make payments toward the total balance as long as the total is paid thirty days before you are scheduled to arrive. Our budgeting tool will allow you to calculate your monthly contributions to ensure your trip is paid in full by that 30 day mark.
The tenth planning step - YOU are ready to book your Walt Disney World Vacation!
You’ve planned and planned. You know the parks and you’ve created your perfect itinerary. You’ve built in a rest day for your trip and cannot wait to get some time by the resort pool. Now, the only thing left to do is actually book the trip! The further out you book, the more likely it is that you get the exact room that you want. Some resorts can book very far in advance, typically for very popular holiday events & Run Disney marathons. However, it’s very rare that your dream resort is completely booked when you’re ready to make that deposit. We help you walk through every step of the booking (and planning) process to get the dream Walt Disney World vacation nailed down. Keep in mind - you won’t book all of your dining experiences & extras at the same time as booking your resort. Walt Disney World Resort guests are able to book these 60 days out from your check-in date. Don’t worry, we have tools and ways to help you secure those bookings as well!
What else should you consider for a Walt Disney World vacation?
If you’ve followed these steps to craft your Walt Disney World vacation plan, the only steps left are to keep up with your payments (if you didn’t pay in full), prepare to make your dining & extras (like Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique) reservations, and work on your travel arrangements (we can help with this as well!). Make sure to follow along with our in-depth WDW 101 guide to planning your best vacation ever. We’ll do deep dives on every planning step mentioned within this post, as well as some other fun tangents about traveling to Walt Disney World with toddlers! If you’re ready to start planning that next trip, we would love to help you!
