How exciting that you are planning your first trip to Walt Disney World! Here are 10 tips to help you get started with your planning:
1. Picture Walt Disney World property as a city instead of a theme park. Driving around Walt Disney World is like driving around a busy city. Everything is so spread out! But don’t worry, it is all clearly marked.
2. If you are flying to Walt Disney World and staying in a Disney Resort, you can take the FREE Magical Express bus from the airport to the front of your resort. They will even transfer your luggage for you! You will receive an information packet with luggage tags from Disney about 30 days before your trip.
3. Not sure which Walt Disney World to stay in? If you don’t plan to spend much time at the resort and don’t mind a smaller room with double beds then Pop Century or one of the All Star Resorts is for you. If you want to spend a little more money for mid sized rooms, a table service restaurant on property and a quieter resort, than Port Orleans Riverside or Alligator Bayou is for you. If you want to be close to the parks, have a large, deluxe room and have a ton of resort amenities, then Wilderness Lodge or The Contemporary Resort is for you.
4. If you want to see and do everything at Walt Disney World in your first trip, you won’t. Go ahead and accept that now. Make a list of everyone’s top 10 things to see and do and use that list when planning out your day. You can definitely accomplish everyone’s top 10 list.
5. Book your dining reservations at 6 am EST on MyDisneyExperience.com or at 7 am EST at 407-WDW-DINE on the 180th day before your arrival date. You’ll be able to book for your whole trip on this date (as long as it is not over 10 days). You can always change your dining reservations, but booking as soon as possible will give you a better shot at getting the specific times that work best for your family.
6. Book your Fastpass+ selections at 7 AM EST on the 60th day before your arrival date. You’ll be able to book your whole trip (as long as it isn’t over 10 days). You can easily change them, but this is your best shot at getting the most popular attractions. 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and Frozen Ever After are usually gone at 60 days out.
7. Debating on getting the dining plan? Disney.com has a list of every menu for every restaurant on property with prices. Plan out what you would eat in one day at Walt Disney World and see how much you would spend out of pocket and then compare that to the cost of the dining plan. If it is more, get the dining plan. If it is 15% or less than the cost of the dining plan, forgo the plan and pay out of pocket.
8. If you have a child under 6, you might want to plan on a stroller even if you don’t use one at home. You can always park it in stroller parking for a few hours when you don’t need it. The average day at Disney World includes 10 miles of walking. That’s a lot for little legs! You can bring your own stroller, rent a stroller from Disney World or rent a stroller from an off-site company.
9. The very first attraction you take your child on needs to be mild and not scary. The worst thing you could do is take them on something that terrifies them. Then they won’t want to go on anything else! You can watch Youtube videos of the attractions you are considering.
10. Don’t try to do this on your own! I really wish I had know about authorized Disney Vacation planners when I was planning my first trip. I work closely with my friends at Destinations in Florida to help my readers plan amazing family vacations. It costs you absolutely nothing to use their service (your trip automatically has commission built into the cost by Disney. When you book with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner, Disney sends them that commission instead of keeping it themselves) and they go above and beyond making sure you have a magical trip. They help you with your reservations, Fastpass+ selections, give tips and advice and even send magical little things to the kids.
Plus don’t miss 101 Tips For Walt Disney World!
Learn more tips and tricks for your next Walt Disney World vacation. Destinations in Florida can also help you add tips and tricks to your next vacation.
Catrina Castaneda says
I love your blogs! I read all of them. My family is taking our first trip to Disney in September. You sure have helped me a lot.
Thanks!