How to Plan a Disney Vacation
Updated: August 2024
So you want to Plan a Disney Vacation…
Planning a vacation to Walt Disney World can seem like a daunting task, but I'm here to help. I promise you we will get through this together!
Let me break down the steps you need to take to plan the most magical trip. If you're feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start, don't worry - I've got you covered! If you are looking for information on Disneyland from a Walt Disney World perspective head over to the Disneyland Tab.
When planning your Walt Disney World vacation, the first step is to determine your budget. On average, a family of four can expect to spend around $5,500. However, it is possible to make the vacation much cheaper or to significantly increase the expenses. Regardless of your budget, you can still have a magical vacation. It is important to establish a realistic budget and then add a buffer of 10%. To give you an idea of a realistic amount, the cheapest park tickets are around $109 per day per person. Start with this number and set a budget that works for your family.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort 2023
Here are some FAQs to help you start planning your Disney Vacation.
How far in advance can you book Disney Vacation?
Did you know that you can typically book a Disney vacation 499 days in advance, depending on the availability of the calendar year? If Disney is set to release their calendar on May 31st for the next year, you potentially could book your vacation over a year and a half in advance and pay your package down monthly! Making it easier for you to attain that DIsney Vacation and the balance is due 30 days before your vacation.
Hollywood Studios 2023
How come I can't always book 499 in advance?
Disney typically releases their calendar around May for on average, 18 months. This is always subject to change. For example, with the release of WDW dates on May 31st, we hope they will release the entire calendar year for booking until December 31st, 2024.
If you try to book right now on May 15th, you can only book till December 31st. But once the calendars are out, you can then book your room up to 499 days in advance. This is why you can only sometimes book your room 499 days in advance.
What do I need to book a room in advance?
$200! That's right, $200 allows you to put a deposit on your Disney resort room and ticket package. This will enable you to pay your balance off monthly because Disney does not offer payment plans. But you can pay your balance or partial payment anytime by logging onto your My Disney Experience Account.
Explain Paying off the balance for my disney vacation?
Disney does not offer payment plans. But it only requires a $200 deposit on your entire package if you book your hotel, park tickets, and Disney Dining Plan you can set up a self-set payment plan, so if you do not pay, your balance will be due 30 days before. But if you set yourself up for success and plan to pay monthly, you can ensure your vacation is paid off before the 30-day mark.
What accommodations does Walt Disney World Resort have?
Walt Disney World Resort offers a range of over 20 Disney Resort Collection Hotels that cater to varying preferences and budgets. These hotels are categorized into four groups: Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas. The Value group hotels are perfect for budget-conscious travelers who still want to experience the magic of Disney. The Moderate group hotels offer a little more luxury and amenities, while the Deluxe group hotels provide the ultimate Disney experience with premium accommodations, dining options, and recreational activities. These hotels are strategically located within the resort, providing easy access to the various theme parks, water parks, and other attractions, making your Disney vacation even more memorable. On my YouTube Channel I have numerous room tours and resort tours to show you the different options available to you. The way that I decide what is the best room for me is by there simple things.
Budget (the most important - because I need to know what I can spend)
Accommodations needed (a family of 4 has more options than a family of 6)
Proximity to the parks (I want to know how far I have to travel to each park)
Food Options (this is important if you plan to spend time at the resort, but less important if you will be at the parks all day.)
Transportation (how do I get to the parks and how long does each mode of transportation take)
Does Walt Disney World have Discounts?
Chef Mickey’s 2023
Walt Disney World announces their prices for admission and accommodations and then offers deals throughout the year. These discounts and promotions are aimed at existing Disney customers and can range from discounts for Disney+ subscribers, Disney Visa cardholders, and annual pass holders to off-peak discounts to attract more visitors. It's recommended to check periodically for these discounts and take advantage of them if they become available, even if you've already booked your trip. Disney will honor the discount and save you money. Military families can expect discounts to be announced in November. For those looking for a discounted package, Port Orleans Riverside is a great option for a resort that will likely have a discount.
Also, Undercover Tourist is the number one trusted retailer of authorized theme park tickets, resorts, rental cars, and more! Take these discounts seriously. Every discounted room, ticket, and rental car adds more money to your pocket and gives you extra for some Disney Enchanted Extras. They even have a budget calculator that will break things up for you and value, moderate, and deluxe so that you can find the best price point for your purchase. The best part is they have a 365-day return policy! And you cannot beat that!
Another way to save but this can be more complicated is by renting DVC points to stay at Deluxe Resorts. When Disney Vacation Club members (Disney’s version of a timeshare) have excess points or if they are not able to make it down that year, they will rent out their points for their home resorts. This can offer you a savings of 30 - 50% off Deluxe resorts. If you are interested in this read my blog on Why you should rent from DVC Rental Store, a place that I have used in the past.
Booking Windows for Walt Disney World?
Disney World Dining Reservations: 60 days in advance of your stay (on-site guest can book for up to 10 days of their vacation)
Disney World Ticket Only Orders: 365-499 days in advance of your booking date
Disney World Vacation Package Reservations: 365-499 days in advance of your booking date
Disney World Room Only Reservations: 499 days in advance of your booking date
Disney World Lightning Lane On Site Guests: 7 days in advance of your stay (for up to 14 days of your Disney vacation)
Off Property Guest can book Lightning Lanes: 3 days prior to their park visit one day at at time
How far in advance should I plan my Disney Vacation?
It depends on how many days you want to be there and how much you know about Walt Disney World. If you are new to the World of Walt Disney World, or the last time you went was a child. I always advise that you take at least a year to plan, but if you already have the budget for it, you can plan it in under 6 months no problem. Just like if you were traveling overseas to Japan, England, or China, you want to really do your research so that you know how to effectively maximize your time there without being stressed out. Walt Disney World is the size of San Francisco, with over 26 Disney Resort Collection hotels, four different theme parks, two water parks, three golf courses, and an enormous entertainment district with 99 shops, 68 dining establishments, and 16 attractions shows and events.
How do I pick my dates for my Disney Vacation?
When it comes to Well Hello Magic, there's one important lesson to take away: don't let the crowds get to you. The crowds won't ruin your Disney vacation, they'll just require a little more strategic planning. Whether the parks are packed or not, you can still have an amazing time at Walt Disney World by focusing on what your family loves about Disney and building your trip around those things. It's important to avoid getting caught up in the fear of missing out and instead stay focused on what you want to accomplish in the parks.
One great tool to help you plan is Undercover Tourist's crowd calendar, which uses over 20 years of ticket sales and data to predict crowd levels. If you're looking to visit during a time with low crowds, September historically has the lowest, followed by August and January (excluding the Marathon race weekend and the 3-day holiday). We've traveled to Walt Disney World in every month and can attest that it's doable as long as you have a strategy in place.
If you want to know what is goin on around the resort the WDW Prep School crowd calendar is what I use. Their crowd calendar focus on what events are goin on. For example during cheerleading competitions I am less likely to stay at All-Star Resorts since that is where most of the cheerleaders stay, and they get up early and practice routines in the middle of the resort making it very noisy in the mornings. If there are several football tournaments you can expect the All-Star Resorts to be crowded as well.
The last crowd calendar I use that is Thrill Data, this is a site that focuses on the rides and attraction waits in the park. It lets me see patterns of what rides are more popular on certain days, and helps me build a strategy for the parks. But you can also get this information by following my instagram account.
Perfectly Princess Tea - Grand Floridian 2018
Monorail Red January 2022
Weather at Walt Disney World
November - February in Walt Disney World
Florida starts to cool down in November. Depending on where you're from, you may need a light layer, but by December, it gets cooler. The moisture in the air makes Florida feel colder than in dry climates, which makes the air feel colder. When travelling to Florida in winter, it's best to pack for all seasons, and bring blankets for the kids in the evening because it can get that cold!
March - May in Walt Disney World
It's getting quite hot over here! I was really surprised by how warm it was in March. I wasn't expecting it to be so warm. While it's not quite Florida-hot yet, it's definitely warm enough to require both pants and shorts, and possibly even a light jacket. We found that March was a great time to visit Disney, as it was warm enough to enjoy all the water activities, but still cool enough to be comfortable.
June - October in Walt Disney World
Summer is scorching outside. Make sure you pack all the necessary items to survive the heat. July, August & September are the hottest months, so plan accordingly. If you're visiting during summer, make sure to schedule a day at the water park. This time of year is very popular, as schools are out of session and many families travel to Orlando.
How long should you stay?
In a perfect world, we would get all the time we needed when we vacationed. But with Walt Disney World being the size of San Francisco at 43 square miles or two times the size of Manhattan, there is so much to do and see in one trip. It's important to know that in ONE Walt Disney World trip, you will only scratch the surface of what Walt Disney World has to offer. In deciding your trip length, it will be essential to determine how many days you want at the park, how many rest days you will need, and if you'll spend time doing activities outside the parks.
My perfect trip to Disney is ten days. If I could go yearly and spend ten full days down in Disney without having to work, you could build the perfect trip.
This is my timeline:
Day 1 - Arrival at Disney Springs
Day 2 – Epcot
Day 3 - Magic Kingdom
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - Hollywood Studios
Day 6 - Water Park
Day 7 - Animal Kingdom
Day 8 – Rest/Ft. Wilderness Campground – Dinner & Campfire
Day 9 - Leisure Park Day or Park Hopper Day
Day 10 - Go Home
I want to emphasize that even with a 10-day timeline, you will only be able to scratch the surface of all the amazing things that Walt Disney World has to offer. Your vacation will still be incredible and full of exciting activities and attractions. And it is not very common for my family to have a 10-day vacation at Walt Disney World Resort, we are lucky to do this once every two or three years.
Even if we only have five to six days due to our work schedules, we still have an amazing time. It's better not to try to visit every single park, even on shorter trips like four days. The recommended length of stay at Walt Disney World depends on your vacation goals and interests.
Some people prefer to spend a few days exploring one or two parks, while others may want to visit all four parks and spend a week or more. It's also important to consider the size of the crowds, as larger crowds make it more challenging to experience everything you want.
Typically, the average trip to Walt Disney World lasts 4-5 nights. Many visitors arrive at the park, spend 2 days exploring the parks, take a rest day, and then spend 2 more days at the parks before returning home.
Day 1 - Arrival Day
Day 2 - EPCOT
Day 3 - Magic Kingdom
Day 4 - Rest Day
Day 5 - Hollywood Studios
Day 6 - Animal Kingdom
Day 7 - Departure Day
Remember, you do not have to visit all four parks to have an amazing time. And, if you follow my steps in planning your Disney vacation, I can assure you with 100% certainty that you will want to come back.
Benefits of staying on Walt Disney World Resort Property
Staying on Disney property comes with numerous benefits, some of which are:
Early Theme Park Entry: Guests can enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before normal operating hours.
Priority Lightning Lane Booking: Walt Disney World guest are able to book Lightning Lanes 7 days prior to their Disney Vacation for up to 14 days
Complimentary Transportation: Guests can take complimentary transportation to and from the airport, parks, and Disney Springs.
Advance Dining Reservations For Multiple Days: Guests can make dining reservations up to 60 days in advance for up to 10 days of your DIsney Vacation.
Extended Theme Park Hours: Guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels or Disney Deluxe Villas can enjoy extended evening hours in select theme parks on select nights.
Convenient Charging Perks: Guests can charge all their food and merchandise to their room.
Discounts on MagicBands: Guests who order MagicBands or MagicBand+ in advance can access a discount.
Other benefits include:
Disney Dining Plans
Free Parking at the Resorts and Theme Parks
Walt Disney World Holiday Seasons and Parties
Walt Disney World has events year-round. The calendar below is just a rough sketch of different events every year. This can change, more can be added, and some can be changed. But the holiday season begins around mid-August with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Also there are additional events like After-Hours Events, H20 Glow Nights and special ticketed events that will be on the calendar.
MNSSHP September 2022
MNSSHP August 2022
Do I still need park reservations at Walt Disney World?
Starting from January 9, 2024, date-based tickets for Disney parks will no longer require you to make a Park Pass reservation. This applies to date-based tickets which are most likely included in a resort package.
Here are the Tickets that still need a park reservation:
Annual Passes
Student Group Tickets
Convention TIckets
Cast Members
Disney Militry Salute Tickets
Magic Your Way Tickets
Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets
This is the current list but always double check your ticket type.
Once you have your tickets, it is always a good idea to reserve your park dates. If you are traveling during a low-crowd season, I recommend to book reservations at least 30 days prior. On the other hand, if you are traveling during the holiday season and have specific days you want to visit each theme park, it is advisable to book at least 60 days in advance.
It's important to note that on the dates you have selected, there may not be any available space for "Theme Park Ticket Guests" in some parks. However, space may still be available for "Disney Resort Guests." If this is the case, you will need to stay at a Disney or partner hotel in order to access that particular park.
Here's what you need to know:
You must make a Parks Pass reservation for the park you plan to visit on a specific day.
You must start your day by visiting the park you have a reservation for before hopping.
Park Hopping is available all day but the park hopper bus does not start running until 10 am.
Should I use a Travel Agent to plan my Disney Vacation?
There are many reasons to have a travel agent or advisor to help plan your Disney Vacation. But you must decide if it is best for you and your family. You are the best person to plan your Disney Vacation. But with the expense of Disney and the time it takes to prepare, it never hurts to have a helping hand. Also, Walt Disney World is different from many places because it constantly changes and evolves. Most travel agents can stay on top of these changes and give you the information you need for your Disney Vacation. Having a travel agent does not mean you lose control of your trip. It just gives you a helping hand in booking experiences you want to have on your vacation. There are a few I really like, @happyhauntsplandisney, @jamie_plans_magic for Walt Disney World and @theaktripplanner for Disneyland. If you want a full list and description of agents subscribe to my monthly newsletter and I will send you a list.
Disney Enchanted Extras
Walt Disney World has so many unique experiences that you can add into your Disney Vacation. Here are a few examples of experiences my family has done in the past. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a magical place located at Magic Kingdom Park where children can enjoy a royal makeover experience. At Droid Depot, which can be found at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Galaxy's Edge, you can build your own droid. Fantasmic! is a spectacular show that will leave you speechless and you may want to do a Dining Package. You can also enjoy animal encounters at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Additionally, you can have a unique photo session with iconic Disney backdrops through Capture Your Moment at Disney Springs or set an appointment at the Parks to capture the moment in time. You can book these by calling Calling (407) 939-7529 or head to the Enchanted Extras Collection website to see the different experiences that are offered.
How do I book my Walt Disney World Vacation?
I prefer to call Walt Disney World when making my reservations. The current number is (407) 934-7639. Of course, you can also make reservations online at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ but speaking to someone on the phone lets you find out all the deals happening at Disney. And if you have no interest in waiting on the phone to make reservations, get a travel agent!
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Thank you for visiting the Well Hello Magic blog. If you have questions, please leave them in the comments, and I will be sure to answer them.
Planning a Disney vacation can be overwhelming, but you don't need to worry because we have got your back! Here are a few blogs to help you get organized!
How to Use My Disney Experience
Disney Infants: Everything You Need to Know!
Tips for Traveling with Family, Friends & Large Groups
What is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass?
Strolling through Disney: Disney Stroller Tips
Baby Care Centers at Walt Disney World
The Differences between Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort
Who is the Mom behind Well Hello Magic? Click Here!
I am so happy to be on this journey with you.
