Plan The Ultimate Girls Trip to Disney
EPCOT 40th Birthday Party
Turning 40 was a milestone I’ll never forget, and I celebrated in the best way possible—by taking all my favorite girls to Walt Disney World for the ultimate girls’ trip. It was an absolute blast, and I want to share how you can plan a magical Disney getaway with your friends. However, the realities of organizing a group trip to Disney can be a bit more complex than you might expect.
A girls' trip to Walt Disney World is the perfect blend of fun, relaxation, and bonding. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, escaping the daily grind, or just indulging in Disney magic with your closest friends, planning this kind of trip requires a different approach than family vacations. With fewer constraints, there’s more room for spontaneity and flexibility, but you still need careful coordination. From room sharing and budgeting to syncing park reservations and dining plans, organizing a trip with friends takes thought and attention to detail—but the payoff is well worth it!
Kickstarting the Planning: How to Invite Friends to Your Disney Birthday Celebration
When planning a milestone birthday celebration like a trip to Walt Disney World, the first step is letting your friends know in a way that sets the tone and gives them all the details they need. A great approach is to send out an email that expresses your excitement while being clear about your plans. In the email, share the basics: when you’re going, what you’ll be doing, and what to expect budget-wise. For example, you could say, “I’m thrilled to start planning my 40th birthday celebration with you all! I’ll be heading to Walt Disney World over Labor Day Weekend from August 30th to September 2nd to celebrate 40 years. I’m planning two days at the parks, a relaxing spa afternoon, and a fun night out. The goal is to keep the budget around $1,000 per person." This gives everyone a clear idea of the timeline and cost, setting expectations early on.
It’s also important to emphasize that you understand if not everyone can attend. Acknowledge that life happens—some friends might have prior commitments, family responsibilities, or financial constraints. Be sure to express that their presence is wanted, but not expected. You might say, “While I’d love to have you all there, I completely understand if it doesn’t work out. I know Labor Day weekend can be busy with family traditions and other commitments, so please don’t feel pressured or guilty if you can’t join. You’ll be missed, but I truly understand.” This lets your friends know that there’s no pressure, while still making them feel valued and included.
Room Sharing and Accommodations
When planning a girls' trip, one of the first things to consider is how you will share rooms. Unlike family trips, where different sleeping arrangements (like suites or villas) may be necessary to accommodate kids, adults traveling together tend to share rooms. Disney resorts offer a wide variety of accommodations, ranging from value resorts with budget-friendly room options to deluxe resorts with spacious villas that offer added comfort.
It’s important to decide early on how many rooms you’ll need and who will be sharing with whom. Depending on your group's size, you may opt for adjoining rooms or a larger suite to keep everyone close and create that fun, "slumber party" atmosphere. Resorts like Disney's Art of Animation or Disney's BoardWalk Inn offer suites that can accommodate larger groups.
Tip: Make sure to book early, especially if you’re planning to visit during peak seasons like the holidays or summer months. Larger accommodations and adjoining rooms can sell out quickly. We were doing during labor day weekend, so even though August and September are usually less crowded we knew that would be a busy weekend.
Renting Points from DVC Rental Store
Boulder Ridge Studio at Wilderness Lodge
We rented points through the DVC Rental Store, which allowed us to book a studio for the added Thursday night to attend an after-hours event. For the main part of the trip, we rented a two-bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs, and I was fortunate enough to host one of the rooms—a gesture I was incredibly grateful for. I’ve written an entire blog on why you should consider renting points through DVC Rental Store, so be sure to check that out. We saved over 30% by renting points, and I highly recommend it! Splitting the cost of a rented room among multiple people adds even more savings, making it an even better value.
Collecting Money for Park Tickets and Accommodations
One person should take the lead on booking the trip to keep things organized. This includes making sure the group is linked in My Disney Experience, booking the resort, and coordinating park tickets. When it comes to collecting money, using a tool like Venmo or PayPal (make sure no one sends it to you as a business expense so they will not deduct money) makes it easy to gather payments for park tickets, dining reservations, and other expenses upfront. Consider setting deadlines for payments, so no one falls behind.
For park tickets, the earlier you purchase, the better. Tickets tend to increase in price, and getting them early allows you to plan for Lightning Lane bookings if your group wants to maximize ride times.
If some of your group members are Annual Passholders, it’s important to discuss ticket options in advance to avoid confusion during booking. Passholders often receive extra perks or discounts on park tickets and hotel rooms, which could benefit your group. One of my friends was a military spouse, so she purchased her own tickets using the Military Salute discount. Make sure to inform everyone that if they have access to cheaper tickets elsewhere, they should explore those options.
Also, consider skipping the Park Hopper option. While I love the flexibility it provides, the extra cost—about $80 per person—just didn’t make sense for our trip. We were there to relax and have fun, and with our busy schedule, we wouldn’t have had time to take full advantage of park hopping. This was a girls' trip, and our priority was enjoying the time together, not rushing between parks.
I was very diligent about setting clear payment deadlines to ensure everything ran smoothly. Since I was able to purchase Magic Your Way military tickets, which offer about a 7% savings with no tax, I took on the responsibility of buying all the park tickets. The great thing about these tickets is that there’s no limit on how many you can purchase, making it a convenient option for group trips. I also covered the room costs upfront, which was a significant expense that not everyone might be able to manage. To make it easier for everyone, I spread out the payment deadlines over the course of the month, with the final payment for both tickets and the room due 30 days before the trip. This approach helped everyone stay on track without overwhelming them financially.
Meal Planning and Dining Reservations
Planning meals for a group of friends at Disney can be challenging since everyone has different tastes, preferences, and budgets. Disney offers a broad range of dining options, from quick-service spots to fine dining experiences. For a girls' trip, it’s fun to mix things up with a variety of dining options, including special reservations for memorable meals.
Before making any dining plans, consider everyone’s budget. Some may prefer the convenience of grabbing a quick-service lunch in the parks, while others might want to indulge in a leisurely table-service meal. To save both time and money, you could also order groceries or enjoy a simple breakfast in the room before starting the day.
Try to schedule at least one signature dining experience, such as California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort for an elegant dinner with a view of the fireworks. Another great option is Wine Bar George at Disney Springs, perfect for sharing plates and sipping wine.
Dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance, so plan ahead and book early. For larger groups, it can be tricky to secure reservations. Disney’s system sometimes limits how many people can book at once, so if you’re coordinating a group as large as mine, you might need to split the booking process among several people on different My Disney Experience accounts. For example, for our group, I had to split reservations at 1900 Park Fare and Via Napoli across three different accounts. I made sure all reservation times were within the same 30-minute window, and we arrived at the restaurant about 15 minutes early to request combining our tables.
Check From Via Napoli
I wanted to balance a mix of nice meals with quicker options, knowing we wanted time to explore the World Showcase since the Food and Wine Festival had just started. Given the August heat, I made sure everyone had a solid meal beforehand to avoid anyone getting hangry, especially with the long lines. I opted for an early dinner around 4:30 PM at Via Napoli before we ventured out to sample the festival offerings around the world. This way, we had the best of both worlds—great sit-down meals and time to enjoy Disney’s culinary festivals. And my friends understood the assignment as they were sending my pictures of their food before they ate! Hahaha!
Splitting the Check
When it comes to meals, I believe it’s important to keep things easy, efficient, and fair. Here’s what we did: the drinkers split their meal costs, while the non-drinkers handled their portion of the bill. At Disney, some receipts are labeled by seat, allowing everyone to pay based on their assigned seat. Typically, one person would put the entire bill on their card, and then everyone would Venmo their share right away. This approach ensures that nothing gets forgotten and keeps the payment process smooth and hassle-free! Also having one check allowed us to use my DVC discount on food, they will not give the discount on multiple checks.
Handling Different Preferences & Personalities
When traveling with a group of close friends, it's natural for everyone to have different ideas about how they want to spend their time. Some may be eager to rope-drop the parks and hit all the major attractions, while others might prefer a more relaxed approach, like lounging by the pool or indulging in some spa time. The beauty of a girls' trip is embracing those differences while still finding time to come together.
Having an itinerary is helpful, but flexibility is key. One of the best aspects of a girls' trip is the freedom to split up and do different things throughout the day without pressure. In a larger group, you'll likely have Disney lovers who want to be in the parks and friends who you have to make lean into the magic a little more :) — then there are the people who are just along for the ride especially if you're celebrating a birthday. As the planner, it’s essential to go with the flow. For example, on our Magic Kingdom day, it rained heavily. If I had been with my family, we probably would have left the park to do something else and returned later. But since it was my birthday, everyone wanted to stick around and follow my lead. However, some of my Disney loving friends in our group were determined to brave the rain, so we split up. I took the non-Disney girls on a monorail crawl (which was my dream! and I pretended like I had it planned the who time, haha!), where 10 of us explored the resorts, 2 stayed in the parks, and 3 headed back to the room to rest. It worked out perfectly, and we all met back up for TRON and fireworks to end the night on a high note.
Taking the non-Disney girls on a monorail crawl was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It gave me the chance to geek out a little and share the history of the resorts. We visited all three on the loop: starting with drinks at the Contemporary's Outer Rim Bar, then heading to the Polynesian for to-go drinks from Trader Sam’s, and finishing at the Enchanted Rose at the Grand Floridian. It was the perfect way to escape the rain, chat, and have a blast—and we experienced a side of Disney they hadn’t seen before!
Creating an Itinerary
Friendship Boat at EPCOT
As the planner, it’s crucial to create an itinerary that balances fun and relaxation. Unlike a family trip, where you may need to factor in nap times or slower paces, a girls' trip allows for more freedom. Start by choosing which parks you'll visit each day and plan around special events. In August there were a few options, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party had started, After Hours events were still happening, The International Food and Wine Festival began the weekend we arrived. Lots to do but also to plan around.
For each day, make a list of "must-do" attractions, but leave room for downtime or spontaneous decisions. Maybe your group wants to head back to the resort for an afternoon swim or enjoy a late brunch before hitting the parks. The goal is to create a balance between structured plans and flexibility to let everyone enjoy the trip in their own way.
Tip: Consider adding some extras to your itinerary to make the trip feel even more special—such as a fireworks dessert party, spa day at the Grand Floridian, or an after-hours event at Magic Kingdom.
We considered going to the Spa, but opted for a pool day instead, then we did add a day to the trip on the front end to go to the Hollywood Studios After Hours event which was 10000% worth it!
Linking Everyone in My Disney Experience
One of the most challenging aspects of planning a girls' trip is making sure everyone is linked in My Disney Experience. This app is crucial for park reservations, dining bookings, and Lightning Lane selections. The earlier you link everyone, the better. Even with my expertise, I still had one duplicated account which made it so tricky for booking rides and we had to fix it at guest relations the next day. So just make sure that people link as much as possible.
The app can sometimes be finicky, and you may encounter issues with syncing everyone’s park tickets or reservations. If this happens, a call to Disney Guest Services might be needed to ensure everyone is linked properly.
Arrival and Departure Days
Arrival day can be a bit hectic, especially with friends flying in from different places. To keep things low-key, consider skipping the parks and spending time at Disney Springs. It’s a great spot to shop, dine, and enjoy the atmosphere without the pressure of rushing around. We opted for an optional After Hours event that evening. While most of the group arrived early in the day, a few had delayed flights, so keeping it flexible was key. A helpful tip: encourage everyone to avoid booking connecting flights into Orlando, as it can complicate things. Also, remember that Bell Services will hold your bags if you arrive before check-in.
For departure day, planning a nice breakfast is a great idea. However, I was heading out on a Disney Cruise, and most of us—being moms—needed to get back to the 32 kids we left behind! With early flights between 6 and 8 a.m., everyone was able to head out smoothly, and it worked out perfectly.
Making the Trip Special
What sets a girls' trip apart is the opportunity to do things that you might not focus on during a family vacation. Consider splurging on a VIP tour for a stress-free day in the parks, enjoying a spa day at Senses Spa, or booking a private fireworks cruise for an unforgettable night. You can also create a fun theme for your trip, such as matching Disney shirts or coordinated Disneybound outfits for your park days. Little details like custom MagicBands or personalized Minnie ears can make the trip feel extra special and create lasting memories.
It’s My Birthday!!!!!
Of course, I had to go all out for this trip! I wanted to spoil the girls who came from eight different states to celebrate with me. My friends flew in from Alaska, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and New York. It was a pretty loud group, but I also wanted to make sure they felt very loved and had everything they needed for the trip. I had Ohana Concierge decorate both rooms and do a grocery run to stock up on snacks and essentials.
Gift Bags: I put a lot of thought into their gift bags! I ordered the bags and fans from Temu, and the fans ended up being a huge hit. Prior to the trip, I asked everyone what their favorite Disney character was via a questionnaire, and I customized each bag with their name and their chosen character. I ordered matching T-shirts from Magic Tee Co. that said "Bibbidi Bobbidi Crew," while mine said "Bibbidi Bobbidi Birthday Girl."
The bags were filled with cute and fun goodies:
Toilet seat covers from LooReady
Hydration packets from LMNT to keep everyone refreshed
Fanny packs (customized based on their favorite color combinations, which I asked them about beforehand)
Princess-themed nail files
Neutrogena face makeup remover wipes
To-go wipes
Emergen-C packets
And of course, a printed itinerary for the trip
Ohana Concierge went above and beyond. Their customer service was top-notch! They decorated the rooms in an Asha wish theme, which I absolutely loved, and even brought a cake and Gideon’s cookies. It was such a fun and magical time overall, and the little touches made the trip feel extra special.
Our Schedule: The Plan VS. Execution
Thursday
Staying at Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge - two studio rooms, accommodates up to 10 people.
I started my trip with an incredible hosted lunch at Morimoto Asia, and it was hands down one of the best meals I’ve had in ages. As a longtime fan of Morimoto (we love visiting the flagship location in Philadelphia for date nights), it was such a treat to experience the Disney Springs location. I brought three friends along, and we indulged in everything on the menu! For all the delicious details, be sure to check out my full blog post on the experience.
Optional: Hollywood Studios After Hours Event (Includes unlimited drinks and snacks!)
Time: 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Execution:
Everything pretty much went according to plan, and it was absolutely amazing! If you’ve never attended an After Hours event, you need to experience it. Being able to enter the park at 7 PM meant we could ride every single attraction with little to no wait. We even enjoyed dinner at Woody’s Lunch Box, where the crew surprised me by singing “Happy Birthday,” which was such a sweet moment.
The perks were fantastic—unlimited ice cream, popcorn, and soda, all while enjoying incredibly low crowds. I had the chance to meet specialty characters I had never encountered before, like Pinocchio, and I also saw my old favorite, Rafiki.
I highly recommend attending any After Hours event; it was the perfect way to kick off our trip. The relaxed atmosphere allowed everyone to experience Hollywood Studios without the usual hustle and bustle, especially since we weren’t planning to visit this park during the main birthday celebration.
Friday
Sleep in! Enjoy the morning and do whatever you like.
We’ll check in at Saratoga Springs Resort in the afternoon. Instead of transferring luggage through Disney services, we’ll take our bags over ourselves in case the rooms are ready early.
The day is yours! Explore, relax, or take a leisurely stroll.
Meet in the lobby at 5:00 PM for dinner and evening events.
The night will end at Jellyrolls, a piano bar on Disney’s BoardWalk. It’s a late night, so feel free to stay as long as you like! (Jellyrolls closes at 1:45 AM, but we won’t necessarily stay that late.)
Execution:
We all enjoyed a well-deserved sleep-in on Friday after our long night, and eventually decided to grab some breakfast. My friend Kelli and I headed over to Saratoga Springs to check if we could get an early check-in, and to our delight, both rooms were ready at noon! It was such a pleasant surprise. Maya, one of the cast members at the front desk, gave me the sweetest birthday gift that truly touched my heart.
After settling in, everyone made their way to the quiet pool at Boulder Ridge, while some opted for the Paddock Pool, which is my favorite at Saratoga Springs. We grabbed a quick lunch at the Animator’s Palate, the quick-service spot at the resort, before getting ready for dinner.
Since we had a big group, we ordered two Minnie Vans to ensure we arrived on time at Wine Bar George. They really hooked us up; I’m so grateful because many places wouldn’t accommodate a group our size. They seated us upstairs with a stunning view of Disney Springs, and we had one of the best dinners ever.
After dinner, we learned that the drone show was about to start. I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to show the girls this spectacular event. However, it shifted our plans a bit. I knew that if we didn’t arrive at Jellyrolls by 7 PM, we probably wouldn’t get in. But since we were having such a great time, we lingered at dinner for hours. Instead of rushing to the boardwalk, we decided to watch the drone show, which everyone loved. Coincidentally, it was the last weekend for the show, as it was closing on September 2.
Once the show ended, we took the bus over to the boardwalk. Unfortunately, Jellyrolls was packed and not letting anyone else in. So we strolled along the boardwalk, grabbed some more food, and ended up at the Atlantic Dance Hall. We enjoyed a couple of drinks, laughed, and danced a little, making it a truly memorable evening. We finally headed back to our resort, getting in late but filled with wonderful memories from the day.
Saturday
Sleep in or head to the parks early—totally up to you!
EPCOT Day!
We’ll head to the park at 12:00 PM.
Meet at CommuniCore at 12:30 PM.
Dinner at Via Napoli around 4:30 PM.
Execution:
Despite our late night on Friday, we all woke up early on Saturday. Instead of sleeping in, we decided to head to EPCOT and arrived around 10 AM, much earlier than our original plan of noon.
The first half of the day was filled with rides and photo opportunities. We enjoyed our time so much that we forgot the clock and made a reservation at Via Napoli for 4:30 PM. Luckily, we were all able to sit together, but a word of advice: if they suggest limoncello shots, steer clear! Those shots ended up adding $182 to our bill, and honestly, they weren’t worth it. We had a good laugh about it, though!
After dinner, we strolled through the World Showcase, where we were excited to find that The Fray was playing that night. As we walked around, everyone split up to try different foods and attractions. The evening felt relaxed, especially since we weren’t hungry; having eaten a proper meal made all the difference. We knew it wasn’t wise to plan dinner at the World Showcase because the lines can be long, especially in the heat. Instead, with food in our stomachs, we were free to snack and enjoy the treats without any stress.
We secured a fantastic spot for the fireworks, and I think I even preferred it to our usual location in Norway. We got a front-row view with no obstructions, and since we arrived early, we were well-positioned to soak in the whole experience. It was the perfect way to wrap up our day at EPCOT with my friends!
Sunday
Optional: Character Meal at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian (aiming for a 10:30 AM reservation).
Magic Kingdom Day – Don’t forget to wear your matching shirts!
Be at Magic Kingdom by 12:30 PM.
Execution:
My favorite day of the trip was our last day at Magic Kingdom. We wore matching shirts, which made the experience even more fun and was the perfect way to cap off an incredible weekend.
That morning, we were supposed to have breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, a character meal, but I woke up feeling completely exhausted. I looked at my friend and said, “How disappointed do you think people would be if we skipped breakfast?” She replied, “Not disappointed at all!” So, we sent out a group text asking if anyone wanted to join us for breakfast, and we all decided to go back to sleep instead.
We had a Lightning Lane reservation for “it’s a small world” at 9:15 AM, but we barely made it and arrived at the park around 10:30 AM. We took a photo by Cinderella Castle before heading straight to “it’s a small world” to start our day. After that, we rode Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which was such a fun way to kick things off. It was hilarious to see the difference between my friends: the ones I grew up with were wearing ponchos while the ones I met in college were not. It was a rainy day, and we spent some time waiting in the Country Bear Jamboree, enjoying the show. If it were just my family, we would’ve called it a day and headed back to the resort, which I was tempted to do. Instead, I suggested a monorail crawl, something I had always wanted to do. Thankfully, most of the group was on board!
At this point, we split up. Three friends went back to the resort to rest, while two Disney enthusiasts stayed in the park to maximize their ride time. The rest of us embarked on the monorail pub crawl, which was a blast! We spent about 30 minutes at the Contemporary Resort, another 30 at the Polynesian, and an hour and a half at the Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian. We returned just in time for the fireworks. I love standing on the right side of the castle because it gives me a perfect view of Tinker Bell flying overhead. We quickly found a spot and reunited with the whole group of 15 to watch "Happily Ever After." It was absolutely magical, and I couldn’t have asked for a better moment. Some people were even in tears!
After the fireworks, we used our Tron Lightning Lane and discovered that the line was practically empty, allowing us to walk right on. We asked if we could also use our virtual queue, and they let us, so we got to ride Tron back-to-back! While some rode Buzz Lightyear afterward, the rest of us took some nighttime photos in front of the castle.
As the night came to a close, we headed back to the resort, where my friends surprised me with the sweetest gifts and surprises. It touched my heart to see how much thought they put into it. This weekend reminded me of how much I love this group of women and how fortunate I am to have these friendships that have lasted so long. I cherish them deeply, and I can’t imagine my life without them. While I’m not sure when we’ll all be together again, the memories we created will stay with me for a lifetime.
Monday
Departure Day – Time to head home! Most of the girls flew home between 6 am - 9 am, only 2 remained and then my husband and I headed out on the Disney Wish!
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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
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What is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass?
Strolling through Disney: Disney Stroller Tips
What to do if you Get Sick at Disney
Baby Care Centers at Walt Disney World
The Differences between Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort
Who is the Mom behind Well Hello Magic?
I am so happy to be on this journey with you.
