We all know that planning a Disney World vacation can get pretty stressful, but it doesn't have to be. Just follow these nine rules, and you're bound to have the most magical time!
1. Decide on a date and make hotel reservations
At disneyworld.disney.go.com, every guest is allowed to make hotel reservations 499 days beforehand. Deciding where you want to stay is the very first thing you should do when planning a Disney vacation, because this will set the tone for your overall budget in the future. Keep in mind that Disney owns over 20 hotels, belonging to either the Value, Moderate, or Deluxe categories.
2. Make a daily schedule and decide on a budget
Now that you know where you're staying, you're probably wondering if you should buy one park per day tickets or Park Hopper tickets (hint: get the one park per day tickets), which Disney Dining Plan to get (it's almost never a good idea to get one, unless you're booking during Free Dining season), and how much money to set apart for each day. Now would also be a good time to make a daily plan to decide which parks you want to visit and when. Insider tip: ALWAYS do Magic Kingdom on Tuesdays. Trust me.
3. Decide if you will be flying or driving
Depending on where you live and how much time and money you're willing to spend, now would be the time for you to balance out the pros and cons of flying or driving. A good reference point would be: if you're crossing more than two states (or a country) to get to Florida, then it's probably a good idea to fly.
4. Make Advance Dining Reservations (also known as ADRs)
180 days before your trip, you can start making ADRs at disneyworld.disney.go.com. While making dining reservations, keep in mind your daily schedule, which Disney Dining Plan you got (if you got one), and your overall budget. Personally, I wouldn't eat at more than one table service location per day, but that depends on each guest.
5. Book FastPass+
60 days before your trip (30 if you're staying offsite), you can start booking FastPass+ selections at disneyworld.disney.go.com. These open up at 7:00 a.m., so make sure to grab some coffee and start planning! Keep in mind that you can only book three FastPass+ per park per day. Once you're at the parks and you've used up all three of your original FastPass+ selections for that day, then you can book more.
6. Buy Memory Maker
This is a huge deal if you don't want to carry a huge camera all day. If you buy this in advance (at least three days before your trip), it will cost you $169 and you will be able to download every single photo taken by PhotoPass cast members throughout your trip. If you do get the Memory Maker, make sure to take advantage of it and take pictures every time you see a PhotoPass photographer (hint: ask them for magic shots, they're worth it!)
7. Tweak your daily plan
By now you already know where you're eating and which attractions you're doing, so consider tweaking your daily plan a bit to accommodate what each person in your party wants to do.
8. Check the weather and pack
Orlando can be very hot, very rainy, and very cold all in the same day, depending on when you're traveling. Consider checking the weather before your trip, and pack layers.
9. Have a magical time!
Disney World is the most magical place on Earth for a reason. You've planned enough, now go have fun, and see you real soon!
Now that you know all these insider tips, you're surely going to have a fun-filled family (or solo) vacation at the Place Where Dreams Come True.
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