5 Must-Knows for Planning Your First Disney Trip
You’re finally planning that Disney trip you’ve been dreaming about for years. You open up google and type “Disney World Trip Planning” and find yourself down a rabbit hole of acronyms, crowd calendars and Genie+ rants.
Don’t panic.
Planning a Disney World trip can be overwhelming to even the seasoned pros but especially to those planning for the first time. So here’s a few quick tips to get you started.
- Plan Ahead, But Don’t Over-Plan: Disney World is a vast and busy place, and it can be overwhelming for first-time visitors. So research the attractions, dining options, and shows beforehand and develop a rough itinerary. Just don’t try to squeeze too much into one day. Prioritize the experiences that are most important to you and your group, and avoid the temptation to over-plan. It’s okay not to do everything.
- Book Early: It’s never too early to plan. You want to visit during the summer next year? Start planning this spring/summer. Typically you can book up to about 18 months in advance of a trip. (Packages for the next year typically open in the summer.) You will probably only be able to book your resort room at that point but you can always add your park tickets later.
- Consider Dining Reservations: Many restaurants in Disney World require or strongly recommend reservations. Currently you can book Advance Dining Reservations 60 days before your trip, but sometimes it’s still difficult to book reservations at the most popular restaurants. We can help with that. 😉 Setup a MouseWatcher alert for any reservations you can’t get and when we find an open reservation, you’ll receive an instant notification text or email. Just click the link in the message to complete your booking on Disney’s website.
- Plan for Travel Time: It takes longer to travel between parks and resorts than you think it will. There are lots of free transportation options – buses, boats, monorails and the skyliner. A good rule of thumb is to allow 30 minutes to an hour to of travel time between parks and resorts. And don’t forget to allow time for the security lines.
- It’s Totally Okay To Take A Break: Yes, I know you’re spending an obscene amount of money on this trip so the instinct to “enjoy every single moment to it’s fullest” can be strong. Don’t give in to the temptation. Disney parks are large and crowded, you’ll be doing a lot of walking, it will probably be hot and it might start raining too. Avoid mid-day meltdowns by scheduling a break your resort, or at least a lunchtime reservation to enjoy some A/C. If you’re taking a longer trip, we highly recommend scheduling a mid-week resort day to rest and recharge.