Planning Your Very First Trip To Walt Disney World

So, you are planning your very first trip to Walt Disney World. I’m sure that you are very excited, but you are probably completely overwhelmed! Gone are the days that you can simply hop on a plane, buy your tickets at the park, and expect to get everything done in one day. You can, technically, still wait to buy your tickets at the park, but you would be missing out on so many opportunities to help maximize your day(s). Disney has almost made planning a necessity, which, depending on the kind of person you are, may be good or bad. I lean more towards good than bad, because there are so many opportunities for you to help maximize your trip to make sure you get everything done that you want to. However, this also takes a fair amount of research. It’s easy to plan the entire trip yourself using Disney’s website and app. Some people choose to use a travel agent to take some of the load off of themselves. Many offer there services for free. But, even going this route, there are things that you will want to research and know ahead of time.

Here, I am going to break down the basic things that you should prepare to plan for. This will be a very basic overview to get you started. Future posts will go into more detail on each individual aspect.

Step 1: Decide when to go

Disney doesn’t really have a slow time these days, but there are still time periods that are slower than others. Of course, if the only time you can go to fit your schedule is during a peak period, then go! You can and will have a great time at Disney world any time of year, but it does help to know what to expect.

In general, the parks are busiest when kids are out of school, and a lot of people don’t have to work. This means summer, spring break, Christmas vacation, holiday weekends (Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Memorial Day, etc). Weekends, in general, are also busy. Disney also hosts a lot of running events, (marathons, half marathons, etc…), which cause the parks to be extra busy. You can check the calendar for these events if you wish to avoid them.

Weather could also be a factor in your decision. Obviously, the hottest months are over the summer, especially July and August. It also rains almost every day in the summer, but these rain storms only last a couple hours in the afternoon, and then they clear up again.

Like I said, I’m not going to go into too much detail, but, aside from your own schedule, crowds and weather are usually the two biggest factors of deciding when to go. Make sure to do your research if you wish to avoid crowds, or if you don’t want it to rain every day on your trip.

Step 2: Decide how long to go for

This is a personal decision that will vary for each person/family. If you just want to visit each park, and don’t necessarily care about doing everything, then 4 days might be enough for you. In general, if you want to experience the most that you can to be satisfied, one full week is usually a good amount of time. This gives you a good amount of time to see most of what you want to see, while still allowing for some time to slow down and relax. There is so much more to see and do than you probably realize. You will still miss things, but that is just all the more reason to go back!

Step 3: Decide Which Parks to Visit

I, and most people I know, would suggest going to all 4 parks, especially if this is your first time. However, some people may only be able to go for 2-3 days. With the right tickets, you can park hop on the same day, but not everyone wants to do that.

Magic Kingdom is always a yes. That is the main park with the castle that everybody thinks of when they think of Disney. It also has the most rides out of all of the parks. The other 3 all have their draws, so, if you can’t make it to all 4, you will have to decide which ones sound the most fun to you.

Step 4: Set up a My Disney Experience Account

This will be your best friend when making your plans at Disney. You can make plans online, and through the app, using your My Disney Experience account. This is where you can buy tickets, book your hotel, make dining reservation, book FastPasses, and more. So, this is a definitely must do when planning!

Step 5: Decide Where to Stay

You have one big decision to make before you start looking at places to stay. Do you want to stay on Disney property or off property? Staying on property will give you perks that aren’t available to people staying off property. Such as, extended hours in the morning and evenings at certain parks, the ability to make FastPasses first, free transportation to all of the theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs, free transportation to and from the airport, and access to the Disney Dining Plan if you want to prepay for your meals.

Of course, most people can find cheaper options off property. Disney has different levels of resorts, including, “value resorts,” which does make staying on property affordable, but there are almost always cheaper options off property, especially for bigger families. However, part of the premium you pay for staying on property is to have access to all the benefits that on property guests enjoy (free transportation is a big one for people who don’t want to rent a car, don’t want to drive, or can’t drive). You will just have to weigh the pros and cons for your unique situation.

Step 6: Book Airfare

Next, if you aren’t driving, book your airfare around your travel dates. For people who live in the U.S., I always recommend looking at Southwest first. They are the only big airline left that will give you 2 free checked bags along with your free carry on bags. They will never charge you a fee for changing or cancelling your flight. You only have to pay the difference if the new flight is more expensive. They also will give you your money back (either through a refund or an airline credit depending on your ticket type) if you have to cancel. You also don’t have to worry about paying to pick your seat because their are no seat assignments, you get to choose your own seat once you board.

Be careful with budget airlines, such as Spirit and Frontier. Their prices may be attractive at first, but they will hit you with fees with everything from carry on bags, to printing your ticket. They also don’t have as many flights, so if your flight gets cancelled, you may be out of luck. They can still be a good deal for certain people, just make sure and do your research.

After you book your flight, make sure you have a way of getting to your resort. If you are staying on Disney property, you can use shared services such as MEARS Connect or Sunshine Flyer.

Step 7: Book Dining Reservations

This is optional, based on if you think you will want to eat at table service restaurants on Disney property or not. Disney has a lot of amazing restaurants, and you can book a reservation up to 180 days before your trip. That may seem like a long time, but, believe me, there are certain popular locations that will book up that first day. Most won’t, but you will want to book as early as possible because your options will get slimmer the closer you get to your trip. You can make reservations online or through the phone. You can also modify or cancel at any time, so if you aren’t sure yet, it’s a good idea to book it and cancel it later.

Step 8: Book Airport Transfer

After you book your flight, make sure you have a way of getting to your resort. If you are staying on Disney property, you can use shared services such as MEARS Connect or Sunshine Flyer.

Step 9: Look into MemoryMaker

I know I said that I was going to keep things general, and not go into any specifics in this post, but I thought that this one is worth mentioning. Disney has PhotoPass Photographers stationed throughout the entire resort that will take your picture in front of memorable icons or backgrounds. If you buy MemoryMaker, you will have digital access to every single one of these photos. You will also have access to every photo that comes from a ride. Disney will also add “magic” touches to some of your photos (which is why they may ask you to pose in, what may seem like, a strange way), and they even include short videos in certain locations. You can buy this either before or after your trip, but, if you prepay, then you get a relatively significant discount. It may seem expensive, but, if you take advantage of it, you will end up with hundreds of photos.

Step 10: Relax and Enjoy Your Vacation!

This is, of course, the most important step. Enjoy yourself. It may be hard with all of the planning that you have to do, but, even with all the planning, there is still room for spontaneity. If things don’t go exactly as planned, and they won’t, then adapt! Your plans will change. Think of your plans as more of an outline of what you want to do, and, if they change, just enjoy the moment. And, don’t worry about the crowds. They will be there, but everyone is there for one reason. To have fun!