Tips for Getting the Family Involved

National Plan for Vacation Day

1. planDisney Panelists Share their Top Tips for Getting Everyone Involved in the Planning

   “I enjoy having my family involved in the planning from day one – I feel like planning is half the fun! We love day-dreaming about our “must-do” items, whether it’s a day at the pool, or a ride on a certain attraction. We love watching planDisney videos to help us, too! Then, upon arrival, we ask each family member what their “must-do” is for each day. That way, nobody leaves the park feeling like they missed out on something they truly desired to do.” ~Kristin 
   
   “While planning my family’s intergenerational vacation to Walt Disney World Resort, I loved using the Friends & Family feature on the My Disney Experience app! This allowed me to invite each family member to collaborate with the planning process right from their own phones!”~Wyatt
   
   “My favorite part in planning a Walt Disney World vacation is finding ways to get my five kids involved! My favorite idea is to give each child the opportunity to plan one entire day for our family. I sit down with each child and help them do research on each specific Disney Park to choose our schedule for the day, including where we eat and what Disney attractions we will ride from the start to the end of our day. My favorite place to do research is on the "Things to Do" tab on the Walt Disney World website. Here, you will be able to find information on Disney Dining, MAGICAL activities and attractions, and even shopping in each Disney Park. Once the day has been planned, each child will then type it out for our family to reference once we arrive at each Disney Park. For my family, the journey in planning our Walt Disney World vacation is almost as fun as experiencing the MAGIC first-hand!” ~Wes
   
    “The biggest contribution my family loves to make when planning is FOOD! Together, we form a list of must-have dining reservations, locations we want to experience for the first time, and snacks that need to be enjoyed.” ~Tabitha
   
   “To get the most enjoyment out of planning our Walt Disney World Resort vacation, I like to make sure my little ones are excited about what’s to come. I find one of the best ways to get them pumped-up is to show them videos of new rides and experiences. By viewing videos of new experiences, my little ones are a little less hesitant about new attractions (my 4-year old insisted on riding Tower of Terror once he knew what to expect) while also getting them excited for what's to come. Knowing what my kids are most excited about also helps me prioritize our itinerary.” ~Sarah
   
   “When I start planning our visit to Walt Disney World Resort, I have every family member create a list of their top 5 must do experiences and 3 attractions at every theme park. We have so much fun looking through the Walt Disney World Website at all the attractions, entertainment and dining options. This way everyone feels included and it’s a way for us to feel the excitement leading up to the vacation.” ~Stephanie
   
   “I get my family involved in the Walt Disney World vacation planning process by asking each member of the family for their “must do” list. They can include characters they really want to see, a specific souvenir they would like to purchase, attractions they want to experience and their favorite restaurants. I then try to accommodate each member’s requests into our vacation plans. This also helps me to prioritize the time we will spend in each theme park, which dining reservations I will make and sometimes it even helps us choose which Disney Vacation Club Resort or Disney Resort hotel we will choose for our stay.” ~Angie