Hi Chantal,
Welcome to planDisney!!!
I can imagine the excitement in your household as you plan your first trip to the Walt Disney World Resort! Let's start with the logistics. First, make sure you have created a
My Disney Experience account. Once you create that account, you will be able to link your
vacation package,
Disney Park Pass system, and
advanced dining reservations to that account. I also create a separate spreadsheet or chart so that I can track all of our plans, including our flight information.
Next, I suggest you book a vacation package with
resort hotel and
theme park tickets. Our favorite resort hotels include Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Disney's BoardWalk Villas. We love Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Contemporary Resort because we can walk to Magic Kingdom from those resorts and Disney's BoardWalk Villas is a favorite because from there we can walk to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Decide if you will purchase tickets with the
Park Hopper® Option. Honestly, my family does not need the Park Hopper Option. We can find plenty to do at one park per day. Sometimes, however, we want to spend the day in one park and eat dinner in another, so you will need to make the ticket decision that is best for your family.
Definitely visit all four theme parks and, if you can, stay for at least six nights. Once you book a vacation package,
link it in your My Disney Experience account. Then, make Disney Park Pass system reservations for each day that you have valid theme park admission. Once you reach the 60-day mark prior to your trip, make advanced dining reservations. Dining reservations are a must-have. Even though we also did
Mobile Food & Beverage Ordering on our last trip, we had dining reservations for the vast majority of our meals.
Given the ages of your kids, there are attractions at each park that may appeal to them. Our teen girls love Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Toy Story Land and
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Magic Kingdom has a host of classic attractions that we all enjoy, and EPCOT is a lovely experience with so many dining options that we enjoy.
Chantal, I sense that your young ones might be strong in the Force. Be sure to know how to join our Resistance Allies on
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. When the time is near, check out our
planDisney Packing tips. May the Force be with you as you plan!
Magic and memories,
Donyell