Hello, Caitlin!
Welcome to planDisney! I am so excited to hear that you are planning to visit the Walt Disney World Resort soon.
When it comes to vacation planning, the best way I have found to afford a Disney vacation is by booking a room and ticket package. I keep a close EAR on the
Special Offers, Deals, & Discounts that Disney offers to see if any of them meet my needs.
When booking a vacation package, Guests are able to
pay a $200 deposit at the time of booking. The balance is due 30 days before your arrival. If you book a vacation package as far in advance as you are able to, you can make payments on the balance as you see fit. Personally, I like to make a payment each month to reduce the total amount due before arrival.
I recommend that once your package is confirmed, you link your room and tickets to your
My Disney Experience account as soon as possible so that you can also make your
Park Pass Reservations. All Guests are required to have a valid admission ticket and park pass reservation to enter a theme park. All theme parks are still operating at limited capacity and may book up during busy times of the year.
Did you know that if you book a vacation package now and the Disney Dining Plan becomes available that you can add it to your package? Dining Plans are extremely popular but they are not available at this time. If they should return after you have booked a package, you can always modify your package to include a Dining Plan when they become available. You would need to speak to a Cast Member to make a change to your existing reservation at (407) 939-5277. I hope this helps with your planning.
See ya real soon,
Andrea