Hello Ambrea!
How exciting to be at the beginning stages of planning a big family trip! For us,
planning is half the fun. There are so many choices of where to stay, where to eat, and what attractions need to be on your must-do list!
There are many ways to check out all the exciting things the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer. In the digital age, you can find blogs, fan-sites, and videos, but unfortunately, Disney no longer offers printed materials to mail to Guests. But Hakuna Matata, Ambrea! It means no worries, and I have some great ideas for you!
First, the
Walt Disney World website is a great place to start. I would recommend you begin on
this planning page, and then by looking at the many
Disney Resort Collection Hotels to see which resorts will work for your vacation budget. From there, head over to YouTube and involve the kids by showing them videos of the resorts you think might work. There are so many videos available from room tours, to resort overviews, you can get a much more in-depth view of the resorts. Once you have your resort selected, it’s time to check out attractions! The Disney Parks YouTube channel is the place to be, where you can find videos of some of the attractions, nighttime spectaculars, and exciting events planned for the
50th Anniversary. You can even check out our videos here on
planDisney!
If written materials are truly your preference, I would start with a trip to your local library. I always liked “The Unofficial Guide to Disney with Kids,” and their corresponding website - Touring Plans. You may also want to check out Birnbaum’s Official Guides, and especially their version for kids. The Birnbaum Guides have full color photos that kids love. We just returned from a trip where we brought first-time visitors with us. I sent the kids a copy of Birnbaum’s so they could get an idea of what to expect and so they could create their own must-do list. These titles are also usually available from online retailers such as Amazon if you prefer your own copies.
Also, know that
we are here to offer our expert advice for your vacation. We can help with resort recommendations, give you tips for scoring that perfect dining reservation, and share tricks for making the most of your time in the parks. We love talking Disney and are here to help!
Happy Planning!
- Kate