Hi Sandra!
Welcome to planDisney!
While there’s really no right or wrong order to
plan your Disney World vacation, here’s a general guideline that I follow.
First up, I decide my travel dates and look into which resort I’d like to stay at. I personally prefer to choose my resort based on location (I love to be able to get back to the resort quickly after a day at the parks!), but there are resorts that accommodate all different types of budgets and preferences.
If you’re looking for a vacation package that includes your resort, park tickets, and maybe even a dining plan (if that’s something you’re interested in), start off by
choosing your resort on Disney World’s website. After you put in your travel dates and party, you’ll be able to choose if you’d like to see Room Only rates or Package rates.
It’s always good to check out the
Special Offers page of Disney World’s website to see if anything will work with your travel dates, as well!
After your room and tickets are booked, it’s time to start daydreaming about what your vacation will look like! Take a look at which
parks you’d like to visit,
attractions you want to make a priority,
restaurants you’d like to eat at, and
Enchanting Extras you want to add on for an extra special experience. You’ll also want to decide if you want to utilize any
Lightning Lane services during your trip.
Here are the important dates (subject to change) that you need to know about when it comes to planning. It’s good to note that this is assuming you’re staying at a
Disney World resort. These dates look a little different if you decide to stay at an off-property accommodation.
60 days prior to your resort check-in date: book your Advanced Dining Reservations beginning at 6 AM Eastern and Enchanting Extras (usually) beginning at 12 AM Eastern.
7 days prior to your resort check-in date: book your Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Single Pass, and/or
Premier Pass for your park days.
As you go through this planning process, make sure you download the
My Disney Experience app right off the bat. That will be your hub for all things planning!
If you’re looking for help booking your trip, I recommend searching for an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. You can use your favorite search engine online or use your favorite social media app to find one that you’d like to work with.
I hope that gives you some guidance as you start planning! If you have any other questions, feel free to come back and visit us. We’re always happy to help!
Jenn J.