Hi there, Alishia!
A warm welcome to planDisney and thank you for stopping by with your
Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning question. I'm excited to hear that you're interested in planning a visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth and I'm happy to walk you through how to get started!
Alishia, for me, the first step in planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation is choosing the dates. It looks like you're hoping to visit in early October - great choice!
Autumn at the Walt Disney World Resort is a special (and spooky!) time. You may even consider checking out
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park, offered on select dates throughout the fall!
Once you've pinned down the timing of when you'd like to travel, it's time to start looking at
vacation package options. To do this, visit the Walt Disney World Resort website and input your dates and party size in the "Build Your Vacation" tab on the homepage. Then, select "View Rates." First, you'll select a
Disney Resort hotel that suits your group's needs, interests, and budget. On the next screen, you'll choose your room type and select "Package" to view the standard package rates with
theme park tickets included. After that, you'll decide on the number and type of theme park tickets you'd like. Here, you'll be able to customize your ticket by adding the Park Hopper, Water Park and Sports, or Park Hopper Plus options. Finally, you'll have the option to select ground transportation options and add
Memory Maker, if you'd like. At the time of booking a vacation package, you'll pay a $200 deposit (subject to change) and the remaining balance will be due at least 30 days before your scheduled arrival.
Alishia, I recommend keeping an eye on the
Special Offers page on the Walt Disney World Resort website or the
Disney Parks Blog for news on any promotions that might be released for your travel dates. If you book a vacation package and find an applicable special offer at a later date, you may even have the option of applying the discount to your existing reservation!
Once you've booked your vacation package (hooray!), you'll be able to make payments in
My Disney Experience on the Walt Disney World Resort website. To do this, simply navigate to "My Plans," locate your Resort hotel reservation, and click on "Make a Payment."
Alishia, I'm wishing you all the best as you continue to plan a memorable visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth. If you have any additional planning questions, please stop back by planDisney again anytime. We're here to help you make the most of your Walt Disney World Resort vacation!
See ya real soon,
Lauren