Welcome to planDisney, Laurie! You’ve come to the right place for vacation planning advice and I’m happy to practice my Fairy Godmother skills and point you in the right direction.
Since you’re planning for a larger group, there are two different ways you can start. One option, if you are the lead planner and making all the arrangements, is to call (407) 939-5277 to book vacation packages through a Cast Member on the phone. The benefit of this method is that you’re able to secure multiple rooms all at the same time. Now, if you have multiple planners in your group, you can book online and have the lead guest for each room book independently. Regardless of the initial method you choose, you’ll still be able
to plan altogether.
Now, you might be wondering what you’ll need in order to start booking. Regardless of calling in or booking online, you’ll want to start
HERE by inputting your travel dates and number of people. For the purposes of online viewing, only put in the maximum number of guests per room.
planDisney tip: Please note that many of the Disney Resorts Collection hotels have a maximum occupancy of four or five guests per room. If you’d like to see what resorts offer six guests per room, check out THIS question and answer. You’ll then see
Disney Resorts Collection hotel availability for your desired dates. Once you start looking at the different resort options, please come on back to planDisney if you need any recommendations. We love to chat about the different hotels in the Disney Resorts Collection!
Once you have decided what resort best fits your interests and budget, you’ll then move on to theme park tickets. You can select the number of days you’d like to visit the theme parks and the type of ticket that best fits your family. For example, the standard ticket allows you to visit one theme park per day whereas
the park hopper option allows you to start in one theme park and then visit others after 2:00 PM. If this is your first Disney vacation, I recommend the standard ticket and concentrating only on one park per day. I also encourage first time visitors to build in a “rest day” where you can relax and enjoy your Disney Resorts Collection hotel or visit Disney Springs. While exploring the parks from open to close is Magical, it can be exhausting and my family has found that a “down day” in the middle of our week ensures the pixie dust never runs out!
Once your vacation package (hotel stay and theme park tickets) is booked, you will want to link your reservation confirmation number to your My Disney Experience account. If you don’t have one, you can quickly create one
HERE. This platform allows you to see and manage all of your plans (and connect with Family & Friends).
Laurie, I hope this information helps as you begin planning for your Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Please come on back to planDisney with any additional questions. Like Lumiere in Beast's castle, we are ready to serve.
Lauren