Hi Laura!
Welcome to planDisney!
First and foremost, I know planning a Disney World trip for the first time in a long time can seem overwhelming. A lot has changed in 20 years! But I promise that same magic you experienced then is still around today!
When planning your park days, I recommend each person in your group choose one must-do…whether that’s a specific ride, show, restaurant, nighttime spectacular, snack, drink, character meet and greet, etc. That way, you know everyone will have something to look forward to each day, and it will give you a foundation to plan your itinerary around.
There’s no way to do it all, so focusing your itinerary around your family’s priorities will be key! Beyond that, I like to have a nice-to-see list to give me some guidance throughout my park day. You can explore everything the parks have to offer by using your
My Disney Experience app.
You can maximize your time in the parks by taking advantage of
Early Entry (if you’re a
Disney World resort guest) and/or
Extended Evening Hours (on select nights if you’re a deluxe resort guest). Just make sure to check the
Hours & Events Calendar to see what the park hours are each day. It’s good to note that on nights when Magic Kingdom hosts
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the park closes early to regular park guests.
Something I love to do to keep the flow of my day going is booking
Lightning Lanes to skip the standby queues for some of the attractions. If you’re staying at a Disney World resort, you can purchase your Lightning Lane services 7 days prior to your check-in date. And if you’re staying off property, you can purchase them 3 days prior to the start date of your ticket.
My final piece of advice for a stress-free day? Don’t look at your park ticket as a number of rides. To me, what makes Disney World so special is all the extra experiences beyond the rides. Those in-between moments are some of my favorite memories during my trips. So, instead of going in with the mindset that a park day was only successful if I was able to ride a bunch of rides, I make sure to slow down a bit, which allows me to enjoy the smaller moments, too.
I know that advice was somewhat broad, but hopefully it gives you some guidance! If you have any questions about specific things when planning each park day, feel free to come back and ask! We’re always happy to help!
Jenn J.