Hiya, Ashlan, and welcome to planDisney! I see you're planning a
Walt Disney World Resort visit next spring, and you'd like to surprise your family at Christmas. What a magical idea! Let's talk about some options for giving this gift of a lifetime.
I remember those planning packets and even a DVD my family received in the mail to help us plan our Disney vacations. But time has marched on, and everything you need to plan your visit can be explored online now. I miss those colorful hard copies, but I appreciate that Disney is an environmentally aware company. And if your children are anything like mine, they're pros at doing online research! Everything you'll need to plan your visit can be found on the
website or the
My Disney Experience Mobile App.
If you'd like your kids to have something to unwrap during the holidays, I'd suggest ordering a
MagicBand+ for each of them to open. Choose their favorite characters or colors, and they can use the bands during their visit. These fun bands will open your Disney Resort Hotel room, allow access to the Theme Parks, and even charge food and merchandise at your discretion.
Then, once the Disney cat is out of the bag, your family can research their must-do experiences together online. Maybe assign each person one day of your visit to choose the
meals, rides, and entertainment you'll do together. My son was always a thrill seeker, so I knew to prepare to buckle up and hang on when his day rolled around!
One tip for a tactile article you can show your kids is to print out maps online. For example, choose
Magic Kingdom Park under the Parks and Tickets tab online. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the map, and under the map, click
Magic Kingdom Guide Map. This will pull up the complete theme park map you can print at home.
Did you know the
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will probably be in full bloom during your April visit? My family loves the
Garden Rocks Concert Series, so watch the
Disney Parks Blog closer to your dates for details about this colorful festival.
Thanks again for stopping by, Ashlan! I wish I could see the looks on your children's faces when you surprise them with the gift of Disney. Feel free to stop by with any planning questions because
planDisney loves to help!
Magic awaits,
Elaine