Hey there, LaDonna, and welcome to planDisney!
Planning a Walt Disney World vacation may seem daunting, but it’s a lot more straightforward than it appears. The cool thing about Disney is that it makes it easy to wrap hotel stays, tickets, and add-ons altogether. Let’s jump right into how to start planning.
Staying on Disney property is a must when you want to truly experience everything that The Most Magical Place on Earth has to offer. Luckily, with a Disney Vacation Package, you can combine your stay at a Disney Resort hotel with theme park tickets. I recommend that you begin by visiting the
Vacation Planning webpage on the Walt Disney World website. Scroll down the page to learn more about new shows and attractions, and more importantly, click on “Explore Resort Hotels” to find your home away from home. Consider the hotel’s location, room types, and price points (which will be provided once you’ve entered your prospective dates).
Special Offers, Deals, and Discounts are always available, and you may just find something that works perfectly with your trip dates and budget.
After selecting your hotel, you have the option to add theme park tickets (to create a Vacation Package). Theme park tickets are your keys to visiting iconic places like
Magic Kingdom (the home of Cinderella Castle) and
EPCOT (the G.O.A.T. of global food festivals). You’ll also be able to add a
dining plan to your package, which is a way to prepay for your vacation meals and snacks. If you skip this step, but change your mind after researching, you can always add a dining plan via “My Plans” and “Change Reservation” in your Disney account later.
AN EXTRA GEM: If you love shorter attraction queues and more time exploring the theme parks, leave room in your budget for
Lightning Lanes. Because you are staying on site, you can sign in to the
My Disney Experience app up to 7 days before your vacation and book a Lighting Lane Multi Pass and/or Single Pass. This will save you minutes—or hours—waiting in line to
save the Galaxy,
soar over the world, enter
the Grid, and go
down the bayou.
And here’s the thing: If you need someone to do the planning for you (with your input, of course), you can also book a Vacation Package with a Cast Member or reach out to a third-party, Disney-authorized travel agent.
LaDonna, I hope that this answer points you in the right direction on your planning journey. Please don’t hesitate to
revisit us here at planDisney if any other questions pop up as you get closer to your trip. I’m all ears!
Magic always,
LeAndra