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Mom and Daughter at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Room
  • On Sep 17, 2012
    Alicia from PA Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    My husband and I planon taking our then 3 year old to disney next september. Should I book it with a travel agent or do it myself? How far in advance should we book it? How much should we budget for the trip? Thank you!!

    Hi Alicia!

    Thank you for sending in your question to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel!

    You can definitely book a Disney vacation yourself, either online or by calling Disney.  However, there are some advantages to using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.  He or she is a travel agent that specializes in trips to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, onboard the Disney Cruise Line, and with Adventures by Disney.  He or she can help you plan your trip and keep an eye out on discounts that might be released that could impact your trip. 

    I recommend booking at least 7 months in advance, or at  least having a plan at least 7 months in advance.  That's mainly because Advance Dining Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance.  ADRs are critical if you want to enjoy the popular Table Service (full service) restaurants at Walt Disney World, especially the Disney Character Dining Experiences.  ADRs can be made online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.  My recommendation is to know where you will be staying and have a rough plan of what park you will be visiting each day before making dining reservations.

    With regards to budget, it really depends on where you stay.  Disney has accommodations to meet various budget levels.  At one end are the Disney Value Resorts and at the other are Disney Deluxe Villas.  I recommend visiting the independent website MouseSavers.com to get some idea of the rack rates of the various hotels at Walt Disney World.

    Our responses are limited in length, but I hope this helps to get you started.  Please write back with more questions.  You can send them directly to me or anybody on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel!
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Meet the Panelist: Bernie, Maryland

I am an engineer with NASA with prior Air Force service. My wife and I have two boys, ages 13 and 8. At home, I'm known as the "Disney Guy" and I've enjoyed helping guests plan their Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, and Disneyland vacations. Learn More About Bernie

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