Welcome to planDisney, Rena! I'm so glad to be able to help you with your question today.
Christmas is my favorite time of year to be at Walt Disney World Resort, and I'm excited to hear that you're thinking about going next year. I know it can be a bit overwhelming to think about booking and planning a trip, but you've come to the right place because I'm a pro and I'm happy to walk you through the first steps!
The first thing you'll want to do is figure out which
Disney Resorts Collection Hotel you want to stay at. Plug in your prospective vacation dates on the Walt Disney World Resort website, and you'll be shown the availability and prices for each one. Some of my favorites are
Disney's Pop Century Resort,
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, and
Disney's Yacht Club Resort, all of which will be fully decorated for the holiday season. When you click on the resorts to check out the different room categories, you will see an option for "Room" and "Package." Make sure that you've selected "Package" because that will include your tickets and change how you pay as well.
Once you have selected your Resort and room category, you'll be able to select the type of ticket you want and the number of days you want to spend at the Theme Parks. You can add options like Park Hopper or admission to the
Water Parks! You can also opt into the
Disney Dining Plan, which gives you the chance to pre-pay for all your meals before you arrive for your vacation. Now, you're ready to put down your deposit! Currently, the deposit for a vacation package is $200, but this amount is subject to change, so be sure to double-check the amount when you book. That is all that's needed to secure your booking! The final balance of your vacation is due 30 days before your check-in date, and you can pay in installments as many times as you want over the next year, or you can pay it all at once when you're ready. Payment is flexible as long as your balance is fully cleared by that date, and you can use your preferred payment method at your discretion. You don't need to sign up for a payment plan or do anything extra, you only need that small deposit, and then you can pay the rest when you're ready!
I hope this answers your question, Rena, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation.
Jessica