Hiya Neefiyah,
Welcome to planDisney! Planning trips to the Most Magical Place on Earth is one of my top hobbies, and I love helping Guests such as yourself plan magical vacations they will remember for a lifetime. Knowing where to start when planning a week-long family vacation is half the battle, but hopefully, I can help point you in the right direction. My first recommendation is to look into a
Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Package (which combines a stay at a Walt Disney World Resort Collection Hotel with Theme Park tickets).
When you are vacationing with family, you want to stay close so that you can easily travel to your resort accommodation when an afternoon break is needed. Also, staying onsite at a Disney Resort Collection Hotel has many
perks, including extra time in the parks! One final plug for a Vacation Package is that you can pay for your vacation over time and not have to pay for it all up front (the final payment will be due 30 days before your vacation starts). Magical vacations cost more than a bit of pixie dust, so this perk can be a game-changer for a family on a budget. You can book a Vacation Package entirely online, or for further assistance, you can reach out to a Cast Member at 407-939-5277.
We might not talk about Bruno (I mean, who are we kidding, that is all we talk about), but we need to talk about
Theme Park tickets. Since you are planning a week-long vacation, I suggest the Standard Theme Park Ticket without the Park Hopper Option. Each Theme Park has so much to explore that you will appreciate not having to rush to another park all week. In addition, if you are traveling with little ones, you may want to allot a day or two for resort days, where you lounge by the pool and enjoy the other resort hotel amenities. Trust me your feet and legs will thank you! If you are feeling ambitious, then I suggest the Park Hopper option. You can experience multiple Theme Parks in one day. There is also a Park Hopper Plus that includes visits to Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. No matter what ticket route you decide, make sure to reserve your
Disney Park Pass Reservations immediately after purchasing your Theme Park tickets. Without a Park Pass Reservation for each planned Theme Park visit, you will be unable to enter the Theme Parks despite purchasing tickets.
Once you have your Theme Park tickets and resort hotel accommodations, you can build on all the other experiences, such as
Genie+ services, dining reservations, and
Enchanting Extras. During the fall, there are also so many incredible special offerings like my favorite Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and EPCOT's International Food and Wine Festival. There are so many ways to personalize your vacation and make all of your dreams come true.
I know this is a lot of information, but so many resources are available to you in your planning journey (including planDisney panelists). One that you may not know a lot about is a Disney Authorized Vacation Planners. These wonderful folks can help you plan your trip in detail at no additional cost. So if you prefer to take a backseat and have someone else handle the details, I highly suggest taking this route.
I hope I've given you a good foundation to start planning your week-long vacation! If you need anything else, please come back and see
me.
Happy Planning!
Ashley F.