Hi Georgina,
Welcome to planDisney, and a big congratulations on winning four 4-Day Walt Disney World Theme Park Tickets! That’s such exciting news. On behalf of all of us here at planDisney, thank you to you and your family for your service and sacrifice. It would be a true honor to help you plan a well-deserved visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth for some quality rest and relaxation.
While Walt Disney World doesn’t provide travel agents or personal planners, they do offer several helpful resources to guide Guests along the way. And that’s where planDisney comes in. We’re a group of Guests, just like you, who’ve been fortunate enough to experience many Disney vacations and are here to offer honest tips, suggestions, and friendly advice to help you plan your own unforgettable Disney adventure.
There are four key decisions to make that will help form the foundation of your vacation. Later on, you’ll have the chance to make some additional decisions regarding dining reservations, Lightning Lane passes, and even unique experiences from the
Enchanting Extras Collection, but let’s first walk through the big four that will help you get started.
The first step is deciding where to stay. Walt Disney World Resort offers more than two dozen resort hotels in a variety of price ranges, from Value to Deluxe. I'd recommend Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort, or the Polynesian Village Resort from the
Disney Resorts Collection options. As a military family, you may want to check out Shades of Green, a resort located on Walt Disney World property that’s exclusively for eligible military members and their families.
Next, let’s talk about tickets. Since you’ve already got your 4-Day tickets in hand, that’s one major decision checked off. Just make sure they’re linked to your
MyDisney account. Once they are, you’ll be able to make theme park reservations, if needed, and view your tickets directly in the app. If your tickets are the Military Salute promotional tickets, you may also want to confirm any blackout dates or activation steps that apply.
Then there’s the
Disney Dining Plan. You can choose between the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan, both of which include meals and snacks throughout your stay. Whether a dining plan is right for your family often depends on how much structure you want during your trip and what kind of dining experiences you're hoping to enjoy. If your crew loves a good character breakfast or plans to dine at table-service restaurants often, a dining plan could be a great value.
Finally, you’ll want to consider adding
Memory Maker. It’s a photo package that gives you access to all the Disney PhotoPass pictures taken during your visit, including ride photos and those sweet moments in front of Cinderella Castle. If you plan to take lots of pictures or want to capture the full magic of your family’s vacation without having to stay behind the camera, Memory Maker is worth considering.
Once these decisions are locked in, you’ll be ready to start thinking about the fun details like dining reservations, Lightning Lane passes, and all the extras that will make your visit memorable. When you’re ready for the next phase,
please submit another question directly to me so I can help guide you through it step by step.
See you real soon!
Brent