Hi Paul,
Welcome to planDisney!
If you are coming next week, we have some planning to do ASAP! First things first, you need to book your
vacation package which will include a
resort hotel and
theme park tickets. If you have not decided which resort hotel type to book, consider a deluxe or deluxe villa resort hotel if proximity to parks and multiple transportation options are a priority. We love Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Contemporary Resort because they are within walking distance of Magic Kingdom. They also have fantastic dining options!
At
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, we love the Grand Floridian Cafe for its casual yet delicious dining and we enjoy Narcoossee's for the gorgeous views from the restaurant. At Disney's Contemporary Resort, we always make a reservation at California Grill. The views of Magic Kingdom from the restaurant are stunning! If you are looking at more budget friendly resort options, try a
moderate resort hotel or one of the
value resort hotels.
Once you book that vacation package, be sure to go in and
link it in your
My Disney Experience account using the confirmation number. Once that's linked, then you need to go in and make park pass reservations using the
Disney Park Pass system. I do advise that you check the
park availability calendar prior to booking your vacation package to see which theme parks will have availability during your stay.
After booking your park pass reservations, I also recommend that you make
advanced dining reservations. Although we always make advanced dining reservations, I was so glad to have them for most meals on our last trip because indoor dining capacity was limited. With our dining reservations at Walt Disney World restaurants, we simply checked in online using the
Mobile Dine Check-in feature in the
My Disney Experience Mobile App. Once you make those dining reservations, be sure they are linked in your My Disney Experience account.
Paul, we have two girls that are 14-years old, so I know what it is like to travel with teens. At Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Contemporary resort hotel, we have always had a room with a day bed in addition to the two Queen-sized beds, so our girls each get their own bed. Book that vacation package, make those park pass selections and advanced dining reservations and you will be ready to go!
Magic and memories,
Donyell