Hello fellow Disney fan! Planning is half the fun of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation! You came to the right group of planners for guidance on getting started! I’m happy to walk you through the steps that I typically follow when it’s time to return to the Most Magical Place on Earth!
1)
Save Money and Select Travel Dates! – Uncle Scrooge McDuck will be so proud! Check out the
Special Offers page of the Walt Disney World Resort website! There are a variety of money-saving deals that might fit your preferred travel dates. Also, if you book a vacation and a new offer becomes available after booking, you can check later to see if a new offer can be applied to your existing reservation!
2)
Find Your “Disney Home” – the Disney Resorts Collection has hotels in the “
value,” “
moderate,” and “
deluxe” categories. Visit the Walt Disney World Resort website and click the “Places to Stay” tab to explore the resort hotels that fit your budget and vacation preference! Or, just use the helpful links I included!
3)
Disney Parks! – there are four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort – Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom! You’ll need to decide which parks you want to visit (and how often)! When you book your vacation, you can book a package including a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and theme park tickets!
4)
Disney Dining Reservations! – this is one of my favorite parts of planning! Mark your calendar! Guests can make Disney Dining Reservation 60 days before their resort check-in date! There are delectable Disney Dining locations at Disney Resort hotels, the Disney Parks, and at Disney Springs!
5)
Save Time in Line with Lightning Lanes! – Guests staying at hotels in the Disney Resorts Collection can purchase
Lightning Lanes seven days before their resort hotel check-in date! Purchasing Lighting Lanes will save you time by allowing you to bypass the traditional standby line and enter the Lightning Lane for a shorter wait! I recommend purchasing Lighting Lanes if you know you’ll be visiting at a busy time of the year. If visiting during more of a “down time” these might not be necessary.
6)
Book Your Magical Vacation – visit the
Walt Disney World Resort website to book your vacation! When you arrive at the site, you’ll see a “Build Your Vacation” banner at the top of the page. Begin to enter your information and you’ll be well on your way to visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth!
You can also check out the video that I included with this answer. My fellow planDisney panelist, Elaine and me, provide some great first time visit tips for Guests! And, finally, come back to planDisney as you continue your planning! We can always help with more planning questions!
Dreams do come true!
Jonathan