Greetings, Dustie!
Welcome to planDisney! I am so very glad that you stopped by with your planning question. The planner in me is delighted to hear that you are starting your plans for a magical adventure well in advance. This means you can take your time with all the details that are at the top of your travel party's must-do list. Advanced planning also helps when booking your Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation. Some hotels and room types are incredibly popular and can be fully booked well in advance. Did you know that you can book a
Walt Disney World Resort hotel room up to 499 days in advance? This is a great option if there is a specific hotel or room type that is a must-stay for your Ohana!
While there are no payment plans available for Walt Disney World Resort
vacation packages or hotel rooms, I do have some great tips for budgeting and paying for a trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth before your arrival date. If you are booking a vacation package you will only need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. The current deposit price is $200 and is subject to change. My budgeting tip for this option is to book your package, and then take the remaining balance and divide it by the number of months until your final payment is due. This will give you a monthly payment amount that will allow you to pay the balance in full before your arrival. You will be able to make payments online anytime through
My Disney Experience. Vacation packages for 2023 have not been released just yet, but they are expected to be available later this year. Be sure to keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for an official announcement. If you would like to book a hotel room or suite at the 499-day mark, you can do so by speaking with a friendly Cast Member with
Disney Resort Hotel Reservations. You can modify this to a vacation package when 2023 rates become available, or leave the reservation as room only, and purchase tickets separately.
When booking a room-only reservation you will only need to pay the first night's room rate. You will pay your final balance when you
arrive at your resort. A great way to save for this final payment is to purchase Disney Gift Cards on a regular basis. Picking up a gift card from your favorite retail location while you are purchasing groceries or running errands can add up to a large payment towards your travels in no time at all. Some locations even offer discounts on Disney Gift Cards! I recommend setting a monthly purchase goal, similar to making a monthly payment, to ensure you meet your travel budget before you arrive.
We hope to see ya real soon!
Tammy