My partner won a trip to Disney World through the Achievers program with Best Buy and we are going mid May. I've never been to Disney and am very anxious about our trip. What are some important things to know before arriving at Disney?”

Hello and welcome to planDisney, Kendyl! It's my pleasure to help in your vacation planning process. 

Kendyl, how exciting that you'll be visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth in just a few short weeks! May is a gorgeous time of year to be at the Walt Disney World Resort. Since this is your first visit, I've put together my top five recommendations to get you started. As your trip gets closer, please come on back with any and all other questions you might have! 

5. In addition to your valid theme park ticket, all guests need a (complimentary) theme park reservation to gain entry. Read all about Disney Park Pass reservations HERE. Make sure once you have planned out which parks you'll be visiting on what days, you have your reservations for your traveling party.

4. Make sure to download the My Disney Experience Mobile App on your smartphone! Through this app, you can find wait times for popular attractions, mobile order food from quick-service restaurants and purchase Disney Genie+ (a service that allows you to reduce your wait time by skipping the standby lines). Learn more about this service HERE.

3. Table-service restaurants inside all four theme parks are very popular and often require reservations to get a table. You can book reservations in advance through your My Disney Experience Account or the My Disney Experience Mobile App. Reservations are available for guests 60 days in advance. I highly recommend making reservations as soon as possible if you’re interested in any table-service meals. If you don’t find availability, keep checking back as guests’ plans change all the time and availability is constantly updated.

2. Review the park maps in advance of your visit. You can find the maps using the following links. It’s less overwhelming and much easier to navigate the park if you have a general idea of the layout in advance:
     Magic Kingdom Park
     Disney’s Hollywood Studios
     EPCOT
     Disney’s Animal Kingdom

1. Relax, enjoy the ambiance and don't put too much pressure on yourself to see and do it all. My family and I have visited multiple times over the years and we still have not done everything. I find that sometimes we just want to sit on a bench, eat ice cream and enjoy the scenery and that's okay because it's vacation! 

Kendyl, I'll be wishing on a star that this trip is a like a page out of a fairytale. And... don't forget, my friends and I here at planDisney are happy to serve as your Fairy Godmother, so come on back with more questions!

Enjoy the Magic!
Lauren