Hi Grant,
Welcome to planDisney!
Well, you have come to the right place. I am thrilled to hear that you are planning a trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort! If you are only buying tickets directly from Disney, then you will pay for those tickets in full at the time of purchase. If you are booking a
vacation package with theme park tickets, a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, and, possibly, a
Disney Dining Plan, then you can pay a deposit and then will just need to pay the balance by the balance due date. If you book that vacation package 30 days or less prior to arrival, please see the
Walt Disney Travel Company Terms and Conditions.
As you prepare for your trip, I do hope you decide to stay at a Disney resort hotel. After our first trip with our girls, we decided that we loved being immersed in the magic. We also really value staying at resort hotels that have multiple transportation options and/or that are within walking distance to a theme park. Resorts that my family considers more budget-friendly with access to
Walt Disney World® Bus Service and the
Disney Skyliner include Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort. Resorts with access to Walt Disney World® Bus Service and the
Walt Disney World® Monorail Transportation include Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Since we love to walk to Magic Kingdom, we prefer to stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort or Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. I love leaving Magic Kingdom after the Happily Ever After fireworks and meandering back to the resort with our girls. These are memories that will stay with us for a lifetime.
Grant, I hope this helps! Please stop back by if you have more questions!
Magic and memories,
Donyell