Hi Mary Jane,
Welcome to planDisney! I am excited to hear that you are planning a family trip to the Walt Disney World Resort.
There is so much to plan and so little time! First things first, you need to select a resort hotel. There are deluxe and deluxe villa resorts, moderate and value resorts. My family prefers the deluxe and deluxe villa resorts, especially those with access to Walt Disney World® Monorail Transportation. We have enjoyed staying at
Disney's Contemporary Resort which we adore because it has a walking path to Magic Kingdom. Once you decide on a resort hotel, then you can book a
vacation package that includes the resort hotel and theme park tickets.
Although we typically book online, you can also call 407-939-5277 to speak with a Cast Member. Remember also to check the
Special Offers to see if there are any discounts that might apply to the dates of your visit. If you have not done so already, create a
My Disney Experience account so that you can link your vacation package,
advanced dining reservations, and
Disney Park Pass system reservations to that account.
We just modified a trip from November to December. Once I had our new dates booked, I made our Disney Park Pass system reservations and selected a theme park for each day of our visit. You will be able to make park pass reservations for the number of days you have valid theme park tickets. Once you get 60 days prior to your trip, I strongly encourage you to make advanced dining reservations. With a large party, you want to make sure you have some definitive times that you can dine together. Our girls just turned 14-years old so they are about the same age as your grandkids and they love to help me plan!
Mary Jane, as you plan, be sure to check the
Disney Park Pass system availability calendar so that you know which parks have availability for the dates of your visit. Review the
operational updates and start mapping out each day of your visit. I always create a chart of our plans with our dining times and confirmation numbers.
We look forward to seeing you on your next
Incredible Disney Day!
Magic and memories,
Donyell