Hi Teare’ra, welcome home and welcome to planDisney! My family loves celebrating special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and the holidays during our
Disney Vacation Club stays. It sounds like you’re planning a family birthday trip, so let’s break out the notebook get started!
First things first, you’ll need a roof over your heads! Choosing the right DVC resort for your vacation can be overwhelming, but here’s some suggestions on what to think about:
- Room sizes and bathrooms: Depending on how big your traveling party is, you may want to consider a 1 or 2 bedroom villa to comfortably accommodate everyone. My recommendations: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas-Kidani Village and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! Having the extra full bathroom in the living room can help with large parties getting ready in the morning.
- Transportation and proximity to theme parks: The monorail loop Resorts or the EPCOT area Resorts provide those unique types of transportation like the Skyliner and boats that make traveling fun and a breeze. My recommendations: Disney’s Riviera Resort or Bay Lake Tower.
- Amenities: Sometimes you might want a rest day in between theme park visits. Consider Resorts with fun amenities, say a savanna with animals like zebras and giraffes roaming around! My suggestions: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas or Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
Next, let’s talk about your visits to the theme parks! You’ll want to take advantage of the perks of a DVC stay, such as
early theme park entry and
extended evening hours. I also highly recommend booking
Lightning Lane Passes for some of those must-do attractions. Get the family involved by having them decide which attractions to select!
But to make this trip extra memorable, here’s some unique suggestions to celebrate!
- Consider booking a Capture Your Moment photo session at Magic Kingdom (or any of the theme parks). You’ll have a dedicated PhotoPass photographer for a 30-minute session to create special family portraits.
- A Fireworks Cruise provides the perfect opportunity to watch the iconic Happily Ever After fireworks show privately in your own chartered boat.
- Order a birthday cake during one of your table service meals. I recommend a character meal like breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace! Nothing like blowing out birthday candles with your favorite characters by your side!
Teare’ra, I know this is a lot of information to take in, but I hope this gets you started on planning that perfect family birthday trip. If you have any further questions, please feel free to
contact me and my fellow panelists here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Sean