Hi Luke,
Welcome to planDisney! Your upcoming trip to Disney World is right around the corner and you have asked your question just in time. Your window for booking experiences will open soon!
One of the
benefits of staying at a Disney Resort hotel is that 60 days before your arrival date, you can make dining reservations for the duration of your stay. This is super convenient because you can make all of your dining plans at once instead of logging on each day. If you are not staying at Disney Resort hotel, you can make advanced dining reservations up to 60 days in advance for each day of your trip. I would prioritize making reservations for
character dining experiences and in-demand new restaurants first and then plan your vacation days around the days you can get your priority dining reservations.
As a Disney Resort hotel guest, you also get early access to purchase
Lightning Lane Passes. Eligible Resort guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay for the entire length of their vacation at once. Keep in mind that this is limited to 14 days at one time if you are planning an extra-long trip to Disney World. All other guests have to opportunity to purchase Lighting Lane passes up to 3 days before each day of their vacation.
If this is your first time using the new Lightning Lane system, I would spend a little time planning what you want to do at each theme park before your time to purchase arrives. I like to have a plan of which theme park I will be visiting each day and my top 3 attractions at each theme park ready before I log on to secure Lightning Lanes. This helps to make sure you grab the times and rides that are most important to you and don't get overwhelmed with the options.
Happy Planning,
Jenna