Welcome to planDisney, Brian!
As someone who once planned a Walt Disney World Resort vacation for my family of 6 on less than a week's notice, I say absolutely YES!! First and foremost, flexibility and a go-with-the-flow attitude will be the key to a great vacation. One thing that is important for you to know, in an effort to manage theme park attendance, Walt Disney World has introduced the
Disney Park Pass system. At this time, all Guests ages 3 and up will need both a Disney Park Pass reservation and valid
admission in order to enter a theme park. I recommend taking a look at the
theme park reservation availability calendar prior to purchasing tickets or making travel plans. Reservations are limited and some theme parks may not have reservations available on the dates you plan to travel. No worries! Purchasing a ticket with the
Park Hopper Option will allow you to make a reservation for whichever theme parks have availability on your travel dates, and then "hop" over to a different theme park after 2:00 pm when park hopping hours begin.
Now, think about where you would like to stay. If you'd like to stay in a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, enter your travel dates and browse the available options. One hint: sometimes if I'm not seeing availability at a particular resort hotel, I'll search for a longer stay -- that seems to open up more options. Or, try a split stay at 2 or more Disney Resort Hotels -- they each have their own unique ambiance and amenities, and this way you'll get to try multiple resorts in one trip! Bell Services will even transfer your luggage from one Disney Resort Hotel to another.
Now let's talk about my favorite part -- dining! There are hundreds of dining locations throughout the theme parks, resort hotels, and Disney Springs.
Dining reservations may be made up to 60 days in advance, so some of the most popular locations may not have tables available at this time. That's OK! There are plenty of great restaurants with reservations still available. There are also some fantastic
Quick-Service dining options, no reservations necessary. Quick-Service options offer much more than burgers and pizza -- although those are available too! You'll also be visiting during the kickoff of the
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, with lots of
great bites available at the outdoor food booths throughout EPCOT.
OK, Brian, I've given you a little information to get you started -- so GO BOOK THAT VACATION!!! And for my last bit of advice, come see us here at planDisney again! We'll be happy to help you get that vacation going. My fellow panelists and I have lots of tips about the best snacks, hidden gem dining locations, fun activities for all ages, and how to plan out your time to get the most out of your Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Feel free to send us any and all questions you might have. Happy Planning!
Anne Marie