Hello Charlotte! Thanks for visiting us here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel. It's very exciting to hear that you are headed for your first Walt Disney World vacation fairly soon. It's such a magical place to be, I know you are going to have a great time.
If I could only offer you one piece of advice, it would be to not cram too much into each day. Walt Disney World is such a large place and I know just how tempting it can be to want to see and do it all. I recommend, for your first visit, plan to stick to one park a day. One park a day allows you to have the freedom to stop in a shop or wait a little longer in line to see a character since you know you are going to be there all day. I also suggest one sit down meal a day. We like having a daily break, usually for dinner, from the parks for a great meal. It's a great time to talk as a family about favorites and just decompress a little bit. I find one sit down meal is great for us, when we do more than that I feel like it takes too much time away from the parks.
If you are staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts, I suggest taking advantage of the Extra Magic Hours offered to Guests. Extra Magic Hours are where the park is open either early in the morning or late in the evening to only Walt Disney World Resort Guests. It is a great time to hit some of the more popular attractions before the parks tend to get crowded. We like taking advantage of the Extra Magic Hours in the morning and then head back to the resort after lunch for a swim or to relax. Then we like to enjoy dinner, we love 'Ohana, and head back to the parks for the rest of the evening.
I know planning your first vacation can seem overwhelming. If you have any other questions,
please feel free to let me know.