Hiya, Alicia! Welcome to planDisney!
I’m thrilled to hear you're planning your first trip to Walt Disney World! With 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, more shopping and dining options than I can count, and so much more, you’re in for a truly magical adventure. I believe that there’s not one “right” way to plan a Walt Disney World vacation, but I’m happy to help you get started.
It looks like you’ve already identified the dates of your visit based on the information you’ve provided, so the next step would be to look at the
Special Offers, Deals & Discounts page. Some of the offers are date-specific, so check to see if any align with your vacation dates (or maybe you want to adjust your travel plans to take advantage of an offer). Then it's time to decide what resort category is right for your budget. This might be influenced by the available deals, but it’s good to review all your options. Each resort category represents a different tier of cost, amenities, and location. The categories include
Value Resorts,
Moderate Resorts,
Deluxe Resorts, and
Deluxe Villas.
Next will be deciding which
ticket options are right for you and your crew. I’d suggest talking with your travel companions about how they’d like to experience Walt Disney World and understanding what everyone’s expectations are. Are they looking for a more relaxing trip? Then a standard ticket is probably fine. Do they want to see and do everything? Then a Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus option may be the way to go.
Once you have your desired dates, hotels, and tickets chosen, you can log on to the Walt Disney World website to start building your vacation package. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to call the
Tickets and Hotel Reservations line and a friendly Cast Member can help you with booking.
As you start making your vacation itinerary, take advantage of the different search filters available on the Walt Disney World website and
My Disney Experience mobile app (download this if you haven’t already). I especially find this feature helpful when I’m visiting with a younger kiddo and they may not be tall enough to ride every attraction yet. A couple of clicks and I can see all the rides in each park that fit their height requirement, and I can even filter the results further based on interests and thrill level.
I hope this information helps you get started, Alicia. Pop right back if you have any other Disney vacation planning questions. Your pals at planDisney are here to help!
Magical travels!
Matt