best way to plan disney trip

Ultimate Walt Disney World Planning Guide (2024)

Planning a Disney World vacation can feel like a daunting task, especially for first-time guests. The entire Walt Disney World resort area covers around 43 square miles, which is almost twice the size of Manhattan!  Learning how to plan a Disney Vacation can help ensure you have a great time on your trip.

There are so many engaging activities, exciting attractions, magical details, and wonderful restaurants and resorts.  It’s nearly impossible to experience everything at Disney World over the course of several trips, let alone in a single visit to the park. That’s why it’s important to start your planning early and decide what you should prioritize on your trip.

This guide will take you through how to plan a Disney World vacation step-by-step. Disney vacations have become harder to plan each and every year, with Disney Genie+,  Advanced Dining Reservations, My Disney Experience, transportation, etc.  There’s so much to know, and this Disney vacation planning guide will be your go-to resource.

Do You Need To Plan a Disney World Vacation in Advance?

It’s no longer feasible to go to Disney World without doing at least some planning ahead of time.  Even entering a theme park requires an advance reservation in many cases.

In our view, these are the four bare-minimum planning actions needed to have even a functioning  Disney vacation.

• Decide when you will visit.   Crowd levels can impact your experience and time of year will affect your overall cost.
• Decide which park you will attend on each day.   Theme park reservations are mandatory for some ticket types — no reservation, no entry.
• Decide which hotel you’ll stay in.   While you can technically find a room without a reservation during some parts of the year, it’s not worth the risk.
• Decide if you want to dine at any table-service restaurants.   Dining reservations are strongly suggested; during the busiest days, many restaurants may completely refuse walk-ups.

These are the minimum plans needed to have a tolerable Disney World vacation.  To make your vacation good — or, dare we say, magical — you’ll probably want to do a good bit more Disney planning.  Below, we walk you through the eleven things you need to do to plan the best possible Disney World vacation .

Our planning guide is a great way to get started with researching your upcoming Disney World vacation.  As you’ll see, planning a Disney trip is no small task.  Imagine if you could have someone else do most of the work for you, for free!

That’s why we strongly recommend you contact the Disney travel agents at The Vacationeer .  There are plenty of good reasons why you should use a Disney travel agent , including taking advantage of their years of Disney experience and letting them handle making all of your reservations.

But one of the best reasons is that their planning services don’t cost you anything!

The Eleven Steps to Disney World Planning

There are plenty of ways to plan your Disney vacation, and everybody has their own way of doing it.  Below we’ve outlined what we believe to be eleven critical steps, in roughly the order that you should do them.  We’ve tried not to overwhelm you with too much information at once, but there’s no doubt that planning a Disney trip can be very complicated.  Take your time, read through it all, and follow the links throughout to find out more about some of the items we discuss here.

1. Learn the basics by doing some research

As you start to plan for a Disney World vacation, you should begin researching well in advance of booking the trip.  The information you gather during this important first step will help you through the rest of the process; starting early gives you plenty of time to learn before key dates in the trip planning process.  It will also be key to creating a detailed itinerary for each day so that your vacation will include every event, attraction, and restaurant you wish to experience.

Without a daily itinerary and at least some knowledge of the parks, Disney World can be a confusing and overwhelming place. Informed and organized vacationers are less stressed, save more money, and have more fun!

Being in-the-know will also help you secure your spot at popular resorts, attractions, and dining establishments.

Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to research travel destinations online , and Disney World is no exception. There are lots of Disney World resources online these days (such as our entire website!), so getting up to speed with the ins and outs of the parks is well within your reach.  To get you started, we’ll go over some basic information about Disney World.

Disney World at a Glance

Walt Disney World has four major theme parks:

Magic Kingdom

It’s the flagship theme park of Disney World and a rite of passage for kids of all ages.  Leave the real world at the gate — age melts away as you walk down Main Street, USA to reach Cinderella Castle.  Then, head in any direction to experience Liberty Square, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland.  Your kingdom awaits with adventures on flying elephants, doombuggies, space rockets, and steam trains.

Rides   |   Dining   |   Secrets

Originally envisioned as a functioning city of the future, EPCOT offers four neighborhoods: World Showcase , a tribute to the global diversity that enriches us as a species; World Nature , showcasing our interaction with the planetary forces that drive us; World Discovery , celebrating humankind’s ingenuity and innovation; and World Celebration , dedicated to the joy and camaraderie that are essential parts of the human experience.

Rides   |   Dining   |  Secrets

Hollywood Studios

Hooray for “the Hollywood that never was and always will be!”  Here, the golden age of motion pictures gets equal billing with modern blockbusters in a park dedicated to an entire universe of entertainment.  Drop into the Hollywood Tower Hotel, find yourself off-world on Batuu, or slink your way into a Pixar adventure.  You’re the star of this silver screen epic — are you ready for your closeup?

Animal Kingdom

Experience the glory and wonder of nature as you immerse yourself into a world that more than 1,000 animals call home.  Set off on safari, where giraffes are free to walk right alongside your open-air vehicle (from which you can also glimpse elephants, lions, and hippopotami).  Then, escape reality by staging a daring mountaintop run from the mythical Yeti, or traveling back in time to rescue a doomed dinosaur.

Other Resort Complex Amenities

In addition to four theme parks, you’ll find a full resort complex covering upwards of 27,000 acres:

• More than 20 large resort hotels are owned and operated by Walt Disney World, with additional third-party hotels nearby
• There are nearly 400 places to eat and drink at Disney World, from ice cream carts to high-end luxury dining, and everything in between
• Disney Springs is the largest shopping, dining, and entertainment district at Disney World ( no tickets required ); Disney’s BoardWalk offers an additional entertainment and dining district
• Disney World has 2 water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• WDW has 5 golf courses and 2 mini-golf courses , an entire sports complex , and several lakes (offering boating, kayaking, parasailing, fishing, and other water sports)

There’s much, much more to learn about Disney World, but the above information should give you the basics that you’ll need to know as you start to plan.  At the end of each of our 11 steps in this guide, you’ll find links to special planning tools and additional articles/websites that further discuss items mentioned in each section of our planning guide.  The tools and links for this step are immediately below:

Planning Tools for This Step:

✔️  Use our  Disney World Map to get the lay of the land

✔️  Use our Disney World Transportation Map to chart your route

✔️  Subscribe to Disney-focused  YouTube channels

✔️  Review some fascinating Disney World Statistics

✔️  Learn the History of Disney World

✔️  Enjoy some interesting WDW Trivia

2. Download the My Disney Experience App

My Disney Experience is Disney’s mobile app & website that serves as a centralized hub for everything related to your Disney vacation.  In the app, you can:

• Create a profile
• Add friends and family members so you can plan together
• View your tickets and reservations
• Access the Disney Genie itinerary planning service
• Purchase priority access to certain attractions through the Genie+ and Lightning Lane service
• Enter a virtual queue for highly-demanded attractions, when available
• Access entitlements under the Disability Access Service, if applicable
• Place mobile orders for some meals, helping you avoid lines at some quick-service restaurants
• Use the MagicMobile service, which lets you use your mobile device as a contactless payment/entry device around Disney World.

Note:  If you’d rather not use the MagicMobile service to access your tickets and services, you can either purchase a MagicBand (a colorful RFID-enabled wristband), or request a plastic RFID card at no charge. 

The app is available for both iOS and Android devices — you might see it listed in the app store as “My Disney Experience” or even just as “Disney World.”  There’s no charge to download and use the app; you might see a notice about in-app purchases, but that refers to the ability to do things such as buying park tickets or placing mobile dining orders.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll want to sign in — you can use an existing Disney account or create a new one.  You’ll also need to grant it permission to use location services because some features such as virtual queuing are geofenced (only available when you are in a certain location based on your phone’s GPS).

Downloading the app early in the planning process is important for a few reasons.  First, it’s a great research tool.  Second, getting to know it now will make it all the easier to use during your trip.  And most importantly, as you begin to purchase tickets or make reservations you’ll want to link them to your Disney account.  For example, linking your hotel reservation in the app allows you to access an extended restaurant reservation booking window — as well as to access early booking for Lightning Lane attraction entrances.

Many (but not all) of the same services are also available through a dedicated section of the Disney World website.

Ready to talk to someone about planning next steps?

✔️  Download the My Disney Experience app

✔️  Access My Disney Experience via the Disney World website

✔️  Learn more about My Disney Experience

✔️  Learn more about using the MagicMobile service

3. Start Considering How Much to Budget for Your Disney World Trip

On average, a typical Walt Disney World vacation for a family of 4 in 2024 will cost about $6,559. This includes a 7-night hotel stay at a Disney Value Resort, 6 days of standard theme park tickets, Genie+ or Lightning Lane service, and quick-service meals for 4 people over the course of the trip.

Just like any vacation, you might want to plan for additional expenses such as transportation costs, upgrades, a longer stay, and souvenirs; or you might opt to save some money by staying off-site, shortening your trip, spending a day or two away from the parks, or visiting during the off-season.

Not surprisingly, some families end up putting themselves into debt to make a Disney World trip happen.

Of course, you won’t know exactly how much to budget until you make some choices about hotels, dining, tickets, etc. — but now’s a good time to at least begin thinking about how much you’re comfortable spending on your trip so you’re not left with sky-high credit card bills long after.

The resources below are a great way to start that process.  If you don’t want to devote a ton of time to it at this point, we suggest you start with just the first two resources… our How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney World article and our Disney World Cost Calculator .

✔️  Explore how much it costs to go to Disney World

✔️  Estimate prices with our Disney World Cost Calculator

✔️  Learn about Disney Payment Plan options

✔️  Find the Cheapest Time to go to Disney

✔️  Check out Disney World discounts & deals

✔️  Save on your trip by buying discounted Disney gift cards

✔️  Learn how to do Disney on a Dime

✔️  Explore some free things to do at Disney World

✔️  Read Is Disney World Worth It?

✔️  Leverage your credit card points on your Disney vacation

Consider Working with a Disney World Trip Planner (For Free!)

This is a great time in your Disney vacation planning timeline to connect with a Disney Travel Agent if you’re planning on using one.  Your agent can provide a more accurate estimate of what you can expect to spend by walking you through all of the big choices you’ll be making in the remaining steps of the process.

Not sure which Disney World Travel Agency to use?  We strongly recommend The Vacationeer .  It’s not hard to see why we’ve ranked them as the best Disney travel agency .  First and foremost, they don’t charge anything to use their planning services and there’s never any obligation to book.  And, as an EarMarked Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner , they’ve arranged Disney trips for thousands of families.  They boast a team of 90+ travel agents, but you’ll have one dedicated agent to serve as your personal Disney trip planner from start to finish.

Contact them to see which money-saving promotions might be available for your trip.  They can book your reservations, set up a payment plan for your trip, and even automatically apply newly-announced discounts to your trip after you book!

4. Decide When to Go to Disney World

Holidays at Disney can be crowded but festive

Deciding which time of year to go to Disney World is a very important part of the planning process, and not just for the obvious reasons of school/work schedules.  Crowd sizes, special promotions, festivals, and weather should also factor in your decision; these can not only affect your overall experience at Disney, but also your overall cost as well.

Crowd sizes are a major consideration when planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  Because park attendance fluctuates throughout the year, there are certainly better (less crowded) times of the year go.

For those of you who are not as tied down with schedule obligations (such as parents who homeschool or people who can work from anywhere), you are in a much better position to be flexible with your travel dates. For the rest of us, work schedules, school schedules, and other factors often influence the timing of our vacations, so we just have to plan a trip around a timeframe that works.

With millions of annual visitors, each Walt Disney World theme park can become crowded. The week you choose to visit the park can have a major impact on wait times for attractions and crowd density on the sidewalks and in the restaurants. Each park also has day-to-day crowd dynamics to consider.

The best way to gauge crowd sizes any particular day – at any one of Walt Disney World’s 4 theme parks – is to consult our  Disney World Crowd Calendar .  By using data compiled from recent years, our crowd calendar determines which theme parks will have the shortest lines and which parks will have the longest lines.

While not everyone has the flexibility to plan their trip around the least-crowded dates, crowd calendars can still be a valuable tool to help you to maximize your Disney experience during your visit.

It’s also worth noting that crowd levels tend to be a good indicator of how expensive your hotel and tickets will be.  Hotels and tickets are both subject to seasonal prices; the less popular times of year are the least expensive, while high-demand times like holidays and summer vacation cost more.

When is Walt Disney World Least Crowded?

Walt Disney World parks are typically less crowded from January 2nd until just prior to Presidents’ Day week (third Monday in February ), the week after Labor Day until just prior to Thanksgiving week, and the week after Thanksgiving weekend until the week prior to Christmas. As a general guide, when schools are in session, WDW is usually less crowded.

When is Walt Disney World Most Crowded?

Walt Disney World parks generally experience their highest attendance around school breaks. These include around Presidents’ Day week (third week in February), the Spring Break timeframe from mid- March through late April , Memorial Day weekend , Summer (mid- June through Labor Day), Thanksgiving week, and Christmas week through January 1st.

Special Promotions

During their slower seasons, Disney World will sometimes offer special promotions to lure guests to the park.

Some previous examples have included a Free Dining promotion which offered meals as part of a package that included non-discounted resort hotels and park tickets.  Other promotions have also been offered from time to time, allowing for discounted hotel rates, special ticket packages, or other benefits.

While promotions have been a bit scarce lately, things do tend to change quickly.  It’s a safe bet, though, that any promotions that come along will be limited to specific hotels or specific travel dates, and will likely be in the off-season.  If your plans are flexible, you’re more likely to be able to take advantage of these.

Walt Disney World is a great destination any day of the year. However, there is something about the seasonal festivals which make the park extra magical.

Besides the spectacular Festival of the Arts (typically in January) and the Flower & Garden Festival during the spring and early summer, most of our favorite seasonal events take place during the Fall and Winter months.

Epcot hosts The  Food & Wine Festival in the fall, and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a real treat for Magic Kingdom guests around – you guessed it – Halloween.

During November and December , the wildly popular Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place at Magic Kingdom, as do a host of other holiday events, such as A Frozen Holiday Wish Show (Magic Kingdom), Christmas Day Parade on ABC (Magic Kingdom), Joyful! (Epcot), Holidays Around the World (Epcot), and much more .

If we had an absolute favorite week to be at Walt Disney World, we may have to choose some time in early December. The park is festive, the weather is comfortable, and the crowds are lighter than normal.

Any How to Plan a Disney Vacation guide must discuss the nuances of Disney’s weather.

First of all, Orlando, Florida is known for its warm and sunny weather. Ice and snow are virtually non-existent here and the temperatures rarely dip below the freezing level.

That said, there are some seasonal differences that you may want to take into consideration when booking your Disney World vacation. January is typically the coolest month, July is the warmest and wettest (though August is a close second for heat), and June has the most sunshine hours.

Daytime thunderstorms are a given during the summer; they often pop up with little warning and disappear just as quickly, usually leaving a rather unpleasant sauna effect in their aftermath.  On the bright side, a storm lasting 30-45 minutes is usually enough to send people scurrying for the exits, leading to lighter crowds afterwards.

Hurricane season technically lasts from June-November, though September has historically been the most active.  Even then, it’s rare for the Orlando area to take a direct hit from a hurricane.  That said, the parks have had to close a few times for hurricanes, though typically only for a day or so at a time.  Thanks to Disney’s generous hurricane cancellation policies , it’s still generally safe plan a trip to Disney World during hurricane season (though travel insurance is still also a good idea).

Our favorite seasons at Walt Disney World are probably the pleasant spring and fall seasons, with October being particularly nice. Our least favorite season is during the summer months — not only are the crowds heavy, but the weather can be quite hot and humid. If you do plan a summer vacation at Disney World, remember to come prepared with the proper amenities to keep you cool and hydrated.

Overwhelmed and ready for some expert help?

✔️  Use our Disney Crowd Calendar to pick the best time to visit

✔️  Research typical Disney World Weather

✔️  Learn about the best time to go to Disney World

✔️  Review our tips to avoid lines at Disney World

✔️  Beat the rain with the best attractions for rainy days

✔️  Learn about Hurricane Season at Disney World

5. Decide on Your Length of Stay (How Many Days)

Because there is just so much to see and do at  Walt Disney World , there is really no right answer for how long your Walt Disney World vacation should last. However, there are several wrong answers. One wrong answer would be staying for only 1 or 2 days!

We recommend that any trip should last at least four days, with an ideal range of a full week or so. Some people buy an Annual Pass and spend 30+ days at the park, so the sky is the limit! It just depends on your budget, time limitations, who you are traveling with, and what the goals of your trip are. But with so much to see and experience, a day or two won’t even scratch the surface of what Walt Disney World has to offer.

How Long Do Most People Stay at Disney World?

Most Disney World vacations last 3 – 7 days. Many guests devote one full day to each of the four Disney World theme parks. Given their size and number of attractions, it’s certainly possible to spend two days each at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Additional days can be spent re-visiting one of the parks, going to a Disney water park, or doing other various activities, inside or outside of the park.

If your objective is to experience most attractions, shows, parades, etc., you really need to provide yourself with adequate time/days to explore all facets of each park.  If saving money is an important consideration, a shorter trip can help accomplish that.

Many guests like to spend a day or two at other (non-Disney) Orlando-area attractions – such as  Universal Studios , SeaWorld, Legoland Florida, or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Other guests set aside a day or two for golfing, boating, or just to simply relax at the pool.

If your trip to Disney World is a “rite of passage” event for the kids – and your goal is to just experience the popular rides and get a feel for the park – 3-4 days is doable. However, just be aware that you may feel as though you are rushing to get as much in with your time constraints.  You probably won’t be able to experience everything that you set out to achieve.

Besides simply having enough time at Disney World, another reason for booking a longer WDW vacation is the financial incentive. The more days you spend at the park, the less the cost of your daily ticket. That’s not to say you will spend less money on an 8-day pass vs a 3-day pass — you certainly won’t. But, the cost per day  goes down substantially the more days you spend at Disney World.

Thoroughly review all current promotions and ticket pricing scenarios before deciding on the duration of your Disney World vacation.

✔️  Compare prices for different trip lengths with our Cost Calculator

✔️  We explore how long to stay at Disney

✔️  See how many days you need for each park

✔️  See our favorite day trips from Disney World

✔️  Extend your trip by visiting one of the beaches near Disney World

6. Decide How to Travel to Disney World

Planning a Disney World trip must, of course, include consideration of how you will actually get there.

The two most common modes of transportation to Walt Disney World are by car and by air.

Buses and trains also come in and out of Orlando, but these options tend to be more problematic with luggage considerations. Consult your bus service or Amtrak for their guidelines on luggage if you decide to go this route.

Driving to Disney World

For guests within a reasonable driving distance (or those who just love a good road trip), there’s some convenience in having your own car at Disney.  Of course, you’ll need to consider all of the costs associated with driving to Disney… fuel prices, auto maintenance / wear & tear, tolls, and parking fees.

An oft-forgotten expense is that those staying in an off-site hotel must pay a daily parking fee at the theme parks (Disney hotel guests don’t pay this fee).

Those who live far away will likely find the cost of driving to Disney World to be prohibitively expensive.  But for those who live in the southeastern US — or who are faced with the prospect of buying airline tickets for a large family — driving might be the right choice.

Flying to Disney World

Since most people fly to Disney World, let’s review some of your best options for booking a flight.

Most people use airline travel search engines – such as Priceline, Kayak, Expedia, or Travelocity – to book their air travel. We also recommend checking Google Flights or ITA Matrix  — both are robust search engines for finding airline deals. If you have flexibility with your booking dates, sign up for Airfarewatchdog alerts. You can get real-time or daily alerts for special offers and flight deals between your departure city and Orlando.

Which airports are closest to Disney World?

Orlando is served by three major airports, all of which have confusingly similar names.

• Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the airport of choice for trips to Disney World.  It’s the nearest airport (about 20 miles away)  and offers by far the most ground transportation options to Disney World.
• Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) is located about 45 miles away from Disney World.  Though it’s further away and offers fewer ground transit services, it may be your only choice for a nonstop flight if you’re flying with a smaller/discount carrier or if your home airport is a smaller regional facility.
• Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is located about 65 miles away from Disney World.  It’s the farthest “Orlando” airport from Orlando (they actually got sued for using the word Orlando” in their name) , and is likely better suited for a Disney Cruise from Port Canaveral than it is for a stay at Walt Disney World.

If you’ll have a rental car and don’t mind a bit of a drive, you can also investigate flights into Tampa International (TPA, about 75 miles away) or Daytona Beach International (DAB, about 70 miles away)… but the flight discounts would have to be amazing to make up for the difference in time and cost.

Tips To Save on Flights to Disney World

Here are a few more cost-savings tips for booking your flight to Walt Disney World:

• For the best deals, book six weeks in advance.
• Scan for deals in the morning, as most airlines offer their best deals at this time. Act fast because good deals get scooped up quickly.
• The most inexpensive flights are often the earliest departures in the morning.
• Wednesdays are typically the cheapest days to fly.
• Credit cards with frequent flyer mile points can save you money on future flights.
• Not all airlines offer their cheapest flights through travel search engines. Check low-cost airlines individually to see if booking directly through their website is less expensive.

Traveling Within Disney World

Regardless of how you get there, once you’ve made it to Disney World, transportation is a breeze.  Disney offers a completely free network of monorails, boats, buses, Skyliners (suspended aerial gondolas), trams, and walking paths to move people from place to place.  You’ll really only need a rental car if your plans take you off-site to a non-Disney destination (and even then, an Uber might be better).

Check out our Disney transportation map in the planning tools below to map out your journey through Disney World.

✔️  Search for airfare on Google Flights

✔️  For advanced flight search options, try ITA Matrix

✔️  Explore our Transportation Map to find out how to get around Disney World

✔️  Review options to get from the Orlando Airport to Disney

✔️  Estimate the cost of taking an Uber

✔️  Learn about parking at Disney World

✔️  Explore the Disney Monorail

7. Choose Your Disney World Resort Hotel

Disney owns and operates more than 20 on-site hotels, which it calls “Resorts.”  This name can be a bit confusing, because you’ll also hear the entire Walt Disney World area referred to as a “resort.”  As an alternative to the on-site hotels, you can choose to stay at a hotel not owned by Disney; that could save you some money, but you’ll miss out on a number of perks offered exclusively to on-site Guests.

Official Disney On-Site Resorts

There is something special about staying at an official Disney World resort.

For one, each resort has its own distinctive character, charm, and identity. You can leave the real world behind and surround yourself with Disney magic, 24/7.

Since all of these resorts are on Disney World property, you will be in close proximity to all the parks and have direct access to monorails, boats, skykliners, and buses.  A few resorts are close enough that you can easily walk to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT.

On-site guests also receive special perks that off-site guests do not. These include Early Theme Park Entry and the ability to book Dining Reservations and Lightning Lane entries ahead of non-Disney resort guests. For 2025, Resort Guests also receive free water park admission on their check-in day.  Make sure you link your Disney World hotel reservation to your My Disney Experience account to take advantage of these perks!

Disney’s on-site Resorts are categorized within the following tiers:

Disney Value Resorts

The rooms at  Disney Value Resorts are smaller and are situated among larger campuses, so you might find there’s a bit of a walk between your room and the bus stops, dining, and front desk.  Transportation to the Disney World theme parks is mostly via bus or Skyliner.  Dining is typically quick-service that’s more akin to a food court, but still usually features a surprising variety that goes well beyond burgers and pizza.  Value resorts are a fantastic option for families who want to keep an eye on their budget but still have all the benefits of staying on Disney World property.

Disney Moderate Resorts

The  Disney Moderate Resorts offer a nice middle ground between the Value and Deluxe resorts.  You’ll have a somewhat upgraded room, good transportation, and usually a few different dining options that may offer a broader menu.  A Moderate Resort is a great way to upgrade your stay at a Disney World resort hotel without a major impact on your budget.

Disney Deluxe Resorts

Deluxe Resorts tend to be closest hotels to the Disney World theme parks, usually just a monorail, boat ride, or short walk away.  Not only is it easier to get to the parks in the morning and back from the parks at night; it’s also easy to avoid the hottest and most crowded parts of the day by returning to your hotel and letting the kids cool down in the pool or take a midday nap.  Then, while everyone else who stayed in the park all day is hot, tired, and cranky, you’ll be refreshed and ready for the nighttime fireworks.  Disney World’s Deluxe resorts also often feature larger rooms, the best pools and restaurants, and a generally upgraded experience.

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Deluxe Villa Resorts offer vacation home style amenities such as kitchens and separate bedrooms, which can be a great option for larger groups.  These range from studios (basically a hotel room that also includes a kitchenette and pull-down bed) to 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units featuring full kitchens and living rooms.  There are even some unique offerings, such as treehouse villas and over-the-water bungalows.  Even beyond these deluxe villa resorts, many other Disney World hotels offer family suites .

The only major disadvantage of staying at an on-site Disney resort is the cost. With the extra perks and close proximity to the park, these resorts are more expensive than off-site resorts, so your decision will really just depend on your budget and the priorities of your vacation.

Traveling with a fuzzy friend?  You might be surprised to learn that pets are welcome at a select few resorts, and there’s even a facility made exclusively for them.  Check out Pets at Disney World for more information.

Our favorite Disney World YouTube Channel has a great overview of Disney’s official on-site Resorts.

Off-Site Hotels (non-Disney)

Most off-site properties are further away from the park and do not have direct access to the monorail (though some might offer a limited shuttle service). Despite this, many off-site resorts are still quite close to the parks – some, in fact, are situated directly on Disney-owned land.  For example, you’ll find third-party hotels not far from EPCOT, as well as an extensive “Hotel Boulevard” just an intersection or so away from Disney Springs.

While you won’t enjoy the same perks as on-site guests, these off-site properties are generally very nice.  And some  non-Disney hotels do have agreements with Disney to allow their Guests to experience some special perks.

Many have all the amenities of the more expensive Disney Resorts (some even have more), and the rooms are often larger. If your party has 5 or more guests, off-site resorts offer more value, as most of the on-site 5-person+ options are quite pricey.

The bottom line is, if you are sticking to a tight budget and don’t mind being a little further away from the action, a non-Disney resort may be your best bet. You can have a fantastic vacation staying at either on- or off-property resorts.

We recommended that you explore both options and weigh the pros and cons as they apply to your situation. You can certainly split your nights between on-property and off-property. But if you are only at Disney World for a few nights, we recommend just paying a little more to be on the property.

Find the perfect hotel for your budget

✔️  Explore our Disney Resort Comparison page

✔️  See the best Disney Value Resorts

✔️  View the best Disney Moderate Resorts

✔️  Review the best Disney Deluxe Resorts

✔️  Find the best Family Suites at Disney

✔️  See the best Disney Resorts for kids

✔️  Explore the best Disney Resorts for adults

✔️  Learn where to book Disney World hotels

✔️  Find off-site hotels with shuttle service

✔️  Find our picks for the best on-site hotels overall

✔️  See which resorts have the best hotel pools

✔️  Splurge on Club Level at Disney World or a Five-Star Hotel at Disney

✔️  What’s the cheapest on-site hotel?

8. Buy Theme Park Tickets and Make Park Reservations (if needed)

Image © Disney

While it’s certainly possible to go to Disney World without ever setting foot inside a theme park, very few people actually do that.

And given that it’s possible that you may end up spending more on park tickets than on your hotel room, the decision about which tickets to buy is an important one.

We recommend you review all your options well in advance so you have time to think about which package makes sense for your budget and duration of stay.

And remember, you might need to make a theme park reservation (Disney Park Pass), depending on your ticket type.

Disney Theme Park Tickets

Let’s first look at the theme park tickets.

When and Where to Buy your Disney World Theme Park Tickets

As a general rule, you should always purchase tickets either directly from Disney, your travel agent, or an through an authorized seller/reseller — and you should do so well in advance of your departure. This will shield you from any price hikes that might occur and gives you the best chance of securing a reservation to your desired park on your desired day  (if your ticket type requires reservations).

Given that tickets can sell out and that some even require a theme park reservation, it’s not wise to just wait to buy your tickets when you get to the front of the park .

Most importantly, NEVER buy your tickets via eBay, Craigslist, or another unauthorized reseller.   There’s a very good chance that those tickets will be expired, completely used (no days left), or simply counterfeit.  Don’t risk it!

Ticket Pricing

Disney World theme park ticket pricing varies throughout the year.  They’re generally the most expensive during popular times (such school breaks, holidays, and weekends) and the least expensive during slower times. Prices also vary by park; Animal Kingdom is usually the least expensive and Magic Kingdom is usually the most expensive, with Hollywood Studios and EPCOT falling somewhere in between.

You can purchase single-day tickets or multi-day tickets (up to 10 days).  Ticket prices are structured in a unique way that rewards Guests for committing more time to the parks; the per-day price of a multi-day ticket gets cheaper the more days you add.

We have a full rundown of the ticket pricing structure in our How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney World article.

2024 One-Day One-Park Ticket Starting Price (actual price varies by park)

Types of Theme Park Tickets

The basic Disney World theme park ticket allows entry to only one theme park per day.  But there are optional upgrades which allow you to visit multiple parks on the same day or add other special experiences.

Park Hopper option

The Park Hopper ticket option allows Guests to visit multiple Disney World theme parks on the same day.  After starting the day at one park, Guests may then go to a different theme park later in the day.

We especially love the Park Hopper for spending the first part of the day at one theme park, then spending the evenings at Epcot to take advantage of the wonderful dining options at World Showcase.  It’s an especially great option for those who have a limited amount of time at Disney World, and for those who have short attention spans!

Water Park and Sports option

The Water Park and Sports option allows Guests to visit one theme park per day, while also providing visits to other Disney properties.  Guests who purchase this upgrade will be able to visit water parks, mini golf and nine-hole golf courses, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, when available.

The number of these visits provided is equal to the number of days of theme park admission purchased.  As an example, a 4-day park ticket allows four visits to these facilities.

Park Hopper Plus option

The Park Hopper Plus option combines the Park Hopper option and the Water Park and Sports option into a single upgrade.  Guests who purchase this upgrade will be able to visit multiple theme parks in the same day, and also enjoy a number of visits to water parks, select mini golf and nine-hole golf courses, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, when available.

Disney Park Pass (Theme Park Reservations)

A theme park ticket isn’t necessarily the only thing you need to get into a Disney theme park.  Guests who buy theme park tickets may also need a theme park reservation through a system called Disney Park Pass .

Because of this, planning ahead can be crucial to ensuring you can get into your desired theme park on the day you want to visit.  If you’re traveling during a more popular time of year such as spring break, summer, or Christmas, it is quite possible that tickets or reservations may not be available if you wait until the last minute.

Example of a theme park reservation availability calendar

Park Pass theme park reservations can be made as soon as you’ve purchased your theme park admission tickets.  We recommend you buy your tickets as far in advance as possible to have the best chance of getting the theme park reservations you want.

Park reservations may be needed for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom — but it depends on the type of ticket you purchased.   They’re not needed for Disney Springs or the water parks.

As of December 2022, all One-Day One-Park tickets automatically include a park reservation — no need to make one separately. And as of January 9, 2024, all date-based tickets will be reservation-free. Other ticket types may still require one, so be sure to check out all the details when you purchase.

If your park hopper ticket requires reservations, you’ll only need a reservation for the park you’ll be  starting  your day at.  You do  not  need a reservation for the  second  park you’re visiting (“park hopping” to) on the same day, but the park still needs to have capacity to admit new Guests.

✔️  View Disney’s official theme park ticket price calendar

✔️  Check Disney’s theme park reservation availability calendar

✔️  Explore ticket prices in our How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney World article

✔️  Read our complete guide to  Disney Park Pass theme park reservations

Need help navigating all of the ticket options?  Contact the Disney Experts at The Vacationeer .  They can help you decide which tickets are right for you and give you tips on snagging theme park reservations.  And best of all, their planning services are completely free!

9. Select Your Disney World Dining Options

There are literally hundreds of places to eat and drink around the Walt Disney World Resort, from the humblest popcorn cart to the fanciest high-end fine dining restaurant.  If this is your first trip, you may be surprised by all the world-class dining experiences the parks and resorts offer.

Gone are the days when Disney was known simply as a “burgers and kid’s meals” type of destination.  Sure, there are plenty of quick-service restaurants and snack stands around the park, but there is also an eclectic mix of fabulous table-service restaurants to satisfy the toughest of culinary critics.

Some restaurants are themed around Disney attractions, while others are geared towards families or offer formal dining experiences.

All-you-can-eat buffets are popular, as are regional cuisine restaurants. Epcot’s World Showcase offers culinary experiences aligning with the specific country represented, while Disney Springs has an abundance of fabulous dining experiences to choose from.

There’s even a popular dinner show called the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue that features two hours of comedy and music (accompanied by endless fried chicken, BBQ ribs, and strawberry shortcake).

There is really something for everyone’s taste buds at Walt Disney World!

Types of Restaurants

There are two primary types of restaurants at Disney World.

Quick-Service Restaurants

A quick-service restaurant, sometimes also called counter-service, is a place to grab a casual, quick bite.  The ordering, payment, and service experience is somewhat similar to what you might expect at either a fast food restaurant or a “fast casual” place such as a Panera Bread or Chipotle.  You’ll stand in line, order, and pay (or use the mobile ordering service described later in this planning step); then, you’ll either receive your food right away on a tray or be given a pager-type device to alert you when it’s time to come and pick up your meal.  You won’t have a server at your table, and when your meal is over you’re expected to bus your own table and discard your trash.  Despite the ordering experience being akin to a fast food place, your food isn’t necessarily just burgers and fries.  Many locations have innovative menus and substantial meal offerings that rival those of a traditional restaurant.

Table-Service Restaurants

A table-service restaurant, sometimes also referred to as a “sit-down” location, is a more refined dining experience.  You’ll check in with a host/hostess, be taken to a table, and be introduced to a server who will take your order and tend to your needs during your meal.  These restaurants vary from relatively casual a la carte locations, to all-you-care-to-eat buffets, to elegant signature dining locations.  Menus vary from homestyle cooking to authentic international cuisine.  Advance reservations (described below) are strongly suggested, as some restaurants may completely refuse walk-ups during busy times.

Advance Dining Reservations

If you plan on dining at table-service restaurants during your vacation (recommended!), reservations are essential.

Disney calls its restaurant reservations “Advance Dining Reservations.”  Sometimes you’ll hear people call these “ADRs.”  An ADR lets you secure your table at some of Disney’s most popular table-service restaurants (restaurants in which you have a server at your table who takes your order and brings your food to you).

Slots during prime hours go quickly, especially at popular dining locations like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Chef Mickey’s.  Booking your reservations as soon as the reservation window opens is key to getting what you want.

Guests staying in a Disney Resort hotel  may make dining reservations for the entire length of their stay (up to 10 days’ worth of reservations) as early as 60 days in advance of their hotel check-in date.

All other Guests can make their advance reservations for dining as early as 60 days in advance of the meal.

Note: you might have previously heard that dining reservations could be made 180 days in advance.  While that was previously true, the booking window changed in 2020.

We recommend that you spend some time reviewing on Tripadvisor  and  Yelp  before making your Advance Dining Reservations (or speak w/ a Disney Travel Agent first).

Mobile Ordering

Reservations are not offered for quick-service dining at Disney World, though some locations do provide a mobile ordering service through the My Disney Experience app.  For these locations, you can view menus in the app, then order and pay ahead of time.  When it’s time to eat, you can bypass the regular ordering/payment line and go straight to the mobile pickup window to get your food.

Skip the Line with Mobile Ordering

Character Dining

One of Disney’s unique dining offerings is its character dining.  If getting some face time with Disney characters is a must-do for your trip, this is a great way to accomplish it without having to wait in line (and you get to enjoy a great meal, too!).

While you enjoy your meal, several Disney characters will come to your table for a brief visit.  It’s a great chance to snap a photo, ask for an autograph, or just enjoy a personal interaction.  Because the characters are coming to you, there’s no need to wait in any long lines.  And there’s just something special about having the main mouse himself pop up over your shoulder while you’re chowing down on a Mickey waffle!

Each character dining experience focuses on a specific set of characters… for example, the “Fab 5,” Disney princesses, Disney Junior Stars, or Winnie the Pooh and friends.

Disney Dining Plans

For some travelers, one of the best options for dining at Disney is to add a Disney Dining Plan to your on-site hotel stay.  These plans offer a set number of meal and snack credits per person at a fixed daily cost.  Historically, during certain low-demand seasons, Disney has even  occasionally offered the dining plan at no additional charge as part of a vacation package including a hotel stay and theme park tickets.

Disney Dining plans were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re returning for 2024 Disney World vacations .

Until the dining plan fully returns, you’ll be paying out of pocket for your food on-site, unless you opt to bring your own food into the parks (and yes, you can get groceries delivered to your hotel).

✔️  Calculate the date you can book dining reservations

✔️  Explore menus for every restaurant at Disney World

✔️  Use our Disney Dining Plan Calculator (Note: Dining Plans are currently suspended until January 2024)

✔️  Estimate your food costs by viewing examples in our  How Much Does it Cost article

✔️  See how different meal choices affect your budget in our Disney World Cost Calculator

✔️  See our picks for the best Magic Kingdom restaurants

✔️  Explore our ranked list of the best EPCOT restaurants

✔️  Review our choices for best Hollywood Studios restaurants

✔️  Go wild when dining at the Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants

✔️  Explore the best options for Character Dining

✔️  Experience culinary excellence at one of the Michelin Guide restaurants at Disney

✔️  On a plant-based diet? Check out the best Vegetarian dining

✔️  Just love food? Review our guide to Disney World for Foodies

✔️  Learn more about Disney Dining Plans

✔️  Read about Disney World Free Dining promotions

10. Create a Daily Itinerary for Your Disney World Vacation

Now that we have covered the basic elements of your Walt Disney World vacation, it’s time to start thinking about the nitty-gritty details of your trip. Improvising on-the-go can cost you money and lost time while you are at the park, so creating an itinerary will keep your vacation on track.

If your trip to WDW is 4 days or fewer, you will most likely spend each day exploring at least one of Disney’s 4 theme parks. Consider a Park Hopper pass so that you have the ability to jump between parks during the day.

Time is of the essence, so we recommend that you map your route and create an itinerary of high-priority attractions so nothing is overlooked.

If your Disney World vacation is a week or so, consider spending one day at a Disney water park (Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon), at a non-Disney property (such as SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens), golfing, boating, shopping, or just taking a day off to relax.

Reservations for theme parks and dining should be made well in advance of your trip, so the process of selecting which restaurants and attractions are top priorities should begin as soon as you book your trip (if not before).

As you research your options, make notes to help you formulate your Walt Disney World itinerary.

Here are a few things to consider when making your daily plans:

One of the primary factors for your daily itinerary should be how late the park is open each day you’re there.  Park opening and closing times can vary from day-to-day.  So you might want to base your daily park choices on which park has the longest hours — or at least make sure you don’t shoehorn yourself into only being able to visit a certain park on the one day during your trip that it closes early. Some parks take longer to fully experience than others, and you don’t want to run out of time.

A great perk of staying at an on-site Disney hotel is having extra time in the parks when the general public is not allowed in.  While not all attractions operate during these extended hours, it’s still a great way to get a few extra rides in with typically lower wait times.  The previous Extra Magic Hours  program has now been replaced by two offerings:

Early Theme Park Entry

Disney Resort hotel Guests (and Guests of other select hotels) may  enter the Disney parks 30 minutes earlier  than the general public, every day of the week. Each of the four parks offers this perk every day of the week; which park you choose is solely up to you!

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours

Guests at Disney Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, and a few other select hotels may also enjoy additional time at specific parks on specific nights.  You’ll want to check the  latest schedule  to verify which dates and parks are available during your trip.

Waiting for Rides/Attractions

It’s an unfortunate fact that a sizable portion of your Disney World trip will be spent waiting in line to get on rides or see shows.  Fortunately, there are ways to minimize this as much as possible.

Standby Lines

When most people think of waiting in line for a ride, they’re thinking of what Disney World calls a Standby queue.  It’s line waiting in its simplest form; you walk up to an attraction entrance, wait in line for as long as it takes, and then get into the ride vehicle.

Standby wait times can fluctuate wildly throughout the day, often peaking in the mid-afternoon.  While you can’t do anything about the length of the line itself, you can game the system a bit by deciding when to enter that line.

For your most important attraction of the day, I suggest doing what frequent visitors call “rope dropping” the park.  This means that you are at the park before it opens for the day, enter the park as soon as Guests are allowed in (as soon as they “drop the rope” that is keeping people out), and go directly to the desired attraction so you can ride it with as little wait as possible.

Other tactics to try to avoid the worst of the standby wait times is to go during the afternoon parade, or to go when most people are having lunch/dinner.  The Disney Genie section of the My Disney Experience app will also show you a forecast of wait times for each hour of the day so you can better plan your arrival time to minimize waits.

One further tip that won’t necessarily help you avoid an extended wait time but will certainly increase your comfort level. As a long-time Floridian, I highly recommend doing all of the rides that have completely-outdoor waiting lines either early or late in the day; when it’s miserably hot/steamy outside during the afternoon hours, I prefer to hide away from the midday sun by experiencing the rides with indoor air-conditioned queues. These rides are also less likely to close during afternoon thunderstorms.

Virtual Queues

If your trip happens to occur in the months immediately following the opening of a highly-anticipated attraction (such as a new roller coaster), you’ll likely find that you can’t simply go stand in line for that ride.  Instead, you might have to use something called a virtual queue .

It’s exactly what it sounds like — rather than physically standing in line, your spot in line is held virtually via the My Disney Experience app.

Virtual Queue

A virtual queue is both good news and bad news for your itinerary planning.

The good news: Historically, people have spent as much as five or six hours (!) waiting in line for a new ride — I did that when Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened and don’t recommend it.  Those long lines are not the case with virtual queuing.  Your wait might technically still be that long, but you don’t have to spend that time actually waiting in a line.  You’re instead free to go have plenty of other fun elsewhere in the park during that time, and then come back when it’s time to ride.

The bad news: Competition to grab a spot in the virtual queue can be fierce.  Spaces open up daily at 7AM and again at 1PM.  On dates when Extended Evening Theme Park Hours are offered for select Resort Guests, another round of queuing begins at 6PM.  On the busiest days, all available slots can be claimed within seconds of being released. To give yourself the best possible chance of snagging a spot, read Disney’s extensive instructions  ahead of time so you know exactly what to do at 7AM on the day you wish to visit.

Priority Attraction Entrance (Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane)

Many rides and experiences in the parks have a special Lightning Lane entrance which allows you to bypass the regular line and board more quickly.  If you’ve been to Disney World in the past, you might remember these entrances having been previously called FastPass or FastPass+.  The Lightning Lane concept is still mostly the same, but there’s one big difference: you now must pay to enter the Lightning Lane.

Genie+ Service

Most rides which have a Lightning Lane entrance are packaged together into a bundled service called Genie+.  For a combined fee of approximately $15-$30 (varies based on date/demand/park) per person per day, Genie Plus lets guests make reservations to use the Lightning Lane entrance at more than 40 attractions throughout the parks.  Guests make their first Lightning Lane reservation on the morning of their visit and then make additional ride reservations, one at a time, for the remainder of the day (subject to availability).  Disney says this service will usually help you experience a quicker load time on 2-3 attractions on a busy day (maybe more on less-crowded days), which can help save you hours of waiting in line.

Note: The paid Genie+ service should not be confused with the basic Disney Genie service, which is an itinerary suggestion service inside the My Disney Experience app.  Disney Genie provides suggestions of what to do based on wait times and your interests.  Genie+ saves you time waiting in line by letting you instead select a time to return to ride.

Individual Lightning Lane entry

The Lightning Lane entrances at the most popular attractions in each park are not included in Genie+ and are instead sold separately.  You’ll be able to purchase one entrance per day for each ride offering this individual entry service.  The cost usually ranges from $10-$20 per ride and varies based on the attraction, date, and availability.

If a ride’s Lightning Lane is sold under this individual pricing structure, it will not be included in the Genie+ package offering.

You can’t actually book your Lightning Lane entrances in advance — they’re available for purchase only on the day of your visit — but you’ll still want to research them in advance to include in your daily itinerary.

Disability Access Service

A special service is provided to assist Guests who have a condition that interferes with their ability to wait in line.  This offering, called the Disability Access Service (DAS), assigns return times so Guests don’t need to be physically present in the attraction line (but still experience a similar length of wait as those who are waiting in line).

There’s an important distinction when understanding DAS: qualifying is based on a guest’s ability to wait  in line, not their ability to  stand in line. Most attraction lines are wheelchair accessible , so a wheelchair alone is unlikely to qualify someone to use DAS.  There’s no official list of disabilities which automatically qualify, but some which may qualify include ADHD, autism , or anxiety.  Each decision is made on an individual basis, and Disney alone has sole authority to grant or deny DAS to a Guest.

This is a highly-nuanced topic that we can’t completely cover in just a few sentences.  We suggest you read our extensive guide to the Disability Access Service for further details.

Timing Your Meals

Your itinerary should include a solid plan on when you’re going to eat your meals.

Unless you have breakfast reservations for an in-park restaurant, we do NOT recommend that you have breakfast in the park.  You’ll likely be missing out on some of the lowest ride wait times of the day if you’re off getting food right after the park opens.  One option is to have breakfast at your hotel’s restaurant before heading to the park (the restaurants open early enough to allow this without missing park opening). I personally prefer to just have bagels and cream cheese in my room and opt for an early lunch — that lets me sleep in just a bit and still get to the parks early.

Speaking of an early lunch, having your meals during an off-peak time is a great way to avoid wasting time waiting in long lines at counter-service restaurants.  If you have lunch at noon and dinner at 6PM, you’ll quickly notice that pretty much everyone else in the park had the same idea.  Not only will there be longer waits in line (and for your food to be prepared), but you might even have to “hover” a bit to find an empty table.  If you do have to dine during the busiest hours, take full advantage of mobile ordering within the My Disney Experience app whenever you can.

Of course, should you have dining reservations at a table service restaurant for lunch or dinner, your time for that meal is set and you just need to plug it into your daily itinerary.

Planning When to Stop and When to Go, Go, Go

With the prospect of a full vacation in front of you, it’s easy to either over or under do it.

Yes, you’re on vacation, so it’s tempting to sleep in.  But doing so will put you a step behind everyone else in the park, meaning you’re at the mercy of higher crowds and longer lines.  Waking up early and getting to the parks right away goes a long way toward starting the day right.

On the other hand, if you plan to go nonstop from morning to night seven days in a row, you’re going to crash midweek and have a miserable time.  You’ll probably end up losing more time due to the inevitable meltdown than if you had just planned to take some downtime along the way.

Take it from someone who spend more than a decade battling the central Florida heat: the afternoon sun will suck the life right out of you. A midday break is just the thing to rejuvenate your spirits.

If you’re staying on-site, you can easily go back to your hotel for a midday nap or dip in the pool.  I also like to give myself at least one “day off” during my trip. I usually just spend it relaxing at the hotel or maybe checking out the animals on the Savanna at Animal Kingdom Lodge — but you might want go play a round of golf, sit on the lakeside “beach” at some resorts, or have a laidback day at Disney Springs (go shopping, have a meal, take a balloon ride , or see a movie ).

Giving some thought  now to periods of activity and periods of rest will help make sure your vacation doesn’t veer off track.

Our Top Tips for Disney World Itinerary Planning

With all of the above in mind, it’s really going to come down to a matter of personal preference.  Once you have a good handle on all of the things to do, see, eat, and experience at Disney World — what do you want to do each day?

Only you can answer that question.  But here are a few of our favorites to consider when planning your daily itinerary:

Some of the most popular rides for Lightning Lane passes and Disney Genie+ are:

• Magic Kingdom – Seven Dwarfs Mine Train; Space Mountain
• Epcot – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind; Frozen Ever After; Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Hollywood Studios – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run; Rise of the Resistance; Slinky Dog Dash; Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Animal Kingdom – Pandora’s Na’vi River Journey; Avatar Flight of Passage; Expedition Everest

Some of the other most popular attractions at each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks include:

• Magic Kingdom – Haunted Mansion; Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Pirates of the Caribbean; Splash Mountain (currently closed)
• Epcot – the pavilions of Epcot World Showcase; Mission: Space; Test Track; Spaceship Earth; Soarin’; Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Animal Kingdom – Expedition Everest; Jungle Cruise; Kali River Rapids; Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Hollywood Studio – Fantasmic; Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster; Toy Story Midway Mania; Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Some of our favorite WDW restaurants include:

• Be Our Guest Restaurant , Magic Kingdom – This ornate French eatery with a Beauty & the Beast theme offers fixed-price dining.
• California Grill, Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Contemporary Resort’s premier restaurant is a great spot to watch the fireworks and offers breathtaking views of the park.
• Chef Mickey’s, Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Popular breakfast & dinner buffet restaurant with special visits from Mickey and friends.
• Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom – This Cinderella-themed eatery is set in a room that resembles a medieval castle’s banquet hall.
• Flame Tree Barbeque, Animal Kingdom – Tasty BBQ featuring a relaxing outdoor pavilion with amazing views of Animal Kingdom. And it’s quick-service, so no need for a reservation!
• Hollywood Brown Derby, Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Retro dining establishment with fantastic caricatures of old-time celebrities on the wall.
• Le Cellier, Canada Pavilion at World Showcase, Epcot – Steaks are a specialty at this top-notch table service dining establishment.
• ‘Ohana, Polynesian Village Resort – All-you-can-eat, American-style (with a Polynesian twist) buffet for breakfast and dinner.
• Teppan Edo, Japan Pavilion at World Showcase, Epcot – Guests are seated around the teppanyaki grills as skilled chefs prepare your meal in front of you.
• The Boathouse Restaurant, The Landing, Disney Springs – Upscale waterfront dining experience featuring steaks and seafood, Amphicar tours, Italian water taxi tours, and live music.
• Via Napoli, Italy Pavilion at World Showcase, Epcot – Amazing pizza! Need we say more?

✔️  Find out which rides and experiences have a Lightning Lane

✔️  See the scheduled Disney Park Hours

✔️  Learn about the Virtual Queue

✔️  Learn a few of our favorite Disney Tips and Tricks

✔️  Find the Best Days To Visit Magic Kingdom

✔️  See  What’s New at Disney World

✔️  Investigate whether Genie+ is worth it

✔️  Learn if we believe Lightning Lane passes are worth the cost

✔️  See our complete guide to the Disability Access Service

✔️  See our list of fun things to do at Disney

✔️  Traveling with little ones? Find the best attractions for kids

✔️  Want some time off your feet? Plan on attending a stage show

✔️  Find the best places to relax at Disney

11. Create Your Disney World Packing List

Depending on the duration of your Walt Disney World vacation, you will most likely pack lots of items to take with you. Let’s look at some of the things you should include in your WDW packing list.

Luggage / Backpacks for Disney World 

First and foremost, make sure your luggage/backpacks are in tip-top shape for the journey, and of adequate size to hold your travel essentials.

Many families prefer to bring a backpack with them into a Disney World park so they have everything with them. It’s handy to have the essentials (or even a snack) — just remember not to overdo it!  Everything you bring in with you has to be hauled around all day, stowed away for rides, or left in a rented locker at the front of the park.

Some people prefer to skip the backpacks all together and use a smaller pack that goes around the waist.  While not necessarily the height of fashion, they certainly do the job and are much easier to work with when it comes to boarding ride vehicles.

Disney Souvenirs

This tip might sound odd, but hear us out.

Consider purchasing some of your Disney World souvenirs before your departure.

Purchasing items beforehand – like t-shirts, trading pins and lanyards, Disney autograph books, games and toys, and Mickey Mouse Ears hats – can save you money and time spent shopping for these items at the park. Plus, you will have these Disney souvenir items ready to use as soon as your flight touches down in Orlando.

Packing List

And finally, it’s time to think about which clothing items, documents, toiletries, medications, electronics, swimwear, baby items, food and snacks, and other accessories you will need to pack.

From our experience, you will arrive at Disney World – thinking you have packed everything you will need for your trip – only to discover that you left an important item or two at home.

For your convenience, we have created a suggested Disney World Packing List  to ensure that nothing is overlooked during the packing process.

Print this list and check items off as you pack. We have also included a few recommended items on our Packing List.

These include links to inexpensive ponchos, comfortable shoes, external batteries, USB wall chargers, and Disney beach towels, as well as water bottles and Frogg Toggs Chilly Pads for those warm days at Disney World.

✔️  Download our suggested Packing List

✔️  See our suggestions for the Best Backpacks for Disney World

✔️  Review the Best Disney World Fanny Packs

✔️  Scope out the Best Souvenirs in advance of your trip

Final Thoughts on How To Plan a Disney World Vacation

We hope our Ultimate Guide to Walt Disney World Vacation Planning will get you on the right path to planning, prioritizing, and booking your magical vacation to Disney World.  It’s a lot of information, but with enough research and planning, you’ll have a magical trip!

We should point out that this guide is mostly geared towards Walt Disney World in Florida, but many of the basic ideas still apply to other Disney vacations .  If you’re headed to Disneyland in California, you’ll also want to check out our Disneyland vs Disney World ,   Disneyland Resort Map , and  Disneyland Crowd Calendar pages.  We also offer extensive resources for those planning trips with Disney Cruise Line (including a complete guide to planning your first Disney Cruise ), as well as resources on Adventures by Disney .

Contact a Disney Travel Planner to Book Your Disney World Trip

As you’ve seen in this article, there is a LOT that goes into planning a Disney vacation.  Why not call in a professional to help?

The Authorized Disney Vacation Planners at The Vacationeer can plan your trip for you and take care of all of your reservations, all at no additional charge.  You won’t pay a penny more than if you’d have booked it yourself — and you might even pay less !

Their team of 90+ Disney fanatics know all the tips and tricks for hotels, dining, park tickets, and more… and can even apply new discounts to your trip as they’re announced, after your trip is booked!

There’s never any obligation to book and their services are free, so there’s nothing to lose by contacting them for a quote.

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Home » Walt Disney World » Planning and Tips

2024 Disney World Planning Guide | How to Plan a Disney Vacation

By Author Ziggy Oskwarek

Posted on Last updated: March 18, 2024

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Planning a trip to Walt Disney World in 2024 or 2025? We know it’s stressful, but don’t worry, our Disney World Vacation Guide will give you everything you need to know to get ready for your upcoming trip!

Whether you are looking for information about the Disney World Parks, hotels, dining, transportation, the best rides, how to save money, or how to avoid the crowds, we have you covered in this guide. Think of it as Disney World Vacation Planning 101.

This guide is especially great for beginners who have never been to Disney World or go rarely, but we also pack in a lot of good tips for regular guests too.

While we do have some of the most important tips & info on this page, we don’t have ALL the answers directly written out here. This guide organizes some of the best Disney planning content into categories giving you an overview of what you are looking for and then links to more in-depth guides on each subject.

In this post we will specifically cover:

• How to Plan a Disney World Vacation
• What You Need to Know BEFORE Going
• When to Visit Disney World in 2024
• Important Disney Vocab
• Where to Stay
• Buying Tickets
• Rides & Attractions
• Dining & Restaurants
• Disney Planning Timeline, & more…

Since this guide covers a lot of the planning steps of your whole trip in general, if you are looking for specific info on the Disney World Parks , then check out the following links:

• Magic Kingdom
• Hollywood Studios
• Animal Kingdom

Unfortunately, Disney World is one of the most complicated vacation destinations in the world. We know planning a Disney World vacation has become one of the most frustrating exercises and you’d just like to be there already having fun. Hopefully, we can help you do that as painlessly as possible.

We’ve been going to Walt Disney World multiple times per year since the early 1980s when we were babies, and we continue to spend way too much time there today trying all the new food, rides, events, and hotels. To say we are huge Disney fans would be an understatement.

The byproduct of countless hours spent visiting Disney World means that we have some valuable tips that we are eager to share with you. We aren’t going to lie, it will take some work on your end. But in the long run, it will be invaluable for your trip. Let’s get right into it…

Table of Contents

Changes in 2024 and 2025

Going to Walt Disney World in 2024 or 2025 is a MUCH different experience than it was just a couple years ago, and different again from even last year.

Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave for the last few years, you know that the parks closed down in 2020, and when they reopened Disney installed many new procedures to let guests back to the parks.

Thankfully, for the most part, the Disney theme parks have gotten back to normal again, and the restrictions Disney put in have gone away one by one. The Walt Disney World vacation experience should be “close to normal” once again.

For example, Fireworks are back with nighttime spectaculars happening in the parks nightly.

Many stage shows like Festival of the Lion King, Beauty & the Beast Live on Stage, and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular are back. There are still some missing, but the lineup of entertainment is heads and shoulders above where it was not too long ago. Not to mention, the overwhelming majority of attractions and restaurants have also returned.

If it’s been a few years, there are a ton of new attractions you have to experience, EPCOT in particular has gone through a pretty big transformation and the construction walls are almost all down now. There are still a lot of additions Disney would like to finish at some point during 2024, including what’s left of the massive EPCOT overhaul project .

There are also new hotel projects on the way including the new DVC tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort and the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort .

This should be a great time to visit, but if you are worried about the changes, you may want to wait until the end of the year.

That’s what to expect this year, now let’s get into some of the Disney vacation planning basics.

How to Plan a Disney Vacation

Believe it or not, some of the most important planning steps of your Disney World trip happen as much as one year BEFORE your vacation starts, or even more.

Some things you are going to have to think about are:

• What dates do I want to go? Are those dates flexible?
• What is my budget?
• What type of hotel do I want to stay in?
• How many days do I want to go to the theme parks?

The most important suggestion we can give you is to get organized. The more work you do before your trip to plan everything out, the easier things will be for you and your family once you get there.

Can You Go to Disney World Without Planning?

As always in life, what you CAN do and what you SHOULD do are two entirely different things, and that is also true in this case.

Yes, it is physically possible to go to Disney World without planning your trip, but I would highly recommend against such an action. Organizing everything months ahead of time is a lot of work and a big pain, but it is vital if you want to have a successful trip.

Your choice of hotel will be severely limited if you don’t book it well in advance. You won’t be able to get dining reservations at the best restaurants in Disney World. You won’t know which attractions to reserve with Genie+. Right now, you can’t even get into the parks without a prior reservation.

If you are looking to go to a destination where you can just “wing it” and not have to make any plans ahead of time, we recommend choosing another destination besides Disney World.

How Do I Start Planning a Trip to Disney World?

STEP 1: Write down notes. There are going to be a lot of details, prices, and dates to remember so get a dedicated notebook for your upcoming trip. If you prefer, you can take notes on your phone or computer, but make sure you have a way of jotting down notes in a convenient place where you will be able to find them.

STEP 2: Set a Budget. Make no mistake about it, a trip to Walt Disney World is expensive and costs can add up very quickly. So before you start choosing how many days you want to stay, your hotel, and ticket types, make a budget. It will be much easier to organize your vacation if you already have an idea of how much you are willing to spend.

STEP 3: Get familiar with Disney World. Even if you are not ready to book your vacation yet, start reading up on Disney World and familiarize yourself with all the locations, attractions, restaurants, and special events. A website like this is one way to do that, but also look through the official Walt Disney World website and download the My Disney Experience app on your mobile device.

STEP 4: Choose your Dates. These don’t have to be written in stone, but we recommend at least having some idea of when you would like to plan your trip for. Later in this guide, we will show you how to decide on those dates.

Once you get these four things done, you are ready to start planning the details.

When Should I Start Planning My Disney Trip?

When is the best time to start planning a Disney World vacation? We recommend to start planning as soon as possible , but at least one year before you plan to go.

The sooner you start planning your Disney vacation, the better. In fact, once you finish reading this guide, you should start writing ideas down for your trip.

As you will see in our vacation planning timeline, some of the first steps can be completed as many as 499 days before your vacation starts.

We believe the sooner you start the process of organizing your trip, the better. Starting now will give you a leg up on other guests when it comes to getting reservations for dining, hotel rooms, the parks, and any special events you want to attend+. I will also make you aware of discounts to save money on your trip.

What Do I Need to Know Before Going to Disney World?

Here are 9 main things to know about Disney World before going:

• There are 4 Theme Parks in Disney World: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom
• There are 2 Water Parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• 31 Resort Hotels to stay in.
• There are countless Outdoor Activities to do such as swimming, fishing, golf, boating, and more.
• WDW has 5 golf courses and 2 mini-golf courses .
• Disney Springs is the nighttime entertainment hub with dozens of first-class restaurants and shops
• You can catch a Dinner Show at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue or dine at one of the many character meals .
• It is a self-contained city with its own fire department, water treatment, waste disposal, and power generation.
• Disney World is HUGE at 25,000 acres. That means travel time can be long between two places.

How Many Days do you Need for Disney World?

There is really no wrong answer to how many days you need for a trip to Walt Disney World, and it depends on many factors, including if this is your first trip or not.

• The ideal Disney World vacation is 7 days long . That allows for 2 travel days (arrival and departure), and 5 open days to visit the parks and have fun.
• The bare minimum we recommend for first-timers is 5 days , ideally with an early arrival and late departure.

In fact, most Disney World vacations are between 4 to 7 days long. That gives you enough time to visit all the theme parks at least once, and have extra time for staying at the resort and swimming or shopping.

If you want to visit any other Orlando-based attractions like Universal Studios, for example, you can still do that in 6-7 days total.

It’s possible to visit Walt Disney World in only 3 or 4 days, but you will feel very rushed. You can make the highlights of each park, but you won’t really have time to do all the rides, see all the shows and take in the details.

One thing to keep in mind is the longer your trip, the less you pay per day for your park tickets. So in a way, it’s advantageous to stay longer than only 5 days.

If you have the time and money , we recommend doing a 9 or 10-night stay and really taking the time to soak it all in. That gives you enough time to visit all 4 parks multiple times, and have days off to relax.

How Much Does a Trip to Disney World Cost?

Let’s get to the bottom line…how much does a Disney World vacation really cost?

Everyone has different budgets, so the cost is going to depend on how many days you go, how many people are in your group, and how you like to vacation. Our Guide to Doing Disney World on a Budget will help you with more of the details.

The major costs to consider for a Disney World vacation are:

• Park Tickets
• Souvenirs/Shopping

We’ve made our estimated costs based on a family of 4 on a 5-Night vacation to Walt Disney World in the Summer, with 4 days of theme park passes.

For a family of 4, a Walt Disney World vacation in 2024 costs: $5,895.26 , $7,378.61 , or $10,757.96 . These prices include the above expenses and are broken down our price estimates into 3 categories: Budget , Moderate , and Expensive .

• For a family of 2 adults , the prices change to: $3,667.10, $4,684.80, and $7,323.00 .
• For a family of 3, the prices change to: $4,689.19, $5,861.19, and $8,768.94 .
• For a family of 5, the prices change to: $8,862.35, $10,005.00, and $12,203.90 .

Of course, there are many more factors to take into consideration, especially the time of year you visit. We calculated these prices based on a Summer vacation, but they can change by hundreds of dollars in either direction, so keep that in mind.

Read our post on the Average Cost to go to Disney World for more details and how to save money on your trip.

Should I Use a Disney Travel Agent?

One option you might want to consider is using an authorized Disney Vacation Planner when planning your trip. Even though there is a ton of great information on the internet to read, sometimes it’s just too much and you prefer having someone take care of the work for you.

The nice thing is most Disney travel agents don’t cost any extra money to work with. That means you can have someone personalize your trip for you and make the tough reservations, all for free. In fact, most of the time, using an agent will actually SAVE you money since they know when the discounts come out.

Using an authorized Disney vacation planner, your trip will be much better organized, less stressful, and save you money.

If you like the hands-off approach to trip planning, we highly recommend Rene Cittadino and her amazing team from Show You the World Travel. We’ve worked with Rene and her team of experts many times before and she is our Disney Travel Planner of choice.

• Contact René at Show You the World Travel for all your trip planning needs, including a FREE quote.

List Your Priorities

There is way too much to do at Walt Disney World, no matter how long your trip is. That means you need to make a priority list of must-dos.

• Is there a restaurant you absolutely must go to? Write it into the schedule.
• What are the attractions you have to do at each park?
• Which shows do you want to see?
• Which characters?

When we are planning a trip to Disney World, we put all the must-dos in one column and then find a place for them in the program. We also have a secondary list of things we’d like to do if time allows, and we fill in the cracks with those.

When to Visit in 2024 or 2025?

Above all things, deciding when to visit Disney World is the most important decision you have to make when planning your trip.

Factors such as crowds, price, weather, and special events should all be taken into consideration when choosing your dates. Unfortunately for some, it’s not always up to us to decide. If you have children in school, you might be forced to only choose dates during the holidays or summer break, and those can be the worst times to visit.

Let’s look at some of the factors, meanwhile, our post on The Best Times to Visit Disney World goes into more depth.

The crowds are probably our most important factor in deciding when to go to Disney World. Trust us, there is nothing worst than going to Disney World when the parks are their busiest.

Crowds at Disney World tend to follow the school calendar, which means holidays and the Summer are when they are at peak levels. If you can avoid going during those times you will be better off, but sometimes this is not possible, especially if you have to take your kids out of school.

Read our 2024 Disney World Crowd Calendar post to see which months are the busiest and least busy.

Whether in Orlando, Florida can be brutal for a good part of the year with scorching temperatures and unbearable humidity. Even though it’s known for sunshine, Disney World also gets tons of rain during some months.

The best weather for the parks tends to be from November to March when the climate is mild and there are few rainy days. You also need to know when there are Hurricanes at Walt Disney World and how to avoid them.

What is the Cheapest Time to Go to Disney World?

Going to Disney World is expensive, so planning a vacation for cheap can be a huge help to many guests. So what is the cheapest time to go?

Disney World offers the best rates and the biggest discounts during the off-season when kids are at school. Prices are the highest during the summer and during holidays. Things like ticket prices, airfare, and hotel rooms are all more expensive during those times.

If saving money is important to you, try booking your trip in January, February, or September.

Read our post on the Cheapest times to go to Disney World for more info and tips for guests on a budget.

Special Events

Disney can throw quite the party, and many people come to Disney World specifically for the yearly special events put on. Depending on your needs, you might want to come during one of the events or avoid them altogether.

Here are some of the biggest special events to make note of in 2024:

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (January 3-7, 2024)
• EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (January 12- February 19, 2024)
• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival (February 28 – Early July, 2024)
• EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival (Mid-July – Mid-November, 2024)
• Walt Disney World 100th Year Celebration (Most of 2024)
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (Select nights from Mid-August – October 31, 2024)
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (Select nights November and December 2024)
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays (Late November – December 30th, 2024)

Park Pass Reservations

Right now in 2024, Park Pass Reservations are no longer required for most ticket types (there are some exceptions for Annual Passholders and other special tickets) , and for the most part you no longer have to worry about park capacity.

If your ticket type does require Park Pass Reservations, make sure there are open dates for the parks you want before booking your trip, then once you buy your tickets, make your park pass reservations so you are sure to get in.

However, the good news is that park reservations are no longer required for the majority of ticket holders starting January 9, 2024.

We explain it all in our post on how to make Disney Park Pass reservations .

New Attractions

If you love attractions, then you might want to plan your trip around some of the new rides that are opening up. This is especially true if you’ve been to Disney World many times before and want to hold out until something else is new.

Here are the biggest new attractions opening in 2024:

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• Test Track 3.0
• New Country Bear Jamboree Show

We have been spoiled with a lot of new attractions over the past few years.

EPCOT has been a big focus of recent additions with our favorite being Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind which opened on May 27, 2022, and it has immediately become the most popular ride in EPCOT and a must-do on your visit.

Other new EPCOT attractions include Moana: Journey of Water , Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure , Space 220 Restaurant , and the new Luminous The Symphony of US Fireworks Show .

The TRON: Lightcycle Run Roller Coaster similarly has been a smashing success at Magic Kingdom when it opened on April 2nd of 2023.

Those are just a taste of what’s coming next. Read our guide on New Rides Coming to Disney World which will help you decide when to plan your trip.

What Month is the Best to Go to Disney World?

In general, we find that January and September are the best months to visit Disney World .

Both are incredibly quiet times of the year. January has nicer park weather for long days in the park. September can be wonderfully quiet if you can endure 90-degree days.

For a variety of reasons, we feel that September and May will also be great months at Disney World in 2024. Read our post on Disney World – Month by Month Rankings for a comparison of each one.

Wait Until 2025?

Unlike in 2020-2022 years, most of the health restrictions have now been removed from the Disney parks, making it much more like a normal visit. In our opinion, most guests don’t have reason to be fearful like at the beginning of the reopening.

If you have been waiting for a couple of years to visit, 2024 and 2025 may be the perfect opportunity for your perfect Disney World vacation with all that is coming down the pipeline.

Our article “Should you visit Disney World in 2024?” can help make the case for each year and includes the positives and negatives for both.

No matter what dates you have in mind, check out our post “How Far in Advance Can You Book a Disney Vacation?” That will give you the full timeline and let you know when to get started.

Limited Experiences & Closures

Some of the normal experiences guests are used to at Disney World are not running right now. Since a Disney World vacation is not cheap, this can be a huge factor in deciding whether it’s worth the cost at this time.

Some of the things missing are:

• Some Stage Shows
• Fewer Street Entertainers
• Fewer Characters in the parks

This is another problem brought on by the fact that Disney is not able to find enough cast members to fill the roles required for all the positions in the parks. That’s why we still have limited entertainment options compared to a few years ago.

Thankfully, we have seen the return of fireworks to the parks on a nightly basis and dessert parties to go along with them. Character meets are open again, and at least you can get hugs and autographs from them too!

We are also excited to know that more special events are running again in 2024 with the Disney After Hours Events in full swing. On top of that, the Disney Dining Plan is made its long-awaited return on January 9th, 2024! Guests can begin booking it for trips on that date and after.

At least park hours are pretty much back to normal once again so you can expect to stay in the parks like before.

Important Disney World Vocab

Genie+, PhotoPass, ADRs, MDE, EMH…anyone else confused yet?? In fact, before you start planning your Disney vacation, there are some basic vocabulary terms you need to learn.

Below we’ve listed the most Disney important terms you will see while planning your trip:

My Disney Experience

Everything starts with My Disney Experience when planning a Disney World vacation. Also known as MDE, this is Disney World’s app that handles dining reservations, Genie+, mobile ordering, park maps, resort stay information, itineraries, PhotosPass pictures, and much, much more.

My Disney Experience is accessible through the website or the mobile app on your phone. Get familiar with it, because it’s a necessary tool to use before and during your vacation.

As you may have heard, FastPass+ has been retired and replaced by the new Disney Genie service . Disney Genie is a day-planning app in My Disney Experience that includes two paid ride reservation systems, Genie+ and Lightning Lane selections.

They allow guests to reserve access to the most popular theme park attractions, essentially skipping the lines and saving you time along the way.

Genie+ is not free like its predecessor was and instead costs between $15 and $39 per day, per guest. With that fee, guests can make reservations for attractions they want to ride throughout the day in a specific time slot like FastPass+. They then come back when that time slot arrives.

Reservations are limited to one at a time, so you can’t have 3 all at once like before. Once a two-hour window passes from making your first reservation, you can then make a reservation for the next attraction.

A few of the most popular attractions instead use Individual Lightning Lane selections. These let you skip the line for a one-time fee between $10-$25 depending on the ride. Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane selections are two different pay-to-ride services and guests can use one without the other if they choose.

If you choose not to use either of these services, you will just wait in a standby queue to ride the attraction like normal.

• READ: We cover everything you need to know about Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes in our guide which is essential reading before deciding how to tour the parks each day. I also recommend reading our post “ Is Genie+ Really Worth the Cost? ” which helps you to know if you should spend the extra money.

Early Theme Park Entry

Early Theme Park Entry allows Disney World Resort hotel guests to have access to the theme parks in the morning before the general public . This is one of the biggest benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort hotel with guests experiencing fewer crowds in the parks.

It works in a similar way as Extra Magic Hours did only that Early Theme Park Entry runs every day of the week and lets guests in 30 minutes before the parks open. It’s unclear if EMH will ever return or if Early Theme Park Entry is here to stay long-term.

One thing is clear, you get a big advantage showing up early and it can really help you get the more popular rides in each park done before the crowds arrive.

MagicBands are an all-in-one mobile connectivity device disguised as colorful bracelets. These devices connect with My Disney Experience and can be used by guests to buy food or merchandise, unlock hotel room doors, redeem Genie+ selections at rides, and use them as theme park tickets.

In 2024, MagicBands are no longer free to guests but can be purchased for a small fee online or in the parks. The future of MagicBands and replacement technology is much more clear now that Disney finally launched MagicBand+ a couple of years ago.

Park Hopping

Park hopping is Disney’s system for allowing guests to visit multiple theme parks on the same day. It is an add-on feature to your Disney World theme park admission and is an extra cost. Whether or not it’s worth it to you depends on if you prefer hopping around to multiple parks per day or doing one park per day more thoroughly.

Park Hopping is alive and well in 2024 after being unavailable for a while after the parks reopened. Read our post on Disney World Park Hopping to see what changes there are to the system now.

ADRs is an abbreviation for Advanced Dining Reservations and it is how you reserve a table at Disney World restaurants. Dining reservations are a MUST to get into the more popular restaurants, especially for character meals, theme park restaurants, and the more elegant dining experiences.

If you are staying at one of the Disney World Resort hotels , ADRs can be made 60 days in advance of your check-in date, and reservations can be made for up to 10 days past the check-in date, for a total of 60+10. If you are staying off-site, you are at a disadvantage because you can only make reservations 60 days in advance of the dining date.

Read our Disney World Dining Reservations Guide for more details and tips on getting into the restaurants you want.

PhotoPass & Memory Maker

PhotoPass is Disney’s photography service offered at the Walt Disney World Resort . Professional photographers (and machines) are stationed throughout the parks and are available to take pictures of you and your family as a memory to take back home with you.

These photographers are set up in the most scenic areas, with many of Disney World’s famous icons in the pictures with you like Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, etc. These photos are connected to your My Disney Experience account and can be downloaded or printed at a later time.

Many of the photographs include MagicShots, which are photos with a little bit of extra Disney magic in them, often including the characters and funny poses. On-ride photos are also available on many of the attractions and also can be downloaded.

In order to get these photos, you will need to purchase the Memory Maker package for your trip. It is an additional cost of $210 + tax (or $185 + tax if you purchase it at least 3 days in advance) but gives you unlimited photo opportunities for your whole travel party during your entire vacation.

You also have the opportunity to purchase Memory Maker for only one day, and that costs $75.

Disney photographers will also take photos of you and your family with your own phones if you ask, so don’t be afraid. This service is free of charge.

Where to Stay?

The next step in booking your Walt Disney World vacation is figuring out where you want to stay.

Some of the factors to consider when deciding where to stay are:

• Staying On-Site or Off-Site
• Accommodation Type
• Location and Convenience
• Hotel Amenities
• Airport Transportation
• Extra Perks

Some of these will be important to you while others not so much. Base your decision on the accommodations that check off the most boxes for you and your family.

The first step in this process is deciding if you want to stay at a Disney World Resort hotel (on-site) or outside of the resort property (off-site).

Disney World Resort Hotels

Staying On-Site Benefits

• Location – Resorts are located near the Disney theme parks which means less travel time each day. You can also go back to your hotel for a nap in the afternoon before heading out once again later.
• Genie+ – Staying at a WDW resort hotel means you can make your Individual Lightning Lane reservations at 7:00 am, before guests who are staying off-site.
• Early Theme Park Entry – You will have extra time in the parks in the morning before the general public arrives.
• Transportation – Disney includes free transportation to and from the theme parks, Disney Springs, and other hotels. Free airport shuttle service is no longer provided through Disney’s Magical Express , and you’ll have to take care of getting from Orlando Airport to Disney World on your own. Options include the Mears Connect Shuttle , taxi, or a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft.
• Theming – Most Disney World hotels have unique theming that you and your kids will love.
• The Disney Bubble – There is something magical about stepping into Walt Disney World at the beginning of your vacation and then not stepping out until the end. You feel tucked away inside this magical world that you never want to leave.

Staying Off-Site

Benefits of Staying Off-Site:

• Lower Cost – This is the biggest benefit, one that could make a huge difference in your decision. Compared to each other, non-Disney hotels cost significantly less than Disney hotels of the same hotel class (value vs. value, deluxe vs. deluxe). You could save between 30-50% on hotel costs by staying off-site.
• Transportation – Some of the off-site hotels have a free transportation service between the airport and the hotel so make sure to ask for your options.
• Genie+ – While you don’t have the advantage with the Individual Lightning Lane selections, making Genie+ reservations is the same for guests staying on-site or off-site.
• Better if Visiting Other Orlando Destinations – If going to Orlando, Sea World or other destinations, a more central location outside Disney World is nice.
• More Luxurious – Some of the hotels available in the Orlando area like the Four Seasons Orlando or Ritz-Carlton Orlando, are true luxury hotels, and offer more amenities than the Disney World Resorts.

On-Site vs Off-Site

If you are looking for the easiest, most convenient choice and money is not your number one deciding factor, we recommend staying at a Disney World Resort hotel . The only real negative is the cost, and most of the time the benefits outweigh that, but it will depend on your priorities and budget.

We recommend exploring both options and weighing the cost vs value for you and your family. If you are only going for 4-5 days though, we think staying at a Disney hotel is the smart play since time is of the essence. If you have a longer stay (7 days or more), you might find more value in staying off-site.

Our On-Site vs. Off-Site Disney World Hotels Comparison will help you decide if the benefits are worth the extra cost.

Disney Hotel Types

There are 4 tiers of Walt Disney World Resort hotels and they are organized by cost:

• Value Resorts
• Moderate Resorts
• Deluxe Resorts
• Deluxe Villas

Value Resorts are the cheapest of the hotel types and can be booked anywhere from $130 to $415 per night depending on the season. They have the fewest amenities, the smallest rooms, the cheapest theming, the worst dining options, and the transportation is the slowest.

Moderate Resorts are a step up from value, but not nearly as nice as the Deluxe resorts. The rooms are bigger than value rooms, and the dining is much better at most of them. Prices range from $260 to $505 per night.

Deluxe Resorts are our favorite hotels in Disney World and for good reason. Most of the rooms are large and can fit more than 4 people. The best dining locations are located here with some world-class restaurants. The pools are the best and the locations and transportation options can’t be beaten such as the monorail, Disney Skyliner, and most are within walking distance of the parks.

Of course, expect to pay for this upgrade and prices can vary between $490 to $1350 per night depending on where and when you stay.

Deluxe Villas are Disney Vacation Club properties located at the Deluxe Resorts. Some guests own timeshare points they can spend at these resorts, while other rent points from members. This is the cheapest way to stay at one of the deluxe resorts without breaking the bank and a strategy we highly recommend.

We recommend reading our Guide to the Best Disney World Resorts where we rank them all from best to worst and share the pros and cons of each resort.

Vacation Packages 

Disney World Vacation Packages are your hotel room + theme park tickets in the same bundle. These can be a mixed bag. Sometimes they can be a great value and offer deep discounts on room rates or even include discounts on food like the Disney Free Dining package included.

Most of the time we find you can save more money by getting a hotel room-only discount and buying tickets separately. You should do your due diligence and compare prices between the two options. Disney World Vacation Packages can be booked at www.DisneyWorld.com

Again, we highly recommend you use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner as they will always be able to find the deepest discounts for you and save the most money.

Airbnb and Nearby Hotels

Instead of staying at a hotel, if you are really trying to save money on your trip , then consider staying at one of the many third-party hotels or an Airbnb near Disney World.

If you aren’t familiar with how Airbnb works, it is a service that rents out peoples’ residences to travelers like a hotel room.

The Airbnbs in Orlando include vacation homes, apartments, and condos. Besides the lower cost, guests have more privacy and space in a private residence than at a hotel. There is also usually a full kitchen so you can prepare your meals and save even more money.

Another cheaper alternative is staying at one of the nearby off-site hotels, or a hotel located on Disney property, but not run by the mouse. This can save you a lot of money, just make sure you are aware of the extra costs that could be involved.

The biggest downside for off-site hotels, Airbnb, or vacation homes is the distance from the parks and not being able to use Disney transportation. You will either have to rent a car or use a ride-sharing service like Uber to get around, and that can be inconvenient. If you already will be using a car, then consider this a great alternative.

Read our Complete Disney World Resort Hotels List for a look at all the Disney and Non-Disney hotel options in the area and what to expect.

Park tickets can be the most expensive part of a trip to Walt Disney World, even more than dining and your hotel. That’s why it’s important to do your research beforehand and know how to save money when buying them.

You also need to decide exactly how many days you want to spend in the parks so you don’t end up paying for more days than necessary.

Where to Buy Tickets

Options for buying Disney World Tickets include:

• Directly from Disney
• Authorized Ticket Reseller
• Travel Agent

Getting your tickets from Disney on the official Disney World website is your first option. It’s almost always more expensive, however, and it pays to look elsewhere.

To save money on your park tickets, we recommend using one of the authorized resellers online such as Get Away Today or Undercover Tourist . They are legit resellers so you don’t have to worry about being ripped off like other places online.

If you really want to save money, we highly recommend Orlando Va cation which often has the best prices for any of the Disney World ticket resellers.

Depending on what type of ticket you are buying, these options can save you as much as $50-$70 per ticket! That’s a huge savings, especially if you have a big family. Once you buy your Disney World park tickets, they can be linked to your My Disney Experience with a code.

In our Discount Disney World Tickets Guide , we cover the best places to buy tickets from and how to get the absolute cheapest tickets possible.

Ticket Types

There are three basic types of Disney World theme park tickets: Standard tickets, Park Hopper tickets, or Annual Passes . Both standard and park hopper tickets can be purchased as single-day tickets or multi-day.

Standard Tickets – This is the cheapest ticket type. They allow you admission to one theme park per day for the number of days you purchased. You can visit the same park for multiple days if you choose.

Park Hopper Tickets – This option allows you to visit multiple parks per day for the entire amount of days you purchased. Technically you can visit all 4 parks in one day if you like. There is a Water Park version too. They are more expensive but allow for greater flexibility.

Annual Passes – There are multiple versions with different restrictions but the higher-end options give you unlimited access to the parks letting you visit whenever you want. If you live close to WDW or are planning on visiting multiple times in a one-year period, an annual pass could be a good investment.

Here are some links that explain about all the various ticket types, differences, pros and cons, prices, and their unique features:

• Disney World Tickets Complete Guide
• 1-Day Disney World Tickets
• Disney World Annual Pass Guide
• Florida Resident Disney World Tickets

Disney World park tickets are priced on a date and length-based system. That means the prices will fluctuate greatly depending on when you go.

For example, in 2024, a 1-Day standard park ticket starts at $109 per day and goes all the way up to $189 per day (plus tax) . That’s a huge difference and you can get a lot of savings by going in the off-season.

Another important factor is that tickets cost less per day the more days you have on your ticket. In fact, Disney’s motto is: “the longer you play, the less you pay per day.” Once you get higher than a 3-day ticket, the price per day drops dramatically.

To find out the latest prices and how much they’ve increased this year, read our Disney Tickets Prices Guide .

When to Buy Tickets

There are multiple reasons to buy your Disney World park tickets as soon as possible . One reason is you can’t make Park pass reservations without them. That is important because the longer you wait the less likely you will get into the park of your choice when you want.

Disney tickets never become less expensive, so buying early also locks in your price before the next price increase comes.

Buy your tickets whenever your budget allows, just never wait until you get to the gate or you will pay more.

How to Travel to Walt Disney World

Now that you have your hotel and tickets all set, you need to decide how to get to Walt Disney World. This will depend on how far away you live and what your plans are when you get to Orlando.

Drive or Fly ?

These are the two most popular options for getting to Disney World and depend mostly on where you live.

Drive – If you are within a few hours of Walt Disney World, your best option might be to drive. You also might decide to drive if you are live close enough nearby, or if you are staying off-site and will be visiting other destinations outside of Disney World.

One thing to keep in mind is that many Orlando hotels charge parking fees for each night of your stay, and that will cost you an extra $20-$30 per night. These can be avoided if staying at one of the WDW Resorts.

Fly – For most guests, an airplane is the most convenient way to get to Disney World. The Orlando International Airport is the best choice and is located only 30 minutes from WDW. There are multiple flights per day arriving from most cities in the United States and Internationally.

Airfare is also not expensive and good discount flights can be found online with many between $150-$250.

Booking Airfare

We recommend setting your dates and to start looking for airfare 1 year before your vacation. That will give you the best chance to score a deal.

If you are booking airfare yourself, we usually find the best prices on ITA Software by Google , AirfareWatchdog , or Skyscanner . You can set up price alerts and they give a flexible dates option to find the best price.

Transportation to and from Airport

The Orlando International Airport is located approximately 20 miles from Walt Disney World, which means you will need transportation to get to your hotel.

The popular & free Disney’s Magical Express transportation was discontinued in 2022 so now in 2023, you’ll need another option to get from the airport to your resort hotel, which means you need to pay out of pocket.

One solution when staying at Walt Disney World is the Mears Connect Shuttle , the most similar replacement for the Magical Express.

Other options no matter where you are staying include taxi service or ride-sharing such as Uber or Lyft .

• Taxis are by far the more expensive choice and will cost around $50-$60 each way plus tip depending on where you are going.
• Uber is a much cheaper option and will cost between $30-$40 each way.

Allow sufficient time to get to your hotel from the airport. If you have a 10:00 am arrival you can expect to get to your hotel by around 11:30 am if taking a cab or Uber. It will be longer on one of the bus services and in that case you will probably arrive between 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm.

Read “ How to Get from Orlando Airport to Disney World ” for the full breakdown of all your options and how to save money with transportation.

Attractions and Rides

Most people come to Walt Disney World for the attractions, and you want to plan them out as best as possible in order to do all the ones most important to you.

Pay special attention to this section if this is your first time or you haven’t been to Disney World in a few years as there are many new attractions to experience. Make sure to check the Disney World Ride Closures List to see which rides will be open during your trip.

If you are going to EPCOT, make sure to read our post on How to Get a Boarding Pass for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind , and How to Get a Boarding Pass for TRON: Lightcycle Run over at the Magic Kingdom. These are two of the hardest attractions to ride in Disney World at this time.

You’ll definitely want to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance , and right now you’ll need to use the standby queue to ride. You can also read How to Get a Boarding Group for Rise of the Resistance for the times it uses the virtual queue system.

For a detailed look at all of the attractions, be sure to check out our other Disney World Ride Guides:

• Best Rides in Disney World Ranked
• Magic Kingdom Rides and Attractions Guide
• EPCOT Rides and Attractions Guide
• Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions Guide
• Animal Kingdom Rides and Attractions Guide
• Best Rides for Toddlers at Disney World

Pick Your Park Days

First, you need to pick how many days you need for each park and how many park days total. Depending on your interests, some parks you can get done in half a day, and some will take you multiple days.

If it’s your first time we recommend 1 full day for each park, and an extra half-day or more for the Magic Kingdom since it has the most attractions.

• Magic Kingdom – The best park for small kids and has the most rides.
• EPCOT – Best park for foodies, festivals, and culture.
• Hollywood Studios – Best park for teens and thrill-seekers.
• Animal Kingdom – Best park for animal and nature lovers and a good selection of rides and food.

The highlights of EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom can all be done in 3 half-days, but we recommend spending at least a day in each to soak up the atmosphere and not feel rushed.

Must-Do Rides

There are some truly special ride experiences at Disney World and each park has a number of Must-Do attractions you won’t want to miss. Here are some of the best ones:

Magic Kingdom – TRON: Lightcycle Run , Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight, The Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Jungle Cruise

EPCOT – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind , Soarin’ Around the World, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, Spaceship Earth, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Hollywood Studios – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance , Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway , Toy Story Mania!, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

Animal Kingdom – Avatar: Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Na’vi River Journey

Those are by far the most popular attractions in each park and the ones that should be at the top of your list. That is a great starting point for any park itinerary.

Make sure to leave enough time to fully explore all the details in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora: The World of Avatar , two of the most immersive lands we’ve ever seen!

Characters are a huge draw for guests when visiting the parks, especially kids. Character meets can be found in all 4 theme parks and include favorites such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Princesses, and characters from the Pixar films.

Character meets were suspended temporarily for two years, but they returned in 2022, and you can hug the characters and get their autographs now just like normal! You can also see them in the new Character Cavalcades that go through the parks at various times of the day.

Entertainment

Besides rides, Disney World also offers first-class entertainment with amazing stage shows and nighttime spectaculars. Here is a list of the ones you shouldn’t miss and where to find them:

Fireworks/Nighttime Spectaculars – Happily Ever After (MK), Luminous the Symphony of US (EPCOT), Fantasmic! (HS), Tree of Life Awakenings (AK).

Stage Shows/Street Shows – Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire (MK), Dapper Dans (MK), Jeweled Dragon Acrobats (EPCOT), Voices of Liberty (EPCOT), Serveur Amusant (EPCOT), A Frozen Sing-Along (HS), Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage (HS), Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (HS), Festival of the Lion King (AK), Finding Nemo – The Musical (AK)

Parades – Character Cavalcades (All Parks), Festival of Fantasy Parade (MK)

Most of these entertainment options are now back in 2024, and we are hopeful more will come back later this year.

High Priority Genie+ and Lightning Selections

FastPass+ has been retired and Disney has shifted to its paid replacement Genie+. However, not all Genie+ or Lightning Lane reservations are equal, and there are some attractions where it’s much more advantageous to use them.

After all, you are limited to one Genie+ reservation at a time for the most part, so you need to choose wisely.

You should use Genie+ selections on higher-profile attractions that always draw long wait times like Peter Pan’s Flight or Test Track. Using a Genie+ on Alien Swirling Saucers at Hollywood Studios for example would be a waste.

Here is our list of High-Priority Genie+ attractions:

• Peter Pan’s Flight (Magic Kingdom)
• Jungle Cruise (Magic Kingdom)
• Test Track (EPCOT)
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (EPCOT)
• Frozen Ever After (EPCOT)
• Na’vi River Journey (Animal Kingdom)
• Slinky Dog Dash (Hollywood Studios)
• Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Hollywood Studios)
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Hollywood Studios)
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Hollywood Studios)
• Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)

Not all the Individual Lightning Lane selections are worth the money either as some don’t usually have long enough wait times.

Here is our list of rides we would spend an Individual Lightning Lane selection on if the circumstances were right:

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios)
• TRON: Lightcycle Run (Magic Kingdom)
• Avatar: Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT)

Here are some other posts about Genie+ and Lightning Lanes that you should read before planning your trip:

• Ultimate Genie+ & Lightning Lane Guide
• Is Genie+ Worth It?
• How to Purchase Genie+ at Disney World
• How to Purchase Individual Lightning Lanes

For some, dining is their favorite experience when visiting Walt Disney World, and there is an unlimited number of choices available for every palate. In fact, there are over 400 restaurants at Walt Disney World, with varying menus and themes to choose from.

Some restaurants are table service where you sit down and a waiter serves you and some are quick service/counter service which is more like fast food.

Among the decisions you have to make are where to eat, when to book reservations, and whether or not to use the Disney Dining Plan or not.

Choosing Restaurants

The first decision to make about dining in Disney World is which restaurants you want to go to.

It can be hard to make a decision, especially if you haven’t been to any of them before. We suggest reading through the menus on the Disney World website to see what stands out to you and reading some of our Disney Restaurant Reviews for more info.

Character dining and buffets are options to consider, and some restaurants are more kid-friendly than others.

Here are some of our rankings of the top places to eat at Walt Disney World:

• Best Walt Disney World Restaurants
• Best Restaurants at Disney’s Magic Kingdom
• Best Restaurants at EPCOT
• Best Restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Best Restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Best Restaurants at Disney Springs
• Best Disney World Resort Hotel Restaurants

Making Reservations

Once you’ve picked out your restaurants, it’s time to make reservations. They can be made using the My Disney Experience app on your mobile device or on your computer on the Disn e y World website.

Advance Dining Reservations can be made 60 days before your check-in date for the length of your vacation (Previously 180 days) . We highly recommend making them as soon as possible as the most popular restaurants fill up months ahead of time.

Read our Disney Advance Dining Reservations guide for more tips on how to book the restaurants you want and the highest priority restaurants.

High Priority Restaurants

Here is a list of the hardest-to-book restaurants in Disney World and ones that should be booked right at the 60-day deadline:

• Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom)
• Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
• Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort)
• Le Cellier (EPCOT)
• Oga’s Cantina (Hollywood Studios)
• ‘Ohana (Disney’s Polynesian Resort)
• Space 220 (EPCOT)
• Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White (Disney’s Wilderness Lodge)
• Victoria & Albert’s (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort)

There are other hard-to-get ones like Via Napoli and California Grill, but the above ones are by far the hardest.

Our Favorite WDW Restaurants

Our favorite WDW Restaurants for First-Timers are:

• 50’s Prime Time Cafe (Hollywood Studios)
• California Grill (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
• Hollywood Brown Derby (Hollywood Studios)
• Liberty Tree Tavern (Magic Kingdom)
• Morimoto Asia (Disney Springs)
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Cafe and Inn (Magic Kingdom)
• Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom)
• The Boathouse (Disney Springs)
• Tusker House (Animal Kingdom)

That list has something for everyone no matter your budget or tastes.

Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan returned to Walt Disney World on January 9th, 2024 ! For all the news on the new dining plan, check out my post here .

Even though we aren’t fans of the Disney Dining Plan, many guests love to use it and it’s something you need to understand to make an educated decision on how you want to pay for your meals.

The Dining Plan lets guests pay for their meals before their vacation starts giving each person in the group a number of credits they can spend on meals each day. This makes it very convenient since you don’t have to pay for food “out-of-pocket” during your trip, and your budget is already set.

There are 4 levels of the Disney Dining Plan, (Quick Service, Standard, Plus, and Deluxe) each with different prices and tailored to how much you plan on eating during your trip.

In general, we don’t recommend the Disney Dining Plan because it is a bit too expensive. In order to make it worth it, you need to do a lot of research ahead of time, and pick the “right” restaurants and the most expensive items on the menu. Most people don’t end up using all their credits, essentially paying for food they never eat.

Disney World Transportation

Next, it’s important to know how to get around Walt Disney World once you arrive. With almost 500 buses, dozens of watercraft, a monorail, and a gondola system, Disney World has a larger public transportation system than many American cities.

Should You Rent a Car?

Renting a car at Disney World has its positives and negatives and is a big decision you need to make. It comes down to if you are going to visit other places outside of Walt Disney World or stay on property the entire time.

If you are going to spend the entire vacation at Walt Disney World, there is absolutely no need to rent a car. Disney’s public transportation is more than sufficient for your needs.

If you are just going to spend one day in another Orlando destination like Universal Studios, you don’t need a car and you will save money by catching an Uber or a taxi to your destination.

The best reason for renting a car is if you plan on spending multiple days outside Disney World. Just know that parking fees at the theme parks can add up if you aren’t staying at a Disney World Resort, so expect to spend an additional$25 per day on top of rental car fees.

Just remember, if you have a car, in some cases, you will need to pay parking fees either at the hotels or theme parks which is an extra expense on top of the cost of the car itself. Sometimes both. We explain it all in our Guide to Parking at Disney World .

The most common form of transportation at Walt Disney World, and also the worst. No matter where you are staying, you will eventually have to use a Disney bus at some point in your trip to get to at least one of the theme parks.

They can each hold 100+ guests so they can get very packed and uncomfortable. Buses also tend to be the slowest way of getting around at Disney World, so if there is an alternative to where you are going, take it.

If you do end up taking the bus, make sure to show up 20-30 minutes before the time you want to leave as they are notoriously late.

When Disney World’s monorail system debuted back in 1971 it was an instant hit with guests and become the most popular mode of transportation.

The monorail has 3 lines loops. 2 of them (Resort and Express) go around the Seven Seas Lagoon and connect the Magic Kingdom with the nearby hotels at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and the Ticket and Transportation Center.

The third line connects EPCOT to Magic Kingdom lines allowing access to the surrounding resorts.

We love the Monorail and it’s still a great time riding from resort to resort, but they are outdated and in great need of refurbishment. The trains haven’t been replaced since 1989 so it’s beyond time for a new system.

This is the newest transportation mode at Disney World and our current favorite. Reminiscent of the old Skyway buckets from the Magic Kingdom, this gondola system brings guests between Disney parks and resorts with a wonderful bird’s-eye view.

Disney Skyliner Stops – EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

Read our Full Guide to the Disney Skyliner for more tips, maps, and everything else you need to know.

Disney World has a fleet of watercraft that 3 of the theme parks with various surrounding resort hotels. It’s a fantastic way to get to the parks, and to relax with great views on the way.

• Parks with Watercraft Service – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios.
• Resorts with Watercraft Service – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort (and Bay Lake), Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort, Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts, Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter, Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside, Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (Treehouse Villas).

Expect to wait 20-30 minutes between boat arrivals.

Ride Sharing (Uber/Lyft)

Sometimes you just don’t have time to wait for Disney transportation and you need to get to your destination fast. A ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft is perfect at Disney World in that situation.

Ride-sharing such as Uber will bring you anywhere you want in Walt Disney World. The only place they can’t go is to the front entrance at the Magic Kingdom. Instead, they drop guests off at the Ticket and Transportation Center.

Disney doesn’t offer hotel to hotel bus service, so we often use Uber to get from our hotel to another one where we have a dinner reservation. This is a big-time saver instead of taking a bus to Disney Springs or a Park and then over to the second hotel.

Minnie Vans

Minnie Vans are Disney’s attempt to counter the popularity of ride-sharing services over the last few years. They are now back at Walt Disney World after being discontinued for 2 years.

They were run through the Lyft app and would bring you anywhere on property for a fee. Cars were painted red and black with white polka dots to resemble Minnie Mouse’s patented dress. They were much faster than Disney buses, but in the end, 2-3x more expensive than an Uber and not worth the high cost.

Getting from Park to Park

If you are park hopping you will want to go from one park to the other in the same day. Thankfully, Disney offers park-to-park transportation for resort hotel guests.

You can take the monorail between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. If you want to go between the Magic Kingdom and any other park, you will need to take the bus. Right now they run from 2:00 pm daily between parks.

Hollywood Studios and EPCOT have multiple transportation methods between them with boats, walking, and the Disney Skyliner all options.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the most difficult park to get to from another park and can only be reached by bus.

Other Stuff to Do

Most guests only come to Walt Disney World in mind, not realizing there is a whole world of other activities and entertainment to enjoy. There are water parks, boating, fishing golf, spa treatments, shopping to enjoy. You can even take a private tour or get a ticket to a special event.

You can celebrate a special moment in your life like an engagement or anniversary. Believe it or not, there are even a bunch of free things to do on your trip! There is something for the whole family.

Let’s take a look at some of the other things to do at Disney World.

Water Parks

Disney World has 2 water parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. To go, you need to purchase the water parks add-on to your regular theme park admission or buy a single-day ticket.

• Typhoon Lagoon has 7 water slide rides, one kiddie slide, one kiddie play area, one lazy river, one wave pool, and one small exploration trail. More family-friendly.
• Blizzard Beach has seven water slide rides, one kiddie play area, one lazy river, one wave pool, and a chairlift. More thrilling water slides.

Both water parks are fun, but if we are going to spend one day at a water park, we choose Typhoon Lagoon every time. The overall theming of the park is amazing, and the lazy river and wave pool are much better than at Blizzard Beach.

Disney Springs

This is Disney World’s main shopping and dining district and where you go if you are looking for nightlife at Disney World. Disney Springs underwent a major refurbishment and expansion a few years ago and now has countless must-try dining options as well as a Cirque du Soleil show, a movie theater, a fun bowling alley, and more.

Most of the restaurants at Disney Springs are much easier to get a reservation for than the restaurants at the parks and resort hotels, so keep that in mind if you have difficulty.

Read our rankings of the best Disney Springs restaurants for suggestions of where and what to eat.

Resort Days

Disney World can be exhausting running from one park to the next. We recommend spending at least one day doing absolutely nothing at your resort hotel. When I say nothing I mean lounging by the pool with a drink.

A good strategy is to have one resort day in the middle of your trip so you can recharge your batteries before doing the rest of the parks.

What is there to do at the resort hotels you ask? Tons! Here are some of our favorite recreation activities at Disney World:

• Boating/Jet Skis
• Horseback Riding
• Organized Resort Activities & Games
• Painting, Pottery & Crafts
• Sports – Tennis, Basketball, Golf, Archery
• Jogging/Trails
• Movies Under the Stars

Those should keep you busy for a while!

Visiting Other Resorts

Another option is to visit other Walt Disney World Resort hotels during your stay. The theming on some of them is really incredible (Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, Animal Kingdom Lodge), it’s free to do, and it’s fun to just walk around and check out the grounds.

No, you can’t swim in the pools at a resort you aren’t staying at, but you can scout out the hotels to find the resort you will stay at on your next trip to Disney World. Many enjoy doing this during the holidays to see the various decorations at each resort.

If you don’t want to take a whole day visiting other resorts, we suggest booking a lunch or dinner reservation at one of the restaurants in the resorts and then going early to check things out.

Sure you can go to the parks and ride the attractions, but did you know there are dozens of tours (paid and free) that you and your family can take? Planning a tour can be a great addition to your vacation and there is one for the whole family.

Best Tours at Disney World

• Keys to the Kingdom (Magic Kingdom)
• Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour (Magic Kingdom)
• Behind the Seeds (EPCOT)
• English Tea Garden Tour (EPCOT)
• Star Wars Guided Tour (Hollywood Studios)
• Savor the Savanna: Evening Safari Experience (Animal Kingdom)
• Wild Africa Trek (Animal Kingdom)
• Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour (All Parks)

(Some tours are back right now at Disney World and others are still suspended.)

Extra Magic

There are also other special experiences at Disney World we like to call “Extra Magic” as they add just that extra touch you or your family member is looking for on your vacation. Be sure to look into these, especially for a special occasion.

• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – This is a special salon that transforms your little princess or prince with a complete makeover. There are multiple packages that include costumes, make-up, manicures, and hair styling. Packages range from $75-$450.
• Dessert/Fireworks Parties – Each of the theme parks holds Dessert Parties on almost a nightly basis. These parties include all-you-can-eat desserts and a reserved view of the fireworks shows. Prices range from $40-$70 per person.
• Hard-ticketed Parties – Periodically there are events at the parks that require an extra ticket to and private from the general public and are some of the most popular events in Disney World each year. These include Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party , Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party , and various Disney After Hours events . Expect to pay between $109-$200 for these events.

Have a Daily Itinerary

No one likes being tied to a schedule on vacation, unfortunately at Walt Disney World that is not an option if you want to have the best experience possible during your visit.

We’re not saying you have to walk around with a clipboard and spreadsheet, but you need to create a general itinerary for the parks you are going to, which restaurants, etc.

The hard truth is, Disney World is too big and you can’t do it all even if you are there for 2 weeks. That’s why you need to make a plan and prioritize the most important things to you each day.

Some of the general questions about your Disney World trip that you need to think about are:

• How many days are you going to spend in the parks?
• How long will you go to the parks each day? Full days? Half days? Leave and come back in the evening?
• What order will you visit the parks in? Do you need to visit some parks more than once?
• How many sit-down meals per day? Where will you have those meals, at the parks or resort hotels?
• Which extra experiences are important to me? Special events?

The clearer your answers are to those questions, the easier it’s going to be to plan your days, and ultimately the more fun you will have.

When You’re In the Parks

Assuming you know how many days you want to spend in each park, the next thing you need to do is choose the attractions that are most important to you. Make a list of the ones you absolutely NEED to go on and prioritize those first.

Once you have your list, you will know which ones to prioritize when making your Genie+ reservations . When you have those it will be easier to map out the park and decide what order to do the attractions in.

We recommend looking at the park maps and doing the rides systematically. If you are in Adventureland for Jungle Cruise, then do the other rides on that side of the park while you are there. It will save you valuable time instead of walking back and forth multiple times.

What to Pack & Bring

We are almost there, the only thing left to do is pack your bags. Walt Disney World is a unique place and there are many things you might not think about packing that will be very helpful on your trip. We usually think we packed everything, but inevitably leave something at home, that’s why it’s best to have a list.

Here are the most important things to pack:

Luggage/Bags – Make sure your suitcases are in good condition before packing and are big enough to hold all your essential items. Decide how many bags each person is bringing. This will also depend on how many bags your flight permits.

We always pack too much on our trips to Disney World and we find ourselves swimming in bags. If you have a room with a washing machine, take advantage of that and do a load of laundry to save space in your bags.

If you have colorful, character-themed bags, this is the time to use them, your kids will love them. Also, make sure to bring a small backpack. We like to carry one during the day so hold our camera, a bottle of water, sunscreen, medicines, and other necessities.

Shoes – This might be the MOST important item on the list. If you don’t have comfortable shoes in Disney World, you are going to have a miserable time. On average, we walk between 8-10 miles PER DAY on our trips. You may not walk as much as us, but it will be at least 2-3 times more than what you are used to back home.

Here are some other important things you need to bring with you to Disney World:

• Medications
• Phone Chargers
• Travel Documents
• Water Bottles
• Frogg Toggs Chilly Pads (when it gets too hot)

Disney Vacation Planning Timeline

Now that you understand the basics of planning a Disney World vacation, it’s time to put it all together. When are you supposed to do all these planning tasks?

Most planning items need to be completed a certain number of days before your trip. We’ve created a planning timeline for you to make it easier to know when you need to get all these things done by.

One rule you should live by with Disney vacations is “it’s never too early.” Start planning as soon as possible and things will go much smoother.

499 Days Before Your Trip

You have to be kidding right? I need to start planning my trip 499 days before I go? While it’s not absolutely necessary to start this early, it will give you an advantage.

Start Thinking about Travel Dates – Get at least an idea of the dates you want to go to Disney World. Consult our Best Times to Visit Disney World guide to see which months are the best and worst.

Research/Book Hotel Reservations – Disney makes resort hotel reservations available for booking as many as 19 months in advance. If you know where you want to stay already, you may as well book your hotel now because you’ll have a better chance of getting a room.

This is especially helpful if you plan on going during the holiday season or other very busy times of the year. Read our article on How to Book a Disney World Vacation for all the details and booking tips.

Download My Disney Experience – Even if you don’t have dates in mind, travelers should download the MDE app and open an account right away to start getting familiar with the layout. It’s also time to go on the Disney World website to start doing research on the hotels and parks.

1 Year Before Your Trip

Decide Travel Dates – By this time you should have picked out when you want to take your vacation. If you need help deciding, it’s wise to look at a Disney World Crowd Calendar to find out when the busiest and least busy times of the year are.

How Many Days at the Parks – You also need to think about how many days you are going to spend in each park and how many days total of your trip. Think about which parks you want to go to and if you want to visit one of the water parks.

Research Attractions – Familiarize yourself with all the top attractions at each park and think about which ones you really want to do.

Price Airfare – It’s never too early to start looking up prices for airfare if you are flying. You should aim to get your tickets no more than 6 months before your trip.

9 Months Before You Go

Make Hotel Reservations – By this time you should know when you are going and which hotel to stay at. If you wait any longer you really run the risk of not getting the hotel you want. Lock in your room and then wait and see if a better offer opens up.

Get Everyone on My Disney Experience – You should already have an account, but you also need to make sure your family and all members of your travel party also are signed up. You will need them to be in the system for your dining reservations and FastPass+ reservations down the line, so take care of it early.

Buy Tickets – It’s always good to buy your Disney World park tickets as early as possible. First, the price never goes down and you will not find a lower price than what you see today so lock it in. Secondly, you need to have your tickets before making park reservations which tend to sell out early, especially if going at a busy time.

Make Park Pass Reservations – Once you buy your tickets, you can now make your park pass reservations. Don’t waste time, they sell out quickly.

180+ Days Before You Go

Park Hours – A few days before the 180-day mark arrives, look at the park hours for each day. This will let you plan out your day and will play a park in where you plan your meals and which Genie+ reservations you plan on booking.

Write Itinerary Rough Draft – Start writing out your ideal vacation itinerary day by day. Go through which parks you will be at on which days and which restaurants you would like to dine at. You now have a good idea of how your days are going to play out. Do this a few days before the 180-day mark as you need to have all the restaurants decided by then.

Book Special Events/Experiences – Decide which special experiences you and your family want to do. After Hours events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party should be booked once they are available. Experiences like the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique take reservations 180 days before and they sell out quickly.

Decide to Rent a Car or Not – If you are renting a car, start looking a prices and book one when possible.

Disney Dining Plan – You need to decide if the Dining Plan is worth it to you or not. If so, you can add it to your package.

Book Airfare – This is a good time to buy airfare and if you’ve been monitoring it for a few months, you have an idea of what a good deal is.

75 Days Before Your Trip

New Hotel Deals – Throughout the year, Disney introduces new discounts on hotel rooms. Periodically during the planning stage, check if any new deals have come out for your hotel. If a better room opens up at another hotel, so still have time to switch resorts.

Last Call on Tickets – If for some reason you haven’t got your park tickets by now, this is almost the final opportunity with park reservations sometimes filling up a couple of months before your trip. Make sure you have your tickets before then.

30-60 Days Before Your Trip

Book Your Restaurants (60 Days before your arrival date) – Wake up early and be on your computer by 6:00 am sharp to make dining reservations. This is the most stressful part of planning as it can be hard to get the most difficult restaurants. Write backups for the most popular restaurants in case you can’t book your favorites.

Write Final Itinerary – Now that you have your parks and dining reservations locked in, you can write a final copy of your itinerary. You can always make adjustments later but you now know how most of your vacation will go.

45 Days Before Your Trip

Order MagicBands – Even though MagicBands are no longer free to guests, we still recommend ordering them for a small fee. They are $5-$20 per guest depending on what type you order. These must be ordered no more than 11 days before your trip to arrive at your house in time, but we recommend doing it earlier.

10 Days Before Your Trip

Shuttle Service – You can make a Mears Connect Shuttle reservation or other shuttles sometimes even 24 hours before departure, but there is no reason to wait. Get it done early.

Online Check-In – To skip going to the lobby upon arrival we suggest using Disney’s Online Check-In through My Disney Experience. You can set your credit card for room charges and set a pin for your MagicBand.

3 Days Before Your Trip

Memory Maker – This is the photo package with unlimited photos and downloads during your trip for you and your whole family. This must be ordered 3 days before arrival to get the lower price.

Pack Bags – We sometimes start earlier if we have time, but you should start getting out everything on your packing list and seeing how it fits in your luggage.

Keep Looking for Dining Reservations – If you weren’t able to get any high-priority dining reservations, keep looking periodically from the 60-day point to now. Reservations are more likely to open up the closer you get to your dining date as other guests cancel and change plans. Keep trying up until the morning of the date you are looking for.

Double Check – Run through the list one more time to make sure you have everything covered.

Get Excited – You are going to Disney World, the most magical place on Earth, so get happy!!

Right now. Do it as early as you can and start making plans even up to a year or more before your trip.

The average guest vacation to Walt Disney World is 4-7 days. We recommend 5 to 7 days for first-timers depending on your budget.

You can, but it is a bad idea. Walt Disney World is one of the most complicated vacations you can take and it needs the proper planning to make the most out of your trip.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about our Disney Planning Guide…

• What are your best suggestions when planning a trip to Walt Disney World?
• What are your biggest questions about planning a Disney vacation?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.

Sunday 14th of January 2024

My special needs son and I are going on the Disney Wish in early March. Have you ever tried a Disney cruise?

Thursday 22nd of June 2023

Can dining reservations be made 6 mo in advance or 2 mo in advance please?

Monday 19th of June 2023

I just love your site. All the information provided is extremely helpful and useful. Thanks so much for everything!!!

Yvette Parent

Tuesday 6th of September 2022

Hi Ziggy I would like to get a PDF copy of your guide. Would this be possible? Thank you

Thursday 3rd of February 2022

Hello my friend. We will be staying on Disney property this Sunday and we have a reservation for Epcot on Monday morning. Our plan is to ride Ratatouille and would like your advice to go directly to that ride and have a short wait. What should our strategy be? Thank you for your help. Dan and Lora ps we also just purchased an annual pass holder ticket that is only valid on weekdays - I am not sure if that helps.

Ziggy Oskwarek

Hi Dan. That's a good question you have. If you aren't planning on using Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, then going to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure right at rope drop is a good strategy. The day doesn't make a huge difference as it will be morning and festival crowds tend to come more in the afternoon. Have an awesome time and let us know how it goes!

2024 Disney World Planning Guide

Our Walt Disney World vacation planning guide offers tips & tricks for 2024 on how to avoid crowds, save money & time, with info on Genie+ & Lightning Lanes, best rides, restaurant reviews, and itineraries for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios. (Updated February 1, 2024. )

The latest update comes as Walt Disney World is in the midst of more changes to restore normalcy, making the guest experience closer to what it was like in ~2019. With this, theme park reservations have mostly been eliminated, return of the Disney Dining Plan , and resumption of unlimited all-day Park Hopping . Next up is pre-arrival Lightning Lane ride reservations , a system that should closely resemble FastPass+ (but paid).

Beyond the rolling back of temporary changes implemented during the phased reopening and pent-up demand period, a ton is happening and changing at Walt Disney World. There are new attractions, nighttime spectaculars, and other additions on the horizon. We visit the parks regularly, reporting on everything as it happens–if you want to receive updates when discounts are released, new things are announced, etc., sign up to receive our FREE Walt Disney World Email Newsletter .

There are a few important things you need to know if you’re visiting Walt Disney World soon. First, the big new ride is TRON Lightcycle Run in Magic Kingdom. This attraction is very popular and can be difficult to experience due to not having a standby line. Improve your chances for success in scoring virtual queue spots by reading our TRON Lightcycle Run Virtual Queue Strategy Guide & FAQ .

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, which was the previous big addition, also does not have a standby line. At least, for now. Walt Disney World has been setting up overflow queue and seems poised to ditch the virtual queue for that once the off-season rolls around.

Second, there’s the paid Genie+ service that offers Lightning Lane line skipping service (free FastPass+ was retired a few years ago). This can be purchased in the My Disney Experience app for variable, date-based prices that now differ for each park (Magic Kingdom and Park Hopping are most expensive, costing up to $39 per person, per day plus tax).

Genie can be confusing, but we’ve used and tested Genie+ and Lightning Lanes a ton . Everything you NEED to know, including ride priorities, where it’s NOT necessary to buy Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, and much more is covered in our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World .

If you’re looking for ways to avoid waiting in long lines  without spending extra on Lightning Lanes, see our Best Time-Saving Strategies for Walt Disney World , which covers the best & worst ways to do that in each park–and is accurate for the entirety of 2024. That’s the result of extensive testing, and the optimal methods for outsmarting the crowds aren’t always intuitive. For 3 of the 4 parks, you’re better off using a ‘free’ strategy rather than paying extra for Genie+ and Lightning Lanes!

Winter is also typically ‘refurbishment season’ at Walt Disney World. For a look at what’ll be temporarily unavailable during your trip, see the 2024 Walt Disney World Refurbishment & Closure Calendar , which we update regularly with return and downtime dates. There are some big closures right now, including Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

The other big closure is Splash Mountain, which permanently closed about a year ago. The good news is that this is also for 2024’s big new attraction: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure . That’s currently scheduled to open sometime this year–the timeline could move forward to Summer 2024…or be delayed until early 2025!

Then there’s the colossal EPCOT overhaul, which is now mostly finished now that new Luminous: The Symphony of Us nighttime spectacular and World Celebration Gardens have debuted. The only thing left is the CommuniCore Hall event space, which will likely debut before Summer 2024.

There’s a lot more on the horizon than just those things–here’s everything exciting being built: What’s New & Coming to Walt Disney World in 2024 & Beyond .

With those updates out of the way, let’s tell you about ourselves and why this guide is useful to your trip planning. We are obviously big Disney fans, but with this guide, we share our objective and unbiased tips. This covers the good and the bad, and the hard realities of planning Walt Disney World trip. We don’t sugarcoat everything or feel the need to put a positive spin on things. A lot about Disney is great, but that’s plenty that’s overpriced and not-so-great. If blunt, honest advice is not for you, there are many other sites that are all-positive.

With hundreds of trips dating back to the 1980s when we were kids, we’ve learned a lot about all things Disney. That now comes full circle as we start taking our daughter to Walt Disney World! We visit every month to see what has changed, taste-test new menu items, analyze crowds, offer recommendations for things you should do on vacation, share updates on construction, and much more.

This guide distills the key things we know about Walt Disney World into something easy to absorb and less overwhelming. Think of this planning guide as WDW101, with everything organized into the most important aspects of planning. The reality is that Walt Disney World is one of the most complicated vacation destinations on earth, and having a smooth and good trip requires doing your homework. With that said, we promise that taking the time to learn about Walt Disney World will be worth it, so let’s get started…

1A. Best Times to Visit for Avoiding Crowds

“When is the best time to visit Walt Disney World?”  This is often the first question readers ask, and it’s not an easy one to answer because it’s subjective. What makes an experience the “best” differs from person to person. With that said, in helping first-timers plan over the course of the last decade-plus, there are usually three distinct components to this:  crowds, cost & fun.

The first two variables are the overriding factors and, thankfully, those are objective. If you’re primarily concerned with avoiding long lines and high wait times, consult our 2024 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars . That takes into account Orlando area school schedules, conventions, youth sporting events, park hours, special events, and more to provide you with specific dates that are the least and most crowded.

While that’s all about crowds (and can be overwhelming), we also have something more holistic: our list of the  10 Best and 10 Worst Weeks to Visit Walt Disney World in 2024 & 2025 . As the title suggests, that identifies the ‘red flag’ dates to avoid, as well as the ideal times to visit. It’s really more than just 10 weeks, as a number of the good and bad windows are far longer than a single week.

For example, pretty much the entirety of August and September are great from a crowds perspective, but we zero in on a single week that’s the best-balanced (from our perspective) as it combines low crowds, seasonal events, weather, and other factors. Same idea for a number of other dates throughout the year.

Rather than our objective crowd calendars, those are our subjective picks for when to visit. In addition to wait times, those rankings take other things into account: seasonal offerings like Christmas & Halloween, weather, new attractions, and more. If you find the crowd calendars intimidating, go with the Best & Worst Months post instead.

The good news is that, as a general rule, lower prices and crowds coincide with one another. Meaning that if you book your trip around the cheapest dates, you’re more likely to also have lower crowds. Prices are higher and discounts are weaker when crowds are higher, meaning you get hit with a double-whammy if visiting during these times of the year. (Spoiler: the highest prices and crowds both occur when school is out of session.)

1B. Best Times to Visit for Saving Money

The second component is cost. This one is especially significant now, as prices are up across the board. If you’re a first time visitor or it’s been a few years since your last trip, you might be in store for sticker shock. We take a look at this topic in How Much Does a Walt Disney World Vacation Cost? with sample pricing for multiple ‘trip tiers,’ from budget to luxury.

However, it’s not as straightforward as that. Some people don’t realize it, but prices vary significantly based upon when you’re visiting. If you visit for New Year’s Eve, you could end up spending close to double what it costs to visit a few months earlier, in September. Cutting to the chase, here are the Cheapest Times to Go to Walt Disney World .

The good news is that there’s considerable overlap between the cheapest times to visit and the least-crowded times. Visiting during the least-expensive and least-crowded times is entirely possible, and those goals align pretty well. Conversely, the most expensive times are usually also the most expensive.

Intuitively, this should make sense. When demand is highest, prices are highest. Like most other businesses, Walt Disney World charges what the market will bear, raising prices when able and discounting in order to incentivize visits when attendance and hotel occupancy are lower.

To that point, the other good news is that deals are starting to return to Walt Disney World after a couple years of very strong pent-up demand! See All Current Walt Disney World Discounts   for a full rundown of special offers through Spring 2024. There are a TON of discounts available right now, some of which offer up to 40% off hotels!

If you want to save even more money and do WDW as cheaply as possible, we have the 14 Best Tips to Save Money at Walt Disney World in 2024 . Those tips cover a lot of excellent ideas, such as buying discount Disney gift cards or having Groceries Delivered to Your Walt Disney World Hotel Room .

Those are just a handful of ways to save a ton of money on a trip to WDW! It also covers several options for the biggest expense of your trip–lodging. Among other things, you can stay at Walt Disney World’s best resorts for a fraction of full price by renting DVC points .

The idea behind all of these money-saving tips is not cutting corners and compromising on the quality of your vacation. To the contrary, we aim to “cut the fat” from your budget and recommend ways to save while also improving efficiency. Taking grocery delivery as an example–we do not recommend cooking dinner in your room or packing picnic lunches. Instead, we advice ordering nutritious breakfasts (the weakest meal at Walt Disney World restaurants) to have quickly have in your room or on-the-go each morning to save money and time .

1C. Best Times to Visit for Having Fun

Now we’re getting into the much more subjective area of determining when to visit. What makes a time of year more or less fun? Will you enjoy the parks more or less during certain timeframes? That’s really difficult to say. As a general matter, our mantra is this: “A rainy day at Walt Disney World is better than a sunny day at home.”

This is to say that you can have a great Walt Disney World vacation no matter what time of year you visit. The smile and laughter of your child hugging Mickey Mouse for the first time; the delicious taste of a Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl; the sight and sound of fireworks exploding over Cinderella Castle at the end of a long and satisfying day at Magic Kingdom. Absolutely none of that is seasonal. Those joys are possible 365 days of the year at Walt Disney World, and your trip will be made up of moments big and small exactly like those that happen daily.

However, it’s also fair to say that a sunny day is better than a rainy day at Walt Disney World. Most people probably are more comfortable during mild and temperate days than oppressive heat and humidity. Seasonal events can likewise add a lot to the baseline experience, taking a trip from “memorably magical” to “magnificently magical” on our  highly scientific scale of magicalness.

Hopefully you get the point here–that every day at Walt Disney World has the potential to be great, but also, that greatness has its own sliding scale, with weather, seasonal enhancements, and more cranking things up to the next level of magicalness.

The holiday season is our favorite time at Walt Disney World. It’s not even a close call. If we could only visit Walt Disney World one month of the year for the rest of our lives, we’d pick November or December. (Super-specifically, we’d pick the week after Thanksgiving that straddles the two months– that’s our favorite week to go! ) If you’re thinking of a holiday vacation, we’d implore you to start by reading our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Walt Disney World .

Every park, resort, and Disney Springs gets into the spirit of the season. The last few holiday seasons have been scaled back, first as the parks reopened and then for the 50th Anniversary. With that now over, things are almost 100% normal for Christmas, minus the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights.

Last Christmas, there were two hard ticket events: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) at Magic Kingdom and the brand-new Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios. MVMCP will definitely be back for Christmas 2024, but it remains to be seen whether Jollywood Nights–which received a mixed reception in its inaugural year–comes back for a second season.

There are other seasonal events throughout the year, starting with the EPCOT Festival of the Arts in January and February. Following that is the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival from March through late May. Notably, Flower & Garden Festival has been shortened by over a month for 2024. Our expectation is that Food & Wine Festival also starts later and EPCOT debuts a new summer festival–but that’s just a guess!

It’s also possible that Magic Kingdom will once again do a special event in Summer 2024. In fact, we’d expect this to occur, with new entertainment debuting and smaller scale additions. Walt Disney World’s big new attraction (Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) won’t be ready in time for Memorial Day, so they’ll need something else to market in the first half of 2024.

Even if a summer-time event doesn’t happen, Pride is celebrated in June, and there are other smaller-scale events spread across the calendar. After Hours parties will once again occur in Summer 2024, too.

The special events kick into high gear in August, which will kick off the 5-month long ‘party season’ at Magic Kingdom. That starts with Halloween time in Magic Kingdom, from August through the 1st of November. Our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide offers info & tips for Magic Kingdom’s fan-favorite Halloween-themed event.

While it has nothing to do with Halloween, another staple of fall is EPCOT’s annual culinary event. Read our Guide to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival to prepare for that park’s colossal culinary celebration. This just scratches the surface. You can see everything that happens throughout the year in our Calendar of Seasonal Events at Walt Disney World .

2. How Long to Visit

How long you should stay at Walt Disney World depends largely upon the type of trip it is. If you’re not much of a Disney fan but are taking your kids on a “once in a lifetime” rite of passage trip, we recommend a Walt Disney World vacation of at least 6 or 7 days. The exact length will still vary a bit depending upon how much vacation time you have and if you plan on visiting non-Disney theme parks or destinations.

In addition to visiting Disney’s theme parks, you’ll also probably want to build a day into your itinerary for relaxation, and this is good to plug into the middle of your trip so you don’t get worn out by the theme parks. The other consideration for planning trips to Walt Disney World might be how much time to spend doing other things.

You might want to do Orlando-area theme parks like Universal, SeaWorld, or Busch Gardens. We recommend at least a couple of days at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Use our Universal Orlando Resort Trip Planning Guide for strategy. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is absolutely mind-blowing, even if you’re not a fan of the books. The new Jurassic World VelociCoaster is the best roller coaster in all of Orlando–and that’s just one of several excellent recent additions.

We also have a post titled Walt Disney World vs. Universal Orlando that covers a lot of the pros and cons of visiting Universal. If you want to broaden your horizons and do something beyond Central Florida’s world-class theme parks, check out our 50 Things to Do in Orlando, Florida (Outside Disney’s Parks) . That covers beaches, manatee-watching, outlet malls, and much more.

3. Booking Vacation Packages

Vacations booked via DisneyWorld.com cover some combination of hotel, park tickets, and dining. Sometimes these packages offer excellent savings off rack rates, sometimes they’re merely full price elements of the trip bundled together. If you’re looking further into the future, 2024 Walt Disney World Vacation Packages are now available! (For those already wanting to plan 2025 WDW vacations, you’ll need to wait until late June or early July 2024, unfortunately.)

If you’re already overwhelmed, you might want to consider using a travel agent. If you go this route, look for one who primarily or exclusively does Disney-related bookings. As you can probably gather already, planning a Walt Disney World vacation is incredibly complex. If a travel agent doesn’t specialize in Disney, they probably won’t know the many nuances of Walt Disney World vacations. (For this reason, we don’t recommend AAA or Costco, even though some of their agents have Disney knowledge.)

Most travel agents specializing in Disney are “no fee” agencies, meaning that it costs you no more to book through them than it does to book through Disney (they get commission from Disney). If you are unsure of which package might be best for you–or need personalized help with any aspect of your trip–we recommend contacting a no fee “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” ( here’s why we recommend one ) to get a quote and to help you plan. Request a quote from our recommended Authorized Disney Vacation Planner here .

4. Park Tickets

If you opt to book things yourself and without a vacation package, we recommend buying your tickets from an authorized third party ticket seller to save money. Read our Tips for Buying Discount Walt Disney World Tickets post for everything you need to know about choosing the right tickets and saving money on them.

Normally, prices increase in February and/or October. They increased twice two years ago, with the second occurring later than usual in December. Last year, the only admission costs that increased were on Annual Passes, which raises a question about whether tickets will increase again in December, or if Walt Disney World is waiting until February 2024. Either way, it’s not a bad idea to buy now to lock-in current prices no matter when you’re visiting between now and December 31, 2024.

If all you want to know is where to safely buy the cheapest, legitimate Walt Disney World multi-day tickets from an authorized reseller click here to buy via Get Away Today , our recommended & Disney-authorized ticket seller.

Disney’s mantra is “the longer you play, the less you pay per day.” It’s corny but true. Single-day Walt Disney World tickets are expensive , but multi-day tickets are much cheaper per day. The cost of additional days on a ticket substantially decreases with each day you add after 3 days. In other words, longer trips are not proportionately more expensive than shorter ones.

This is just one of the many tips we cover in our post about saving money on Walt Disney World park tickets . Whatever you do, don’t wait to buy your tickets at the front gates of the parks or on eBay…they won’t work!

5. Where to Stay

One of the very best posts on this blog is our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page . We have stayed at every Disney hotel, plus many off-site ones. That page offers links to each of our hotel reviews, room photos, thoughts on the amenities, pros & cons, and more.

When deciding whether to pay the premium prices that Disney-owned hotels charge, one important consideration for many will be on-site perks. Unfortunately, there aren’t many anymore–basically just some extended hours (see our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World ), location, theme, and more convenient transportation. Since reopening, many benefits have been eliminated–either permanently or temporarily. Read about this in Is Walt Disney World’s On-Site Advantage Disappearing or Reappearing ?

When pricing out Walt Disney World hotels, you’re bound to have some sticker shock. Prices have gone up considerably in the last few years, and discounts are not nearly as abundant as they once were. If your budget is tight but you still want on-site luxury, consider getting a quote from Disney Vacation Club point rental company ( click here to book with the cheapest point DVC rental company ).

For more info about renting points, you might want to read our Guide to Renting Disney Vacation Club Points article. This is a great way to save money on nicer accommodations than you otherwise might be able to afford.

If you’re going to stay on-site at Walt Disney World, the three main tiers are Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, which are exactly what their names sound like they are. There’s also a Deluxe Villa tier, which is basically Disney-speak for “timeshare room.” Looking for the best hotel in each tier? Check out the following posts ranking the various Disney hotels:

• Value Resort Hotel Rankings
• Moderate Resort Hotel Rankings
• Deluxe Resort Hotel Rankings
• Deluxe Villa (Disney Vacation Club) Resort Rankings

Debating whether to stay off-site to save money or on-site at Walt Disney World for convenience and to be immersed in the magic? We have an Off-Site vs. On-Site Walt Disney World Hotels article that goes into great depth about the pros and cons of both options.

If you’re also visiting other theme parks in Central Florida, one alternative is to stay off-site. Our Universal Orlando Hotel Rankings & Reviews covers the pros & cons of those resorts, many of which we love for their locations, theme, on-site perks, and value for money. Additionally, refer to Universal Orlando v. Walt Disney World Resorts for a comparison between Disney’s and Universal’s hotels to see what each does better.

6. What to Pack

It might sound hard to believe, but packing for Walt Disney World offers ways to save money and improve your experience. There are some wrinkles to Walt Disney World that make packing a bit different, and by bringing certain “clever” (we think) items in your luggage, you will improve your experience. We go over the best stuff in our Walt Disney World Unique Packing List .

Two of our favorite examples from that list are Frogg Toggs Chilly Pads and this Compact External Charger . Seriously, you’ll wonder how you ever travelled without these (and many other) items on our list!

One of the most important things to pack for Walt Disney World is comfortable shoes. This can trip people up, as you probably walk  far, far less at home than you will at Walt Disney World. Suffice to say, what’s best for logging tens of thousands of steps could differ from your day-to-day footwear. See our picks for the Best Shoes to Wear at Walt Disney World for guidance–and be sure to plan ahead, breaking in your shoes before your trip!

Comfort is also key when planning your clothes for Walt Disney World–and weather can make that challenging. If you’re going in the colder months, check out our Packing for Disney in Winter post. For summer months, read Tips for Beating the Summer Heat at Disney .

7. Itineraries & Attraction Advice

Having an itinerary is a big deal, even for some frequent Walt Disney World guests. Some visitors create binders, spreadsheets, and schedule every step of their day. People get serious and obsessive about this. We are not those people. Planning is important, but going to those lengths is unnecessarily stressful and creates unrealistic and rigid plans. The best laid plans often go awry, and when that inevitably happens, it can be disappointing if you’ve over-planned.

With that said, we also recommend first-time visitors do not “wing it” for your daily itinerary . You don’t need to plan every movement so that there’s no spontaneity in your trip, just make sure you have at least a loose plan of what you’re going to do. As with most things in life, balance and moderation are key.

We have the following flexible step by step plans for each park that cover our perfect days using standby-only:

• 1-Day Magic Kingdom Park Itinerary
• 2-Day Magic Kingdom Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Epcot Itinerary Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Animal Kingdom Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Hollywood Studios Park Itinerary

For step-by-step single day itinerary using Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, see these itineraries:

• 1-Day at Magic Kingdom with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
• 1-Day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
• 1-Day at Epcot with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
• 1-Day at Animal Kingdom with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes

Additionally, we have itineraries for Universal Orlando offering the same type of step by step advice:

• 1-Day Universal Studios Florida Itinerary
• 1-Day Islands of Adventure Itinerary
• 1-Day Universal Park Hopping Itinerary ( both Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios Florida )

If you’d prefer to create your own itinerary, we recommend reading our Disney Parks Ride Guides and getting a rough idea of which attractions you want to do:

• Magic Kingdom Park & Attraction Guide
• Epcot Park & Attraction Guide
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park & Attraction Guide
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park & Attraction Guide

We also have guides for the Walt Disney World water parks and Disney Springs:

• Blizzard Beach Water Park Guide
• Typhoon Lagoon Water Park Guide
• Disney Springs Shopping & Entertainment District Guide

With that said, we’d strongly recommend using our pre-made Walt Disney World Park Itineraries . Those step by step guides are maximized for efficiency, and will save far more time than ones you put together yourself, or just winging it. These are good, flexible itineraries that offers attractions, dining, and other things to enjoy without going crazy with mapping out every bathroom stop of your day.

Those with small children should also know that some Walt Disney World rides have height restrictions, requiring kids be a certain number of inches tall (usually 38 to 44″) in order to experience. Measuring sticks are outside attractions with a requirement, and kids who do not meet the minimum height are not allowed to enter the line. There are no age requirements for any attractions. See  Height Requirements at Walt Disney World for a comprehensive list, updated with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Attractions that have height requirements also offer Rider Switch (also known as child swap, baby switch, rider swap, or parent swap). This is Walt Disney World’s system that allows parents with small children to take turns experiencing thrill rides and other attractions with height requirements via Lightning Lanes. See our  Guide to Rider Switch at Walt Disney World   for everything you need to know about this service. If eligible, it can save you a ton of time.

8. Where to Eat

A lot of the posts on this blog detail dining at Walt Disney World, which is a surprisingly complex (and fun!) topic. The most important thing for first-timers to know is that the tired stereotype that Disney dining is all burgers, hot dogs, and other fast food is not even remotely true. Disney has a lot of wonderful dining options that can be an experience in themselves.

To figure out where to eat, consult our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. That page has reviews of 75+ restaurants at Walt Disney World, plus other resources like our Magic Kingdom Counter Service Restaurant Rankings , and lots of other specific topics. Another great post with random quick-tips is our 101 Walt Disney World Dining Tips post.

Good dining experiences can make a trip, so if you only read more on one topic in this guide, make it dining. We know a number of people who have had their opinions of Walt Disney World changed for the better simply because they “discovered” the right places to eat.

If you’re starting the planning process far in advance, you might want to subscribe to our free newsletter for updates . We also provide subscribers with news from the parks, and have given a heads up on Free Dining and ticket price increases before they have been officially announced. This makes the newsletter especially handy for scoring discounts and being in the know as to what’s going on before your trip.

It’s also worth noting that if you’re trying to do “Disney on a Dime,” one of the easiest ways to save money is to not eat at Walt Disney World restaurants. Dining at Disney is expensive, and unlike park tickets, it’s not mandatory . You can save a lot of money by eating off-site, or better yet, getting groceries and preparing your own meals. We have a comprehensive Tips for Buying Groceries at Walt Disney World post that covers grocery delivery, local stores, and much more.

Even if you don’t want to make your own meals, grocery delivery is great for getting fruit and other small grab and go snacks, both of which are really over-priced at Walt Disney World. It’s also excellent for beer–for less than the cost of a single beer in the parks, you can have a 6-pack delivered to your hotel room!

9. Transportation

Walt Disney World transportation can be hit or miss, and can take a lot of time. For the most efficient transit options, read our Time-Saving Walt Disney World Transportation Tips post. This covers shortcuts, when to use buses v. monorail v. boats v. your feet, and more!

One of the other big considerations is whether you want to stay at a Walt Disney World hotel that offers a unique form of transportation, such as the monorails to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT, or the boats, walking paths, or Skyliner to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. These can be a huge time-saver.

Disney’s Magical Express has now ended, and following a merger of two competitors, it’s indirect replacement is essentially Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine. This does cost money, but otherwise it’s roughly analogous to Disney’s Magical Express–it’s even operated by the same vendor that ran Disney’s Magical Express (same buses and everything, just no Disney branding!). For a broad overview of alternatives, see our Airport Transportation Guide to Walt Disney World .

An alternative to a rental car is Lyft (or the Minnie Van service powered by Lyft) or Uber. For the basics on using these ride-sharing services, read our Tips for Using Lyft or Uber at Walt Disney World post. This post also shares the easiest way to get to Universal Orlando Resort (in case you want to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, too)

10. What Else to Do

Your imagination is really the limit here. Most first-time visitors only know about the theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. That’s just the surface of what Walt Disney World has to offer. There are tours, golf, fishing, nightlife, shopping, fireworks cruises, babysitting, spas, and much more. An exhaustive list would ultimately be longer than the rest of this already long blog post!

Most of our favorite things are couples or adult-oriented, which you can read about on our Walt Disney World for Adults page . Honeymooners (aka “Disneymooners”) should read our Walt Disney World Honeymoon Tips article. Here are some other posts that cover “other stuff” at Walt Disney World, and other ways to improve your vacation, that don’t really fit the categories above:

• Free Things to Do at Walt Disney World
• Best Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Spots
• Best Harmonious at Epcot Fireworks Viewing Spots
• Tips for Celebrating at Walt Disney World
• First-Timer Tips for Walt Disney World

If all of this is really overwhelming, we (again) recommend contacting an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and letting them do the work for you. This is Disney’s term for their affiliated travel agents, and the huge upside to them is that they don’t charge for their services–Disney pays them directly at no cost to you! Click here to get a vacation quote from our recommended no fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner .

Remember, what’s in this post is just a starting point. To recap, you’ll also want to read our When to Visit Walt Disney World post for the best time of year to plan your trip. If saving money is important, read Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post to buy the cheapest tickets from legitimate sources. To figure out where to stay, our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page is a great resource. Want to know where to eat or if the Disney Dining Plan is right for you? Our Walt Disney World Dining Resources will help!

These are just a few of many posts mentioned in this article that will provide the foundation for your planning…but these 4 other posts are probably the most important of the bunch! If you enjoyed this Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide, please help us out by sharing it with your friends via social media. We put a lot of ongoing work into this, and hope it’s as helpful as possible to as many trip planners as possible. Thank you so much for your support–we really appreciate it!

Your Thoughts

Are you visiting Walt Disney World in 2024? If you are a Walt Disney World veteran, what tips would you add to this? If you’re a first-timer, is there anything else you’d like to know? Are you excited to experience the parks for Disney’s 100th Anniversary, or will you wait until Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens or more on-site perks are restored? We love hearing from readers, whether it be questions from newbies or tips from seasoned Disney pros with tips of their own to add!

Written by Tom Bricker

I will l spend my first full day at Disney World on a Sunday should I go to the magic kingdom, Epcot or Hollywood studios first to avoid crowds? Going the first week of March.

Every traveler must read this crucial information before visiting Disney for tourism. I love the way you write for travelers this is easy to understand and the information itself is quality content.

Hey Tom! Will you do an article on how to navigate busy times of year like spring break? We have historically been off season travelers to avoid crowds but older kids in school prevent us from being able to do so and I am a bit anxious about what to expect during spring break and how to best manage the crowds!

Hi Tom, my wife and I are planning a trip to Disney World after Thanksgiving to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We have never been to Disney World and want to make the most of our time (and money). We are really good at Genie+(Disneyland) and are willing to arrive for rope drop and stay until the parks close.

Which of the following 2 options would you recommend? 1. A 4-Day Park Hopper and do MK on a MVMCP day and park hop to HS. On another day, do a half day at HS and park hop to MK to enjoy the evening with fireworks and the “Frozen” Castle Experience 2. A 3-Day Base Ticket and 1-Party Night Ticket (Jollywood Nights or MVMCP)

Hi Tom. Myself and my family spent 2 weeks in Orlando middle of August, including 5 days at WDW and we would like to thank you very much for all the advice you give. I read all of your blogs and the advice/information was so valuable to help us to get the best out of our holiday (we are from UK so we can’t visit as often as we would like!). Using Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours and very quick fingers on the Virtual Queues, we were able to do everything we wanted to do and much more!! The only thing that went wrong was when after doing Early Entry at MK we took the monorail back to our hotel (Yacht Club) via Epcot forgetting that we would technically be park-hopping so are restricted by the 14:00 rule. We arrived to EPCOT just after 13:00 so had to wait a bit. It was only a minor issue but thought I would mention as reminder to anyone else. We also learnt through this incident that although Park Hopping is officially allowed from 14:00, you can tap through from 13:45. Again, might be useful for others… We are already starting to plan our next trip and I continue to read your blogs every day! Thanks again and hope everything goes well with the baby!

Hi Tom! Do you have any articles or good tips for room requests (timing, method, hotel cast member insight, etc)? I would really appreciate it! I am a bit of a Disney veteran, but the art of the room request has eluded me (for example, old online articles suggest faxing things – that can’t possibly still be applicable, right??) – and if I ever post any questions on Facebook groups, the comment section eventually spirals into negativity and chaos. Thanks!

Hi! Thank you for everything you do, it is such a huge help when planning a Disney world trip when I’m used to just going to Disneyland. Do you have any tips on booking flights? Such as when is the best time to book, how far in advance and recommendations on which website to book through?

This information is crucial for every traveler. It is common to encounter health issues during our journeys, which is why this comprehensive guidance blog is essential for everyone. I greatly appreciate your kind words about the post, and I’m glad that the information shared in the article has proven helpful to you. bali tours

Hi Tom! Any tips for doing the Parks in the rain? We’ve been waiting months and see there maybe showers when we’re there next week. Thanks

Tom, My family and I planned for a 2-day Epcot experience in June. I am using your itineraries for the other parks and I thought I’d ask if you have a 2-day for Epcot?

Just amazing help for us in planning our vacation – thanks, Tom!

This is in dire need of updating. Rock n Roller Coaster is down, Toyland is open and fabulous, we did Lightning Lane at Rise of the Resistance. And more.

Have you heard anything about package service returning? It seems advantageous for Disney. I wouldn’t buy a large collectible if I have to carry it around all day. Having it sent to my hotel would’ve been nice.

I have not heard anything about that specifically, but I have recently been hearing about very big, very comprehensive announcement plans to coincide with 2024 Walt Disney World vacation packages. Normally, that news would be released in June or July, but I suspect it might be coming earlier this year.

Again, no clue if resort package delivery is among the changes (it was not one of the things mentioned to me), but it very well could be given the potential scope and scale of the news.

Hey Tom! What do you know about Typhoon Lagoons re-opening for 2023? I was thinking about adding the water park option to my annual pass renewal but wasn’t sure it would be worth it if both aren’t open. Thanks!

I’m grateful you recommended we consider opting for a week-long Walt Disney World vacation if we want the kids to enjoy the experience and all the attractions available without wearing them out. I’m planning to take my kids to Disneyworld this spring, so I was wondering how I should plan the trip. I’ll keep your suggestion in mind while I look for a Disney VIP tour to book in advance soon.

Hello Tom, I tried to use the code DTB5 at get away today and it says code is invalid?? Do you have another code that can be used? Also I love Sarah’s Mickey Mouse purse, where did she buy it I have to get one!! Thanks Lori

The Get Away Today website tells me that the DTB5 discount code is invalid, so this article may need further updating (that or there is an error on their side – just thought you should know).

This article is awesome. It was wonderful and I really like it. Thanks for sharing this post.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Disney World Vacation

Space Mountain by Benjamin D. Esham ( CC )

Planning a Disney World vacation requires some research. Walt Disney World is a huge place (47 square miles — that’s almost twice as large as Manhattan!) with so many things to do and see that even after more than 60 visits, we have not begun to do it all.

Just a quick summary of SOME of what’s available at Disney World:

• 4 major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• 2 water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• Over 20 large resorts
• 4 golf courses
• 2 mini-golf courses
• numerous lakes offering water sports, boating and fishing
• dinner shows
• BoardWalk entertainment district
• Disney Springs shopping and dining district

So it’s not surprising that you’re a little confused about where to begin.

You’ll need to decide the following, in roughly this order:

1. When you’re going.

Check our Disney World FAQ for hints on the best and worst times of year for planning a Disney World vacation . Obviously your budget, kids’ school schedules and other factors will influence your decision as well.

If you are interested in learning when discounts for Walt Disney World resorts and vacation packages became available in past years, we maintain a chart listing that historical information .

2. What you’re going to do when you get there.

Seems kind of early in the planning process, doesn’t it? I mean, you haven’t even decided on a hotel yet! Well, trust us, you need to do some research before you go any further. There is so much to do, and everyone does something slightly different. Depending on the parks and attractions you want to visit, you may find certain hotels and resorts are much more convenient.

You’ll need some good basic help with planning, and something that will give you an overview of the attractions, the entertainment, etc. We list the best guidebooks on our Disney Guidebooks page.

3. How long you’re staying.

You probably thought that was part of #1 above, didn’t you? But after you learn how much there is to do, you may re-think your plans. Our first visit to Walt Disney World was 4 days. We thought that would be plenty of time. Wrong! We had to skip a lot of things we really wanted to try.

If you want to visit all four theme parks and actually experience the majority of the attractions, parades and shows, you will need at least 5 full days! (Epcot can easily take 2 days all by itself, because in a sense it’s the equivalent of 2 theme parks: Future World and World Showcase).

If you would like to do the major attractions at the theme parks without racing around like a maniac, or you want to try some of the “extras,” like water parks or golf, allow more days. In fact, we think a one-week trip is optimum for a first-timer who wants to enjoy the full experience. Tickets are the most expensive part of most people’s Disney World vacations, and Disney has set up its ticket pricing to encourage trips longer than 4 days: 7-day tickets don’t cost that much more than 4-day tickets.

4. How you’re getting there.

For this, consult the Transportation page here on the site . If you will be flying to Florida, it is a good idea to start checking out airfares right away, and keep checking them. The fares fluctuate wildly and if you catch a good one, you’ll need to grab it quickly.

5. What kind of theme park tickets to buy.

Because Walt Disney World tickets are so expensive (you’ll probably spend more on tickets than you will on your hotel room) this is a critical decision. Look over your itinerary, get out your calculator, take a look at the prices and figure out which tickets make sense for your situation.

Once you’ve decided on what tickets to buy, check out the Ticket Discounts page here on MouseSavers.com to find the best deal on them.

6. Where you will be staying.

First you’ll have to decide whether to stay at an official Disney resort, or at a nearby “off-property” resort. This is a complex decision for many people, to say the least. Keep in mind that while we use the term “off-property” to describe the non-Disney hotels, many of them are quite close and some are actually physically located on Disney-owned land. They just aren’t owned and run by Disney.

Each of the official Disney resorts is unique and special, and the ability to leave the real world behind and experience the Disney magic 24/7 is part of the fun for many people. The Deluxe Disney resorts are especially stunning. When you stay at a Disney resort hotel, you get access to Early Theme Park Entry and some other perks. Staying at a Disney resort gives you direct access to the Disney buses, boats and monorails so you can take a break from driving. The Disney resorts have much larger pools and more recreation options than most off-site hotels.

If you are trying to save as much money as possible, an off-property resort is usually going to be the best value. Families of 5 or more usually find that off-property resorts are an especially good deal, because most of the 5-person options at Disney’s resorts are quite pricey. Good off-property hotels often have larger rooms with more amenities than the official Disney hotels (especially compared to the Value and Moderate resorts, which have standard rooms that feel a bit motel-like). A quality off-property hotel will have service at least as good as a Disney resort, and a “luxury” hotel like the Four Seasons Orlando  will typically have better service. If you stay off-property, you will probably want to  rent a car , which is an additional expense, but it is generally a faster and better way to get around than the Disney transportation system.

The bottom line is that you can have an excellent vacation staying either on or off property. We have done it both ways multiple times, and we can assure you there are no right or wrong answers. We recommend exploring both options and figuring the bottom-line price and what you get with each. If you can afford to stay more days with one option, we recommend going that way; we’ll always advocate for staying longer if you can swing it. If neither one jumps out as being obviously better for you and this is your “once in a lifetime” trip, we’d go with a Disney resort just to get the full experience. If you think you’ll come back, just pick one option at random; you can always try it the other way on your next visit.

• If you’re considering an on-site resort stay , first read our analysis of the basic differences and best values among the Disney resorts . We have lots of information here on MouseSavers.com about discounts at Disney’s resorts as well as discounts on Disney’s vacation packages . If you will be staying for 5 nights or more at a Disney resort, that’s a big investment and we hope you’ll seriously consider contacting a Disney Specialist travel agent . It costs you nothing to have someone else keep track of all the resort discounts and find you the best deal. They will even rebook your resort reservations if a better discount becomes available. We recommend an excellent Disney Specialist travel agent here on MouseSavers.com.
• If you’re considering non-Disney / off-site hotels — and they’re worth considering, especially if you are on a tight budget and/or have a family of 5 or more — we have visited over a hundred of them around Walt Disney World and picked the very best ones for the MouseSavers Preferred Hotels page. You can book them yourself via the special discount links on our website.

7. How you’re getting from the airport to your hotel (if you’re flying).

There are lots of options. Visit our Transportation page to learn how to save on your transportation to and from the airport.

That’s it!

Seriously, everything else is “gravy.” You can make reservations for your meals , book special events and do all kinds of other planning , but these are the basics. Enjoy your planning!

By the way, if you’re just starting to plan your Disney World vacation and wondering how you are going to afford it, be sure to read the page titled Ways to Save for Your Disney Vacation – a collection of tips and tricks to help you sock away the money for your next trip.

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How to Plan a Disney Vacation: 14 Tips for Your Trip to Walt Disney World

By Valerie Marino

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World isn’t quite as carefree as it used to be. Advances in technology have led to many new planning tools and resources, and even more tips and tricks for optimizing your time and money spent. (Worried about what to pack? We've got you covered .) You can still spontaneously roll up to the park gates and buy a ticket, but just like with any other travel destination, a little advance planning is recommended to get the most out of your vacation.

The good news is, they don’t call Disney World the most magical place on earth for nothing. You’ll be grateful for the time you spent planning in advance once you’re in the parks, whipping through lines and eating Mickey premium ice cream bars in front of Cinderella Castle. We’ve developed a timeline to follow so you don’t miss the important details.

But first, here are some Disney World-specific terms you’ll want to know.

Disney World Vocab Bank

My Disney Experience: This is the portal you’ll use to book and manage your Disney World vacation. My Disney Experience lets you see all your plans at a glance, including hotel, dining, and FastPass+ reservations, as well as reminders for shows like the Happily Ever After fireworks.

MagicBand: A wristband that serves as your key to Disney World. Your MagicBand contains your park tickets, hotel room key, FastPass+ access, and even lets you buy food and merchandise with a linked credit card. Disney hotel guests receive these as part of their stay, but they’re also available for purchase online and onsite for $14.99.

FastPass+: A complimentary reservations system that allows you to book a time slot for rides and attractions across Disney World’s four theme parks, bypassing the standby queue. You may book three experiences per day in one park, adding more once those have been redeemed. Passes are not unlimited and popular attractions will book out, sometimes months in advance.

Extra Magic Hours: Bonus hours where Disney World’s four theme parks are open to guests at Disney-affiliated hotels before and after regular operating hours. At least one park per day will open an hour early or stay open an hour past closing for resort guests.

PhotoPass: A service that stations official Disney photographers in popular photo locations across Disney World’s theme parks. Disney’s PhotoPass photographers will happily take pictures using your personal camera, so you can get some great photos of the whole family.

Six months out

• Pick your travel dates. The parks tend to be most crowded during spring break, the Christmas holiday season and the summer months, with lulls in late January, February and in the early fall. Check Disney World’s calendar or one of the popular third-party crowd projectors like Touring Plans for events that may cause the parks to be more crowded on the weekends, like RunDisney races , which typically take place in November, January, February, and April, or seasonal events like the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in the fall.
• Secure your hotel reservation. One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is between staying at a Disney resort hotel or off-site. Disney World has more than 25 onsite resort hotels like Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Beach Club Resort . Guests there receive benefits like complimentary Magical Express transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport, as well as advance booking for FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours. The latter are also available for guests at many Disney partner hotels, including the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort , Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort , Waldorf Astoria Orlando , and Disney Springs resort area hotels. Staying onsite can be expensive—you’re paying for proximity and easy theme park access—but there’s almost always a deal to be found .
• Book your dining reservations. It may seem strange to think about where you’ll want to eat six months from now, but reservations open 180 days out and peak dining times at many of Disney’s most popular restaurants, like Be Our Guest , which takes you inside the castle from Beauty and the Beast , and Cinderella’s Royal Table , inside Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle, fill up months in advance.

Three to four months out

• Decide what kind of park ticket you want. Single-day tickets start at $109 for adults (ages 10 and up) and $104 for children ages 3-9. Children under age 3 do not require an admission ticket. Tickets are cheaper per day the longer you stay—a five-day park ticket is just $83 per day. If you want to visit more than one park per day, the option to park hop adds $60 per day. Can’t decide? You can always upgrade at the park entrance or your hotel’s concierge desk—but not online.
• Buy tickets for seasonal events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party . These events take place at the Magic Kingdom on select nights during the fall. (They don't directly correspond to the precise day of the holiday; the Halloween parties are held August through October, and the Christmas ones, November through December.) Even if you’re not planning to attend, take note—the park closes as early as 6 p.m. on these dates, meaning you can’t see the nightly fireworks show without an additional admission ticket. Epcot’s seasonal festivals , including Food & Wine or Flower & Garden , are included in park admission and don’t impact operating hours, but some parts of the event like cooking demonstrations or wine tastings require an additional fee.
• Check each park’s hours and develop a rough idea of which ones you want to visit and which attractions are on your must-do list so you’re prepared when your FastPass+ booking window opens.

60 days out

• Book your FastPass+ reservations. This is the most important date to remember. Guests at Disney’s onsite and partner hotels may do so 60 days before their check-in date; the service is available at 30 days for all other park visitors. Quantities are limited and popular attractions often run out weeks in advance, so if you absolutely must experience Avatar Flight of Passage (and you should), Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, this is your chance to lock that in.
• Be sure everyone in your travel party has a profile on My Disney Experience and a park ticket assigned to their account, and that all of your accounts are linked together as “friends & family” before attempting to book your FastPass+ reservations. Otherwise you’ll be frustrated when you can’t book your whole group together to meet Mickey Mouse or ride Kilimanjaro Safaris.
• If you’re flying to Orlando and staying at a Disney World hotel, add your flight information to your reservation to book Disney’s Magical Express transportation.

One week out

• Complete online check-in for your Disney resort hotel, which allows you to bypass the front desk upon arrival. This is where you can make special requests for a particular building or floor. Want to be closer to your resort’s main building and dining facilities, or prefer to be in a quieter location with less foot traffic? Mark your preferences here. Link your credit card and set a PIN to activate the option to make purchases using your MagicBand .
• Download Disney World’s suite of mobile apps, including My Disney Experience , Play Disney Parks , and Shop Disney Parks . Want to change your FastPass+ selections, check for last-minute dining reservations, or find the closest bathroom when you’re in the parks? The My Disney Experience app is the key to it all. Play Disney Parks unlocks interactive games while you’re waiting in line for select attractions across the resort. It will enhance your experience inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge when that opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by helping you translate languages and interact with droids. Shop Disney Parks shows you merchandise available for sale and its location within Disney World—especially handy when you can’t remember where you saw the perfect pair of sequin Mickey ears.
• Consider purchasing Memory Maker , which includes all your PhotoPass photos, images, and videos from attractions (like the iconic pic from Splash Mountain), and photos from the accounts of your family and friends traveling with you. Memory Maker costs $169 when purchased at least three days before your vacation begins, but $199 to begin immediately.
• Cancel any dining reservations you’re not planning to use (or get hit with a no-show fee, usually $10 per person if you don’t cancel by midnight the day before the reservation) and check for any last-minute openings at restaurants you missed earlier.
• Attach your Magical Express tags to your luggage and put your MagicBands in your carry-on. If you completed online check-in for your Disney hotel, you’ll receive a text message or email when your room is ready, and your MagicBand is your hotel room key.

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My Disney Experience – Frequently Asked Questions

How should I begin planning my Walt Disney World Resort vacation?

The first step in planning your trip is to browse disneyworld.com to discover all that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer: 4 incredible theme parks , 2 great water parks , attractions and entertainment for the whole family plus dozens of hotels , hundreds of restaurants and much more.

Next, shop for a Disney Resort Hotel Package —which includes multi-day theme park tickets and a Resort hotel stay—for the dates of your visit.

As you book and link your plans to your Disney account, use your My Plans page to manage your vacation details all in one place:

• Get next-steps and key planning dates.
• See your hotel and dining reservations and personal reminders organized in a daily itinerary.
• View your tickets at a glance.
• See which plans you share with Guests on your Family & Friends list.
• Add, modify or cancel plans with a few clicks.

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How to Plan a Trip to Walt Disney World

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

We already know that a trip to Walt Disney World is one of the most popular vacations around. With an average of over 58 million visitors per year, odds are you have at least a friend or two who’ve visited. But did they mention how many moving parts there were when planning their trip? From flights, to park tickets to hotels, booking a vacation at the happiest place on earth is no laughing matter.

Let’s take a look at how to plan a trip to Disney World and ways to save money on your vacation.

1. Find and book cheap flights

Depending on how far away you live, you’ll likely need to book flights for your Disney trip . Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the nearest airport to Disney World, located just 20 minutes away by car. Finding flights to and from Orlando is typically easy, with more than 600 flights per day operated by over 20 different airlines.

As with many things, flexibility is key when it comes to finding cheap flights. High-season airfare is nearly always more expensive than shoulder or off-season rates.

Of course, with so many different airlines flying into Orlando, you have plenty of options when it comes to redeeming airline miles for flights . Whether you’re looking to book with American, Delta, United, Alaska, Southwest or even JetBlue, you can find multiple flights per day from each carrier.

Budget airlines such as Spirit and Frontier also offer flights to Orlando, but you’ll want to consider the additional fees associated with these airlines. Your airfare may cost less, but paying more for seat selection and a carry-on bag can eat into the discounts.

Travel cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express feature an annual airline fee credit that reimburses you for expenses like checked baggage and other incidentals. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Many of the airlines that operate award flights use a dynamic or semi-dynamic pricing scale, so you're best off using your miles to fly during non-peak travel times.

» Learn more: Plan your next redemption with our airline points tool

2. Consider whether you need a rent a car (because you can probably skip it)

Disney Skyliner transports guests between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Riviera Resort. (Photo courtesy of Disney) 

If you're flying to Orlando and going straight to Walt Disney World, you might consider a rental car. But for most guests, a rideshare like Lyft or Uber is the best transportation between Disney and the airport. You'll avoid the hassle of driving and finding (and paying for) parking. Once on Disney property, there's a robust network of mass transit, including a monorail, boats, buses and even an aerial gondola called the Skyliner — all of which are free to ride.

But if you must rent a car, consider using websites like Autoslash to search for your ride. Autoslash will scour multiple booking sites and a variety of loyalty programs to find the best rates for your dates. Even better? After reserving a car, you can enter your reservation details in their price tracker to get notified if the price goes down. If it does, you can cancel your original reservation and get in on the better deal.

Another way to search for rental cars is with Costco Travel , which includes a waived additional driver fee for eligible drivers.

Finally, if you’d rather maximize the number of miles you’ll earn on your booking, consider using a travel portal for your rental car. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, for example, offers 10 Ultimate Rewards® points per $1 spent on rental cars via Chase's travel portal. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , meanwhile, offers 10 Capital One miles per $1 spent on rental cars booked through the Capital One travel portal.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for rental cars

3. Book Disney World hotels (or hotels nearby, off-property)

The pool complex at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. (Photo courtesy of Disney)

There are more than 30 Disney-owned hotels at Disney World. According to Disney price tracking site Touring Plans, rooms run as low as $128 per night at the affordable Disney All-Star properties, but that's assuming you're booking during the low-season (and at among the cheaper of Disney's hotels). Contrast that with nightly rates for one of Disney World’s most expensive Deluxe hotels, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which start at $780.

NerdWallet analyzed hundreds of Walt Disney World hotel room rates and found out that they're actually much higher. Here's how Disney World hotel prices break down, based on the classification of hotel type:

Consider staying off-property

If $286 for the average rate at Disney’s cheapest rooms still feels to expensive, thats because it is. Disney hotel room prices far exceed the average prices of other hotels nearby. Orlando’s average daily room rate is just $186.49, about 35% less than the cheapest Disney resort, according to Visit Orlando’s 2022 Travel Industry Indicators.

And happily — whether your style is ultra-budget accommodations or high-end luxury — Orlando is chock-full of hotels off Disney property that you can book using cash or points, meaning you might be able to book a stay for no cash money at all.

Like flight rates, hotel rates will often vary according to season, but you can sometimes find rooms for as low as $32 per night — even on a weekend.

There are also plenty of options when it comes to hotel loyalty programs , including choices from Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, Choice Hotels and Wyndham. You’ll even be able to find a few properties within walking distance of Disney parks.

The Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort (Photo courtesy of Disney)

And then there's Walt Disney World’s Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve resorts, which are owned by Marriott but actually are on Disney property (in fact, the Walt Disney World Dolphin and its sibling hotel, the Swan , are the only two non-Disney run hotels on Disney property). Both are located near Epcot and offer a water taxi to the park’s entrance (it's also an easy walk). As part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, Marriott loyalists can earn and redeem Bonvoy points to stay here (and you can flex your Marriott elite status here).

» Learn more: The best Disney World hotels to book with points

4. Brace for the high costs of theme park tickets

Disney World theme park tickets are expensive. Costs vary depending on how long you stay, with multi-day tickets costing less per day than a single-day ticket. Disney also sells add-ons like Park Hopper tickets that let you visit multiple parks each day or access to Lightning Lane entrances , which are priority queues for certain attractions.

Factor ticket price into your budget in advance. The Disney World website features a calendar that’ll display how much your tickets will cost based on your travel dates, but here's what you can expect to pay, on average:

If you’re looking to save money on your Disney World tickets, consider buying from authorized resellers such as Undercover Tourist . These websites will shave a few dollars off the price of your ticket. You can also opt to redeem points for your theme park tickets , but choices are limited for Disney World.

5. Budget for Disney meals

The Ronto Wrap is filled with spiced grilled sausage and roasted pork. (Photo courtesy of Disney)

Are you a fan of fancy dining? Budget for a few sit-down dinners during your trip so you can enjoy some of the spectacular food Disney World has to offer.

NerdWallet priced out the average meal prices depending on restaurant type, across an analysis of hundreds of Disney menu items. Meals consisted of an entree and drink and — at waiter service restaurants — an appetizer or dessert. But even on the low end, expect to pay nearly $20 per meal. Here's how average meal prices broke down:

Other ways to reduce the Disney World cost of food include packing your own snacks. Disney explicitly states that guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverages into the parks, with just a few stipulations (such as no glass containers).

6. Account for other miscellaneous expenses

An extra tip on how to start planning a trip to Disney world: Don't overlook miscellaneous expenses.

Miscellaneous costs vary based on your travel party and the type of vacation you're looking for. Do you have kids? Don’t forget to factor in extra money for toys and snacks. Other common expenses include transportation, parking, tips, souvenirs and the inevitable last-minute ponchos/sunscreen/spare shoes.

It can also be tempting to book other add-on activities, such as those found in Disney's ‘Enchanting Extras Collection,’ which include animal encounters, educational classes and recreational activities. Such activities include behind-the-scenes tours like a 60-minute, Caring for Giants tour at Animal Kingdom, which costs $35 per person. A similar (albeit fancier) experience is the 3-hour, private Wild Africa Trek tour which costs $199 per person and involves hiking, off-roading in a safari vehicle and traversing on a rope bridge. Other extras include fireworks cruises and mini golf.

Sure, there are plenty of free or cheap activities to do on Disney property (even outside the parks), but be realistic about what you'll actually book.

» Learn more: How to budget for a family trip to Disney

If you want to plan a trip to Walt Disney World

There’s no doubt that Disney World vacations require a lot of planning. Before you go, be sure to consider all the factors that go into the trip, including flights, hotels, rental cars, park tickets and extras. With a little foresight and good budgeting, you’ll have your Disney World trip figured out in no time.

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney Vacation With the Entire Family

Preparing for a big family vacation to Disney World — with grandparents, siblings and children in tow — can be very different from a typical Disney trip. Sure, you’re still visiting Fantasyland, riding Spaceship Earth and exploring Animal Kingdom, but the circumstances have changed: You’ll need to rethink the basics to make the most of your visit.

Knowing when to stay together, when to split up, and what nighttime entertainment is right for everyone are key to ensuring the group doesn’t get stuck in the lunchtime rush or spinning on tot-sized rides for hours. You’ll need to prep for more than just getting that big family photo by Cinderella Castle, which is why we’ve tackled every logistical issue you may encounter.

Here’s how to book the right hotels for large families, plan the best itinerary for big groups and tackle The Most Magical Place On Earth together without breaking a sweat.

1. Favor efficiency over a free ride.

Disney offers complimentary bus, ferry boat and monorail transportation, but lugging a full group’s worth of sweaters, strollers and snacks is burdensome, so larger parties may appreciate the comfort and ease of parking their own vehicle ($20 per day) at the theme parks.

If you’re staying on-property, consider splurging on Disney’s new “Minnie Van” ride-share program, which is booked via Lyft’s app. A $20 flat-rate for kid-friendly polka dot vans is costlier than standard rides, but worth it for complimentary car seats and drop-offs at the Magic Kingdom’s front gate — something no car, cab or Uber has permission to do.

2. Plan the perfect compromise.

Spontaneity is near-impossible to pull off at Walt Disney World, so keep everyone happy by splitting each day into three portions and only planning two. This way, a full day of Magic Kingdom reviere can be paired with a calmer evening, an afternoon spent poolside will reinvigorate young ones for nighttime fireworks and that much-anticipated dinner reservation won’t be spoiled by sun-sapped exhaustion.

3. Don’t be afraid to divide and conquer.

Whether you’re juggling kids of different ages or three generations of energy levels, remember: you’re only as efficient as your group’s slowest member. Split up whenever necessary to ensure thrill-seekers can soar among the stars while speed-averse riders take refuge on low-key attractions without forcing either out of their comfort zone for the sake of sticking together.

Same goes for entertainment. Plan one night at Disney's Hollywood Studios, whose two evening shows — a standing-room only Star Wars fireworks presentation and seated Mickey Mouse-helmed Fantasmic! — are ideal for pleasing both aspiring Padawans and classic Disney lovers without either having to exit the park.

4. But know which experiences are better together.

Easy-pleasing wonders like Soarin’ Around The World and Kilimanjaro Safaris are great for families of all ages and ride tolerances, while Splash Mountain’s mid-plunge ride photo is a must-have souvenir for larger parties. Opt for the Broadway-inspired “Festival of the Lion King” over “Finding Nemo - The Musical,” which skews younger, and aim for full-group photos with Disney characters that are indoors, where scenic backdrops offer more depth.

5. Stay with all the comforts of home.

When it comes to big families traveling together, standard hotel rooms don't cut it. Consider one of Walt Disney World’s incredible villa-style rooms, which come with full kitchens, laundry machines, wide balconies, separate bedrooms (and bathrooms!) ideal for giving couples or in-laws their privacy.

Standard Disney rooms have a maximum of four occupants, so if your family consists of five or six, opt for a family suite at Disney’s Art of Animation or All-Star Music resorts. Prefer adjoining rooms? The newly renovated Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin hotels, which are walking distance to Epcot, offer discounted pricing specifically for connecting rooms.

6. Make mealtimes a breeze.

Feed everyone speedily by pre-selecting your order through the Mobile Ordering feature on the My Disney Experience app. Choose every burger, salad and yes, even Dole Whip while waiting in line for Jungle Cruise or driving over to the park, and when you feel like chowing, tap the “I’m Here, Prepare My Order” button. Your food will come out in minutes, all without having to wait in line.

If you’d rather dine family-style, there are multiple buffet-style restaurants across property, but a few quick-service restaurants quietly offer large-scale dishes ideal for bigger groups. Satu’li Canteen in the new Pandora — The World of Avatar section of Animal Kingdom serves the entire menu as a “sample platter” come dinnertime, while Polite Pig at Disney Springs combines its delectable ribs, smoked chicken and pork shoulder on sharable butcher boards.

7. Handle everyone’s reservations with ease.

The trickiest part of any Disney trip is managing the daily FastPass+ ride reservations , especially for multiple families traveling as one. It’s easier to split up reservations than winging it while waiting in standby lines, so resist the urge to book everything together — just ensure there’s always an adult to escort young riders.

To keep track of every reservation, consider sending a screenshot of the daily schedule to a group text message or, for extra convenience, do as the experts do and save it as your phone screensaver.

8. Don't forget adult time.

Wrangling kids is never easy, and you’ll all have earned a break — without the littles — by the vacation’s end. Disney operates four children’s activity centers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club Resort, Polynesian Village Resort and the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel that are open each evening for child care, as well as in-room sitting through a third-party child services company.

Take a night without the kids to ride anything you may have missed, enjoy Epcot’s globe-spanning cuisine, and toast amidst Disney Springs’ plentiful nightlife.

How to Plan a Trip to Disney World

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Please click my disclosure policy to learn more.

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Congratulations! You’ve decided to plan a Disney trip! Then you start looking into things and quickly realize that there’s more to Disney vacation planning than meets the eye ( updated May 25, 2023 ).

You begin seeing acronyms for God only knows what. You see people’s posts about how stressed and overwhelmed they are, and you just don’t know where to start. This ultimate guide to planning a Disney trip is designed to make the vacation planning process easier by breaking it down, step by step.

Even though this seems like a lot of information, and it is, you can do it! Take your time and sift through everything piece by piece. In no time you’ll realize that planning a Disney trip is possible.

If all of this is still too overwhelming, consider working with an authorized Disney vacation planner (fancy speak for a Disney travel agent). They can help you through all of these steps, and even do a lot of them for you. And it doesn’t cost you anything extra!

Siera Duiser is the Disney vacation planner I recommend. She’s amazing at her job. Fill out this form for a free quote from Siera .

Table of Contents

7 Steps to Planning a Disney Trip

While there are a lot of nuances to each one of these steps, the structure of your planning process can be boiled down to 7 main steps. By tackling them one at a time, you are giving yourself a step by step process to focus on. This makes everything way more manageable and less intimidating.

A lot of things changed when Disney reopened after the pandemic. Slowly but surely, things have mostly returned to normal. But we’re not quite there yet.

But for now and the foreseeable future, these are the necessary steps for planning a Disney trip.

• ​Pick your dates and length of trip
• Create a Budget
• Choose your resort
• Buy your park tickets
• Choose your park days and book your Park Pass reservations
• Research restaurants and book Advanced Dining Reservations at 60 days
• Finalize details and pack your bags!

1. Choose Your Trip Dates and Length

This one is pretty obvious on the surface, but when it comes to planning a Disney trip, even this step appears to take on gigantic proportions. If you’ve looked into Disney planning forums at all, you will see many people asking, “When is the best time of year to go to Disney?”

This is a question without a universal answer as everyone’s definition of that will vary. So think about what factors are most important for you.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you care about crowds?
• Is your yearly availability fluid or rigid?
• How long should your Disney vacation be?
• Is the weather important to you?
• Are there Disney events that are important for you to experience?

Schedule Availability and Crowds at Disney World

If your family has a rigid schedule, picking the dates becomes a whole lot easier. The downside to this is you will likely be going at a time when everyone else with rigid schedules will also be going, i.e. the major holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, spring break, and summer break.

These are some of the busiest times of year to go to the Disney Parks. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you will need to plan accordingly.

If your family has a more flexible schedule, I suggest you identify which factors are most important for you and determine the time of year that best fits your requirements. For us, good weather and events are a big factor. For a lot of families, finding a less crowded time of year is important.

However, if anyone in your party struggles with anxiety, choosing a less busy time of year may be important. If this is the case, please read my thoughts on how to manage anxiety at Disney World . This will help you to plan for a successful trip.

There are numerous crowd calendars out there designed to predict the best times of year to go to Disney World. I have looked at many of them myself, and I would advise you to do the same. They are good for giving you an idea of general historical crowd trends to help guide your choice.

However, Disney has done a brilliant job of spreading attendance out throughout the whole year, so “super low crowds” no longer exist. DO NOT look at these predictions as guarantees. That will only set you up to be disappointed if they are not accurate.

Since the reopening, crowd levels have varied greatly. However, DO NOT EXPECT EMPTY PARKS . Hollywood Studios reaches capacity on most days, while the other parks are often booked up on the weekends.

There are definitely still crowds at Disney, even during a pandemic. If you go there expecting no crowds, you’ll be disappointed.

How Long Should I Stay at Disney World?

Again, there are many factors to take into consideration when answering this question. At it’s most basic level, my general recommendation is that a minimum of 7 days is the ideal time to spend at Disney World for a family’s first Disney vacation.

Because of this, I put together an example of my ideal 7 day Disney itinerary to give a solid example of what a 7 day trip looks like.

A week long Disney vacation allows you to spend at least one full day at each of the parks, as well as have rest days to explore the many offerings outside of the Disney parks .

If you suspect this will be the only time your family is able to go to Disney World, this time frame becomes even more important. Even in a week you won’t be able to fit everything you might want to, but it gives you a good amount of time to have an awesome Disney vacation.

Planning a Shorter Disney Vacation

Sometimes, you just can’t spend a full week at Disney World. This might be due to schedule limitations or budget, but you can still have an awesome trip.

With a shorter time frame you obviously have to sacrifice some things on the Disney wish list, but you can still have an amazing vacation. With a shorter trip, I would recommend having at least 3 park days .

Ideally, with this plan you would purchase Park Hopper Tickets which allow you to go to multiple parks in one day. With Park Hoppers, you can still fit all 4 parks into your trip.

Weather at Disney World

The weather of central Florida can vary much more than most people think. In general, the summers are bone meltingly hot and humid, the fall and spring are more mild temperature wise, and anything goes in the winter.

And let’s not forget that hurricane season lasts all summer and into the fall.

Educate yourself about Florida weather patterns to guide your choice when picking the dates for your Disney trip. However, keep in mind that the weather does not need to cooperate with your plans.

As an example, when we went to Disney World at the end of November into the beginning of December, the weather ranged from 40 to 85 degrees over the span of 10 days. One day we were bundled up in winter coats, hats, and gloves, and two days later we had on shorts and t-shirts.

These pictures show two different days during the same Disney vacation! And we were roasting in the sun during that show with Sigrid and Barn Santa at Epcot.

The moral of this story: take the weather into consideration when planning a Disney trip, but don’t bank on it cooperating. You can still have a great time no matter what Mother Nature throws at you.

Use my post all about the best times of year to visit Disney to help you with this part of the process. I break down the pros and cons of each month of year, including weather, events, and anything else you need to know.

And if you decide to go to Disney World over the summer, check out my post all about my Disney summer survival tips .

Disney World Parties and Events

The other main factor to consider is the parties and events that Disney puts on throughout the year. There rarely seems to be a time when there isn’t SOMETHING extra going on.

From late August through early November Magic Kingdom has Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party . At that same time, Epcot has the Food and Wine Festival. So if you love all things autumn and eating truly delicious food offerings, perhaps the fall is for you.

If you are a Christmas nut like I am, you can’t beat going during the Christmas season (which in the world of Disney actually starts November 1!). During this time frame you can attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and the International Festival of the Holidays at Epcot.

Truly, this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of seasonal offerings, parties, and events that Disney World puts on during the course of a year.

Examples of Parties and Events to Look Into:

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
• Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival
• Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival
• Disney Villains After Hours
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
• Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays
• Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

So, take your time, identify your priorities and create a date range that you think will work for you.​

2. Create Your Disney Trip Budget

Perhaps I should have made this the first step, as it is extremely important to the ultimate question of how to plan a trip to Disney World. This factor will determine which resorts you pick, what style of dining you choose, and even your park days.

So essentially, do this part throughout the initial phase of the your Disney vacation planning. Fortunately, I also have a great budgeting tool that can help you out with this.

How Much Does a Disney World Vacation Cost?

This is an excellent question which does not have an easy answer. There are many factors which go into how much your Disney trip will cost.

The bottom line is, decide how much you are comfortably able to spend and then determine how to make that happen with the decisions you make from there.

The most expensive aspects of your Disney vacation are:

• Park Tickets
• Resort Accommodations
• Airfare (If you are flying)

The good news is that all of these factors can be manipulated in various ways to make a Disney vacation fit within your budget. But the bottom line is, on the cheaper end of things, plan to spend $3000-$4000 for a family of 4 for a 5 day trip.

Then, if you can get it lower than that, it’s a bonus!

But if you want to get more specific, go to my entire post on how to create your Disney trip budget . In that post you’ll also find my Disney cost calculator which gives you your very own tool to accurately calculate your budget.

Other Posts to Read About Budget and Saving Money at Disney

There are ways to make your trip a little bit cheaper, from resort choices to grocery deliveries to the types of meals you decide to eat. Here are some links to get you started, because everyone wants to save a little money, right?

• Using discounted Disney Gift Cards to save money on dining, park tickets, resorts, etc.
• Understand which Disney World discounts are worth it
• Buy discounted park tickets through Undercover Tourist

3. Deciding Where to Stay

Once you’ve decided on dates that you are interested in, the next step is to book the resort. Nothing is official until you’ve booked your lodging! Here is another step that is perhaps easily overwhelming once you realize the sheer amount of options available to you.

I will admit, so far we are fans of staying on Disney property. My only experience with staying off resort in Orlando is when I took a quick trip with my sister to Universal Studios.

So my advice in this respect might be a little biased, but I recognize that staying at Disney is not the right choice for every family so let’s explore the options, shall we?

This post provides a brief overview of resorts. For way more information head on over to my post dedicated entirely to the Disney World on-site vs off-site question .

Over the years, it’s become less and less of an advantage to stay on Disney property. And it’s costs a ton more. So, even I’m ready to admit that staying off-site might be the better choice for many people.

Staying Off Property

Staying off property is clearly the more economical choice in most respects. If you are looking to do a Disney trip on a very tight budget, this is the clear winner. The nightly room rates can be much cheaper, depending on the type of accommodations you are looking for.

Many families will also rent condos for a week, giving their families much more space for a fraction of the price. Disney now has benefits for guests of identified “good neighbor” hotels, making them a more affordable alternative to Disney resorts.

A Few Things to Consider About Staying Off-Site

• How far away is the hotel from the parks? Do not underestimate drive time to and from the hotel to the parks. If you plan on taking mid-day breaks back at the hotel to let the kids rest, this suddenly becomes a big factor.
• Does the hotel offer free shuttle service? And if it does, how often does it run? Sometimes these shuttle services look good on paper, but in practice are pretty inefficient, leading to a lot of wasted time.
• If you are renting a car or using your own, factor in parking costs at the parks, which is currently $25 a day. This can add up over the course of a trip.
• Double check “resort fees” at the hotels you are looking at. If your hotel has these, make sure you add this into your final cost. I find this fee is not always factored into the total you see online.

Be very careful to do your math to add up any hidden charges you might come across with staying offsite. Sometimes, all of these charges bring you closer to the cost of staying at one of the Disney value resorts and the convenience and benefits that offers.

Staying on Disney Property

There are clearly many benefits to staying on Disney property. Two of the biggest benefits are the immersion into the Disney bubble and the convenience being on property allows.

The level of detail that Disney applies to every last aspect of your experience is astounding and lets you fully sink into the world of Disney. There is just something so fulfilling about looking around your Disney resort and realizing you are there. It’s what I would call an intangible quality, but it is very real nonetheless.

Staying on Disney property will ALWAYS be my preferred recommendation whenever possible. I’ve put together a complete guide for choosing a Disney resort that’s the best for your family. It’s designed to help you narrow down your focus and have an easier time choosing your resort.

Disney Resort Benefits

The benefits of staying at a Disney resort go beyond an immersive atmosphere. There are certain benefits which are only available to guests staying on Disney property.

There are various forms of free transportation to and from all of the Disney properties via buses, monorail, boats, and the Disney Skyline gondolas. While none of these systems are perfect, they are free and will get you anywhere you need to go on property.​

Disney resort guests used to have FastPass advantages, Extra Magic Hours, and complimentary transportation to and from Orlando International Airport. However, these have already gone away.

Fortunately, Disney has slowly returned some benefits to staying at a Disney resort. You can now access Disney’s early theme park entry , an option that allows Disney resort guests to get into the parks 30 minutes before they officially open.

Plus, Disney recently announced the return of the Disney Dining Plan , which is a benefit which is only open to Disney resort guests. This benefit starts in January 2024.

Disney also recently eliminated the parking fee for overnight guests at Disney resorts. You can once again park for free at your Disney resort.

Drawbacks to Staying at Disney Resorts

The biggest drawback to staying on Disney property is clearly the cost. Depending on the level of accommodation you are looking at, the rooms can get very expensive.

There are three different categories: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, which will determine the price.

Disney does offer room discounts, so it is possible to get some money off the cost of the room. Even if you booked the room before the promotion was released, simply call Disney and they will apply the discount to your already existing reservation.

4. Buy Your Disney Park Tickets

You used to be able to save this step until much closer to your actual trip, but this is no longer true (see step 5 to understand why!).

The urgent need to buy tickets sooner rather than later will start to disappear over the next several months. However, I would still buy the tickets before you get to the 60 days point prior to your trip.

You should do some basic research into the cost of tickets while you are completing steps 1 and 2 in this Disney planning guide. This is because the overall cost of your park tickets can vary dramatically depending on what time of year you plan to go.

At this step you don’t necessarily need to know exactly which park you plan to be at when, but you do need to know which park day will be your first. That is because the entire daily price of your tickets are dependent on that date.

Before you buy your tickets, you really need to read step 5 as they go hand in hand. You need to know ahead of time if any of the parks are already booked to capacity before you commit your tickets to those dates.

How Many Park Days are Enough?

This is another question without a straightforward answer. As always, it depends on a lot of different factors. As I mentioned above, and ideal trip would have at least 4 full park days. This makes for a nice easy breakdown and no gut wrenching decisions on what park to skip.

If you can manage it, I would even consider having 5 park days. In reality, Magic Kingdom is worthy of a couple of days in and of itself. That fifth day gives you flexibility to cover anything that you might have missed during the first four park days.

However, if you can only spend 1-2 days in the parks due to time and budget, Magic Kingdom should be your priority. It is the quintessential Disney experience. The second park you choose will be based on what other experiences are a priority for your family.

An essential step before you buy your park tickets is to take a look at my Disney park tickets post . That will explain how the tickets work, types of tickets, and ways to get them at a discount.

5. Choose Your Park Days and Book Park Pass Reservations (Required through 2023)

Now that you’ve chosen your trip dates, booked your resort, and bought your park tickets, it’s time to figure out your basic itinerary. This step is now more important than it used to be.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what park you want to visit on which day of your trip. I’ve put together a little guide on how to choose your Disney park days to help with this step.

That post gives helpful hints on what factors to consider when making this decision.

As soon as you’ve picked your park day itinerary, it’s time to book your Disney Park Passes. Every member of your party needs one since it’s linked to capacity calculations.

Luckily, the process to book the Park Pass is pretty simple. Take a look at my guide to making Disney Park Pass reservations to learn the step by step process.

As I’ve said before, and I’ll say again, book your Disney Park Pass as soon as your park tickets are linked to My Disney Experience. You’ll feel better knowing that you’ve guaranteed yourself a slot for the park of your choosing that day.

Don’t worry about changing your mind later. It’s very easy to cancel your existing park pass and schedule one at a different park. Of course, before you cancel your Park Passes you want to check to see if the park you want to switch to has openings.

You can do that by going to Disney’s Park Pass availability calendar .

This used to be much more important that it is now. The parks rarely reach capacity, and then only during very busy holidays. I would still lean towards booking them sooner rather than later, but that’s because I’m a neurotic planner.

Starting on January 9, 2024, park passes will no longer be necessary for most park guests. All date based tickets are included in this. Mostly, it’s only annual passholders who still need to book park passes.

6. Book Your Disney Dining Reservations

I seriously love this step. For Doug and I, the food is a big part of the Disney vacation experience. We love to eat good food and explore foods we don’t typically get to eat.

This is especially true for me since I have a gluten sensitivity and can’t eat gluten at all. Disney is the one place where I can eat foods that are typically off limits for me.

If you are making any reservations, you can do so at 60 days prior to either your Disney resort check-in or the day you want the reservation on.

Let’s take a quick look at the different types of dining options at Disney. Not all restaurants require reservations.

Quick Service Restaurants

Disney has both Quick Service (QS) and Table Service (TS) restaurants throughout all the resorts, parks, and Disney Springs. This is essentially the difference between fast food and a sit down restaurant.

Quick Service restaurants do not require any reservations.

I would definitely suggest researching the various quick service offerings in each park and areas you will be in just so you have an idea of which places you want to try.

All quick service restaurants are not created equal. There are some that are absolutely fabulous and others which are just meh.

No sense wasting time on your park day staring at your phone reading menus of quick service restaurants to pick which one to eat at.​

Table Service Restaurants

Table Service restaurants are where the real fun is at. While having Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR) for table service restaurants is not a requirement, it is highly recommended .

The most popular restaurants will book up very quickly right at the 60 day mark, while others will have same day openings.

If you have a large group or know that you want to eat at a very popular restaurant, booking Disney dining reservations should be a priority for you.

This is not to say that you can’t move things around after you make the initial reservations, because you can. People are frequently canceling and shifting things around so it makes openings pop up, but you can’t necessarily rely on that.

Read Reviews of Disney Restaurants

During this time you should decide which types of restaurants you want to eat at: quick service, table service, or both. Most people do a combination of both. Clearly, more quick service restaurants makes your dining expenses cheaper, while more table service meals drives the cost right on up.

We like the change of pace of sitting down to a meal, usually once a day, and with my dietary restrictions, table service meals just have more options for me. But everyone is different so you need to decide on the ratio that works for your family. 

Like I referenced above, I have a whole lot of fun researching the restaurants, especially the table service restaurants. Check on menus for the various restaurants, read reviews on blogs like this one to narrow down your list of restaurants you want to try.

We get really excited about food in this family, so this is tons of fun for us.​

It is also important to learn about the Disney Dining Plan if you are staying at a Disney resort. The dining plan can be complicated (shocking) and it isn’t for everyone. But for others, it’s a necessity.

Note: Dining plans return starting with booking from January 9, 2024 and on!

Making Your Disney Dining Reservation

Disney dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance. If you’re staying at a Disney resort that’s 60 days prior to check-in. For everyone else, that’s 60 days prior to the date you want the reservation.

The window to make the dining reservations opens up at 6:00am EST. Yes, you read that right.

At that time you can book your reservations through Disney’s website or the My Disney Experience app.

The process is fairly straightforward, but not without it’s glitches and complications. Some reservations are highly competitive so you need to be in top form when you go to book.

Make sure you go through all my tips on how to book your Disney dining reservations to give yourself a leg up on this step.

7. Finalize Details and Pack Your Bags!

The anticipation is probably killing you by the time you get to this step! Now is the time to make sure you have all your ducks in a row.

Make sure you have your airport transportation to and from Disney all set up if you are flying. I have a handy guide that explains all of your Disney airport transportation options .

Also, if you plan to order MagicBands, make sure you do that with enough time to allow for shipping to your home.

Do you plan to rent a stroller for your trip? Make sure you get that set up as well. Kingdom Strollers is the recommended stroller rental company of The Disney Journey.

And finally, it’s time to start packing. But don’t wait until the last minute to do this step. Packing for Disney is unlike packing for any other trip. There are items I highly recommend you pack, which you might not already own.

Go through my recommended Disney packing list with a fine tooth comb to figure out what you need to bring.

Final Thoughts on Planning a Disney Trip

This basic timeline should help you to get started along the road to planning a Disney trip Again, each one of these steps has further details, but if you follow this general outline it will help give you some direction and hopefully keep you from getting too overwhelmed.

Even though this is a lot of information, don’t get stressed out! Start with step 1 and then go from there. Break this big, overwhelming task into smaller, more actionable pieces. Once you get into the groove, you will find the process gets easier and easier.

Use this post as a jumping off point in your Disney vacation planning and you will have such a wonderful Disney trip!

Don’t Forget to Pin this Article for Later!

Your Thoughts

Have I forgotten a step that you deem essential? Does planning a Disney vacation seem more manageable or are you still overwhelmed? Comment below and let me know how you start planning your Disney vacation.

Don’t forget to follow The Disney Journey on Pinterest and Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news and updates.

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your FIRST Disney World Vacation

By Kelly Oliveros Leave a Comment

Thinking of going to Disney World for the VERY first time?

Welcome to Disney World!

There are SO many things to consider and learn. Where do you stay ? What’s the dining situation like ? What types of tickets are there ? It can all be a bit (OK, a LOT) overwhelming. Don’t worry, you do NOT have to figure this all out on your own. We’re here to help!! Today we’re breaking down everything you need to know about planning your very first trip to Disney World with lots of info, links, and videos that will make the process so much easier for you.

1. The Basics

We’ll start with the basics! Walt Disney World is made up of 4 theme parks. There’s Magic Kingdom …

Cinderella Castle — You’re Going to Want to Get a Photo Here!

… EPCOT …

EPCOT — That Giant Ball is Spaceship Earth and It’s a Ride!

… Disney’s Hollywood Studios …

That’s the Tower of Terror!

…and Disney’s Animal Kingdom .

Tree of Life — Get an Up-Close Look at This! It’s Beautiful!

Disney also has 2 water parks — Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Typhoon Lagoon is currently open and Blizzard Beach is closed.

Blizzard Beach

There is also an entertainment, shopping, and dining area called Disney Springs that is full of stores, restaurants, and more for you to enjoy.

Disney Springs

There are also mini-golf (as well as full-sized golf!) courses and more on Walt Disney World property. There’s a LOT to see and do!

Click here to see your absolute Disney World must-dos!

There are a LOT of different Disney-owned/run hotels to stay at on Walt Disney World property . There are also some hotels that are technically on Walt Disney World property but are not owned/run by Disney, like the Four Seasons Orlando or the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. And, there are hotels that are off of Walt Disney World property but very close by.

Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Want to stay at a Disney World hotel and wondering which Disney-owned hotel would be best? With a LOT of options, it can be overwhelming to figure out what the right move for your family is . There are three classes of hotels owned by Disney ranging from the less expensive Value resorts all the way up to posh Deluxe resorts will all the amenities you could want. With so much to choose from, we recommend you check out our video on the best hotels for visits this year below!

Also, keep in mind that some benefits only apply to guests staying at select Disney World hotels. Check out our section below on Park Hours to learn more about the Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours benefits and how those might impact your decision about where to stay.

Click here to see why people HATE some Disney World hotels!

There are many reasons why you might want to stay at a Disney World-owned hotel — like the free transportation to the Disney parks (a HUGE perk for many guests), the service you get from the Cast Members, and the Disney theming. But, there are also some reasons why you might NOT want to stay in a Disney World hotel — like the cost savings you can find at other places or more space.

Grand Floridian

Should you stay on property or off property? Ultimately, it’ll depend on what’s best for your family.

Are these Disney World hotels underrated or overrated? Click here to see what thousands of our readers said!

Another thing you’ll need to think about is how you’re going to get from Orlando International Airport or any airport nearby (if you’re flying into Orlando) to your hotel.  Disney’s Magical Express was discontinued at the beginning of 2022, so now guests must find their own way to get between the two locations — and, it’s going to cost you some $$$.

Mears, the company that used to operate Disney’s Magical Express, is now offering a paid shuttle service that’s similar , along with a new company called The Sunshine Flyer . You can also choose from a variety of other transportation options that might work better for you and your family .

Mears Connect Bus

Another consideration to make if you plan to drive or rent a car from the airport is parking. Just keep in mind that Disney does charge a parking fee if you bring your car and park it at one of their hotels BUT Disney-owned resort guests get complimentary parking at the theme parks.

Click here to see the BEST ways to get to Disney World now that the Magical Express is gone.

Finally, before you book your trip, you’ll want to check and see if there are any special deals or discounts being offered on Disney World hotel stays.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge — This is a Gorgeous Resort

Sometimes, you may be able to score the hotel of your dreams for less through these deals. You could also look into renting points to stay at a Disney Vacation Club Villa and that could help you save BIG on some great spots . Check out our video below to learn more.

Click here to see the latest Disney World hotel deals!

Finally, a lot of people make some rookie mistakes planning their first Disney World trip. Make sure YOU don’t make those same mistakes by reading our post about some of the mistakes people make when booking a Disney World hotel .

Click here to see the rookie mistakes you’re making when booking a Disney World hotel!

3. theme park admission.

Okay, so you’ve decided what hotel you want to stay at, but what about the theme parks? You’ll need to get tickets to enter the theme parks.  But, in Disney World, not all days are created equal when it comes to theme park admission prices. Essentially, Disney uses a calendar system for its prices that is based on demand. So, “peak” days — holidays and days that Disney expects the park to be busier — will be priced at a higher cost.

Mickey Balloons — A Classic Souvenir

If you go during a slower period, when the demand maybe isn’t as high, the tickets will be lower in terms of cost. Prices can jump up or down depending on when you’d like to visit, so scouting out a slower time could mean big savings.

Click here to get a look at what’s going on with Disney World ticket prices in 2022.

Also, you’ll want to keep in mind that park tickets now have an expiration date, but that wasn’t always the case. So, while your parents might have tickets from the ’90s that are still totally good, the tickets you buy tomorrow will have a set expiration date. You’ll want to mark that down in your calendar and make sure you get the full use out of that ticket before it expires.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Okay, so we’ve talked about tickets and the calendar, but what types of tickets are available? You can get tickets that give you access to 1 park per day, or you can opt for a ticket with the Park Hopper option.  With the Park Hopper option, you’ll be able to, well, HOP between all 4 Disney World theme parks once Park Hopper hours begin each day (at 2PM daily). Park Hopper DOES add a not insignificant cost to your tickets, but if you’re looking to jump around to different parks for meals or are trying to do it all in just a few days, it might well be worth the added cost.

Pandora — A GORGEOUS Area in Animal Kingdom You’ll Want to Check Out

One important thing to keep in mind: if you don’t get a ticket with the Park Hopper option at first, and later you decide you want it, that is fine. You can always add it on later, once you’re in Disney World, and you can even add it to your tickets in the middle of your trip. But, Disney will charge you for adding the Park Hopper for the full length of your trip (meaning that even if you add on the Park Hopping on day 3 of 5, you’ll be charged Park Hopping for the full 5 days of your trip, not just your remaining days). So, if you are going to add it on during your trip, you’ll want to add it on early so you can take full advantage of it. If you’re going to pay for it, you might as well get to use it to the fullest!

But, also keep in mind that you typically cannot remove a Park Hopper option from a ticket once you’ve bought it. Our advice? You might want to wait to see if you actually NEED the Park Hopping ability before you decide to pay for it, but don’t wait until you’re too late into your actual trip.

Click here to see what Park Hopping is like in Disney World right now!

Also, if you are interested in the water parks or some other activities, you can also get tickets that have a water park and sports option that will allow you to do more.

Just like the hotels, Disney often runs a variety of discounts and deals on its park tickets that you’ll want to look into. Be sure to check those out!

Click here to see ALL of the Disney discounts and deals!

And once all annual pass sales resume , if you’re really planning to commit, you can look into getting a Disney World Annual Pass. The new Annual Passes have some changes when compared to Disney’s previous offerings.

Annual Pass

There are 4 different passes. If you want access to PhotoPass for the year, or you want admission to some water parks and sports options as part of your Annual Pass, those are an additional cost. But keep in mind that currently, only new sales of the Disney Pixie Dust Pass remain available for Florida Residents. New sales of all other passes are currently paused.

There’s quite a lot to break down when it comes to these Annual Passholder offerings. Check out our articles below to learn more:

• Click here to see the blockout dates for the new Annual Passes
• Can you upgrade your tickets to an Annual Pass? Click here to learn more
• If you don’t live in Florida, you don’t have a lot of options when it comes to Annual Passes — click here to see more
• See what’s MISSING from Disney World’s new Annual Pass program
• These are the pros and cons of Disney World’s new Annual Pass system
• Your guide to using and understanding Disney World’s new Annual Passholder calendar
• Want to add PhotoPass to your Disney World Annual Pass? Click here to see what you need to know

Click here to learn more about the Annual Passholder program!

4. bookings.

Okay, so you’ve picked your hotel and you know what type of tickets you want to buy — so what do you do in terms of booking? Well, you can book the tickets on their own and your hotel room separately. Or, you can book a package that includes both.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Hollywood Studios

You can also book a package that includes hotel, tickets, and the Disney Dining Plan (once it becomes available again) . The Dining Plan allows you to pre-pay for your food. You’re then given a certain number of “credits” that you can use throughout your trip. Right now the Dining Plan is not available, but it is set to return in the future. When the Dining Plan returns, it’s something you might want to consider if you like to feel like your trip expenses are mostly all covered before you even arrive.

Ready to Eat?!

What combination of bookings is best for you? You’ll have to price out the discounts on hotels, tickets, and combined packages to find out. Often many discounts will require you to book a specific package, so check the fine print of any deals you’re eyeing.

Truly, we’ve only just started this guide and maybe you’re already coming to the realization that planning a Disney World vacation can be A LOT.  Our recommendation? You might want to think about reaching out to a travel agent. We specifically recommend the awesome folks over at Small World Vacations!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

The people over at Small World Vacations know about ALL of the discounts, and they stay up to date on new discounts that could be applied to your vacation to help you save some serious cash. They can give you personalized advice and really help make your vacation planning stress-free. Oh, and did we mention that their services are TOTALLY FREE?! That’s right. You won’t pay a dime extra than what you normally would pay to book your vacation on your own. In fact, you could SAVE money working with a travel agent. Their job is to look out for you. We’ve scored some great deals this way.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

We’ve got all the contact information for Small World Vacations at the bottom of this post and you can fill out their form to get started right here!

Should you use a travel agent for your Disney World trip? Click here to see more of our thoughts!

5. disney dining plan (currently unavailable).

We touched on it briefly above, but the Disney Dining Plan is a way to pay for your Disney World meals in advance.  Plans are typically pre-purchased and added onto a Disney Vacation Package (i.e. you must be staying through a Vacation Package at a Disney-owned-and-operated hotel, and have purchased at least one ticket per person). With the Dining Plan, all you have to do when you get to Disney World is head to a restaurant on the list, eat, and scan your MagicBand to “pay.”

Doesn’t This Look Yummy??

The credits for the meal for each person will be deducted from your total allotment. Easy peasy. Note that while you don’t pay while you’re at the restaurant (unless you order extras not covered like additional drinks or appetizers), gratuity is not included on table-service meals . There are a variety of different plans that are typically available that give you more or less food. The plans even include alcohol, if you’re able to partake. You’ll likely find a plan that would fit your family’s dining preferences.

Right now, the Dining Plan is not available though and it has not yet become available for future bookings , but it is set to return in the future , so just keep that in mind for the time being.

Click here to see everything you need to know about the Disney Dining Plan!

6. park hours.

One big thing you need to know about before your first Disney World trip is the park hours . Disney World theme parks do not open and close at the same time as one another, and the hours for each theme park can vary by day.  It’s important that you know those hours when you plan your trip so you can try to get the most out of every single day you have there.

Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios

Park hours can also change ahead of your trip or even DURING your trip !  You’ll want to keep an eye on those park hours, ESPECIALLY once you’re there, and watch for updates from us here at DFB.

Also, keep in mind that some guests get to spend a little extra time in the parks, extending those park hours just a bit more with Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours .

Let’s start with Early Theme Park Entry. All guests staying at Disney-owned resorts and select other resorts are allowed 30-minute early entry into any theme park every single day .  Select attractions are open during this early entry time.

Pop Century

Extended Evening Hours is a separate perk only for those staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts or Deluxe Villas . With this perk, those staying at eligible resorts are able to spend more time in select parks on select nights. Again, select attractions are open during this time.

If you’ll be staying at a resort with one or both of these perks, you’ll be able to factor in that extra time in the parks as part of your plans.

Click here to see our page with LOTS of park hours updates.

7. park pass.

When the Disney World theme parks reopened after the pandemic closures, they introduced the Park Pass system. The way that things work now is like this: let’s say you want to go to Magic Kingdom on Friday. First, you need a valid ticket to visit Magic Kingdom on that Friday. But, in addition to that, you also need a Park Pass theme park reservation for Friday for Magic Kingdom. Every person in your party will also need a ticket and Park Pass as well.

Disney Park Pass Screenshot

But, Park Passes can fill up, especially at busier times . You’ll be able to take a look at the Disney World Park Pass calendar to see what days are green (meaning there is full availability at all 4 parks), yellow (meaning 1 or more parks are already full), or gray (meaning there are no Park Passes available at any of the parks). Note that the Park Pass availability calendar looks different for Annual Passholders.

Park Pass availability can vary depending on whether you are an Annual Passholder, Disney World hotel guest, or just a guest with theme park tickets. You can only make 1 Park Pass reservation per day. That is the only park you will be allowed to visit for that day, unless you have added Park Hopper on your tickets  (which, again, you’ll have to wait until after 2PM to do each day!).

Park Pass Reservation availability for guests with Theme Park Tickets for September 12th as of September 8th © Disney

Again, availability for Park Passes can change a LOT. Sometimes days fill up , and then later more passes become available . Our advice? Get your Park Pass reservations EARLY. If you can’t get a reservation for a specific park that you want, book another one for the time being so at least you have something. You can always check later to see if more availability opens up. And if passes for the park you originally wanted become available, then you can cancel your existing Park Pass and make a new one.

Click here to see more about Park Pass.

And click here to see our page with all kinds of park pass availability updates, 8. transportation.

If you’re staying at a Disney World-owned/operated hotel, one of the best perks is FREE transportation from the hotels to the parks and back. Depending on the hotel you’re staying at, different transportation options will be available. Some hotels have buses to the parks…

Disney World Bus

…while others have boats …

Friendship Boats

…or access to the Disney Skyliner …

…or monorails , or a combination.

Some hotels even give you the chance to WALK to the parks.

Grand Floridian Walkway

For example, you can walk from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa , Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and (if you’re willing to trek a little bit) Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to Magic Kingdom.

Click here to see how you can WALK to the parks from some Disney World hotels!

You can also drive to and from the parks. If you’re staying at a Disney Hotel, you get free parking at the parks. Otherwise, just keep in mind that there is a cost per day to park at Disney World’s theme parks. If you hop to the other parks, you won’t need to pay again on the same day though — just keep that receipt! Also, parking is free at Disney Springs!

9. MagicBands and MagicMobile

If you walk around Disney World you’re sure to see people with colorful bands on their wrists that look like this.

OoOoOo MagicBands!

These are called MagicBands !   MagicBands can do a whole bunch of stuff!  If you set it up online, you can link your park tickets to your MagicBand. Then, all you’ll need to do is scan your band (rather than take your ticket out of your wallet or pocket) to get into the parks.

They can also be used to open your Disney World hotel room door, charge purchases to your Disney World hotel room, link PhotoPass photos, and more! It’s a mega-powerful tool right on your wrist.

Zootopia MagicBand

There’s also a new version called the MagicBand+ that gives you the chance to interact with the parks like never before!

MagicBand+ can interact with the Golden 50th Anniversary Statues in the parks

MagicBands are no longer free for Disney World hotel guests or Annual Passholders , but you can still buy them and use them in the parks. Disney World hotel guests and Annual Passholders can also pre-order some MagicBands at a discount ahead of their trip, but you’re gonna have to pay a bit.  If you don’t like the discounted options available, you can also just buy a MagicBand in the parks or online . MagicBands can be extremely convenient. But, they are not required if you choose not to use them.

Click here to see our ULTIMATE GUIDE to MagicBands in Disney World!

Don’t want to use a MagicBand? No worries, you don’t have to! If you still want some of the benefits of a MagicBand without having to use one, you can utilize the MagicMobile service.

MagicMobile essentially transforms your phone into a MagicBand! With MagicMobile, you can link your tickets, create a virtual pass, and scan your ticket at the parks straight from your phone (no MagicBand needed).

Learn to use My Disney Experience to optimize your Disney World vacation ©Disney

You can also now use your phone to automatically link select PhotoPass photos to your My Disney Experience account.

MagicMobile Instructions

MagicMobile is available now for Apple and Android devices and could be a good way for you to get some of the ease of a MagicBand without having to use one.

Click here for your step-by-step guide to setting up your MagicMobile pass.

10. tech stuff.

You may want to spend part of your vacation away from the computer or technology, but in Disney World, there are actually a LOT of apps and tech things you’ll want to know about and use. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll need to download and know.

First, we highly recommend that you download the My Disney Experience app. You’ll be able to use this app to check park times, make Disney Genie+ ride selections (more on that in a second), make dining reservations, check the wait times for the rides, look at park maps, and SO MUCH MORE.

Keep your eye on the app! See the Hidden Mickey in Hollywood Studios from Above?! ©Disney

You’ll also be able to create accounts for your family members on there, link your tickets, and link MagicBands too.

Click here to see the steps you should take on My Disney Experience NOW before your upcoming Disney World trip.

Another thing you’ll be able to do on the My Disney Experience app is place a Mobile Order for your food for many Disney World quick-service spots.

Mobile Order Signs

With Mobile Order, you’ll preorder and pay for your food on your phone at many locations. Familiarizing yourself with the app to begin with can save headaches once in the parks and you just want some food!

Click here to learn more about mobile order.

You’ll also be able to use the app to do Mobile Dine Check-in for Disney World restaurants.

Mobile Dine Check In

Essentially, for table service restaurants in Disney World, you’ll generally be able to skip the check-in desk and check-in for your reservation right from your phone! You’ll receive a text when your table is ready.

See more about mobile check-in here!

The My Disney Experience app also now lets you join Virtual Waitlists for many Disney World restaurants . So, let’s say you couldn’t score a reservation at the one spot where you really wanted to eat. Or, maybe you didn’t think you’d have time for a table service meal, but now you do. You could always check to see if there are any regular Advanced Dining Reservations available. But, you also might be able to join a Virtual Waitlist for the restaurant and potentially get a walk-up spot with this feature.

Mobile Dine Walk-up Waitlist screenshot

The app will show you if the walk-up waitlist is at capacity for that restaurant already, or what the estimated walk-up wait would be.

Click here to see more about the walk-up waitlist feature!

If you want to try some of the food from a table service restaurant but don’t have the time for a full sit-down meal or perhaps don’t feel comfortable eating at a location that doesn’t have outdoor seating, consider using the Table Service To-Go feature (also on the My Disney Experience app — see why we say it’s important to have?!).

Bread Service To-Go!

With this feature, you can order from some of your favorite table service spots and take your items to go , to be enjoyed back in your room or elsewhere! This is only available for select restaurants, so just keep that in mind.

Click here to learn more about table service to-go!

A free feature is incorporated into the My Disney Experience app called Disney Genie. Disney Genie is a service that is essentially meant to help you plan your perfect Disney day. You’re able to tell the Disney Genie what types of attractions or things you’re interested in, and Genie will create a customized itinerary for you that is aimed at maximizing your time in the parks.

You’re able to see forecasted wait times for your favorite rides, see personalized recommendations, and more.

Some folks find this feature very useful!

Click here to see the 5 most mind-blowing Disney Genie features!

If you’re looking for a way to keep the little ones entertained as you wait in line or even give the older kids (*raises hand*) something to play, the Play Disney Parks App is something you might want to download (it’s FREE!). The app is full of games and more to keep everyone busy. And it’s got special features you’ll want to use in Star Wars : Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios .

Play Disney Parks App | ©Disney

One ride that will make heavy use of the My Disney Experience app is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT. To even get a chance to board this SUPER popular ride, you need to download the My Disney Experience app to sign up for a Boarding Group for the ride .

Cosmic Rewind

Boarding Groups are distributed at 2 times during the day (currently 7AM and 1PM ) and they can be difficult to get. One big thing to keep in mind is that if you want to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind , EPCOT generally has to be the first park you visit that day . You won’t be able to visit, say, Magic Kingdom first, and then hop to EPCOT s to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind because boarding group distributions happen BEFORE Park Hopping hours begin.

We recommend REALLY brushing up on our how-to tips before attempting this one. You’ve typically got a small window to score these boarding group spots and you don’t want to do it wrong! This attraction will also offer pay-per-ride access via Lightning Lane through Individual Attraction Selection (which we’re about to discuss).

Click Here To See How Boarding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Will Work!

11. disney genie+ and individual attraction selection.

You may have heard of the term “ FastPass+, ” so you might be wondering what is that and is it available? FastPass was a free system available to all Disney World guests that allowed guests to skip the standard queue lines and hop in a separate (typically much shorter) line to get onto their favorite rides quicker.

The FastPass+ system was suspended when Disney World reopened last year . Instead of returning, FastPass+ was replaced by 2 PAID FastPass-like systems called Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection.

We worked on an article explaining Genie (the free planning service we discussed in a section above), Genie+, and a little bit about Individual Attraction Selection in less than 500 words . Below is a portion of that article to help you understand the basics of these new systems.

Disney Genie  is a FREE planning service  built into the  My Disney Experience  App and  Disneyland App . You will tell Disney Genie what you want to ride, what types of things you like, etc. and  Disney Genie will create a personalized, flexible itinerary for you . With Genie, you’ll be able to see  forecasted wait times, mobile order your food, chat with a virtual assistant, see walk-up waitlist availability, make restaurant reservations, adjust your plans, and more . Plans will continuously update to help you get the most out of your day. Essentially, Genie is designed to help you plan your day and optimize your plans.

Disney Genie+ is a PAID FastPass-like service .  It costs  $15 per day per ticket at Disney World, and $20 per day per ticket at Disneyland . If you pay for this service,  you’ll be able to see when the next available time is to use various rides’ Lightning Lanes (i.e. FastPass+ lanes).  You will  select the next available time to use the Lightning Lane for whatever ride you want, and when your time arrives, you can visit the ride and use the Lightning Lane (skipping the standby line) .

Once you’re done with that ride, you can make another Genie+ Lightning Lane selection —  1 ride at a time, throughout the day. Over 40 attractions are available through Genie+ at Disney World, over 15 attractions are available through Genie+ at Disneyland. NOT all attractions will be available through Genie+.

While most guests can purchase Genie+ in advance ( though the situation seems different for Annual Passholders ),  you cannot make a Genie+ Lightning Lane selection until the DAY OF your trip . At Disney World, guests can make their first Lightning Lane attraction at 7AM on the day of their visit. At Disneyland, the first Genie+ Lightning Lane selection can be made once you’re in the park.

Select, highly popular attractions (like  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom, Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure Park,  WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure  at Disney California Adventure Park,  Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance , and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT ) will NOT be listed on Genie+ .

That means that even if you pay for Genie+ you will NOT be able to select a time for/use the Lightning Lane at those attractions. Instead, if you want to use the Lightning Lane for those attractions,  you’ll have to pay for the attractions INDIVIDUALLY .

Guests will only be able to get a maximum of 2 Individual Attraction Selections per day.

Two Options ©Disney

That’s our very, very, VERY basic and succinct breakdown of Genie vs. Genie+ (with a tiny bit of info thrown in about Individual Attraction Selection). Essentially, you’re able to pay $15 per day in Disney World to get access to the Lightning Lanes for over 40 attractions (you’ll be able to make 1 Lightning Lane selection at a time) through Genie+. If you want to skip the standby lines at select super popular attractions though, you’ll have to pay to access their Lightning Lanes individually (maximum of 2 selections per day) through Individual Attraction Selection.

Want to know more about Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection? Check out some of our other posts, linked below:

• Click here to  learn about Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection, including what attractions have been listed for each and more details
• Click here to see  what Annual Passholders need to know about Disney Genie
• Click here to see how and  why you’ll pay for individual rides in Disney Genie+ with Individual Attraction Selection
• Click here to see  how Disney Genie+ is different from MaxPass
• Click here to see  how being a hotel guest will benefit you with the Individual Attraction Selection service

Click here to learn more about FastPass+.

There are a LOT of dining options all around Disney World. There are counter service spots — meaning places where you simply order your food, pick it up, and take it to your table (AKA, fast food like chicken nuggets or burgers). There are also table service restaurants — where you will be seated, a Cast Member will take your order, and your food will be brought to you at the table.

Sit down, eat, and watch TV? Don’t mind if we do.

Reservations are NOT required (nor can they be made) for counter service spots. But, reservations can (and should) be made for table service spots. At many popular spots, reservations essentially become required if you want to dine there. You won’t find these spots on the walk-up waitlist!

Right now, you can make dining reservations 60 days ahead of your Disney trip .  Reservations can book up pretty quickly for some spots — particularly those popular locations. When we say “fast” we mean “gone 60 days out” type deal for big spots. So, if you’re looking to eat at Be Our Guest Restaurant , a character meal, or other popular places, you’ll want to book those as quickly as you can!

Beast in Be Our Guest

You can change or cancel your reservations later if you change your mind. But, note that some Disney reservations will charge you a cancellation fee (usually $10 per person) if you don’t cancel within a certain time period — generally 24 hours.

Also, if you’re on a serious budget or you’ve got picky eaters in the group, you can bring food, snacks, water bottles, sodas, and more into Disney World . If you’ve got special dietary concerns or allergies , there are also several things you can do to notify Disney and help them best accommodate you.  Cast Members will be happy to help in any way they can.

Click here to see more about dining with a special diet in Disney World!

Wondering what the TOP Disney snacks are that you should get? Or the best restaurants you should eat at? If you’ve NEVER been, you likely won’t know what or where to find all the best food! We got you.

A Mickey Pretzel with (What We Call) Plastic Cheese!

Be sure to check out our picks for the BEST snacks in Disney World right now in our video below! 

13. Rides, Fireworks, Parades, and a Bit More

There are a lot of rides in Disney World, and it’s important to know what rides are in what park so you can best plan your days. You can find Disney World maps online or in the My Disney Experience app. We think it’s a good idea for you and your family to look at these maps ahead of time and make a note of what rides are must-dos, which ones you’d like to try, and which ones you’d rather skip.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios Goes Upside Down!

Not sure what a specific ride is even like? Is it too scary for your little one or too scary for you?? Watch videos of the rides online! There are tons of videos on YouTube that will give you a much better idea of what the ride is like. You can watch them with your family to get excited for your trip and help you narrow down your must-do list.

Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom

Some Disney World rides do have height requirements , so keep that in mind for little ones and be sure to look in advance so they aren’t disappointed when they get there. We recommend measuring your kiddo with their shoes on so you know before you go what they can and can’t do. If someone is too short, parents can take advantage of Disney World’s Rider Switch program . This allows you to split your party so those tall enough can ride while someone stays with the person too small to ride. Then, they switch and the person who waited can ride without waiting in the full line.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Aside from actual moving or simulation rides, there is some wonderful entertainment all around Disney World.

Also, we wanted to briefly mention how to handle if someone in your party required a bit of extra assistance to ride rides on your trip. Disney does have certain services available for those with disabilities . For example, Assistive technology devices for guests with hearing disabilities are available at Guest Relations.

Guest Relations

Those with disabilities can also get a  Disability Access Service pass that allows them to generally stop by an attraction and receive a return time at which point they’ll be able to come back and be directed to an alternate entrance to get on the ride. Click here to read more about how Disability Access Service works now.

New virtual features have been added to Disney’s Disability Access Service Program — click here to learn more.

Also, we couldn’t get through this post without mentioning two of the things that Disney is so famous for (even though they aren’t rides)  — parades and fireworks!  Considering that this is your first trip to Disney World, these are the quintessential Disney things you’ll likely want to reserve some time to experience.

What a Sight!

The Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade is currently running in Magic Kingdom!

Festival of Fantasy

Check out the return of this parade!

Fireworks have resumed at Disney World in full force! Fireworks are now back at Magic Kingdom , Hollywood Studios , and EPCOT , and new fireworks shows are on the way for Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.

Happily Ever After Fireworks

Most entertainment offerings have returned to Disney World, but be sure to still check the Disney World website to see what’s being offered during your trip!

Click here to check out KiteTails in Animal Kingdom!

14. photopass.

During your trip, you’ll likely see Disney photographers taking other families’ photos. This is called PhotoPass. The photographers are scattered throughout the parks and will take your photos for FREE! So, don’t be afraid to say cheese and take those pictures! You can then link the photos to your account with your MagicBand or admission card (or sometimes your phone ) so you can see them online later. Some photographers can even add in fun magical stuff to your photos, so be sure to ask!

If you want to download those photos you’ll either need an Annual Pass that includes free photo downloads, you’ll need to buy the Memory Maker service, or you can pay for each photo individually. Memory Maker is a service that you pay for that allows you to download all your PhotoPass photos for trips in a certain period of time.

15. Packing List

Maybe you’ve got everything booked and ready…but what do you pack?! Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered there too! Check out our DFB video below with the ULTIMATE Disney World packing list. It’s a few years old, but should still be SUPER helpful.

We’ve also got a list of 12 essentials you NEED in your Disney World bag , and a video of the things even the pros forget to bring to Disney World.  Check out these videos so you know what to pack!

16. Cast Members & ALL the Tips

One thing we really wanted to mention is that if during your Disney World trip you have a question or need assistance, don’t hesitate to ask a Cast Member for help . Cast Members are INCREDIBLE and do a fantastic job helping guests with their needs.

Cast Members at the Boardwalk Bakery

Need more tips and tricks to help plan your first trip? We’ve got ’em right here! In fact, if you’re still on the fence if this is the year or if you should wait, click here to see whether you should go to Disney World for the first time this year .

Roy and Minnie Statue

Click here to see 6 things most first time visitors get WRONG at Disney World , so you can prevent yourself from getting these things wrong during your first trip.

Want a month-by-month planning guide to your Disney World vacation ? We’ve got that here too!

DinoLand USA

Want to make sure you walk away from your first trip with as few regrets as possible? Click here to see some of our readers’ 10 BIGGEST regrets in Disney World so you don’t experience the same things.

18. The DFB Guide

Want a BIG guide to all things Disney food related? Well lucky you — we got you covered there too! (What can we say. We like you and want you to have the BEST time ever!) You might want to check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World dining!

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2023

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining  is FULL of details, tools, and features to help your trip go smoothly, including:

• A 5-Step Strategy for Disney Dining Planning , covering everything you need to know from budgeting and booking to kids’ meals, dining discounts, and fireworks.
• An updated look at the COVID-19 changes happening at Disney World.
• A comprehensive and in-depth look at EVERY Disney World restaurant, kiosk, bar, and lounge , including our personal tips to ensure a positive and stress-free dining experience.
• Four free, downloadable worksheets for planning your trip. These worksheets are designed to help you execute all the steps of planning the perfect Disney dining experience. And they’re reusable for all of your future trips!
• Seven sample one-day dining itineraries for a head-start on planning.
• A comprehensive index of bars and lounges WITH reviews. An often under-appreciated option for both dining and entertainment, the e-Book devotes a whole index to the topic.

The book is a digital book, so you can easily look at it on your phone or computer before and during your trip.

Click here to see more about the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining!

19. don’t forget our dfb videos.

And finally, if you’re a videos type of person, then you’ll want to check out our DFB YouTube channel.  Truly, this is not just a shameless plug. The DFB videos on YouTube are totally FREE to watch and there are LOADS on there with tons of valuable information that could help you plan your trip.

We’ve got an entire playlist dedicated to Disney World tips and guides with videos showing you what things are banned in Disney World, things we wish we’d known before we went to Disney World, the worst Walt Disney World resorts, and more! We’ve even got a video dedicated to the 50 MOST important things to know before you go to Disney World . If you’re planning a trip to Disney World for the first time, some of these videos can really help you get prepared!

Click here to check out our video of the 50 things to know before you go to Disney World!

And that’s our essential guide to planning your very first trip to Disney World! There is SO much more we could say, but then this guide would go on for AGES. We’ll leave it at this — planning a trip to Disney World can be a lot. But, try not to let yourself get overwhelmed. Remember that at the end of the day, it won’t matter if you hit every single ride or eat every snack you have on your list. What will matter is whether you got to spend quality time with your family, soak in the magic, and create memories that will last a lifetime. We hope your first trip to Disney World is absolutely fantastic!

Click here to see 10 ways Disney World tricks you into spending more money!

Are you planning your first trip to Disney World soon? Let us know in the comments!

DON'T DO IT ALONE!

Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise.

So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you 🙂

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The ULTIMATE 3-Day Disney World Itinerary Template and Planning Guide for 2024

Can you do Disney World in 3 days?

You absolutely can, but you need a plan!

Luckily for you, I am known as the Disney Solo Traveler , which means I’ve learned quite a few things when it comes to planning an amazing 3-day Disney World itinerary and guide.

Whether you’re going solo, with friends, family, or as a couple, I’ve got you covered.

When most people think of Walt Disney World, they think of the Magic Kingdom Theme Park, but the Disney Resort has way more offerings than you think.

Walt Disney World Resort is the biggest Disney-themed area in the world with four theme parks and two water parks.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Planning Your Disney World Vacation at a Glance:

• 1st Day (Arrival Day): Disney Springs and Epcot
• 2nd Day: Magic Kingdom Theme Park
• 3rd Day: Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom
• 4th Day (Departure Day): Check Out of Hotel and Hangout at Disney Springs
• Use Travel Agents to get your discounted tickets and vacation packages or sites like Tripadvisor and CityPASS for just tickets
• I have found CheapAir to be the easiest and most reliable site for finding good flight deals. Plus, they’re always sending emails with discounted coupons and codes.
• Don’t forget your travel insurance just in case not-so-magical things happen
• Consider hotels outside of Disney for more space and a cheaper rate

Keep reading to get your ULTIMATE Disney World Planning Guide TODAY!

Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks

• Magic Kingdom
• Hollywood Studios
• Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney World Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon
• Blizzard Beach

The Magic Kingdom was the first of the Walt Disney World parks built ( opened in 1971 ) and continues to be the number one theme park in the world.

I know you’re probably thinking that this is way too much information than what you thought Disney had.

Have a DIFFERENT kind of Orlando vacation with a Resort home next to Disney World. Find Your Disney Resort Vacation Rental here!

How Do I Make a Disney World Itinerary?

Disney can feel overwhelming even before you start making plans. So, it’s crucial to have some type of Walt Disney World itinerary on hand.

Choosing a ticket package, deciding if you should go with a Disney Planner, or if you should just plan the trip out yourself can all be too much to think about.

Not to mention knowing the difference between the parks and what days are best to go can be overwhelming as well.

But don’t worry…

I will make this 3-day Disney World planning guide and itinerary super easy to follow.

When you finish this article, you’ll feel so much more confident in planning the most AMAZING (in my Oprah voice) Walt Disney World vacation ever! You’ll also know how to plan out your Disney World itinerary.

How to Prepare for Your 3-Day Disney World Trip Itinerary

Being a self-proclaimed ThemeParkHipster makes me the main one in my group of friends who “knows” the ins and outs of theme park tips.

One question I always get is:

How can I get cheap Disney World tickets?

One of the best  theme park authorized ticket sellers is The Park Prodigy. I recommend them for a more hands-on approach for your Disney tickets and travel planning.

Their website is easy to use and whenever I send them a message , they quickly responded to my inquiry.

Recommended: Top 5 Ways to Find Cheap Disney World Tickets for Your Vacation!

Get a Walt Disney World Park Hopper Pass

The Disney Park Hopper Pass gives you the option to visit more than one theme park on the same day.

I recommend getting your Disney tickets  that are one or two days short of your total vacation length. If you will be at Disney for four days, maybe book only two days to go to a park.

On the first day in Orlando you may be tired or jet-lagged.  Use that day to explore Disney Springs or discover your resort.

To prevent exhaustion, on your last day you may want to skip the parks and only discover the resorts on property which are just as grand.

If you do decide to visit a Disney park, then try to keep your to-do-list light and only be there for half of a day.

11 BEST Things to Do at Disney Springs for Adults

When Should You Go To Walt Disney World?

While you’re searching for  discounted theme park tickets , and taking advantage of the incredible dining at Walt Disney World , have you considered what are the best times to go to Disney?

Avoiding the Disney Holiday crowd (especially in November and December ) means shorter lines and less traffic.  

For parents, this can be a bit tricky. Taking your child(ren) to Disney World sounds like the best gift ever!

The only issue is every other mom and dad has the same exact idea.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t  take your kids to Disney for Christmas season  or any other holiday for that matter.

It just means you’ll need to be prepared for a lot of company.

You’ll notice that  April has crowd sizes ranging from low to moderate (choose wisely during this time for Spring Breakers), while March has crowd sizes ranging from Moderate to High (mostly due to the influx of Spring Breakers).

Nowadays, I’m seeing late January, early February, early May, late August, early October, mid-November and early December as the best times to go to Disney World.

What are the Best Times to Visit Disney?

These months are closely followed by September and October as still pretty decent visiting times.

Is 3 Days Enough: How Many Days Do I Need for Disney World in 2023?

What to Pack for a 3-day Walt Disney World Trip?

Now that you know what days to go to the Disney Parks, you’ll want to know what to pack. First off, you must have comfortable shoes!

And no not flip flops or Crocs.

You’ll want a good pair of sneakers. Have your go-to sneakers that you know are always dependable and are wonderful for walking MILES in, because your days will be filled with 8+ hours of walking each day.

Ready to start planning your next Disney World vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

Disney Day Bag Essentials

• Disposable Rain   Ponchos   or rain jackets
• Water-proof zipped bags
• Reusable water bottle
• Small Snacks
• Hat for sunny days
• Portable Phone Charger
• Water mist sprayer
• Theme Park Guide Books

Don’t Go To Walt Disney World Until You Understand These Five Things

What should you pack in your suitcase?

Since it will be a short trip, you’ll want to take the minimalist packing list approach which you can read about below.

Here are a few more must haves for your 3-day packing list:

• Active, casual, and formal clothing
• Underwear/socks
• Bathing suits
• Good Luggage
• Formal shoes if needed
• Water shoes
• Sunglasses/Regular eye-wear

Get Your 3-Day Packing List for Disney World Below!

Should You Get a Disney Travel Agent or Do Your Own Planning?

Planning an epic trip to Disney World can be stressful, but a cure for the stress is using an authorized Disney Planner or Travel Agent.

A Disney travel agent is a specialist in all things Disney. They stay up to date on all the upcoming attractions and customize your itinerary based on all the interests of you and your family.

They can even help you create the PERFECT Disney World itinerary that fits your needs!

Many agents even attend a special Disney “college”  to make sure they know the best way to put your package together.

Most travel agencies do not charge you to plan your vacation. Disney covers all agent fees themselves.

So, whether you book through them or do it yourself, there’s no extra cost for the service!

A thorough conversation with your agent is usually all you’ll need to completely customize your vacation.

If you’re traveling with family, just let your agent know, and they’ll be sure to include family-friendly events.

The reason I prefer  top Disney Agents  is because they are an earmarked agency with Disney. This means Disney recognizes them as an official agency.

As Laura explains in  episode 27 of the   ThemeParkHipster podcast , this also means Disney is more likely to honor special requests from them because of their legitimacy.

For a free service, I think that’s pretty cool.

If you love making a Walt Disney World Planning Spreadsheet, then I recommend doing the following steps below:

• Pick vacation dates
• Purchase park tickets
• Book flight
• Choose a place to stay
• Download MyDisney Experience App
• Get familiar with the new Genie Service at Disney
• Make dinner reservations
• Have a Disney planning timeline
• Map out your Disney trip itinerary
• Depart for your trip

Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!

What to Expect When Planning for Your Disney World Trip

When your trip starts, you’re most likely to arrive at the Orlando International Airport in the morning.

Making Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World

Prior to your arrival, you’ll want your dinner and lunch reservations made months in advance. Disney allows you to make reservations 60 days before your departure date (in the past it has been 180 days).

So, if you’re trying to get that coveted seat at the  Magic Kingdom’s Be Our Guest , you’ll want to book your spot ASAP.

Using the Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane to Skip the Lines

It’s sad to say, but we have officially left the FastPass era and have entered into the world of Disney Genie and Lightning Lane.

As per Disney, Genie is the brand new complimentary and convenient new digital service within the  My Disney Experience app  specially designed to help create your perfect Disney day.

So you can basically view the Disney Genie as your own personal travel assistant.

It will give you the park hours for the park you have chosen for the day, suggested things to do, and a so much more!

Disney World Travel Insurance: Is it Worth It?

Disney Genie versus Disney Genie Plus

The Disney Genie+  is a version of the complimentary system that you will have to pay for in order to access its features.

It features  Lightning Lane  selections on 40+ attractions for your entire day. With this, you can book arrival times throughout the day for attractions with very little wait.

With Lightning Lane, you will have to  pay for each attraction that’s special to this feature. You can  choose up to 2 attractions per day to use Lightning Lane  and they are usually the most popular rides in each park .

Disney Genie Plus vs Lightning Lane: Everything You MUST KNOW!

Where to Stay in Walt Disney World?

The most convenient places are the resorts on Disney property . The Walt Disney World Resort has over twenty hotels, including Value, Moderate, Deluxe, Deluxe Villas , and a campsite, for you to choose from.

If you’re vacationing on a budget then you’ll save money by booking a Disney Value Resort or an  offsite Orlando vacation home  averaging  $150 per night .

SHOULD YOU STAY? Disney’s Pop Century Resort Standard Room (Review + Video)

Disney Resort Hotel Prices

• Deluxe Villas  – From $318/Night
• Deluxe Resort Hotels  – From $326/Night
• Moderate Resort Hotels – From $191/Night
• Value Resort Hotels  – From $100/Night
• Campgrounds  – From $53/Night

Remember that hotels are  less expensive off site . If you do stay on site you will get special perks such as free transportation within the property which can save on car rental or cabs.

A vacation home is another great option where you can get a wonderful deal on lodging for your Florida vacation.

Top Villas is one of the best luxury villa rental specialists with more than 4,000 luxury villas in over 50 of the world’s finest vacation destinations.

I am a fan of  vacation home rentals with resort amenities  for families or friends traveling to Disney on an extended vacation.

3-Day Walt Disney World Planning Guide and Itinerary

Now that we’ve gotten the basic pre-planning Disney checklist done , let me show you how to conquer your vacation in 3 days.

Day 1: Arrive, Check-in, Head to EPCOT

Once you land at the Orlando International Airport (MCO), get your luggage and head to your chosen transportation or Mears Bus.

These buses were made to make your trip much easier by dropping you off at your Disney hotel.

Once you’re checked in, freshen up and head over to Epcot.

EPCOT THEME PARK

Let’s talk about my absolute favorite theme park in the world. Epcot! Disney’s Epcot approach has been to take the present and create the future we want to have.

This has been done through neighborhoods (World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery) highlighting technological advances of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Whereas World Showcase goal is to highlight learning and living with people of other cultures.

There aren’t many thrill rides here, but the rides at Epcot come with more of a purpose then what you will see in other Disney theme parks. The classic dark rides, the theatrical entertainment, and the seasonal events are great for a more mature audience.

This isn’t to say that kids won’t enjoy Epcot.

But a lot more adults truly love and enjoy it and I’m TOTALLY not being biased…

…well maybe I am.

7 BEST of the BEST Drinking Around the World Epcot Shirts (Full List + Tips)

Epcot Daytime Itinerary:

• Explore Neighborhoods at the front of the park.
• Ride Soarin’ Around the World and Living with the Land.
• Hop on and ride Mission: SPACE and Test Track.
• Explore World Showcase.
• Have lunch at La Cantina de San Angel
• Ride the Three Caballeros
• Have a margarita at La Cava Del Tequila.
• Ride the Frozen Ever After Attraction.
• Do the Wine Walk.
• Watch Impressions de France and Explore the France Pavilion.
• Walk through the shops of the United Kingdom Pavilion.

Epcot Nighttime Game Plan:

• Ride Spaceship Earth
• Have early dinner at Spice Road Table in Morocco
• Book a dessert party (when available)
• Watch the fireworks show at Epcot to end your night

Best Epcot Rides:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Soarin Around the World
• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Living with the Land

Hungry at Epcot? These 5 Quick Service Restaurants Will Blow Your Mind!

Best Food and Drink Spots at Epcot:

• Les Chef de France in France
• Biergarten Restaurant in Germany
• Spice Road Table in Morocco
• La Cava Del Tequila in Mexico
• Takumi Tei in Japan
• Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in Italy
• Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada

Once your time at Epcot is over, head back to your resort and relax for the next day ahead.

Read NEXT: 21 Best Drinks to Have in Epcot

Day 2: MAGIC KINGDOM

The next morning you’re going to want to start early, because you must experience a character breakfast at Walt Disney World.

Since you will be in the Magic Kingdom , you might as well meet a princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

Keep in mind that you must book your reservation for this experience ASAP.

If you can’t get this one, then here are a few Disney character dining places:

• Beach Club Resort’s Cape May Café
• Epcot’s Garden Grill
• Topolino’s Terrace
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for Storybook Dining
• Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House
• Chef Mickey’s

After breakfast, it’s time to spend a magical day inside the Magic Kingdom theme park. The Magic Kingdom is thought to be the most magical place on earth.

The Ultimate Guide to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom

This park is a  wonderful starter for those interested in the classic Disney appeal.  It gives a good variety of thrilling attractions on the milder side.

You’re also in the thick of theme park entertainment with all the shows, parades, and fireworks in one place.

For the occasional theme park goer, the Magic Kingdom is a manageable and easy park to navigate.

The Magic Kingdom is divided into six lands:

• Main Street U.S.A.
• Tomorrowland
• Fantasyland
• Frontierland
• Liberty Square
• Adventureland

The lands are centered around the hub, which is Cinderella Castle. This is especially important to note when planning and mapping out your trip.

When it comes to experiencing the attractions, if you’re a thrill ride junkie, then this may not be the park for you.

If you’re an adult who likes to mix up moderate thrills with more relaxing moments, then you’re in the right place.

Magic Kingdom Daytime Itinerary:

• Head down Main Street, U.S.A .
• Start in Adventureland.
• Hike up the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse .
• Ride Jungle Cruise.
• Experience the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
• Ride Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Head to Frontierland and conquer Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Coming Summer 2024) and BIG Thunder Mountain.
• Take a break and explore Tom Sawyer’s Island.
• Ride the Haunted Mansion.
• Have lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern (make reservations prior to visit).

Magic Kingdom Nighttime Game Plan:

• Return to the park
• Head over to Fantasyland and ride Peter Pan’s Flight, “it’s a small world,” Seven Dwarfs Mine Train , Under the Sea~ Journey of the Little Mermaid.
• Now step into the future in Tomorrowland and ride Space Mountain , the PeopleMover, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress , TRON Lightcycle Run and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
• Experience the storytelling of Belle
• Check out the Hall of Presidents
• Watch the classic Country Bear Jamboree show
• Re-ride your favorite attractions
• Participate in the Dessert Party
• End your night with the BEST Fireworks Show

What’s the Best Quick Service at Magic Kingdom? These 7 Will Help You Decide!

Best Magic Kingdom Rides:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Haunted Mansion
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• BIG Thunder Mountain
• Tron: Lightcycle Run

Best Food and Drink Places at the Magic Kingdom:

• Friar’s Nook
• Sleepy Hallow
• Be Our Guest
• Liberty Square Tavern

I recommend staying as late as possible at the Magic Kingdom, since the crowds get much smaller after the fireworks show.

Hipster Power Tip: If you want to meet characters in shorter lines, go during the mid-day parade.

Once your day comes to an end at the Magic Kingdom , it will be time for you to head back to your resort for your final day at Walt Disney World.

21 Magnificent Things You Must Do at Magic Kingdom (Best Rides, Attractions & Food)

DAY 3:  DISNEY HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS & ANIMAL KINGDOM

Sorry to let you know that this is your last day at the most amazing themed resort in the world. But don’t be sad. Your Disney World itinerary is not quite over yet…

You’ll end your 3-day trip with a fun theme park or two. 

Start your day early and possibly order room service to bring you breakfast or just make your way to one of the onsite restaurants for a quick meal before the parks.

Start with Hollywood Studios first, then Animal Kingdom (if you want to do both in one day). This is a good way to make them both fit on your 3-day Disney World itinerary.

Hollywood Studios was once known as Disney-MGM Studios when it opened in 1989. It has always been a great half-day theme park for those visiting Walt Disney World solo.  

However, it is now a park that is spectacular to discover for over a whole day.

The addition of  Toy Story Land  and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, has made Hollywood Studios a competitive theme park.

Hollywood Studios Itinerary:

• Visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Explore Toy Story Land
• Go fast on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, Sunset Boulevard
• Scream on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Sunset Boulevard
• Watch Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard
• Have lunch at Tune-In Lounge, Lounge, American Food, Echo Lake
• Go on an adventure with the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, Echo Lake
• Ride Star Tours
• Watch the Muppets 3-D Vision Show
• Encounter Kylo Ren at Star Wars Launch Bay, Animation Courtyard
• Experience the March of the First Order, Star Wars
• Enjoy Galaxy’s Edge at night
• Watch Fantasmic! (get more Hollywood Studios shows here )

Hipster Power Tip: Do the nighttime events only if you plan on coming back to Hollywood Studios for the evening. Since we are focusing on a 3-day trip, you may have to save those activities for another visit.

Best Hollywood Studios Rides:

• Slinky Dog Dash
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Best Food and Drink Places:

• Tune-In Lounge, Lounge, American Food, Echo Lake
• The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge
• Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
• Woody’s Lunch Box
• BaseLine Tap House

Top 10 Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions You Must Do

ANIMAL KINGDOM

If you think Animal Kingdom is just a place to watch animals, then you’ll be surprised at all the rides, attractions, shows, and food you can partake in at this one-of-a-kind theme park.

A large chunk of the park is geared towards educating you about animals and their habitats, but another chunk is aimed at providing exquisite cuisines from around the world .

Here you can meet local singers, dodge a yeti, and go on a wild safari adventure.

Animal Kingdom is a good park to end your Disney vacation as you relax and unwind on the many majestic natural walkways.

Animal Kingdom Itinerary:

• Conquer DINOSAUR and watch Finding Nemo the Musical.
• Ride Expedition Everest.
• If you want a big cool off, ride Kali River Rapids (you will get soaked).
• Watch Festival of the Lion King .
• Have dinner at Tusker House.
• Ride the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
• Journey to Avatar on The Flight of Passage (you may have to wait until the evening when the line gets lower to ride this attraction)
• Ride the Navi River Journey
• Explore Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
• Watch It’s Tough to be a Bug!
• Spend the rest of the day exploring the various wildlife throughout Animal Kingdom.
• Enjoy a special Animal Kingdom tour or evening event

Hipster Power Tip: If you are a big Star Wars fan, then you’ll want to head back to Hollywood Studios to watch the Star Wars Nighttime Spectacular (once it returns).

Best Animal Kingdom Rides:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Expedition Everest

Best Food and Drink Places at Animal Kingdom:

• Mr. Kamal’s
• Eight Spoon Café
• Yak & Yeti
• Tiffins Restaurant

What’s The Best Counter Service at Animal Kingdom? These 5 Will Help You Decide!

DEPARTURE DAY

Departure day on your Disney World itinerary may come on a late flight on your third day or an early morning flight on the fourth day.

You can always think about waiting in Disney Springs until it’s time for you to return to the airport.

Either way, your 3-day Walt Disney World has come to a temporary end , but I know you’ll come back soon.

You are now armed with the most spectacular things to do at the Disney Parks in Florida.

Get Roundtrip Fares UNDER $199 and Save up to $32 off your Fees on Flights Using Coupon Code RT32!

What do you think about this Disney World itinerary template?

I know this itinerary is a bit intense, so feel free to add more half-days at the parks, that way you can relax and enjoy your resort or spend a day shopping and dining at Disney Springs.

I’m sure you will have a blast on your Walt Disney World vacation and I hope I was able to take a bit of the stress away from planning this trip.

Have you done Walt Disney World Resort in 3 days? If so, let me know in the comment section what your perfect Disney World itinerary would be below.

If you enjoyed this article, then you’ll love these:

• How to Save $3000 for Walt Disney World in 6 Months
• What’s the Best Restaurant in Disney Springs? Don’t Miss These 5 Spots!
• Easy Ways to Do Disney World on a Tight Budget
• 9 Fastest Rides at Disney World You MUST Experience
• Where To Get The Best Breakfast at Disney World (6 Places You CAN’T MISS)
• 51+ Things to Do at Disney for FREE
• Disney World Characters: Where to Find Them ALL at Walt Disney World?
• Disney World Roller Coasters: ALL RANKED
• 35 Best Restaurants at Disney World You MUST ADD To Your Dining List

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

My name is Nikky. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor , and a writer who loves ALL things amusement park related!

Traveling alone to the parks has changed my life and I want to show how you can create your own solo theme park memories.

Connect with me on Instagram!

(Original article date: June 10, 2019/Updated April 5, 2024)

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7 BEST Things to Do at Epcot for Adults (READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO)

Top 10 ways to find cheap halloween horror nights tickets (2024), 14 thoughts on “the ultimate 3-day disney world itinerary template and planning guide for 2024”.

I’m bookmarking this as I am hoping to visit Disney in November. I followed the advice in your book for my Universal Trip and got through the parks quickly enough that I got to circle back to the HP sections several times. Thanks for this service! 🙂

I am sooo happy it all worked out for you!!! **doing my happy dance** I love giving advice and tips for all of the theme parks in Florida. I want you all to have a fun time and not have to stress about missing any of your must do attractions!

This is a fantastic guide to planning and itinerary for a 3 day trip to Walt Disney World!

Great advice here with many great tips. Epcot will always be my favorite park. It perhaps isn’t what people expect from Disney, but it has so much to offer.

Epcot is my favorite theme park in the world!

What a whirlwind three days if thrills you have olanned! We absolutely like a lot of what you shared, so this could be a fun trip for us. My son likes to go to Hollywood & Vine on almost every trip to Hollywood Studios, and we had a lot of laughs at Prjme Time Cafe. You listed a few restaurants that we have not tried yet. Lord wolwill, we still have plenty of time!

I know this list is super intense,lol. Prime Time Cafe is the best! Love the Cast Members there.

This is such a comprehensive guide I pinned it for future reference.

Thanks! I hope it helps you on your next trip.

Thanks for this wonderful post about Disney world. I have bookmarking this. I hope my next destination will be Disney World. And This blog will be helpful for me.

I’m so happy that I was able to help you start planning your next Disney vacation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions 🙂

I read the article from Start to finish. I will be a first timer in Disney world. And I can’t wait to plan. It will be a short 3 days but with your guide it will def be worth it. Thank you so much!

You’re welcome and congrats on your upcoming Disney World trip! I know it’s hard to do everything in 3 days, but I hope you do enough to enjoy your time there 🙂

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Celebrate Across All 4 Theme Parks and Beyond

Make dreams come true in four uniquely themed parks, each with its own special version of Disney magic! This page is your ultimate guide to planning a trip to Disney World! Fantasy becomes real and reality becomes fantastic as you relive childhood memories and create new ones.

Magic Kingdom Park

Fairytale dreams come true for children of all ages at Magic Kingdom park. Delight in classic and family-friendly thrilling attractions, musical cavalcades and beloved Disney Characters across 6 whimsical lands.

Epcot has always been an amazing place to celebrate the world and immerse ourselves in the wonder of attractions and events that excite the senses. And over the next few years, during the Park’s stunning transformation, it’s becoming so much more.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, celebrate new attractions and lands that make a day here even more extraordinary. Get set for an immersive experience where you’re not merely watching the story but actually living it.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Encounter the magic of nature with rare creatures, authentic adventures and world-class entertainment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, one of the largest animal theme parks in the world.

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Disney Experts: We are Disney experts committed to helping you plan the most amazing family vacation possible! 

Magic Rewards Program:   You’ll always save when shopping for Disney World tickets and vacation packages vs booking direct. 

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Make Dreams Come True

Explore the enchantment of 4 unique theme parks all in one magical world of dreams for the whole family.  This page is your ultimate   Walt Disney World planning guide.   It doesn’t matter if this is your first trip or your 50th it’s never a bad idea for a Disney World crash course.

On this Disney planning page we will cover general information as well as tips and tricks to make the most out of your next Disney World Vacation.

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Create Your own Vacation Package

There are more great reasons than ever to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

Disney Resort benefit s make a Walt Disney World vacation fun, relaxing and worry-free with a wide variety of Disney Resort amenities and programs.

Guests can stay in a selection of the following resorts:

• Disney Deluxe Resorts
• Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
• Disney Moderate Resorts
• Disney Value Resorts

We’ll give you everything you need to plan around the crowds! We also give you everything you need to purchase discounted Universal Orlando tickets based on the time of year!

Planning a Disney World Trip 2022

There have been some very important changes to Walt Disney World planning over the past few years. Here are the most important things to keep in mind when planning a Disney World vacation! 

• New Disney Park Reservation System 
• Updated Disney Dinning Reservation System 
• New On-site Disney Hotel Benefits 

Disney Park Pass System

To enter one of the parks, in addition to a valid admission, each guest is required to make a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass System. The Disney park pass system is only open to guests with valid admission tickets. The number of Disney Park Pass reservation days you can hold at one time depends on your vacation stay:

• Disney Resort and other select hotel guests with valid theme park admission can make reservations for their length of stay.
• Annual Passholders can make theme park reservations for up to 3 days at a time or for their length of stay if staying at a Disney Resort or other select hotels.
• Existing ticket holders can make reservations for the number of days of valid theme park admission.

If you booked a vacation package, your ticket eligibility is tied to your package travel dates. To make a park reservation for a different date, be sure to modify your vacation package dates.

Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Reservations 2023

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5 ways using an authorized Disney vacation planner will help you save money and improve your trip

Editor's Note

It's not uncommon to begin planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation a year or more before you actually step into the Magic Kingdom and lay your eyes on Cinderella Castle. It can be a whirlwind of ticket purchases, hotel bookings, dining reservations and itinerary planning that can be overwhelming even for frequent Disney World-goers.

Luckily, there are magical genies who will plan your vacation for you ... and you don't have to make the daring journey to the Cave of Wonders or even spend one extra penny to find them.

Related: A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World this year

Authorized Disney vacation planners are only an email or a phone call away, and they will help you plan the Disney trip of your dreams at no cost to you.

Yes, this is real, and no, there's no catch. This works because Disney vacation planners make their money off commissions they receive from Disney when you book a trip through them. Their vacation prices are not inflated, and as we'll discuss, they can often help you find the best available rates.

Here are the top five reasons you should use an authorized Disney vacation planner to book your next trip to Disney World.

They do all the work

Booking a Disney hotel and buying theme park tickets may seem easy enough, but a complex array of options and add-ons can make it daunting to do anything from picking the best Disney World hotel for your trip to choosing the best Disney World restaurants for your family.

"The goal of a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations is to take the guesswork out of your vacation and make it as stress-free and seamless as possible," Mary Helen Law, a Disney travel agent with Mouse Counselors, told TPG. "We will take the details you give us and use them to curate a trip specifically designed for the needs and preferences of your family."

FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS .

Popular add-ons like behind-the-scenes tours and character meals book up well in advance. If you have your heart set on brunch with Mickey and Minnie, you sometimes have to be faster than Dash from "The Incredibles" to secure your spot.

Unless, of course, you use an authorized Disney vacation planner.

On a recent visit, I wanted to try out the newly reintroduced Disney Dining Plan . By booking through Mouse Counselors, they reserved my hotel room and added the Disney Dining Plan for me. I didn't have to lift a finger.

"Certain add-on experiences like a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or a behind-the-scenes tour of Magic Kingdom open at midnight or 6 a.m. Eastern time, so having someone else handle the booking can be advantageous," Law shared. "Many agents will also take care of scheduling airport transfers and crib and stroller rentals," she added.

Related: The best credit cards for your Disney vacation

For the best possible experience, you should provide a few important pieces of information for your vacation planner.

"We'll obviously need your dates and the names and ages of everyone in your travel party, but there are other details that can help us build the best vacation for you," Law said. "If you aren't familiar with the details of Disney World hotels, for example, you can help us find the right one by telling us what you are looking for in a hotel. Do you want proximity to a certain park or the best pool for kids? Are you on a budget, or do you want to splurge?"

Knowing the answers to these questions before you begin working with your planner can help them guide you in the right direction.

They actively search for discounts

It's no secret that "Disney World" and "budget vacation" aren't exactly synonymous, but there are ways to save money on a visit to Walt Disney World .

Disney periodically offers discounted tickets and hotel sales that can help you save hundreds on your vacation.

Availability for these discounts is limited, though, and you sometimes have to stalk Disney's website so you don't miss out when a new offer is released. However, a good Disney vacation planner, whose literal job is booking Disney trips, will be up bright and early to ensure you get one of the discounted rooms or packages when they are released.

Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

They also monitor your reservation for price drops. If prices decrease for your dates, they can wave their magic wand and modify your existing reservation to take advantage of the lower price.

This is exactly what Law was able to do for me on a recent stay at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. As a Disney World annual passholder, I was eligible for a hotel discount. After my initial booking, Law applied the discount, saving me nearly $100.

They can plan your itinerary

If you're paying a large sum for a vacation, the last thing you want to do is wait in long lines, miss out on activities because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time or spend time doing things you don't want to do. If you want to maximize your time at Disney, you need a wealth of knowledge to know what to do and when to do it.

You can research and learn much of it yourself. However, if you're a once- or twice-in-a-lifetime Disney visitor, researching crowd calendars and in-depth planning guides may not be the best use of your time.

Related: Disney World making changes to simplify visits and bringing back a fan-favorite perk

Without a doubt, having your vacation planner lay out a daily itinerary for your specific dates is a valuable asset. Before you book, you need to find out how detailed your vacation planner will be if that is a service you are interested in. However, this is where your agent's time may come at a bit of a cost to you.

"Most agents do offer help with itinerary planning, but some charge a fee for this service and some don't offer it at all," Law said. "It's important to speak to your agent before booking to ensure you are on the same page with the expected level of hands-on service."

When I booked through Mouse Counselors, Law sent me a thorough guide that detailed how to mobile order food from quick-service restaurants, how to use Genie+ and Lightning Lanes to skip the lines, how to use transportation options in the park, how to use my MagicBand+ or phone as my park ticket and hotel room key, and so much more. As a frequent visitor, I was aware of most of these tips, but they are helpful details you may be unfamiliar with if you don't visit Disney often.

You can be as involved as you want

If you're a Type A personality and want to be involved in every step along the way, you can work hand in hand with your vacation planner to ensure you're comfortable with the itinerary and cost of your trip.

If you're hands-off and want someone to handle all the details and tell you where to go and when, you can also do that.

"In addition to booking your vacation, travel agents can assist with navigating the Disney app, linking your resort reservation and explaining the Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane systems," Law said.

It's also possible for your Disney vacation planner to make your dining reservations at the exact time they open up to you before your trip. Your experience with your agent is entirely up to you, but if "Genie+" and "Lightning Lane" are foreign terms to you, your Disney vacation planner can guide you.

I prefer making my own dining reservations, but Law ensured I knew she was at my service if I needed assistance.

It's free

Other than a cup of ice water and the celebratory buttons available at each park, there's not much that's truly free at Disney World.

However, an agent's booking services come at no cost to you. Disney pays authorized Disney vacation planners commissions from the sales of hotel rooms, tickets, dining packages and more.

They can book anything you see online or find the lower prices you may not have found yourself. So, while your trip to Disney probably won't be inexpensive, the benefit of having an agent doesn't add to the cost.

Some agents may charge an additional fee for specific add-on services, but most Disney vacation planners offer the majority of their services free of charge to travelers booking a Disney trip.

Do know that they make their money off commissions from Disney. This means if you book the bulk of your hotel expenses yourself elsewhere, it may not make sense to work with a vacation planner on that trip unless you do find one who charges a la carte fees for planning services.

Bottom line

Not only can these planners book trips to Disney World, but they can typically also book trips to Disneyland , aboard Disney Cruise Line ships , with Adventures by Disney and to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

To that end, TPG has partnered with Mouse Counselors, an authorized Disney vacation planner ; this allows our readers to use an agent at a company we've had good experiences with at no additional cost. If devoting a chunk of time to planning a Disney trip doesn't make sense for you, give an authorized Disney vacation planner a try.

After all, they are the magic-making experts.

Related reading:

• Tips for visiting Disney World: 18 ways to save money and have more fun
• 'For the first time in forever,' Disney World feels like the good old days
• We saved every receipt — here's how much it actually costs to go to Disney World
• The 21 most underrated things at Disney World: What to see, do and eat that many guests miss

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15 Tips to Plan a Disney Vacation on a Budget

19 Min Read | Aug 24, 2023

There are two things I love doing: going to Disney World (where else can you have such a magical experience?) and saving money. And believe it or not, there are some great ways to save serious cash when planning a Disney trip.

For a family of four, the average cost of a Disney World trip is anywhere from $4,500 to $10,000 or more. 1 But you can do it for less. There are plenty of ways to save on your Disney dream vacation—up to thousands of dollars.

Planning a Disney  trip on a budget  isn’t for the faint of heart, but it  can  be done. I know because I’ve done it. Now, who’s ready to start planning a Disney trip?

How to Plan a Disney Vacation

The best way to plan anything is with lots of research, right? The same is true for a Disney vacation. Thankfully, there are a million different resources out there focusing on how to do Disney World “the right way.”

But when it comes to vacations, the only right way to do it is to make sure your finances are in order. No one wants to go into debt for vacation—not even for Disney World.

So, the first thing you need to do when planning a Disney trip (or any other  cheap vacation ) is make a budget.  EveryDollar  is my favorite budgeting app. Not only is it free, but it helps take the guesswork out of creating a budget—especially when you’re wondering how much does it cost to go to Disney World?

Your budget will help you save, show you where you  need to cut spending , and actually give you the freedom to spend. And with a trip to Disney, you’ll really want to spend.

15 Ways to Do Disney on a Budget

So, you want to do Disney on a budget. But how much does it cost to go to Disney World in the first place?

If you’re in a good position financially (and it’s the right time for your family to go), these 15 tips for Disney World will help you  stay on budget  and  kick your experience up a notch (at no extra cost). Ready?

Let’s get started.

1. Spend some days at the park and some days at the pool.

You guys—this isn’t a popular opinion, but you don’t have to spend  every  day of your vacation in the Disney parks. Trust me, your feet will thank you when you break up the week with one day at the park and the next hanging by the hotel pool. If you stay on property at a Disney resort, the pools make you feel like you’re still  at  the park. They’re themed, they’re huge, and they’re super fun.

If you take a day off from the parks, you can go to plenty of other places and still be immersed in Disney magic. Head to Disney Springs for shopping, restaurants and free entertainment. Go to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for dinner and stay to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks on the beach—for free! (The boat dock is a magical place to catch those fireworks too.)

This one tip will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in Disney park tickets, depending on how many people you’re going with and how many days you’re staying.

2. Skip the Park Hopper and visit one park per day.

It might seem like a good deal to buy the $174 Park Hopper ticket for access to all four Disney World parks in one day. However, if you’re staying for multiple days, you can make your budget go even further if you just visit one park per day. The starting price for a standard park ticket (where you visit one park per day) is $109 (for ages 10 and up), saving you $65 per person, per day.* (Single-park tickets for kiddos ages 3 to 9 are about $104.)

Every savings goal starts with a budget. Create yours today with EveryDollar.

Keep in mind, Disney will lower the price of your daily ticket when you buy three or more days. And always look at their ticket calendar when you’re booking your trip—prices change depending on the when you go. (Rates are often higher during weekends, summer months and holidays. So if your schedule is flexible, try to work around those times so you can save some extra cash.)

When you purchase your tickets, reserve your spots at the theme parks you want to visit. It would be a bummer to buy tickets only to realize the park you want to visit doesn’t have any reservations left. Plus, those tickets are nonrefundable, so be sure to triple-check before you purchase.

Try to be realistic about how much you can and want to do each day. Moving from park to park is time-consuming and can be exhausting, especially with little ones. But if you’re only going for a couple of days, maybe do the Park Hopper ticket one of your days and spend another whole day at Magic Kingdom—which, believe me, is entirely possible and worth it.

3. Buy Disney gift cards at a discount.

Always try to buy Disney gift cards at a discount. If you’re a member of a big-box discount store like Sam’s Club, you can buy Disney gift cards at nearly 4% off. And if you use your RedCard debit card at Target, you can get 5% off.

Sure, it doesn’t sound like much, but it will save you $40 to $50 for every $1,000 you spend. That’s, like, eight Mickey Mouse ice cream bars! Or if you’re not into ice cream (I see you, dairy-free people), you can use these gift cards to pay for your park tickets, Disney hotels, food on property and more.

4. Pay for food as you go—with cash.

I  love  the food at Disney. Seriously—give me all the food. But it’s best to pay for your food as you go—with cash (or gift cards). That way, you know how much you’re spending throughout the day. And if you use the  envelope system  in the parks, you’ll know exactly how much you have left to spend after each purchase. (Disney used to offer a prepaid dining plan, and they’re bringing it back in 2024. But I still recommend paying as you go so you can avoid paying for a lot of food ahead of time that you won’t actually want to eat in the moment.) Pro tip: If you decide to eat on property at one of the parks or resorts, book your dining reservations early using the Disney Genie service in the My Disney Experience app .

5. Bring your own food.

Did you know Disney allows you to bring food into the park? This could be a  huge  budget saver. You can pack a nice picnic lunch with sandwiches, fruit, water bottles, cookies—whatever your family likes—and store it in lockers inside the park for either $10, $12 or $15 per day, depending on what size you need. 2  There are no coolers allowed, so only bring things that don’t need to be kept ice-cold. Instant savings!

Another way to save on food is by  making your own meals  at your hotel. Making your meals is worth it even if you do it just a few times during your stay. The Garden Grocer is an Orlando-based grocery store that delivers your  groceries  to your resort. You can even order your groceries up to 120 days in advance (which may qualify you for a discount). You do have to pay a delivery fee if your order is less than $200. 3

6. Arrive just before the park opens.

Now, if you’ve been to Disney before, you know how much of a luxury the FastPass was for skipping those long lines. But FastPass (which was free) has been discontinued and replaced by the new Disney Genie+ service. Genie+ helps you plan your day and allows you to skip the long lines . . . but it’s going to cost you. Pricing starts at $15 per person per day and fluctuates based on how busy the parks are. And, according to Disney, guests only get to skip the lines two or three times a day with this feature. 4 There’s also an option to purchase individual Lightning Lane entry for a specific ride, but that will cost you too.

If you don’t want to shell out the money to save time on those long lines, you’ll want to get to the parks as early as possible. Lines get long fast, but if you get to the gate before the park opens, you can book it straight to your favorite rides when the rope drops.

7. Use PhotoPass photographers (but don’t buy the package).

What’s a family vacation without the memories to prove it? For $199, Disney’s PhotoPass photographers will take professional photos of you all over the parks. You get access to the photos online, but that’s a pretty big hit to your travel budget. The cool thing is, you can just ask Disney’s photographers to take your picture with your phone or camera. They’ll still want to take your photo with their camera too, but you don’t have to buy it. This way, you’ll save $200 and still have a great pictures.  Score!

8. Buy personal items and souvenirs ahead of time.

How much it costs to go to Disney World depends on how well you prepare ahead of time. When it comes to saving money, stocking up on personal items and souvenirs before you get to the park can save hundreds of dollars. Here are some things I recommend buying ahead of time instead of at the park or your hotel (because those prices will be super jacked up):

• Sunscreen (you’ll pay up to 40% more for sunscreen in the park)
• Ponchos or umbrellas
• Refillable water bottle  (there are tons of water stations around the park—and quick-service stations will give you cups of water for free)
• A spare jacket and pair of shoes

And when it comes to the fun stuff, you can find some  really  cute souvenirs, like Mickey ears, pins and costumes, online. I found a deal on Amazon that included two pairs of ears for $8.99. That’s less than $5 per pair. (In the parks, Mickey ears will cost you $35.) A friend of mine orders souvenirs online and leaves one toy on their kids’ hotel bed every night, like it’s a gift from Mickey or Tinkerbell. How cute is that?

9. Save money on hotels.

When you’re making your Disney vacation budget, you might wonder if it’s worth staying at one of Disney’s beautiful on-property resorts. There’s no denying it can be expensive, but if you go with one of Disney’s value resorts, it’s about the same as (and sometimes cheaper than) staying off-site. For one thing, Disney is always running limited-time specials (like 25% off room rates for Disney+ subscribers) or discounts when you stay five nights or more.

Don’t forget to factor transportation into your budget. If you’re flying, do you need transportation between the airport and the hotel or resort? How do you plan to get to and from the parks? One major benefit to staying on property is having free Disney public transportation. But if you’re staying off property, check with the hotel to see what options they offer.

So, let’s break it down so you understand how to find the cheapest Disney hotel.

Staying Off-Site

The WorldQuest Orlando Resort is right next to Disney World, and the lowest rate I found was $143 per night. For two adults and two children staying five nights, the total comes to $1,023 (with taxes and fees). And you won’t have to drive to the Disney parks and pay for parking because a shuttle service is included .

WorldQuest also offers Disney packages that can save you money. Just for fun, I put together a WorldQuest Disney package, and it came out to about $3,240 for a five-night stay with four five-day park tickets. By purchasing the hotel package, you save almost $200 on park tickets!

Staying On-Site

The lowest rate I could find at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort was a promotional rate of $159 per night (plus taxes and fees). With that discount, staying on-property at the All-Star Sports Resort totals about $903 with taxes and fees for a five-night stay. The key to making your Disney resort count is finding promotions that help cut the cost. Plus, Disney resorts offer free shuttle transportation to and from all the parks (by bus, monorail, boat or Skyliner). And if you choose to drive, staying at a Disney resort gets you free parking as well.

If you decide to add four five-day Disney park tickets to your package, the total comes to about $3,310 with taxes and fees. And not only is it more convenient to stay on-site, you also get all the magical moments that come with staying at a Disney resort. Just make sure to remember your budget when you’re hankering for a Mickey-shaped pretzel.

If staying off-site at a hotel or on-site at a Disney resort doesn’t suit you, try out a local Airbnb or VRBO. You might find deals there too.And don’t forget to call around to other hotels off property. You’re not limited to these options—there are plenty in the Orlando area.

10. Look for built-in admission discounts.

You don’t have to hunt too hard for discounts if you’re a Florida resident or a former or active-duty U.S. military member. Florida residents can save 40% on 4-day park tickets, and military personnel can purchase a 4-day ticket (with the Park Hopper option) for $349 plus tax. 5 , 6 Y’all, that adds up to a couple hundred dollars in savings, so be sure to take advantage of these perks if they apply to you.

11. Get creative at restaurants.

Just like in “normal” life, food can be the easiest place to bust your budget if you’re not careful. Here are some ways you can help curb the cost of meals at the resort and park restaurants.

• Order a kids meal instead of an entrée. You’ll still get plenty of food for a portion of the cost.
• Split an entrée between adults or order an appetizer as the main dish.
• Limit how often you buy soft drinks for the whole family. Stick with waters for most meals to save lots of money.
• Buy a refillable popcorn bucket for $13. This makes for a cheap snack later because refills are just $2. (And you can keep the bucket.)
• Plan one or two sit-down restaurant meals and DIY the rest. It only costs a few bucks to buy a loaf of bread and the makings for PB and Js, yogurt cups and fruit . . . plus, you won’t have to worry about carrying leftovers around the park.

12. Check out free kids activities across the property.

Want to save money by buying one less park ticket—or simply take a day off from the rollercoasters and walking for hours on end? Make the most of your resort by checking out the free kids activities. (You can even visit other hotels.) Your concierge can recommend activities that are tons of fun for the kids and won’t cost a thing, like:

• Watch a Disney movie at night with a campfire, on the beach, or in the pool (weather permitting, resort guests only).
• Check out the animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
• Watch the street performers at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort.
• Resort hop and travel by monorail, boat and Skyliner.
• Look for Hidden Mickeys at the Wilderness Lodge.
• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant parade of lights and sea creatures at Seven Seas Lagoon.

13. Find cheap airfare.

Okay. You’re convinced that a Disney trip is on the horizon. Now it’s time to figure out: When is the cheapest time to go to Disney World? Just like the cost of park passes fluctuates throughout the year, so does airfare. Guys, do your research to find out which days are the cheapest to fly . Timing really does count. I would not recommend flying during holidays or any school break because prices are going to be through the roof. And be sure to book your flights well in advance. Depending on the season you’re planning to visit Disney World, it’s best to book your flights a few weeks to a couple months ahead of time. And don’t forget to check out price trackers like Kayak, Scott’s Cheap Flights and even Google Flights to find the best deals and nail down the cheapest time to go to Disney. (And you can always drive. Plenty of people, especially in the south where I live, pack up the kids and drive to Disney to save on flights.)

14. Ask about bounce-back deals and secret specials.

When you’re in the process of booking your trip, you can save money by asking your Disney customer service expert about special offers and limited time deals. These perks—like adding on a free food package or discounted room—aren’t advertised, so the key is to ask . The same goes for a bounce-back deal, which is a discount on your next Disney trip when you book during your stay.

15. Give your kids a spending budget.

Just like you’re planning to budget for Disney so you can have all the fun without going into debt or draining your savings, you can help your kids practice spending responsibly too. If they’ve never used the envelope system before, this is a great time to let them try it out. Each day, give them a set amount of money for snacks, treats or toys so they can understand if that cotton candy or extra pair of mouse ears is really worth it—or if they’d rather splurge on a fancy t-shirt. How does this save you money? It’ll help your kids understand the limit of what they can spend . . . and by giving each kid a budget, it helps you plan ahead so impulse buys are kept to a minimum. And as a bonus, you don’t have to spend all day telling your kids no when they ask to buy stuff. When the money’s gone for the day, they’re done spending.

What’s the Cheapest Time to Do Disney?

When is the best time to go to Disney World? The best times are from early January to President’s Day in February, or during late August into early September. 8 These are the seasons when tourism slows down, meaning more opportunity for you to hit all the best rides and attractions without battling the crowds (especially if you do Disney during the week, instead of the weekends). As always, make sure you price compare ticket dates and airlines to get the best deals.

When Is the Right Time to Plan a Disney Vacation?

There’s no right or wrong time to do Disney, but there are things to consider when you’re planning a trip so you can save money. If I had to boil it down, I’d say the best time to go to Disney World (besides the slow season) is when you can afford it. So if you’re trying to decide whether or not to book a trip, here are a few things you’ll want to think about before committing to spending money on a trip:

1. Are you out of debt?

If you’re in  Baby Steps  1, 2 or 3, Mickey will have to wait . . . for now. There’s no room in the budget for Disney because any  extra money  is either building up your starter emergency fund, paying down debt, or building out your fully funded emergency fund. Yep—that $2,000 to $3,000 you were hoping to spend on a Disney trip will do wonders for your debt snowball.

But  don’t give up on your Disney dream  just because you’re not  debt-free . Actually, I encourage you to use that dream as motivation to pay off your debt quickly. Just put on some  Disney music  as you do your budget each month and think about how fun it will be when you’re debt-free!

2. How old are your kids?

I’m all for going to Disney  without  the kids. But if you want to take the whole family, there are some pros and cons to consider, depending on how old your kids are.   

A big pro of taking anyone under 3 years old is their park admission is free. That’s a savings of $174 per day for the Park Hopper ticket. And I can tell you from experience: When I took my daughter to Disney around this age, there was nothing like seeing her meet Cinderella for the first time. That moment was  priceless . The downside is, she may not remember it when she’s older—but we’ll always have the pictures.

I hear the sweet spot is between the ages of 6 and 10. At that point, they’re old enough to enjoy the anticipation of planning a Disney vacation (and you won’t be stuck pushing a stroller or changing diapers). Plus, they’re taller, so they can go on more of the rides. And let me tell you: They’re going to want to ride the rides.

As you can tell, I’m pretty passionate about saving money without sacrificing experience on a Disney vacation. And like I said earlier, planning a trip to Disney World on a budget is possible. You just have to budget for it. Make sure to download our free version of  EveryDollar  now so you can live happily ever after later.

Neither Rachel Cruze nor the producers of this content are in any way affiliated with or sponsored by The Walt Disney Company or its subsidiaries. All marks and goodwill of Walt Disney World or related brands are that of The Walt Disney Company and/or its affiliates. Nothing in this article is a paid advertisement or endorsement of Walt Disney World or any affiliated brand.

*Prices in this article were pulled from  disneyworld.disney.go.com  on 5/1/23 and are subject to change.

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About the author

Rachel Cruze

Rachel Cruze is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, financial expert, and host of The Rachel Cruze Show. Rachel writes and speaks on personal finances, budgeting, investing and money trends. As a co-host of The Ramsey Show, America’s second-largest talk radio show, Rachel reaches millions of weekly listeners with her personal finance advice. She has appeared on Good Morning America and Fox News and has been featured in publications such as Time, Real Simple and Women’s Health magazines. Through her shows, books, syndicated columns and speaking events, Rachel shares fun, practical ways to take control of your money and create a life you love. Learn More.

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How to Plan a Disney World Vacation on The Cheap

Disney World is a truly magical place, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. However, there is nothing magical about what it costs to plan a trip here. Fortunately, there are many ways to make a Disney visit much more affordable. Here's the ultimate guide to planning a cheap Disney World vacation!

Disney World: An Overview

When you think of Disney World, the first thing that pops in most people's minds is Cinderella's Castle. It is the iconic symbol of Disney World, but there is so much more on offer than that. The Disney World property expands over 25,000 acres in Central Florida (which is approximately the size of San Francisco). Within the gates of Disney World property you will find:

• 4 Theme Parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom
• 2 Water Parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
• 28 Disney Resorts
• Disney Springs: Shopping, dining and entertainment
• 4 Professional golf courses
• 4 Miniature golf courses
• ESPN Wide World of Sports: A sporting venue that hosts several professional sporting events
• 1 Disney World: An Overview
• 2 How much does a Disney World vacation cost?
• 3 Getting There
• 4 Buying Tickets
• 5 Park Info
• 6 When To Go
• 7 How Long to Stay
• 8 Where to Stay
• 9 Planning Your Disney World Vacation
• 10 Food & Drink
• 11 Other Costs to Consider
• 12 The Thrifty Gist

How much does a Disney World vacation cost?

A Disney World vacation can cost anywhere from $1,000-$5,000+ USD  per person. The total depends on your length of stay, types of parks pass purchased, and how much you choose to splurge on accommodation, food, and extras like character dinners, ticketed events, and souvenirs. Below is an estimate cost comparison per person for a 5-day, 5-night trip.

Flights (not included in estimates below) will vary in price according to the time of year and where you fly in from. Weekdays are generally cheaper to fly. You can get alerts on flight deals from your closest airport at Scott's Cheap Flights . Also use Skyscanner to conduct a broad search and select “Entire Month” to visualize prices across the month of your visit.

You can also get 60,000 points (worth $750 ) just for signing up and hitting the minimum spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months with your everyday purchases on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . That's enough to cover your flights! You can convert your points to an airline like United, JetBlue, or Southwest, or use the points directly in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Off-Site, Budget

Accommodation : $40+ USD/night entire place AirBNB Adult parks pass : $374.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day  Magic Your Way pass (entry to 1 park per day) from Undercover Tourist ($40 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $10 USD Uber ride to/from Disney park 2x per day. Transport to/from airport $25 USD twice. Get $10 off your first Uber ride with coupon code uberthriftynomads Food & drink : $40+ USD/day, packed meals only Extras : Nil Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $924.95 USD

Off-Site, Moderate

Accommodation : $75+ USD/night entire higher-end  AirBNB apartment Adult parks pass : $433.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day Park Hopper pass (entry to all parks everyday) from Undercover Tourist ($61 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $30 USD/day  car rental + $20 USD/day parking Food & drink : $50/day, alternating packed meals & basic dining, Character dinner $58 USD Extras : Memory maker photo pass $169 USD, Souvenirs $25+ USD Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $1,560.95 USD

On-Site, Budget

Accommodation : $100 USD/night Disney Value Resort Hotel Adult parks pass : $374.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day  Magic Your Way pass (entry to 1 park per day) from Undercover Tourist ($40 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $0 (transfers to/from airport included in hotel rate) Food & drink : $48 USD/day Disney Quick-Service dining plan (two counter service meals only), snacks/breakfast $10 USD/day Extras : Nil Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $1,164.95 USD

On-Site, Moderate

Accommodation : $166 USD/night Moderate Disney Resort Hotel Adult parks pass : $452.24 USD (tax included) 5-day  Park Hopper Plus (entry to all parks everyday and waterparks) from Undercover Tourist ($58 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $0 (transfers to/from airport included in hotel rate) Food & drink : $69 USD/day Standard Disney dining plan Extras : $126 USD Disney After-Hours pass, Character dinner $58 USD, Memory maker photo pass $169 USD, souvenirs $27+ USD Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $2,007.24 USD

Getting There

Orlando has two main airports that you can fly into, Orlando International (MCO) and Sanford International (SFB) . Most airlines fly into Orlando International, but a select few only fly to Sanford. Orlando International is approximately a 30-minute drive from the Disney World property, while Sanford International is a 75-90 minute drive.

For the cheapest rates, it is recommended to search for flights that arrive/depart mid-week. You'll find the best flight deals with an account at Scott's Cheap Flights , which can alert you about flight deals from your closest airport (and if you decide you want a premium plan, use coupon code TNOMADS20 for 20% off!) Use Skyscanner and select “Whole Month” to visualize the weekday rates across a month. For our other cheap flight hacks, check our guide here .

Also consider signing up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, which offer a 60,000 sign-up point bonus worth $750  after hitting the minimum spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months with your everyday purchases. That's enough to cover a domestic flight! These are also great cards to have on hand for the high number of points you earn on travel and dining, plus, there's no foreign transaction fees when you go overseas. Check out our full guide to getting free flights with travel points here .

The cheapest months  to fly to Orlando will be when you typically see less people travelling to Disney. These tend to generally fall within:

• Mid-January to mid-February
• May to early June
• Late August to mid-November

Getting to/from the airport

If you are staying at a Disney resort and arrive at Orlando International ( not Sanford), then Disney provides complimentary transportation to and from the airport. This transport service is known as the Magical Express, and also provides luggage service to/from the airport. You must  register for the Magical Express prior to your arrival.

If you will not be using Magical Express, there are other transport options. Car rental agencies are plentiful and competitively priced. You can secure a good rate on a rental with fee-free cancellation using BookingBuddy , then check back later. Pricing can fluctuate daily, so this is recommended. For other car rental cost-cutting car rental tips, check our guide,  How to Book the Cheapest Car Rental Possible .

If you'd like to avoid renting a car, check with your hotel to see if they provide airport transportation. Several of the Orlando area hotels provide this, but always ask first. Other airport transport options include:

• Uber  (Get $10 off your first ride with coupon code uberthriftynomads )
• SuperShuttle

If you are staying at a Disney resort, parking at the hotel and parks will be complimentary. Some off-site hotels do charge a daily parking fee, so make sure to verify that if you plan to rent a car.

Buying Tickets

Park tickets will account for a large chunk of your Disney World vacation cost. They are not cheap, but once you enter the parks, there is no additional charge for any attractions. There are different types of tickets you can purchase, starting at $99USD for a one day pass to $515 USD for a 10-day pass. Mickey Chatter's Planning Guide provides a detailed explanation of the different types of park tickets.

With every park ticket purchase, you get access to Disney's Fastpass+ system, which allows you to book 3 rides per day ahead of time. When using a Fastpass, you get to skip the regular queue, which will help you avoid waiting in long lines.

There are a variety of places that you can purchase your park tickets from, and a handful of potential discounts you can use. Undercover Tourist is one of the most popular sites that offers discounts on 3 day and other park tickets. You can also purchase your tickets direct from Disney, and they offer special deals on packages that include hotel and tickets. Check their Special Offers page to find current offers.

Other discounts you will find on park tickets include:

• Military discount  (check our guide on military travel discounts here )
• Florida Resident discount
• Canadian Resident discount (until Feb. 10th, 2018)
• Air Miles Rewards (Canadians only)
• AAA / CAA , each club will vary in their ticket prices
• Corporate Sponsor – verify if your employer is a Disney sponsor, which may give you access to discounted prices

Disney World consists of 4 main theme parks. Some deserve more time due to their size and number of attractions, while others can be sufficiently explored in just one day.

Magic Kingdom

This is the most popular theme park. Magic Kingdom has the most rides, totalling over 20. It has six themed lands that cater to all ages. Entertainment includes a daily afternoon parade and an evening fireworks show. Since there is such a high number of rides in this park, I always recommend setting aside 2 days for this park.

This park will allow you to explore the future and travel the world, all at the same time! The front portion of the park is called Future World, which focuses on sciences, space, technology, and innovation. The back portion of the park is called World Showcase. In this area you will find 11 pavilions that represent countries from around the world. Epcot has 9 rides, exhibitions and live entertainment to enjoy. It is also where you will find some of the most diverse culinary dishes. If you are a foodie, then this is the park for you! You can enjoy this park in 1 day, but 2 days would be my recommendation.

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios brings the magic of movies to life. It is the smallest park on property and currently has quite a bit of construction going on. For this reason, I consider it to be a 1 day park at the moment.  This park has 5 rides, 6 live shows, and 2 evening shows. The highly anticipated Star Wars Land is being built here, which is scheduled to open in 2019. Toy Story Land is coming close to completion, which is scheduled to open in summer of 2018.

Animal Kingdom

This park celebrates animals, nature, and prehistoric giants. It is separated into five themed lands. The park has 8 rides, 2 live stage shows, and several trails where you will discover all sorts of wildlife. Pandora: The World of Avatar opened at this park in May 2017. I would recommend setting aside 1 day to tour this park.

Crowds can get very overwhelming at Disney, so I always try to stick to the “slower” times of the year. This will also be when you will find the best hotel discounts. The slower periods include:

• Late August to mid-November (September being the slowest month)

If you are there for a full week, it is recommended to try and schedule your park days on weekdays . Weekends are much busier as this when you will find the locals in the parks. Also, try to avoid any US stat holidays (such as Labour Day), as that also will mean high crowds.

How Long to Stay

Your length of stay will certainly affect your Disney World vacation budget. The shorter the trip, the less it will cost. However, if you want to make sure you see all that Disney has to offer, then I recommend a minimum of 5 days in the parks. With 5 days, you will be able to visit all 4 parks and see the attractions that are at the top of your list.

If you would like to also spend some time at Disney Springs, the water parks, or some down time at your hotel, then you may consider extending your stay to a full 7 days.

For more detailed guidance on the best way to tour the parks, check out the Free Disney World vacation Itineraries provided by Mickey Chatter .

Where to Stay

On site (disney resort).

There are a TON of options to choose from when it comes to accommodation. The obvious choice would be a Disney resort, but that may not always suit everyone's needs nor budget. Staying at a “Value” level Disney resort will be your cheapest option, but it does not offer a lot of space. It really comes down to what you require for your accommodations. To price out what it would cost to stay at a Disney resort, make sure to check their Special Offers page. You can also compare prices across hundreds of booking sites with TripAdvisor . Many third-party sites have cheaper prices and coupon codes, just be sure to check their cancellation terms.

Disney resorts offer 3 classes of properties, Value($), Moderate($$), and Deluxe($$$). Staying at a Disney resort provides several perks. These include:

• Complimentary transportation
• Extra hours in the parks ( Extra Magic Hours )
• Complimentary MagicBands (your tickets for the parks and fastpass)
• Earlier access to Fastpass selections
• Access to the Disney dining plan
• In the Disney magic all the time

Offsite options

If you would like more space to spread out at the cost of a value level Disney resort, then you may want to consider renting off-site. Keep in mind that you will need to account for the cost of a rental car and parking of $20/day at the parks if you stay off-site. There are many accommodation options near Disney including hotels, condos, and entire homes. Recommendations include:

• AirBNB  (I've personally stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort with family – see photo below. Like many of the nearby off-site resorts, it is close proximity and has a pool, lazy river, and other amenities)
• Hotwire  (check the “Hot Rate” hotels for a deep discount on mystery hotels)
• Priceline  (check the “Express Deals” for a deep discount on mystery hotels)
• TripAdvisor (searches hundreds of booking sites for the best price)
• Vacation Strategy

Planning Your Disney World Vacation

I highly recommend that you put in some time to plan out your days at the parks. Some basic planning will save you a lot of time, avoid unnecessary long lines, and will make your Disney World vacation much more enjoyable.

Basic planning involves deciding where to go on which days, which Fastpasses you will select, and where you will eat. If you want to eat at any of their sit-down restaurants, take note these require  reservations .

To more easily plan out your days, check out  this super detailed guide to using a Disney World Crown calendar to plan your park days smartly and avoid the crowds.

Food & Drink

This is the portion of your trip where the cost can really vary. Depending on the choices you make, you can either spend or save a lot. Disney has a variety of restaurants to choose from. They generally consist of:

• Counter Service (ie. “fast food ” style) : approximately $10-$15 USD per person
• Sit-down : approximately $20-$50 USD per person
• Character Meals/Special Events : approximately $15-$60+ USD per person

If you want to reduce the amount you will spend on food, your best strategy will be to pack your own meals. There are several grocery stores and Walmarts in the area where you can pick up supplies to pack meals. If you don't have a car, there are grocery services that will deliver groceries direct to your accommodation. The ones that are highly recommend are:

• Garden Grocer
• Amazon Prime Now
• Orlando Grocery Express

*Thrifty tip: You can always ask for ice water at any restaurant free of charge in Disney World. You can also try a variety of Coca Cola drinks from all over the world at Epcot's Flavors of Club Cool.

Disney Dining Plan

Disney resort guests have access to purchase the Disney dining plan. Dining plans give access to credits which can be used at different types of restaurants throughout your stay. Essentially, you prepay for a set number of meals and snacks, so you don't need to worry about paying out of pocket.

If your objective is to save as much money as possible, then the dining plan is not cost-wise. The only instance I would recommend it for saving is if you book with an offer from Disney that includes a free dining plan. These types of offers usually run in the Fall months, and are released in late April for booking . The Free Dining promo books up quickly, so you should keep an eye on their Special Offers page at the end of April if you are interested in getting it.

For a more detailed analysis as to whether the dining plan is worth it or not, check out this in-depth guide to the Disney dining plan.

Other Costs to Consider

If you would like to enhance your Disney World vacation or splurge on a few extras, then you will have to factor in those costs as well. Some of the extra costs you may want to consider are:

• Stroller/Scooter Rentals ( Kingdom Strollers , Magic Strollers , Buena Vista Rentals )
• Memory Maker  (pre-pay for photos taken of you on rides and with your favorite Disney characters, available for digital download at the end of your trip)
• Special Ticketed Events (Dessert Parties, Halloween Party, Christmas Party)
• Souvenirs (What's a Disney World vacation without a token to take home? Souvenir shops are plentiful)

The Thrifty Gist

The cost of a Disney World vacation can really vary, but there are some cost saving strategies you can implement to do it on the cheap. To spend the least amount, you will want to focus your spending on the basic elements of the trip – travel, lodging, transportation, park tickets and food. Here are my best tips for staying thrifty:

• Travel during the “slower” months and stick to flying on a weekday (get flight deals from Scott's Cheap Flights and use Skyscanner to search for the cheapest flight prices by month)
• Reduce transportation costs by using any complimentary services offered to you
• Check every park ticket offer that applies to you and choose the cheapest option
• Choose the least expensive lodging option that fits the needs of your Disney World vacation (try Airbnb , VRBO , Hotwire , Priceline , and Expedia )
• Order/pick up groceries and pack as many meals/snacks as you can
• Don't pay for beverages, instead ask for free ice water

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Could you please post an updated version of this? Tickets are each now more than $100s more for the same 5 day ticket. For a family of 5, our 5 day no hopper tickets are about $3000 total. That doesnt include hotel or travel or food. Also Disney no longer offers the free transportation from the airport to hotel so thats another

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6 ways to make a Disney trip more affordable for families, according to travel experts

Posted: September 6, 2023 | Last updated: September 6, 2023

• A Disney vacation for a family of four can cost thousands of dollars.
• But travel experts told Insider there are ways to cut costs when booking a Disney trip.
• Their tips include booking up to a year in advance and buying discounted gift cards.

When it comes to planning your dream Disney vacation, the best place to start is with a budget, Rachael Saldana, a Disney travel-planning expert at Allonsy Travel , told Insider.

But a trip to the happiest place on Earth doesn't come cheap. Insider reported in 2021 that the  average cost of a typical five-day trip to Disney World for a family of four at the time was $6,033. CNN reported in 2022 that while a one-day, one-park ticket was between $109 and $159, Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios anticipated to see more than a 12% increase by 2023.

A 2022 survey of Walt Disney World fans conducted by gambling website time2play found that 92.6% of those surveyed believed the cost of a Disney vacation was too expensive for the average family. Another 48.3% said they postponed trips to Disney World because of price increases in recent years.

While the price may still not be economically feasible for some families, four travel experts told Insider there are ways to cut back on the cost of a Disney vacation.

Here are six of their money-saving tips to help make the trip more affordable for families.

Book as soon as you can because it locks in your price.

Once you have a budget in mind, you should book as soon as possible, according to Stephanie Peters with Hiatt Magical Vacations. 

Why? "Because it locks in your price. So if Disney and Universal were ever to raise their ticket prices, your price is not changing," she said.

Ideally, you would book six months to a year before you intend to go, experts told Insider.

Disney does release promotions throughout the year — for example, a deal in September 2023 offers up to 30% off some rooms at Disney over the holiday period. If a promotion is applicable to your package, a travel agent like Peters can apply those discounted rates when you book.

Be smart about when you go.

With so many people visiting the park, the best way to get the most bang for your buck is to go during windows when it's least expensive, has the smallest crowds, and ideal weather, according to Jill Knonenborg , who previously spoke to Insider about the best times to visit Disney .

While the cheapest times to go are often when school is underway — usually January after Martin Luther King Jr. Day through early February, and early June and late August between summer breaks — that won't be possible for families wanting to keep their kids in class.

During the summer break, early June is often the most cost effective, Peters said.

"I think especially for those families that really prioritize education and prioritize school, summer is a good time to go," she said. "The first week of June tends to be a less expensive time to go in the summer, and the heat isn't quite built up to what August would be."

Late August is also a cheaper time to visit, so that's another option for families whose kids return to class after Labor Day.

"That late August time is the second-cheapest time I have found with Disney World for this year," Amber Travis , a Missouri-based Disney travel agent with Mickey Travels , told Insider.

"Disney offers lower rates at that time to get people to go," she said.

But if you want to experience the Halloween decor and the early days of Christmas festivities without the chaotic crowds and crazy prices, September and early December are the best times to go.

Budget to pay for your Disney vacation over time.

Saldana said it's a $200 deposit to secure a Disney vacation package, but the remainder of the payment is not due until 30 days before you go. 

"This makes it really easy to budget because you know how much your vacation's going to be, you know when you need to pay it, and you have — especially if you're booking for next December — more than 12 months to pay for it," she said.

Strategizing how much to save each week, automating your savings, or establishing a sinking fund are just some ways you can budget for a big trip , travel experts previously told Insider's Alene Laney.

Buy discounted gift cards in bulk to pay off your Disney vacation.

Travis suggests buying discounted gift cards in bulk and using them to pay off your Disney vacation.

Disney gift cards are essentially like any gift card: They carry funds that can go towards practically anything Disney at Disney destinations, from merchandise and theme-park tickets to dining and resort reservations.

Some stores sometimes sell them at a discounted price, like Sam's Club or BJ's, and other stores may offer gift cards as well, such as Target, Ralph's, Kroger, Walmart, Staples, and Best Buy.

At Sam's Club, for example, you can purchase $50 Disney gift cards for $47.98, saving up to 4%. (Only members can buy these discounted gift cards, and a membership costs $45.)

BJ's Wholesale offers Disney gift card deals where you don't need a specific credit card or membership to get the discounted gift cards. Instead, you can try out the membership with a free one-day pass . During those 24 hours, you can buy discounted Disney gift cards without purchasing a membership.

As of September 2023, the best deal available will save you up to 3% by buying a $100 BJ's Disney gift card that costs $96.99. If you use a credit card that earns rewards or provides cash back, the savings could be higher.

Book when hotel pricing is first released because it's the most economical.

Like much else when it comes to travel, the golden rule is: Book in advance. That also means coordinating your hotel stays early.

Saldana, who has a background in revenue management, worked at hotels handling dynamic pricing and figuring out hotel rates. She recommends being vigilant for when hotel pricing is first released and booking your stays around that time.

In the case of families looking to book for 2024, Disney released information indicating reservations could be made starting on May 31, 2023, as reported by WDW Magazine .

"When the rates are first released, they are the cheapest. The revenue managers just want to see what traction they get and where the demand dates are — and then they adjust based on that. So when pricing is first released, it's the most economical," she said.

SF Gate reported in October 2022 that visitors with just a month or two notice may be able to book at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel or the Disneyland Hotel, especially during the slower months of late August and September.

However, to obtain the more popular options at Disney's Grand Californian Resort and Spa during more popular months that feature holidays like Halloween and Christmas, you should book at least six months in advance, experts told Insider.

Avoid extra expenses by getting to the parks early.

Waking up at 6 a.m. can be a tough ask, especially if you're coming from a time zone where it's even earlier. But Knonenborg believes you should make the sacrifice because it yields the best results.

Other people won't wake up that early, so the crowds at any time of the year will always be the lowest the earlier you go, she said. In addition, especially in the summer months , the temperatures will be the coolest as soon as the park opens.

But here's where it stops you from spending additional money: "If you want to avoid the extra expenses of the Disney Genie+ line reservation system or a VIP tour experience and still have pretty short lines, get to the park as soon as you're allowed to," she said.

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How to plan your dream vacation

Sometimes you crave a vacation — but actually taking one feels out of reach. Maybe you're struggling to find the time or save up the money. Or maybe you just can't seem to launch those plans out of the group chat. Overcome that planning inertia and take the big trip of your dreams. Here's where to start your search, organize your logistics and enjoy yourself.

MARIELLE SEGARRA, HOST:

You're listening to LIFE KIT...

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SEGARRA: ...From NPR.

Hey, everybody. It's Marielle. You remember the early part of the pandemic when the days of isolation stretched into months? At night, I would lay on the floor of my apartment with my eyes closed and listen to guided meditations, to try to take myself to a happier place. One time the prompt was something like, picture yourself doing something that brings you great joy. The first thing that popped into my head was an image of me wandering the cobblestone streets of some small European village, probably in France. The sun was shining, and every step I took was a feast for the eyes. Medieval houses, colorful flowers resting in vases on outdoor tables, patisseries with gorgeous pastries in the window, just waiting to be eaten.

I didn't realize until that moment just how much I missed traveling and how badly I wanted to look at something outside of my four walls or the blocks of my neighborhood. The next year, I took a three-week trip to the U.K. and France, and I ate those pastries and wandered until my feet hurt and filled a hole that had been growing inside of me.

Big trips can do that. Lale Arikoglu knows what I'm talking about. She's the articles director at Conde Nast Traveler.

LALE ARIKOGLU: On a really basic level, I think it's just being able to have a break from the crush of regular life, whether that's work or childcare or school, wherever it may be, you know, the opportunity to just take yourself out of your routine and be somewhere else and get to immerse yourself in that place to me is, like, the main draw of it.

SEGARRA: Now, when we talk about a big trip, that could mean different things depending on your travel style and your budget. You know, it might be a long road trip or an extended stay at a cottage in the woods or a multi-city tour on another continent. But it's typically something you save up for and plan months in advance. Lale has a big trip coming up. She's going to Peru.

ARIKOGLU: I've been waiting to do it for a long time. The reason to go there is for a friend's wedding. And now I'm building a trip around it, and it's going to be about ten days long with multi-stops, you know, having to choose multiple places to stay. And logistically, you know, it's actually taking some thought and some planning. One of the things that we're going to do when we're there is hike Machu Picchu. There's a group of us going. And Machu Picchu - it's a dream to see and experience.

SEGARRA: Now, it's easy to get bogged down in trip planning. And it might stop you from booking the thing entirely, but Lale says, do it. It's worth it.

On this episode of LIFE KIT, Lale shares her best tips on planning the big trip of your dreams. We'll talk about where to start your search, what logistical questions you should ask yourself and how to actually relax and enjoy yourself once you're there.

SEGARRA: Let's say I do want to take a big trip, right? I'm feeling that itch to travel, but...

ARIKOGLU: Right.

SEGARRA: ...I don't have a destination in mind yet or a duration. I'm really starting from scratch. Where does the planning start?

ARIKOGLU: When you start the planning, you've really got to think what you want to get out of the trip. You know, If you really just want to decompress and relax and rest, then you probably don't want to do some like multi-stop European city trip, right? You probably don't want to hike Machu Picchu. Perhaps it is that you're incredibly bored of your surroundings, and you need adventure and you need excitement. And therefore, you're going to be thinking of some really different destinations. It might be that you're traveling alone for the first time. You've decided to do a solo trip. You know, where is a place that might feel comfortable for you as a solo traveler, but still feels like it's taking you out of your comfort zone? So I think it's sitting with yourself and thinking, OK, what is, like, the goal here? That's takeaway one. Ask yourself what do you want to get from this? Set the mission of your trip.

It feels like another really important detail at the beginning is budget, right? Like, how much money do you realistically want to spend on this trip or can you afford to spend?

ARIKOGLU: And, you know, that's going to look different for everyone. If we're talking big trips, rarely are they spontaneous, right? You're planning for a long time. So that also allows you to save and finance for it. No, there's lots of great savings apps that can just, you know, that take a little bit of money out of your paycheck every few weeks, and you can kind of start, like, a travel fund that way. I think that's quite a nice way to do it. But I think, you know, you can do a big trip on a budget. It doesn't have to be, I think, a lavish, international trip. I mean, you know, we're going into spring and summer, there are so many incredible national parks to see, there are so many amazing, very diverse, different cities. There's, like, so much on your doorstep, so I think you can really argue, you don't have to cross continents to have a big trip. And so if that feels a more affordable way to get away for a couple of weeks, then, you know, look in your backyard.

SEGARRA: Right. I wonder, too, like, part of budget, besides money, is also time. Like, how much vacation time do you have? Do you have any tips for people who don't have that much vacation time?

ARIKOGLU: So I think if you look at the calendar and you look at where the holiday weekends fall, There are some tricks to being able to kind of, like, turn your limited number of vacation days into - kind of you can stretch it out if you bookend it with a holiday weekend or something like that. But on the flip side, it's also most expensive time to travel, right? There is an argument for choosing shoulder season, so that's not traveling to a destination when it's at its peak. And this is great for your own personal experience, but it's also in terms of helping that destination deal with overtourism, overcrowding. If we're talking about Europe, for example, the summers are getting hotter. So avoiding those really intense, hot, summer seasons can actually be really advantageous for your own travel plans.

SEGARRA: Yeah. That seems like maybe the next thing to consider as you're planning a big trip before you start looking at destinations is what time of year are you looking to travel?

ARIKOGLU: Definitely. And that's more of a luxury for some people because If you're having to navigate school holidays, then you're a little bit more limited. But again, it's sort of when you're thinking about carving out those goals and what you want to get out of the trip. Maybe it's the seasonality that's really important. Maybe it's all you want is hot weather and a beach. You know, if you're planning some summer travel, you could totally flip things on its head and go experience winter somewhere. I went to Patagonia when it was entering into their fall in Chile, and it was a really magnificent time to be there, and it was when New York City was going into spring. It felt like upside-down land to be choosing to do that, and it was so wonderful. It was great.

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think there's a lot of room for creativity there. And also, as you said, like, it opens up more possibilities if you consider going places during the shoulder season.

ARIKOGLU: And you get to be in a place and actually be in the place with the people who live there. One thing in August, if you go to Europe, everyone who lives there has, you know, gone off somewhere else on vacation to escape the heat and the tourists, and so, you know, you're in Rome with just all the other tourists and none of the Romans.

SEGARRA: All right, so takeaway two. Before you land on a destination, think about your constraints. What time of year do you plan to travel? For how long? What budget are you working with? If you're short on time, you can make use of holidays or pick a destination closer to home. If you're short on money, think creatively. You know, maybe you do a road trip through some parks or cities nearby.

SEGARRA: It seems like another thing to consider here is, how much do you like crowds? Because for me, it kind of ruins a trip or an experience if everywhere I go is super crowded. I get very overwhelmed by that and overstimulated.

ARIKOGLU: And it's also, you know, who are the crowds? Because there's been times when I've gone somewhere and I've gone and done the same bucket list site that everyone else is, and you're sort of standing there and you're thinking, What am I actually here for? Well, what is the purpose of this? What am I getting out of it? What am I giving to this destination other than just being another member of the crowd?

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think that's an important question, right? 'Cause, like, we have been talking about what are you looking to get out of it, for the most part. But there's another side to this - right? - and it's what am I giving? And also, what am I taking? Like, am I taking too much from this place?

ARIKOGLU: I think about that a lot. When you're planning, be really thoughtful about where you're spending your money. When you're choosing a hotel, is it a hotel that is locally owned? What restaurants are you booking? Where are you shopping? Where are you buying your souvenirs? You know, I think there's lots of ways to be really thoughtful about, you know, how you spend your money, and that can go into your budgeting, as well.

SEGARRA: I know there are certain places that at a certain time, at least, they said, please, tourists, like, please stop coming or stop coming during this time.

ARIKOGLU: Yeah. When a destination says that, I mean, it's something to be taken so seriously because they're usually destinations that have an infrastructure or an economy that really relies on tourism. So things have to have gotten pretty bad for a destination to say, take a beat, not right now, and listen to that, and, you know, the place will be better for it when you do go see it.

SEGARRA: I picture it as if you were, like, going to - going over, like, a friend's house uninvited, or, like, if they were like, please, today's not good. Like, our whole family's sick, like, we're all throwing up, and then you were still banging on the door, like, hey, what are you doing? Can I come stay over?

ARIKOGLU: I think that is a perfect analogy. Perfect. And no one wants to be that person.

SEGARRA: No.

ARIKOGLU: I'd hate to be that person.

SEGARRA: That'd be weird behavior.

ARIKOGLU: Yeah.

SEGARRA: Takeaway three, travel responsibly. Research the places you're interested in, and make sure they want tourists at the time you're looking to visit. When you're booking, consider putting your money toward the local economy rather than international chains. Also, learn about whatever destination you choose. Be open to the cultural practices and languages there. And be a respectful visitor.

Anything else that people would want to figure out before they start narrowing down or looking at destinations?

ARIKOGLU: I think it's also thinking about who you want to travel with. Someone can be your best friend, but they can be your worst roommate. I think travel's kind of the same, so kind of finding someone to travel with or a group of people to travel with who you're aligned with in the planning stage, rather than when you get there and then you suddenly discover you all want to do different things. So I think communicating right off the back what you all want out of the trip and what you're excited about and also being really honest with each other about finances.

If you're on a group trip, I mean, it's like splitting the bill, but a thousand times worse. And so I think if you can kind of, like, set some parameters at the start and be really honest about what you feel comfortable spending money on because inevitably, there is going to be some people on the trip who want to spend more money on some things than others.

SEGARRA: Yeah. And it seems like that conversation, there should be some form of that before you book anything.

ARIKOGLU: Yes, 100%. And, you know, I think even if you don't feel comfortable doing it, speaking up if something just feels too expensive.

SEGARRA: All right. So takeaway four, figure out who you're traveling with. You might prefer to travel alone, or if you're going with friends, partners, or family, just make sure you're on the same page about what you want from the trip - the pace, the activities and how much money you can spend.

SEGARRA: OK. So it sounds like we've given people a lot of things to consider before they choose a destination. Once they've done this soul searching, how can they start to find destinations that fit those desires and limitations?

ARIKOGLU: For me, part of the fun of travel planning is doing the research, whether it is a trusted travel publication or reading some books you love or going on to - you know, there's, like, a ton of just, like, online communities of people who love swapping travel tips and actually, I think, can be really helpful.

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think it can be helpful maybe to in the brainstorming stage to just, like, not go in too deep but just make a list of places that seem exciting to you and that might fit your parameters. Like, I have a Google Doc, and it's just, like, places that I would be really excited to go.

SEGARRA: When you are considering a destination, how helpful is social media - is - like, seeing where your friends are going or where influencers are going? Is it a good idea to follow those trends?

ARIKOGLU: I think it can be useful in picking things you want to do once you're there, particularly if it's, like, based around, like, big events or openings. You know, we have our best places to go list that runs every year. It could be, like, new train routes, new hiking routes, new museums that have opened, things that are happening in destinations centered around an anniversary. So, you know, kind of consulting those sorts of lists and rounds up as well can be very helpful. But I think, you know, going back to what we were talking about in terms of over tourism or overcrowding - you know, on social media, you will see people at the same spots time and time again. And they're usually spots where just around the corner, there's also something equally beautiful to see.

SEGARRA: Yeah. Like, I remember when Santorini was really popular. And it's like, whew - like, if you could actually see what was going on behind that photo, like, you would hate being there because it's so - it's just way too many people...

ARIKOGLU: Right. Right.

SEGARRA: ...All lining up to take a picture in - against that beautiful backdrop.

ARIKOGLU: Exactly. And, you know, it's Santorini. It's all beautiful. It's all amazing.

SEGARRA: OK. So takeaway five is to choose a destination. And cast a wide net when you're brainstorming 'cause you never know what's going to catch your eye. Also, Lale says, do your best to think outside of the current travel trends. Though you can use them for inspiration.

So once you've got a destination in mind, how can you start to sketch out the details of the trip? And I guess I should say, how much detail do you really need to figure out?

ARIKOGLU: So I was going to say, don't overschedule yourself, and don't overbook yourself. I think I've been guilty of doing that before, and then you realize that you have no downtime. It might seem like you're being really efficient, but you need a little bit of spontaneity on your trip. Don't overschedule. If there are a few key things you really want to do that you feel you will be crushed if you don't get to do it, then book it. Make sure that's arranged all in advance. So maybe it's finding one thing on each day of your trip. That's what you center your day around and you can frame your itinerary around that, but I wouldn't overschedule.

SEGARRA: Yeah. And then I think when you look at these things potentially sketched out on different days, then you say like, you know, that seems too busy. What's the most important to me here? Like, which of these activities do I want to book ahead?

ARIKOGLU: Right. You know, if you're suddenly realizing - you're like, I am cramming a lot in if I try to go to these three places, then choosing which one to let go.

SEGARRA: Yeah. 'Cause that's always a consideration, too. Like, if you're flying somewhere far, you might think, well, I'm already going to Poland, should I also do Germany?

SEGARRA: There's that impulse, you know? Or I'm going to Poland, so I want to see all of Poland. But that can make for a very frenetic kind of trip.

ARIKOGLU: And you wouldn't tell someone who was visiting America to be like, well, you've come all the way to America, so if you're going to New York, then you also need to go to New Orleans.

SEGARRA: Right, right. Exactly. That's Takeaway 6 - keep your schedule light and malleable. Lally recommends picking only one activity to do for each day of your trip and then building a flexible itinerary around those.

You know, it occurs to me that another element of a big trip when I'm going into them - I know that something's going to go awry during it.

ARIKOGLU: Always (laughter).

SEGARRA: Yeah.

SEGARRA: I remember being in Barcelona when I was in college. I went by myself for, like, a week. And I speak Spanish, but it wasn't fluent at the time. And I just got - I just missed being able to easily say what I wanted to say, and I went into, like, a Wendy's or something because I just wanted something kind of American. And I got some chicken nuggets. I couldn't think how to say nuggets in Spanish. Like, I was like, is that even a word, like, in Spanish, or did they just say nuggets? And I just broke and started speaking in English because I was trying to only speak Spanish. And I was like, I give up. Like, can I get some chicken nuggets, please?

ARIKOGLU: The true American in you comes out screaming at chicken nuggets in a foreign McDonald's.

SEGARRA: Yeah, yeah, give me my nuggies.

ARIKOGLU: (Laughter).

SEGARRA: Yeah, I just - like, sometimes you just need to go roll up into a ball and eat your chicken nuggies and be by yourself for a minute and then come back out, you know?

ARIKOGLU: Yeah. I mean, like, travel so much of the time is sort of, like, infantilizing because you're so powerless. But it's, like, the same in an airport. You're just sort of powerless at a certain extent when things go wrong. And I think my approach to it - to sort of very taxing and challenging air travel schedules, with connections and potential miss flights and lost luggage and all the things that come with that - is to sort of just give myself up to the airport gods, and just as soon as I'm, like, through TSA, just be like, what will be will be. I'll get there eventually and just, like, I'm powerless. And that's been, like, for me, quite liberating. And it also means that I'm not the person screaming at some poor gate agent when things go wrong.

SEGARRA: Yeah, it's a moment of - it's actually an opportunity for mindfulness. Like, I think that could even be helpful going into a big trip, to tell yourself, like, something is going to go wrong. Yeah, just keep that in mind.

ARIKOGLU: Oh, my God, so much of travel is about being tired and hungry.

SEGARRA: We're really selling this.

ARIKOGLU: I know.

SEGARRA: (Laughter).

ARIKOGLU: I'm like, my whole job is to travel. It's great.

SEGARRA: Isn't it terrible? Yeah.

SEGARRA: I try to remind myself, like - what is the point? - like, go back to those goals. What is the point of this? It's to have a good experience, to meet those needs, to give myself what I've been craving.

ARIKOGLU: Exactly. And I don't know. This sounds a little cheesy and a little trite, but anyone who gets to travel is really lucky. Ultimately, it's a real privilege that you get to do it. And it's such a freedom and it's such a special thing.Don't make it stressful.

SEGARRA: That's our final takeaway. Something on your trip is bound to go wrong. So once you're there, sit back and try to surrender. After all, traveling in the first place is a treat.

SEGARRA: OK, jet-setters, time for a recap. First, figure out what you want from this vacation. Decide your budget and time constraints. Commit to traveling ethically. Make sure you're aligned with the people you're traveling with. When you choose a destination, cast a wide net and have fun with the research. Don't overschedule yourself, and once you're there, relax and roll with the punches. For more LIFE KIT, check out our other episodes. We've got one on how to find cheap flights and another on how to pack your suitcase like a pro. You can find those at np.org/lifekit. And if you love LIFE KIT and you just cannot get enough, subscribe to our newsletter at np.org/lifekitnewsletter. Also, we love hearing from you, so if you have episode ideas or feedback you want to share, e-mail us at [email protected].

This episode of LIFE KIT was produced by Margaret Cirino. Our visuals editor is Beck Harlan and our digital editor is Malaka Gharib. Meghan Keane is our supervising editor and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Andee Tagle, Clare Marie Schneider and Sylvie Douglis. Engineering support comes from Robert Rodriguez. I'm Marielle Segarra. Thanks for listening.

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