DisneyTips.com Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
A lot of decisions go into planning a Disney World vacation. Some of these decisions can be difficult to make and can feel overwhelming. Disney planning should be magical not stressful. Don’t worry though as we have what those tough decisions are when it comes to a Disney vacation and how you can be prepared and ready to tackle them easily when you arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Credit: Disney
Where to Stay?
One of the first decisions you have to make is where you want to stay. It is great that Disney World has so many Disney resorts to choose from; however, that can be difficult as well. Guests can choose from a value resort, moderate resort or deluxe resort when picking where to stay on Disney property. A Disney value resort is more budget friendly with less amenities but a great option for families wanting to keep their budget in check while still being in the Disney bubble. A moderate resort provides a little more when it comes to amenities as there are typically more dining options, more pools and bigger resort rooms. Finally, a Disney deluxe resort is the best of the best. These Disney resorts provide usually closer access to at least one theme park such as Magic Kingdom, outstanding pools and dining options and beautiful rooms. One of the toughest decisions can be choosing which of these amazing Disney resorts to stay at during a Disney vacation. We recommend thinking about what your goals are when it comes to your vacation and use that to help determine which Disney resort would help you achieve those goals.
How Long to Stay?
No matter how long you stay on your Walt Disney World vacation, you won’t feel like it is enough time. It is impossible to see and do everything during one trip so don’t even think about that as a goal. Instead set a budget and think about how many days you can go with that budget. If you want to stay longer, you might not be able to stay at a Disney deluxe resort the whole Disney vacation. Also think about how many parks you want to visit. With four theme parks, two water parks and Disney Springs as options you will need to determine what your goal is and that can help you figure out how long to stay. Keep in mind no matter how long or short your trip is to Disney World it won’t feel like enough.
What Ticket to Get?
Disney World offers a variety of different Walt Disney World tickets but they aren’t all needed for each Disney vacation. Disney has a one-park pass which allows Guests to visit one theme park per day. This is often a great option for those with little ones or those that like to park open to park close. The park-hopper pass allows Guests to hop from park to park after 2 pm. Veteran Disney fans sometimes like this option as they know how to quickly navigate between parks. Then the final option is called a park hopper plus ticket which gives Guests the ability to hop between parks as well as visit water parks. This is a fantastic option if the water parks are important to you during your trip. Again thinking about your goal can really help you navigate what ticket would be the best for your Disney trip.
Credit: Disney (Topolino’s)
What to Eat?
A big part of a Disney World vacation is food! Before heading down on your Disney vacation you will want to have a plan when it comes to food. Currently at 60 days prior to arrival Guests can book a dining reservation at the table-service locations throughout Disney theme parks, Disney Springs as well as at a Disney resort. This means that you need to determine what type of dining experiences you are wanting two month before you head down to Disney World. If you are wanting to experience character dining, think about what characters you want to see, if you prefer breakfast, lunch or supper as well as if you want a buffet, family-style etc. These can help you narrow down what might work for you. Keep in mind that table-service meals can take 90 minutes to two hours. If you are down for a limited time, you might not wish to spend that time eating. Instead look into what quick service locations are available or if there is a festival going on in EPCOT that would allow you to snag some food. Keep in mind that if you are wanting quick service, you will still need to use mobile ordering through the My Disney Experience app. As dining is a huge part of a Disney vacation, you will want to have a plan going in. The Walt Disney World resort has so many outstanding options so narrowing it down ahead of time can really help you get that key dining reservation.
What to See and Do?
The most exciting part of a Disney World vacation is the rides and attractions throughout the theme parks. Before heading down, make sure to take some time to determine which of these are must-do for those traveling with you. It can be hard to narrow down what you all want to do when it is all so magical, but again you can’t see and do it all. Knowing ahead of time what exact rides and attractions are necessary to hit can really help you set a goal and be ready when you are at a theme park. We know not everyone needs a hour by hour schedule, but having a tentative plan can really make your Disney World vacation slightly smoother.
Genie+ or No Genie+
Another tough decision that is going to be new to a Disney Vacation is determining if Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lane works for your traveling group. At $15/per person per day, Genie+ can really add up for families. If it is a busy time of year however could this new feature be a way to help ensure you get to those must-dos with limited wait time. Same process goes with those rides that are going to be apart of the new Individual Lightning Lanes. If it is super important that you experience Rise of the Resistance, is it worth the extra cost to ensure you can ride when you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These are new tough decisions that need to be made for a Disney vacation. Since we don’t know a lot about how these two new features will work, we recommend doing your research once Genie+ releases and follow along to see if it is a feature that would work for your family.
There are so many decisions that go into planning a Disney World vacation and some of those can be extremely tough. We hope that knowing what some of those tough decisions are ahead of time can help make your Disney World vacation that much more magical.
