Let's Go to Disney World!

Nice picture in front of the castle at Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World

When planing a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida, there are numerous decisions to be made. I want to go over the different options and give you some of my experiences and opinions which will hopefully help you in making your final decisions. Some of the topics I want to cover:

1. When is the best time to go?

2. How many days do we need to be there?

3. Where should we stay?

4. Where should we eat? Should we buy the Dining Plan?

5. Should we pay for the extras like Lightning Lanes? Premier Passes? Memory Maker?

6. Do we need to buy Magic Bands?

7. How much will it cost?

8. How far in advance should I plan?

9. Do I really need a travel advisor or should I just do everything myself?

10. Is it better to go ahead and plan now or wait to see if some sales will be a better deal?

    
    

 When is the Best Time to Go?

Picture of a wall a the Contemporary Resort Lobby. The Contemporary is just a short walk to the Magic Kingdom!

The pool at All Star's Movies resort.

View of the lobby at Animal Kingdom resort.

Disney is open year round and some days are certainly more crowded then other and some are more expensive than others and then you have to also consider the weather and what days the kids are out of school and what time you can take off from work. The best time to go is a very individual decision. It really depends on what is the most important to you and your family. Crowds: If crowds are a big concern just know that Disney is fairly crowded on any given day, but the most crowded times are during holidays like Christmas and New Years, during the summer when the kids are out of school and during spring breaks. There are other things that can make it more crowded at Disney World like cheerleading competitions and things like Run, Disney competitions. So the least crowded times are going to be times when the children are in school and not during the holidays. Some of my favorite times to go are at the end of January into the beginning of February and the first week of September or even the first week of December. I realize these are not always convenient but if you are looking for lower crowds, this is usually a great time to go. And, bonus! It's usually less expensive as well! Plus it's better weather!

How Many Days Do We Need to Be There?

Epcot at Night is so Beautiful!

Well, that depends on what all you want to do. Ideally, I think having a day to get there (and maybe go to the water park on arrival day!) in the best. This is actually free for all guests staying on property in 2025. And then having 2 days to be in the parks, having a rest day, then 2 more days in the park and then come home on the last day. This would mean a total of 7 days. Of course, longer is better. But, if 7 days seems like way too long for you to imagine, you can actually do it fairly well in only 4 days. You won't get to see and do as much but it is possible to have a pretty nice vacation in that time frame. So this really just depends on what you would like. There is soooo much to do and see and try that even though I go to Disney several times a year, every trip I make I find something that I've never done before. It is so exciting!

Lobby of Walt Disney's Polynesian resort.

Where Should We Stay?

So, if you stay on property you get a lot of perks! You get early entry to the parks - you will get in at least 30 minutes before anyone not staying on Disney property. You also have the option to buy your Multi-pass Lightning Lanes and pick your first 3 ride reservations 7 days before you go while the people staying off property can only do that 3 days before they arrive. Same goes for Premier Passes. If you stay on property you can buy these 7 days in advance and if off property you can buy these 3 days in advance. And one of the biggest perks of staying on property is the free transportation! You can take the skyliner, the monorail, busses and ferry boats from your resort to all of the parks and it's so convenient. And a brand new perk for 2025 is that on your arrival day you can go to the water park for free!!!!

But, if you need help deciding where you should stay, this is something I can really help you with. While I can't say that I have stayed at every single one of the resorts, I have stayed in a lot of them. And because I not only stay on property a lot, I also do a lot of research so that I can help you understand all your options. There is no one-size-fits-all property. Everyone's family is different and has different needs, but after a short conversation I think we can find a perfect fit for you. And if you still feel like off property is going to work the best for you, then we can work with that as well.

Morimoto Asia restaurant in Disney Springs at the Landing.

Seeing Minnie Mouse at Topolino's restaurant at Breakfast.

Kid's breakfast at Primo Piatto. This is the quick service restaurant at the Riviera resort.

Where Should We Eat? Should we buy the Dining Plan?

Disney World has soooo many different places to eat that this decision is very important. Some of the places are what are called "quick service". Which are sometimes take away but most have table to sit at. Some are better than others but there is no accounting for taste. Something to also consider is that some meals are more for the "experience" than for the food. Some are for both. Other places are called "table service" and these meals will actually be better food and service and will also take a little more time. And there are also character meals and other experience-type dining venues that are really amazing. All of the resorts have quick service and many of them have table service restaurants as well. We can discuss how much you want to spend on dining and how much time you will have to spend on these types of places. As far as whether to buy the dining plan or not, a lot of depends on exactly what will work best for you. We can have a conversation to determine whether this will be the best for you or not. Even if you don't buy the dining plan, you can also get a gift card and use that for dining and that way you won't lose any money if you end up not needing as much food as the dining plan contains, but you can still have the convenience of having it paid for before your trip.

Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake dessert at Liberty Tree Tavern restaurant in Magic Kingdom.

Should we pay for the extras like Lightning Lanes? Premier Passes? Memory Maker?

This is a great question! This again isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. So, if you are a person that goes to the parks frequently, maybe you live close or you have an annual pass, buying a Lightning Lane might not be something you want to do. But, if you have limited time in the parks, waiting in long lines will mean that you don't get to do as much. So, if you can swing it, I would definitely get the Multi-pass so you can book lightning lanes and get to do as many rides as possible in your day. Now the Premier Pass is another option. This is much more expensive but it is also amazing if you decide to spend the money on it. Premier Pass will let you get on all the rides in the Lightning lane and will save you hours of time as well as save you lots of walking. But, it's not for everyone.

Memory Maker is a definite must I think. It doesn't cost a tremendous amount and if you are there for a week you could easily get more than 500 digital pictures! The photographers are incredible and we have so many wonderful memories from our pictures. I highly recommend this for everyone.

Memory maker picture with the "magic touch" added!

Do We Need to Buy Magic Bands?

Well...you don't have to..but they are so much fun! When you go to Disney, there are many different places your magic band will come in handy. If you are staying on property you can use your magic band as a key to get into your room and if you want to purchase anything from a store or a meal from a restaurant you can use your magic band to do that. All of those charges will go back to your room and you can settle up on the night before you go home or you can even get a daily total if that is better for you. When you go to the parks, you can use your magic band to get into the gate and if you use lightning lanes, your magic band gets you through that line as well. Just super convenient, but not absolutely necessary. Disney will give you a free card upon arrival that you can use if you don't have a magic band. But since the magic band is something you wear you don't have to find it in your pocket or your purse. On that note, if you happen to lose your magic band in the parks they will give you a card to use. You will just need to go to guest services to get one. Magic bands generally last for 5 years or longer so if you are planning to go more often you get definitely get a lot of use out of them. But, I can certainly understand if you would like to save that money. The other thing a magic band will do which is just for fun is it will light up at different times while you are in the parks to let you know that something exciting is happening near you. Some magic bands are more expensive than others and I don't recommend buying a used one as Disney doesn't allow transfers of a magic band from one person to another. And one last note, make sure you buy the small magic band protectors from Amazon before you go. They come in a package of several different colors and will keep you from losing it! It is sometimes easy for it to fall off and this makes sure it stays on your wrist.

Getting my picture in Epcot with the amazing statue of Walt Disney!

How Much Will It Cost?

A visual of what a Disney gift card looks like! You can save money with these!

A Walt Disney trip is so unique and so individual that the cost can vary widely. Is Disney an expensive vacation? Absolutely! But is it worth saving for? Most definitely! The main concern is you want to plan it well so you feel that you have gotten your money's worth. And the more days you come the cheaper the tickets are per day. So if you say I only want to come for one or two days, you will be spending the most per day that way. If you feel this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you and your family you may want to try to come for at least a week or longer. If you think you might be coming several times a year then the annual pass may be a way to save a little money. There are certainly many different ways you can save money on your Disney vacation. One way is to buy gift cards to Disney from a place like Target where you can save 5% if you have a red card. While 5% doesn't seem like a lot if you factor in that you can pay for your entire trip with these gift cards it can really add up to some significant savings! The very best way to make sure you are getting what you pay for is to use a trusted travel agent. We have the ability to advise you on what might be best for your family and we are the first to know if Disney is running any kind of discounts or specials and we can apply those discounts to your package. There are many different ways to save at Disney. You can bring your own food. Just like at home, cooking at home is often much cheaper than eating out and Disney will allow you to bring your own food to the parks. You can also get free water at any of the quick service places so you can stay hydrated without spending a lot of money on bottled water. Once you have a park ticket all the rides, shows, parades and fireworks are included. Of course, if you don't want to spend money to skip the lines you can do that as well and save some money. Also, many times of the year the prices will fluctuate. It will be more expensive when more people are wanting to go like the summer or on Christmas holidays. So another way to save money is to plan your trip "off season". A Disney trip in February for a family of four staying on property for 7 days and going to the parks for 4 of those days would cost anywhere from $4500 to $7800 depending on if you stayed in a value resort or a deluxe one. And depending on whether you bought any of the extras we have already talked about. If you wanted to go this summer, the prices would be similar as they might have more available with more planning time. But, if you wanted to go at Christmas, the prices could go up between $1000-$3000 more. Pricing at Disney is dynamic so that is why it is best to have your travel agent so you can take advantage of any sales or promotions. Of course, if you want to go this summer, you might find some great deals as Universal Studios is opening up it's brand new park, Epic, and Disney is offering some great deals and maybe even lower crowds! At any rate, I can help you explore the various times and deals to get you the best possible for your money.

A beautiful view of a waterfall near the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom.

How Far In Advance Should I Plan?

The more time you have to plan the better! But, quick trips can also be a bargin sometimes. I love to have 2 or 3 trips on the books at a time. This gives me ample time to plan my days and I can make payments along the way to keep it in budget. I think it is always great to have a trip coming up - gives you something to look forward to. All it takes is $200 down to secure a trip and then you have up to 30 days before you arrive to pay for it in full. And you don't risk losing that $200. If something should come up and you are unable to go you can get a full refund or just change your dates or your resort. Moral of the story here is to plan ahead as much as possible but also know that a last minute trip is feasible!

Let's take a ride together! Some of the lovely photo opportunities at Art the Animation resort.

Do I Really Need a Travel Agent or Should I Just Do It Myself?

Well, of course you can do it yourself, but I highly recommend using someone you trust. First of all, the knowledge and expertise is invaluable! Using a travel agent means you have someone on call to answer all of your questions. You can certainly do a ton of research yourself and spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos and learn a lot from facebook groups. But, when you actually need to make a change for something with Disney, rather than you having to wait forever on a call with Disney you have someone to do that for you. If you want to make plans to take your daughter for her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo makeover, or go to see Stitch and Lilo at Ohana, I am the one that can get up for you in the early morning hours on your exact day when your reservations open up and book everything for you. Plus just having someone to help you with making all these important decisions is invaluable. And did you know that even if you plan everything yourself, you are already paying for the commission a travel agent makes? That's right, Disney charges you for using a travel agent whether you use us or not! And, lastly, you are supporting a small business which should make you feel good too.

Little Mermaid float in the parade at Magic Kingdom!

Gorilla that we were able to see on the trail walk at Animal Kingdom.

Is it better to go ahead and plan now or wait to see if some sales will be a better deal?

Any new offers that come out, I'm one of the first people to know. I can make sure you are able to take advantage if it fits into your plans. Even after you have made your initial booking I can apply it for you!

Because you are risking nothing by putting that $200 down on a package, it is the best to go ahead and get that room and tickets reserved. If any sales come out before you go, you can absolutely take advantage of those even if you already have it booked. Those sales can be applied to your booking as if it was a brand new booking, but you have an advantage because you already have the room reserved. A person without a reserveration is now in competition and if the sale is great, those rooms can go quickly. Plus more time to plan is more time to get fully prepared and learn how to make this the most magical trip ever!

In closing, just know that when you plan your Disney World trip with me, we will work together to make your dreams come true. This is will a trip you will always remember fondly!

Key Words: Disney, Magic Bands, Lightning Lanes, Memory Maker

Get a Free Quote