Ten Steps to Planning a Perfect Disney World Vacation

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can feel overwhelming. What steps should you take to create magic memories for your Disney vacation?

So, you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Trips to Walt Disney World provide many fun opportunities for all ages. With four theme parks, water parks, entertainment complexes, world-class dining, and stellar hotels, Walt Disney World offers a lifetime of vacation possibilities. The Disney theme park phenomenon creates loyal fans who revisit time and time.

However, we see guests arriving for a Walt Disney World vacation totally unprepared for the experience. In fact, many guests arrive at Walt Disney World Resort not knowing what to do or how.

A successful Walt Disney World vacation demands some planning. With the price of everything in the world rising, it is too expensive to simply “play it by ear,” as they say. Some not-too-difficult steps should be taken before one arrives at Walt Disney World. This resource intends to walk readers through those steps. Of course, each group visiting Walt Disney World has different needs and wants. These ten steps focus on the most common things to avoid obvious pitfalls for your magical vacations in central Florida.

There are so many activities, exciting theme park attractions, and intricate details at Walt Disney World Resort that even if you visit often, you cannot expect to do it all. Thus, it is crucial to start planning your Walt Disney World vacation early. Also, groups should decide what features and events should be a priority on their Walt Disney World vacation.

Steps to Planning a Disney World Vacation

Just like many different types of people visit Walt Disney World, there are many ways to plan a Disney vacation. The following list of ten suggested steps should place your group on a firm foundation as you plan to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation. This list intends to focus on the basics. It does not intend to overwhelm readers with every detail a seasoned Walt Disney World annual passholder might know.

The planning process for a Walt Disney World vacation can be complicated. Remember, your “Pixie” at Pixie Vacations will be there for you fee-free during the planning process and your stay at Walt Disney World.

When Should One Start Planning a Walt Disney World Vacation?

The question of when to start planning a Walt Disney World vacation often arises for theme park fans. Based on the nature of a Walt Disney World vacation, there is no such thing as starting your planning too early. Many veteran visitors to the Orlando area theme parks start booking their vacations a year or more in advance. That may not be needed for your group. Still, a spoonful of planning makes the medicine go down. The more familiar you are with Walt Disney World Resort and the desires of your group, the better your vacation.

Sure, you cannot plan for everything. Still, waiting until the last minute will cost you money, add to your stress, and lower the overall quality of your Walt Disney World vacation.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Start Researching Walt Disney World

Research must be done in preparation for a Walt Disney World vacation, especially for first-time guests. Guests do not need to learn everything but should gather a feel for the basics.

The information guests gather in this initial stage will benefit them through every other step of planning a Walt Disney World vacation. For example, guests can learn key dates of special events at Walt Disney World. This allows them to prepare to visit during those or avoid them.

While researching, future Walt Disney World visitors can plan a basic daily itinerary that includes theme parks, specific dining options, and attractions. Walt Disney World can be understandably overwhelming, so a plan of attack makes a world of difference. Guests who arrive with a basic plan have more fun and save a little money as well.

Another advantage of planning far in advance is gaining a basic knowledge of dining options and Disney-owned hotels. With this knowledge, guests can have an advantage in booking and experiencing aspects of a Walt Disney World vacation that are not just the theme park.

Plenty of Walt Disney World online resources exist. Guests should spend some time on the official Walt Disney World website. They can also spend time on websites like Pixie Vacations checking out vacation planning resources.

Guests should also download the My Disney Experience mobile app. Not only will this help in planning before one gets to the four Walt Disney World theme parks, but guests will also need this tool during their Disney theme park day

Crash Course About Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World has four major theme parks:

• Magic Kingdom
• Epcot
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom

In addition to four Disney theme parks, guests can enjoy a massive theme park resort complex covering over 25,000 acres that contains:

• Over 20 Disney-owned hotels
• More than 400 dining operations ranging from basic snack carts to Michelin-awarded restaurants.
• Disney Springs, an extensive shopping, dining, and entertainment district
• Disney’s BoardWalk, another entertainment and dining complex
• Two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• There are five golf courses and two mini-golf courses
• Disney’s Wide World of Sports, an entire sports complex
• Several lakes offer boating, kayaking, fishing, and other water options

When planning a Walt Disney World vacation, guests should consider more than just the theme parks. The entire resort offers more than any group can experience in one vacation.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Set a Budget

Of course, this was going to get to money at some point. A group of four should expect to pay around $6000 for a week-long vacation at Walt Disney World. This price assumes staying at a Walt Disney-owned hotel for seven nights, theme park tickets, and quick service dining during the vacation.

Your vacation plan may look different, being shorter or longer, more upscale dining, or adding more upgrades. The price will vary based on the time of year, so guests should factor that into their potential budget if they visit during a very busy or slow time.

Many families end up budgeting poorly, increasing their debt. With proper planning, this can be avoided. Your budget may change along the way, but you need a starting place. After you have taken a few more steps in terms of planning, you will be able to iron out a more precise budget. Your “Pixie” at Pixie Vacations can help with that and will be with you every step along the way.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: My Disney Experience

Okay, let us tackle something less than money. In an earlier step, we mentioned the My Disney Experience mobile app. We hope using the My Disney Experience mobile app will make it less stressful. Guests visiting Walt Disney World should download the My Disney Experience mobile app. This tool will be needed during their vacation and the weeks leading up to it. This mobile app functions as the centralized hub for everything related to their Disney vacation. It is available for iOS and Android.

Guests will need to create a Disney profile. This app allows people to view their tickets, plans, and reservations. They will need to add group members to empower planning together for advance dining reservations and “Lightning Lanes.”

Other features of the My Disney Experience mobile app are:

• Ability to join a virtual queue for certain very popular attractions
• Ability to access options if qualifying for Disability Access Service
• Used when placing mobile orders at some dining location
• Used when checking in for table service dining reservations

My Disney Experience will be an ally during your vacation. However, it may sometimes feel like a necessary evil since much of your trip will be conducted through it.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: When and For How Long Are You Going to Walt Disney World?

Sometimes, the Super Bowl-winning team declares they are going to Disney World.  Unlike their visit, your group must pick a time of year to visit Walt Disney World.

The decision of when to go may be simple. If your group can only go for the Christmas break due to work and school schedules, then that time of year wins. However, one of the most significant decisions in this process is when to go to Walt Disney World.

Pixie Vacations’ website has a blog about the best time to visit Walt Disney World and a constantly updated crowd calendar for those looking for lower crowd-level days. There are pros and cons to visiting during certain times of the year. However, the sooner your group determines when you are going, the better.

Also, your group must determine how long your Disney Vacation will be. Most Walt Disney World vacations last from three to six. The typical pattern is for guests to spend one day in each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks. The “extra” days are used as “rest” days enjoying other aspects of the Walt Disney World Report, a water park day, or an additional day in the theme parks. Guests may also decide to visit another theme park outside Walt Disney World, like Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, or even Busch Garden Tampa Bay.

Besides simply having enough time at Disney World, another reason for booking a more extended Walt Disney World vacation involves the financial incentive. The more days you spend at the park, the lower your Disney theme park tickets cost per day. As a general rule, once you purchase six days of Walt Disney World theme park tickets, additional days are under $30 each.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: How Are You Getting to Walt Disney World?

No matter how close or far away one lives from Walt Disney World, you must determine the method and cost to arrive at the theme park resort. Also, if guests use bus, train, or plane transportation to the Orlando area, they still must figure out how to get to Walt Disney World Resort, which is technically not in Orlando. Well, at least most of it is not even in the Orlando city limits. Of course, if you are driving to Walt Disney World, your navigation tool will point you there.

Driving to Walt Disney World

Guests who choose to drive to Walt Disney World get to enjoy the convenience of their own car as the primary mode of transportation. The guests will need to calculate the expense of driving their own vehicle. They need to consider all the costs associated with driving to Walt Disney World, such as:

• Fuel cost
• Vehicle maintenance, along with normal wear and tear
• Tolls (Florida has plenty of them)
• Parking fees at most non-Disney-owned hotels and at the theme parks if you do not have an annual pass or are staying at a Disney-owned hotel
• Additional expenses during the drive include food and hotels.

Flying to Walt Disney World

Orlando International Airport (MCO) has grown into one of the busiest airports in the United States of America. Many people who visit Walt Disney World fly there, and MCO is the closest airport to Walt Disney World. Since the price for your group’s airfare will vary significantly based on where you fly from, this resource cannot offer a set price for your budget. However, it can make some suggestions about flying to the Orlando area.

We recommend flying into this airport versus other central Florida airports based on the many ground transportation options. Since the trip from the airport to Walt Disney World will be at least twenty minutes (but likely far more), rideshare and other transportation will cost less from this airport.

Some other airports to consider are:

• Sanford International Airport (SFB) is about 40 miles from Walt Disney World. This airport primarily offers flights from smaller regional airports, which means less crowds. However, it does provide a good option for non-stop flights if your home airport is a smaller regional airport. However, this airport offers far fewer transportation options compared to MCO.
• Melbourne International Airport (MLB) is located about 65 miles away from Walt Disney World. The transportation options for Walt Disney World are minimal.

Will You Have a Rental Car?

Those planning to book a rental car during their Walt Disney World vacation might find a flight at an airport farther away from Lake Buena Vista, which can save significant vacation budget money. However, this could end up being a lot of work for little or no gain, so choose wisely in this area.

For those willing to drive over an hour or more after their flight, guests should consider Tampa International (TPA), about 75 miles away. Daytona Beach International (DAB) is about the same distance, but the drive will be over an hour.

Good News About Transportation at Walt Disney World

No matter how stressful the travel to Walt Disney World might have been, the free transportation system with the theme park resort can take you whenever you want to go on the property. Guests can enjoy their vacation on Walt Disney World property with buses, Disney’s Skyliner, boats, and the Disney Monorail. Your transportation costs and concerns only come up again if you choose to leave Walt Disney World Resort.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Buy Walt Disney World Theme Park Admission

Once you have your travel dates set and transportation worked out, you need to decide where to stay and what ticket media you need for your Walt Disney World vacation. This resource will focus on the tickets first. Of course, the tickets and hotels will be booked together if you are booking a Walt Disney World vacation package through an authorized travel advisor like Pixie Vacations.

How many days are you spending? Do you plan to be in the Walt Disney World theme parks every day of your trip? Will you be visiting other theme parks outside of Walt Disney World? Do you plan to visit more than one Walt Disney World theme park in a day?

All those questions should be considered before buying Walt Disney World tickets. We suggest that after you determine the number and type of tickets your group needs, you buy them as far in advance as possible. Ticket prices do go up with little warning, so earlier is better.

Walt Disney World Ticket Types

The two most common Walt Disney World ticket versions are standard one-park and park hopper tickets. The park hopper tickets for an upcharge allow guests to visit more than one Disney theme park in a day. We have a resource dedicated to the details and ways to determine if you should purchase the park hopper upgrade. We suggest going there for more information about park hopping.

Other Walt Disney World Ticket Upgrades

Walt Disney World offers a Water Park and Sports add-on to tickets. This allows guests to visit one theme park per day while also providing visits to other Walt Disney World entertainment options. Guests who purchase this upgrade can visit water parks, mini golf and nine-hole golf courses, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex when available.

Starting in 2025, guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels receive free admission to one of the Disney water parks on their arrival day. Guests should factor this into the need for this upgrade.

Disney Math!

Some refer to reasoning out how and what you pay for Disney vacations as “Disney Math.” One example involves the number of days you purchase tickets for. The more days included in your Disney ticket, the cheaper it costs per day. For example, the cost to add another day is small if you are looking at buying a six-day ticket. As you plan, you may discover that another Disney day fits your budget, and you might get lucky with cheaper airfare and hotel costs this way, too. Disney math does not always work that way, but we wish you luck!

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Where to Stay at Walt Disney World?

Walt Disney World offers a wide range of hotels, and hundreds of hotels and other accommodation options exist in the Orlando area. Your Walt Disney World vacation demands a decision about where to stay. This choice may come down to price, hotel room size needed, and special perks desired.

Staying at Walt Disney World Operated Hotel

There is no doubt about it…there is something about staying at an official Disney World resort. Each resort hotel presents guests with a particular character and style. Staying at one of these Disney hotels allows guests to stay within the magical Disney bubble, avoiding the cares of the normal world for a little while.

The Walt Disney World Resort hotels are all within reasonable distance of the four theme parks. Guests can also utilize the complimentary Walt Disney World transportation, which includes the Disney Monorail, boats, Disney’s Skyliner, and buses. Depending on the resort hotel selected, guests may be able to walk to some of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

“On-site” guests also receive special advantages over guests staying elsewhere. These include a half-hour of “Early Theme Park Entry,” the ability to book advanced dining reservations, and “Lightning Lane” purchases ahead of non-Disney resort guests. Also, starting in 2025, guests staying at Walt Disney World-owned hotels can enjoy complimentary water park admission on their check-in day.

Walt Disney World offers hotels at various price points. These range from value hotels to extravagant Deluxe-level hotels. On average, these accommodations will cost more than staying “off-site” at a non-Disney-owned hotel for a comparable room style.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Do You Want to Stay “Off-site” During Our Walt Disney World Vacation?

The area around Walt Disney World contains a plethora of hotel choices. These hotels do not have all the advantages of staying at a Walt Disney World-owned hotel. Still, many people will stay “off-site” for various reasons. On the positive side, many “off-site” hotels have more spacious rooms for larger groups wanting to stay in the same hotel room.

Most off-site properties are further away from the park and do not have ideal access to the Walt Disney World theme parks. In other resources, we have described the best hotels near Walt Disney World with free shuttle service. We suggest looking that over if you are considering staying “off-site. Of course, your “Pixie” at Pixie Vacations can also help you book off-site hotels as well.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Making Advance Dining Reservations

Walt Disney World has over 100 table service restaurants, not to mention lounges and quick service dining options. Many popular restaurants, such as Space 220 at Epcot, Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom, are so popular that their dining time slots fill up two months in advance. Since most guests cannot book an advanced dining reservation at Walt Disney World until 60 days in advance, that says something.

If your group plans to dine at one of the excellent table service restaurants during your Walt Disney World Resort vacation, you will need to plan your table service dining well in advance. We know it sounds odd to determine what food you will eat months in advance, but this is a Disney vacation—planning is demanded!

Advance dining reservations are essential for guests planning to dine at table-service restaurants during their vacation. Booking your dining reservations when the reservation window opens is key to success. You can use advanced dining reservation finder services like MouseDining to help with this process.

Guests staying in Walt Disney World-owned hotels may make dining reservations for the entire length of their stay (up to 10 days) as early as 60 days before their hotel check-in date. Other guests can start making advanced dining reservations as early as 60 days in advance. Reservation slots are officially available for a new day at 6:00 a.m., Florida time.

Disney Dining Plan

If staying at a Disney-owned hotel, guests have the option to purchase vacation packages that will include the Disney Dining Plan. This plan is currently available for guests. For more information about this upgrade, please consult our resource about the Disney Dining Plan. Walt Disney World will occasionally offer a free dining plan as part of a vacation package, including a hotel stay and theme park tickets during expected slower times of the year.

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Making a Basic Daily Plan

Groups should decide before arriving at Walt Disney World what must-dos for their trip. Will your group be staying long enough to visit other theme parks outside of Walt Disney World, or will you plan a water park day? These plans should be discussed in advance to avoid issues during the Disney vacation.

You should check the theme park hours for each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks. These hours of operation may cause you to adjust your plan. Since Magic Kingdom and Epcot may take more time to experience fully, checking theme park hours for each day of your visit will be helpful.

Within your daily plan, you should have decided on some basics. These things include:

• Are you planning to rope-drop or sleep in?
• Will your group be using early theme park entry?
• Do your plans involve some rest? Will you go back to your hotel for afternoon naps?
• Where will you be dining and when each day?

Will You Purchase Lightning Lanes?

The Disney World theme park attractions are highly popular. Depending on your Walt Disney World vacation length, you may want to consider purchasing Lightning Lanes to save time. In other words, guests can trade money for less waiting in attraction queues. If time is money, then these deserve consideration. We have written three resources to help decide if Lightning Lanes are right for your group. They are:

• Lightning Lane Multi Pass: FastPass Is This for You at Disney World?
• Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Prioritizing Attractions for a Smoother Visit
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Walt Disney World (Tips, Strategic Attraction Selection)

Planning a Disney World Vacation: Most Important Step

A Walt Disney World vacation can be overwhelming at times. Even though the memories will be magical, keeping track of all the information takes some time. However, travel advisors like those at Pixie Vacations have years of experience helping people thoroughly enjoy their time at Walt Disney World.

Most importantly, their services are free of charge. If you want a partner to help you plan your Walt Disney World vacation, the “Pixies” at Pixie Vacation can help you. Interested parties can get a free, no-obligation vacation quote today. Happy Disney World vacation planning!