It can be complicated to plan a Disney vacation! These 9 steps can make your Disney trip planning so much easier and more efficient.
Disney Trip Planning can be an exciting part of your overall Disney Trip- but it’s complicated! Whether it’s your first visit or you’re an experienced Disney-goer, a well-organized trip can make all the difference between a good vacation and an absolutely enchanting one.
These 9 steps will ensure you make the most out of your visit to the most magical place on Earth.
This post is all about how to plan a Disney Vacation!
9 Insanely Helpful Tips to Plan a Disney Vacation
1. Determine the Best Time to Visit
Choosing the right time to visit Disney can significantly impact your experience, but you also have to consider which dates work best when you plan a Disney Vacation for you and your family or friends- not just which dates seem least crowded (depending on the year it can be difficult to find low crowds at Walt Disney World or Disneyland).
Discuss factors such as crowd levels, weather, special events, and your personal preferences to decide when the magic aligns perfectly for your trip. I like to use a helper, and I find TouringPlans.com to be a wonderful way to check crowd levels for your projected dates, weather, and even wait times!
Keep in mind the following events that could make any Disney Park more crowded:
- Holidays- Christmas week, Thanksgiving Week, or the week of Spring Break for Florida students at Walt Disney World, and California students in Disneyland, are all very high-crowd times to visit (and spring break “season” in general is very busy)
- The Walt Disney World Marathon is typically the second week of January, and Disneyland has just re-started its run series, starting the third week of January 2024. The parks are often very crowded during race weekends (and the “weekend” typically starts on Thursday with the 5k, Friday with 10k, Saturday with the Half Marathon, and at Walt Disney World, Sunday is the full marathon). If you would like more info on RunDisney events check out my Run Disney blogs and videos!
- Summertime used to be very crowded at both parks but not so much in the last few years. That’s where the TouringPlans.com crowd calendar or other crowd calendars can come in very handy! The last few years’ fall break (early to mid-October) has actually been a more high-crowd time to avoid.
How Long Should your Trip Be?
Now you know when to go and when not to go. So how long should you plan for?
My general rule of thumb is at least 3 full days (a full day meaning a day that doesn’t involve travel), and preferably 4 for all first-timers or those who don’t get to go to Disney very often.
The four-day recommendation applies more to Walt Disney World; 3 full days is plenty of time for Disneyland and will allow you to do your favorite things more than once.
I recommend arriving as early as possible on your travel day and leaving as late as possible on your return travel day. Those travel days can then be used for a resort/pool day, a trip to Disney Springs, visiting one of the water parks, or even returning to one of the theme parks to catch anything you may have missed.
Walt Disney World has 4 separate theme parks and 2 water parks, so there is a lot to do, and Disneyland has 2 theme parks, but still lots of great and magical things to do.
Walt Disney World Resort
On your non-travel days I recommend, for a 3-day itinerary, going to Magic Kingdom one day, Hollywood Studios one day, and splitting Epcot and Animal Kingdom the third day (you will need a park hopper ticket and this plan is not ideal as it’s better to do one park each day, and you can move those parks around if Epcot or Animal Kingdom appeal to you more than one of the other two, but Magic Kingdom has the most attractions and usually needs at least 1 day to conquer).
If you have 4 days that’s easy- 1 park per day, no Park Hopper ticket necessary! And if it’s in your budget, the more days, the better, as the price per day does go down as you add on days, AND there is so much to do.
2. Set a Budget and Stick to It
Disney trips can be as budget-friendly or extravagant as you wish. Trust me they don’t mind you giving them your money and they are constantly finding magical and creative offerings to do just that!
Here are some steps to plan your Disney Budget:
Define a clear budget, including hotel prices, park tickets, dining, and souvenirs.
Ticket prices vary by date, not by when you book them, so you can book your hotel first if you like as some popular resorts can sell out, and book your tickets later. The park pass reservation system, which started during the pandemic, is now changing and making it easier to book later. Per an announcement earlier this year, as of January 9th, 2024, if you buy a date-based ticket (i/e you buy your ticket online ahead of time booked for a certain time period), you will not need to make a park reservation.
However, if you prefer to budget by paying a small down payment and making payments as you get closer to your trip, then booking a hotel and ticket package with a Disney Agent (and I can help, just send me an email on the contact form) is the way to go as you only pay $200 upfront.
Buy Disney Gift Cards
Another way to save money is to buy Disney gift cards throughout the year before your trip.
Target Red Card holders can get 5% off all purchases, including Disney Gift Cards. This could add up over time to significant savings (i/e- let’s say you purchase a total of $1000 in gift cards on your Red Card then you can save $50- that’s a meal for a family at a quick service- maybe).
Check out my blog to learn more about where and how to save with Disney Gift Cards! You can consolidate your gift cards before your trip on disneygiftcard.com.
Consider the Disney Dining Plan
Purchasing the Disney Dining Plan is a way to budget but not necessarily save. This much-anticipated plan is returning starting January 9th of 2024!
There are two plans: Disney Dining Plan and Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan.
The Disney Dining Plan, including table-service restaurants, will be $94.28 per adult or $29.69 per child, this is per night of your Disney resort hotel stay.
The Quick-Service Dining Plan will be $57 per adult and $23.83 per child. For reference, the Disney Dining Plans were $78/$30.51 and $55/$26 respectively when they were last available in early 2020.
So, as you can see, this can get quite expensive, but it is a way to budget and pay for your Disney vacation ahead of time. You can also have some pretty amazing meals, including appetizers, entrees, beverages, and desserts at Disney’s best table service restaurants. This only applies to Walt Disney World vacations, as Disneyland doesn’t have a dining plan.
Watch for Discounts
Be sure to keep an eye out for resort discounts as Disney will often run various discounts throughout the year- from 20-40% off various value, moderate, and even some deluxe Disney resorts.
As a travel planner Disney keeps us up to date and we can pass those savings on to you. Contact me here if you would like FREE help planning your next Disney vacation!
3. Select the Perfect Accommodation
From themed Disney resort hotels to off-site lodging options, the choices are abundant in both Orlando and Anaheim (though there are more Disney resorts on Walt Disney World property than Disneyland property). Consider factors such as proximity to the parks, amenities, and themes to find the perfect accommodation that fits your family’s needs and preferences.
It’s best to plan at least 6 months ahead of time, if not more if you want to stay on property (i/e one of the Disney-owned resorts) at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Disneyland only has 3 hotels on property, but they offer packages with good neighbor hotels, and since Disneyland has less acreage than Walt Disney World, many good neighbor hotels are within walking distance.
Disney resorts are classified in three ways:
- Value– these are the most affordable Disney resorts and include Pop Century, All-Star (Music, Movies, or Sports), and Art of Animation at Walt Disney World, and the upcoming Pixar Place at Disneyland (this was an existing resort at Disneyland and has recently received a Pixar themed update). It’s not really a value resort, but it is the cheapest on-property resort at Disneyland. Value resorts offer free Disney transportation, Disney-themed pools, early entry to the Disney theme parks every day (30 minutes as of this writing), Disney theming and gift shops, and quick-service restaurant options (think food court-style eateries).
- Moderate– these resorts are more affordable than Deluxe resorts, but not as affordable as Value Resorts. They offer everything that the Value resorts do, but with sit-down table restaurants, better pools, and more spacious grounds to explore. At Walt Disney World they include Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside (one being Mardi Gras themed and the other Tiana/Princess and the Frog themed), Caribbean Beach, and Coronado Springs.
- Deluxe– these are the fanciest Disney-themed resorts and include all of the above plus more delicious sit-down dining restaurants including character meals at or near most of them, multiple pools, lounges, fitness centers, clubhoueses with activities for kids, and extended evening hours at Walt Disney World (Epcot or Magic Kingdom, depending on the night, are open for an additional 2-3 hours to Deluxe Disney resort guests and it’s truly a blast). Walt Disney World Deluxe resorts include the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, Riviera, Boardwalk, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs. Some of these resorts are even within walking distance to the theme parks- at the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian you can walk to the Magic Kingdom or catch the monorail or riverboats, or at the Beach Club or Boardwalk you can watch or catch a friendship boat to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. At Disneyland, the premium priced/optioned resorts are the OG Disneyland hotel and the Grand Californian, and you can easily and quickly walk to Disneyland or California Adventure (the Grand Californian has its own private entrance to California Adventure)!
Ways to save money on Disney Resorts
Using a Travel Planner
As covered in the budgeting section, it’s best to either work with a Disney travel planner or check the Disney website or emails to see if discounts are being offered. Travel Planners are FREE and can help you find deals, pick the best hotel and hotel rooms, get hard-to-get Disney Dining reservations, and more!
Renting DVC Points
Another way to save, if you want to stay at a Deluxe Disney resort, is to work with a Disney Vacation Club rental group like DVC Rental Store.
Here’s How it Works:
DVC members who have extra points rent them out to these groups who then rent them out to you, saving you as much as 65% (depending on the resort and season that you book) on a Deluxe resort.
You don’t get the benefit of having a low $200 down payment and paying over time as you do with the Disney packages, and options in California are quite limited as there are only 2 Deluxe resorts, but you can save some serious cash on Deluxe accommodations.
Good Neighbor Hotels
If all of the above don’t fit your style or are out of your budget, you can check out the Good Neighbor Hotels at Walt Disney World or Disneyland.
Here’s the official list of Good Neighbor Hotels for:
Some benefits of these include:
- early park entry (always check to be sure they haven’t changed this policy and that your hotel is included before you book)
- free transportation
- sometimes free breakfast (you will NEVER get free breakfast at any Disney resort hotel), and a lower price tag
- within close proximity to the parks (especially at Disneyland).
4. Book Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs)
Disney allows you to make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) 60 days in advance. I highly recommend making them at that 60-day mark if you want to book a popular signature ADR like Cinderella’s Royal Table (you get to eat inside Cinderella’s Castle and meet so many princesses), Space 220 (you can travel up to space and truly feel like you are on a spaceport) or any popular character meal like Akkershus in Norway (Epcot), Garden Grill in The Land at Epcot, or Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Even if you don’t want one of those top-booked ADRs, all Disney Resort or Park Restaurant ADRs can be competitive.
Here’s what to do:
- Get on the My Disney Experience app early at 5:45 a.m. ET (eastern standard time) the morning of your 60 days and have your credit card ready!
- If you prefer to use the phone (407 WDW DINE) it will be a longer wait and you won’t be able to book until 7 a.m. ET. Because of this, you may miss out on some hard-to-get reservations.
- The same rule applies to Disneyland, except they have fewer options. Getting reservations for certain places (Blue Bayou or Carnation Cafe) is difficult, so get on the Disneyland app (they do not use the My Disney Experience app) at 6 a.m. PT, or a bit earlier, 60 days in advance.
If you aren’t able to get that coveted ADR don’t worry- there are ways to get them later!
I love using MouseWatcher or Touring Plans Reservation Finder when I need to book a hard-to-find Walt Disney World ADR or if I want to find something at the last minute. These services (it’s a very small fee) alert you when they find an ADR you are looking for.
But you need to book it yourself, so be sure to have notifications from these companies at the ready on your phone. Check out my complete blog on three of my favorite Disney Dining Reservation Finder Tools and apps.
You can also often find last-minute reservations for any of the parks on the park apps, as many people cancel or change their reservations as close as one hour before. So be sure to check and refresh on either the My Disney Experience or the Disneyland app the day of, as you may get lucky!
5. Familiarize Yourself with the Disney App
Speaking of the apps, the official Disney app for your respective coast is a powerful tool for your trip (My Disney Experience- or MDE– for the Florida parks and the Disneyland app for California)! Use it to check wait times, reserve attraction times if you are using Genie Plus, access interactive park maps, make dining changes, and stay updated on the latest park information- like character meet and greets, parade schedules, shows, and more.
For a complete rundown on how to use My Disney Experience, check out my free MDE tools guide by using the form on the right sidebar!
6. Get to know the Genie
Haven’t you always wanted your own personal Genie (I wish..)- well, here’s your chance!
Disney Genie Plus was introduced after the pandemic and replaced the prior Fast Pass system (RIP Fast Pass plus- we miss you, buddy). It’s a paid system (versus Disney Genie, which is a free itinerary builder on the MDE or Disneyland apps) where you can select from a number of Disney attractions, a return time, and skip the line (though sometimes there is still a short line to wait in).
Disney Genie + is ONLY accessible in the park through the Disney app so be sure to download the app and play around with it ahead of time (more to come on Disney Genie Plus in the next tip).
Certain attractions are part of the Genie Plus system (more at Walt Disney World than Disneyland), and the most popular attractions are what they call “Individual Lighting Lane” attractions (and yes this system is very confusing- don’t fret if you feel overwhelmed, you are in good company) that you have to pay for individually.
What you Need to Know about using Disney Genie:
- Genie +: At Magic Kingdom there are 23 attractions on Genie +, at Epcot 11, Hollywood Studios 14, and at Animal Kingdom 11; at Disneyland resort there are 11, and California Adventure there are 8. Prices will vary based on the season and the park, but you pay one fee and you have access to booking all of the attractions BUT this is based on availability, so book early and often.
- Individual Lightning Lane attractions: The price can vary on average from $15-$22 per attraction at Walt Disney World Parks and the attractions include popular ride like Seven Dwarfs MineTrain and Tronat Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot, Star Wars Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, and Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom. At the Disneyland parks the prices can range on average from $18-$25 per attraction and include Star Wars Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disneyland, and Radiator Springs Racers at California Adventure. Keep in mind these prices will vary based on the season you are going, with the most expensive times being the busiest seasons listed in tip #1.
- Genie + rules: Guests are able to select return times — for 1 ride at a time with a 1-hour arrival window — for as many of the included attractions as they like. You can make your next selection when you’ve either tapped into your Lightning Lane attraction OR 120 minutes have passed since you have made your original selection. You can only ride each attraction once using Genie +. You likely will be able to get 3-6 attractions out of your Genie + purchase, more if you have a long day planned. Combining Genie + with rope dropping (getting to the park at least a half hour before park opening) is the best strategy.
- Individual Lightning Lane rules: You can only buy an individual Lightning Lane for each ride once per day. So each guest gets up to two distinct individual Lightning Lanes each day. That’s a total for all parks- so if you park hop, keep that in mind.
7. Create a Park Itinerary
Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom
With multiple theme parks, each offering unique experiences, creating a well-thought-out park itinerary is super important.
Organize your days according to park hours, parades, shows, and character meet-and-greets. Leave some flexibility and be sure to include breaks in your schedule to accommodate spontaneous moments of magic though, as if you are too planned you will be left feeling exhausted and rushed (and hot usually).
- Itinerary Planners: I love to use TouringPlans.com to create my itineraries. The subscription cost is very affordable, and you can even schedule break times and gear your plans towards less walking or less wait times! Be sure to consult your travel party as discussed in tip #1 and try to hit everyone’s top 3. But don’t overschedule—you can’t do it all. Take your time and soak up the wonder!
- Park strategy: As noted above, I highly recommend getting to the parks early. This is called rope dropping because they used to literally drop a rope- now, the poor cast members have to stand in front of the crowd instead.
- By early, I mean 30-60 minutes before the park opens. If you are using the early entry perk for Disney resort guests and certain Good Neighbor hotels, arrive 30 minutes before early entry starts. This will allow you to do 1-3 attractions (depending on how popular the attraction you choose first is) before the big crowds hit, and the weather is usually better. You can then take an afternoon siesta at your resort and head back for an evening of fun!
- Pro tip: In the evening, try to ride outdoor attractions during the fireworks- you can watch them from the ride and get shorter lines.
- Virtual Queues: These virtual line reservations are usually only available for new attractions.
- Head to the app, My Disney Experience for Walt Disney World, or the Disneyland App for Disneyland. More on this above!
- Go to the virtual queue section.
- If you are a Disney resort guest, hop on the app at 6:55 a.m. and refresh the screen until the virtual queue opens. Then, cross your fingers that you will get a morning return time for the attraction (meaning you will be able to go in the morning).
- If you don’t get a return time don’t worry! There is an afternoon option also, usually at 1 p.m., so be sure to try again if you miss out on a morning virtual queue. Sometimes they even have an evening option if you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours.
8. Pack only what you need- but what will you need?
Disney packing- suitcases packed for Disney trip
Ensure you pack essentials like comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, ponchos, and portable chargers. Don’t forget to bring Disney-themed clothing and accessories if you want to fully throw yourself into the Disney-verse!
For a detailed list- check out my Ulitmate Disney Packing guide. This post covers everything you need to know about Disney packing,
And be sure to join my newsletter group and get the Disney Packing Checklist straight to your inbox!
9. Capture the Memories
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT
From iconic castle shots to your favorite character meet-and-greets, you’ll want to preserve your magical memories of a Disney Trip.
One extra I highly recommend is purchasing Memory Maker ahead of time.
I know the costs can be overwhelming with tickets, rooms, and food…but Memory Maker gives you free Disney photo pass downloads. This is the term for when Disney has staged photos in front of attractions, icons like Cinderella’s Castle and the Tree of Life, and even includes character meet-and-greet pictures!
The few times I did not purchase a memory maker, I ended up buying photo pass pictures later, and they were even more pricey then.
But you can buy the Photo Pass pictures one by one if you like. The Cast Members will sometimes take a picture with your camera if you ask them to.
What I love about Photo Pass is the Cast Members will often do magic shots (like the one above with Remy) and they are always so fun!
The Wrap Up
By following this ultimate Disney trip-planning guide, you’ll be well-prepared to embark on a magical adventure that will stay with you for a lifetime. From making strategic reservations to creating unforgettable memories, your trip to Disney will be filled with wonder and enchantment.
So, gather your loved ones, dust off your Mickey’s ears, and get ready to unleash the magic that awaits you at the happiest (or most magical depending on where you go) place on Earth!
This blog was all about how to plan a Disney Vacation.
You may also want to check out:
- 11 Must-Have items for your Ulitmate Disney Packing List
- The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney Vacation on a Budget
- How to Make the Best Disney World Vacation Budget Planner
Shelley has been going on Walt Disney World trips since she was a toddler growing up in South Florida. Since then, she has expanded her interests and passion to include Disneyland and runDisney trips. She is a Disney College of Knowledge-certified Travel Planner, runner, Physician, mom of three, and all-around Disney fan. She believes the magic is in the details of any Disney or runDisney trip!
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