Decide When You'll Visit
There are special events offered at different times of year, crowd levels fluctuate, weather changes, promotional offers are released, and various rides follow pretty regular refurbishment schedules. There is no one perfect time to visit Walt Disney World, it really depends on your priorities. Your travel agent will be able to help you decide what's right for you and your travel party.
We love to visit in the fall for mild temps, low crowds and Halloween parties!
7+ Months: Resort Reservations, My Disney Experience Account, and Itinerary
After you've settled on dates you'll need to choose a resort and decide how many park days you'll need, if you want park hopper or water park options, and if you wish to add a dining plan (and if so, which one). These choices can seem overwhelming but, again, your travel agent will be able to help narrow down the choices based on your budget and preferences.
Once you've made your reservation you should set up your My Disney Experience account and download the app to your smartphone. All of your reservation information, including resort and ticket info, dining reservations, and FastPass+ times will be available at your fingertips. Be sure to add your travel agent to your list of friends who can make changes to your account so they have access to helping you with your reservations.
You'll also need a rough itinerary of what day you'll visit each park. Websites like Undercover Tourist and Touring Plans have estimated crowd calendars for each park so you can try to avoid the most crowded ones to make the most of your time in the parks. It may seem early to be thinking about these details but it's crucial for the next step on our timeline!
180 Days Before Check-In: Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs)
This is when that itinerary pays off! If you plan to do any table service meals (sit down meals, with a server) during your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort you will need reservations. So, look over your itinerary so you can make these reservations based on which parks you'll be visiting on specific days. There are a multitude of table service dining experiences in each park and at many resorts. These include character dining, themed restaurants, fine dining, dinner shows, and more! Once again, your travel agent will be able to narrow down these choices to help you make the best choice for your travel party. Many of the most popular restaurants book up quickly so you'll want to be sure to communicate your needs and get your dining wish list to your agent before that 180 day window!
If dining with Cinderella is on your "must do" list you'll need an ADR!
60 Days Before Check-In: FastPass+ Reservations
Much like dining reservations you'll need to be thinking about this one at least a week or two in advance of the actual reservation day. For those who don't know FastPass+ is your opportunity to reserve your place in line for some of Disney's most popular rides. Many attractions can have wait times of up to two hours or more during the busiest days but FastPass+ reservations allows you to avoid those long lines and spend more time having fun! The reservation line opens at midnight 60 days before you check in and some of the most popular attractions will go quickly so be sure you've given your preferences to your agent in advance!
45 Days Before Check-In/At Check-In: Final Payment
If you've booked a package then your final payment is due 45 days before check-in. If you've booked a room only reservation then your final payment is due at check-in.
30+ Days: Customize Your Magic Bands
Magic Bands are your life-line at Walt Disney World. They will open the door to your room, give you access to FastPass+ lines during your reservation window, and allow you to charge purchases to your room. The standard Magic Bands are gray but if you want to customize your band by choosing from a variety of colors and adding a name (or fun nickname) to your band this must be done AT LEAST 30 days prior to your scheduled arrival.
A rainbow of choices and the chance to rename yourself makes this step loads of fun!
ASAP: Flight Information for Magical Express
If you're flying to Orlando you'll be able to utilize the Magical Express bus service from the airport to your resort. In addition to the free, comfortable ride they'll also handle picking up your checked bags and delivering them to your room! You can choose this option upon booking without specific flight information but once your flights are booked you can then add this information to your reservation to streamline the process. You'll receive special luggage tags with your other travel documents about two weeks before your trip.
Two Weeks: Confirm Details and Ask Any Last Minute Questions
At this point you should have your travel documents, be able to view extended weather forecasts to help with packing, double check all of your reservations in your My Disney Experience account, and contact your travel agent with any questions you might have before travel.
Ongoing: ENJOY THE PROCESS!!
I know this seems like a lot to do but if you follow this time line it's spread out quite a bit so nothing piles up and you have time to really think about the kind of vacation YOU want as you plan each step. One of the most magical things about a Disney vacation is that it can be customized to suit every traveler's personality. So, relax, have fun with it, and when all else fails contact your travel agent!
Hope loves the process of planning the perfect Disney vacation almost as much as she loves taking one. Contact her at Hope@SnapshotGetaways.com or find her on Facebook for help with YOUR Disney vacation timeline!
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