Start the Countdown! 10 Steps to Planning Your Walt Disney World Vacation

Some people plan for retirement.

Disney fanatics plan their next trip to Disney World . . . the day after they return from their previous one.

Where do I fall? Well, I only recently learned that an IRA is not a military group in Ireland . . . but I do have Bay Lake, Florida saved as a weather location on my iPhone and check it everyday! Yeah, I’m one of those people.

The excitement of your next trip to Walt Disney World begins the moment you book your vacation and receive that coveted email counting down the days to the magic! I start having fun months before our trips because the planning gets us in the Disney spirit!

If you’re planning your own trip, you may not know where to start. Here is a helpful check list — in order — of 10 things you’ll need to plan for your Walt Disney World visit. It’s a great way to get the fun started before your vacation even begins!

Check/Book hotel and airlines. Compare a few dates in your desired time range to see if there’s any glaring difference in price before you check the availability of Disney accommodations. Once you know exactly when you want to visit, book your hotel and airfare. If you’re booking as a DVC member, you probably already know that you can book your home resort 11 months in advance and other properties 7 months in advance.
Book airport transportation. Renting a car is a great option for larger families who want to leave Disney property to visit other theme parks or attractions in Central Florida. (It’s also a good way to run to a store and buy cheap cases of bottled water or anything else you need!) If you do rent a car, keep an eye out for specials, as sometimes prices are much lower closer to your trip. If you plan to stay on Disney property, renting a car may not be necessary for you. Disney no longer provides complimentary airport transportation (bring back the Magical Express, Bob!) but you can book with Mears Connect for a direct shuttle between Orlando International Airport and the Disney area hotels. Babies 0-2 ride free, kids are $13, and adults are $19 (one way.)
Download the Walt Disney World app. If you already have any Disney.com account, your login info will be the same for the Disney World app. Download and use this app to plan your itinerary, book dining, link tickets, reserve Lightning Lanes, and more! Trust me, this account will be a huge help to you before, during, and even after your stay at Walt Disney World.
Make Your Must-do List. You know those rides, attractions, and shows you and your family have been talking about? Write them down! Whether it’s your 20th trip or your first, everyone has favorites or has heard of things they’d love to do and see at Walt Disney World. There’s SO much to do in this huge resort that most vacations don’t allow enough time to do it all! So make your must-do list and categorize it by park/location to make sure you don’t miss the things that are most important to you.
Park Tickets. Once you know how many days you’ll be spending in the parks, you can buy your tickets. Your plans and your budget will determine if you’d like to buy a one-park-per-day ticket or a Park Hopper, which is more expensive but allows you to visit multiple parks in the same day. Once you order your tickets you’ll get an order confirmation number, which you can link to your account on My Disney Experience. Your digital tickets will stay in the app and be right at your fingertips during your trip!
Draft an Itinerary. I always start planning every Disney vacation thinking about how many full days we have in the resort. Factor in travel days and the time of your flight or arrival and see if there is enough time on your first day for a park visit. On shorter travel days, I sometimes plan to skip the theme park (a short day doesn’t get your money’s worth) and instead plan time exploring the hotels or visiting Disney Springs. Then consult that handy must-do list you made (see #5) and make an itinerary of your ideal plans for each day of the trip. I know some people may read this and say, “I’m on vacation, I don’t want a schedule!” I get it, but remember that planning ahead for Disney enables you to do much more than if you just show up and wing it! So of course, your itinerary is flexible — especially with kids — but a basic plan helps you get more bang for your buck.
Book Your Top Dining Picks. This is one where planning ahead is a must. Restaurants — especially the popular ones — fill up long before your trip starts so you’ll definitely want to think about your dining choices in advance. In the “Things to Do” section of My Disney Experience, you can browse the hundreds of dining locations throughout Walt Disney World and its hotels, from quick service to elegant table service. If you have favorites in mind, bookmark them now. You can filter the search by location (for example, restaurants only in the Magic Kingdom) and meal type, like character dining. (If you need help picking the best spots, check out my Disney Dining Reviews post for my favorites!) Dining reservations are a must for a smooth vacation. The popular spots, especially with characters, fill up fast, so you’ll definitely want to book them from home. You can book dining reservations 60 days in advance so make a note in your phone 2 months ahead and get booking! Use your itinerary as a draft and book restaurants based on what day you’ll be in what park or hotel area. When choosing times, keep transportation in mind. If you’re booking a character breakfast at one of the parks, for example, it may take you up to an hour and a half from the time you leave your hotel, board a bus/monorail/boat, go through security, and check into the park.
Purchase a PhotoPass Memory Maker. Memory Maker gives you access to all the professional PhotoPass pictures you pose for throughout the Disney resort during this vacation. If you’re able to afford adding it on to your order, it’s definitely worth it. Disney’s PhotoPass photographers are located at all the iconic spots like Cinderella Castle, at character meet and greets, and at some rides and restaurants. At $169 on My Disney Experience, you get $30 off for purchasing Memory Maker online at least 4 days ahead of your trip. Stop for as many photos as you can and it’s worth the price, especially considering that one photo purchased individually is pretty pricey. Each time you pose for a photo, the photographer will scan your MagicBand or Phand within hours your photos are on your My Disney Experience account and downloadable for 45 days after your trip! (See why that app is useful even after you return from your vacation?!)
Book Lightning Lane. Gone are the simple, cheaper days of FastPass, but if you want to pay for quicker ride wait times, consider Lightning Lane. The new multipass system allows you to book up to 3 rides a few days ahead of your trip. Consult that must-do list and itinerary you made and read more about the new service here.
Check in! If you want to head right to your first stop upon arriving in Walt Disney World, the My Disney Experience app helps you skip the front desk completely by checking in online. If you have Magic Bands to pick up, you’ll still have to stop by the front desk, but checking in online speeds that up too. You can even get text updates if your room is cleaned and ready earlier than typical check-in time.