Did you know before COVID-19, Disney World welcomed over 57,000 guests per day?
If you’re about to be one of the lucky families that take a trip to a Disney property in the coming months, you’ll want to plan accordingly to make your trip as magical as possible. This is especially the case if you’re coming from out of town and are spending several days on or near one of the properties.
In this blog post, we’ll give a brief overview of how to plan your perfect Disney vacation so that you can maximize your fun and minimize your stress. Read on for more information.
Budget Budget Budget
Unless you’re a millionaire, visiting a Disney park can blow through your money relatively quickly. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on vacation, especially if you’re a family, without realizing it.
Budget for everything, and for every day, and have a little bit of extra wiggle room for unexpected expenses. You’ll want to budget not only for your hotel, food, snacks, and park tickets but also for things like extra sunscreen, souvenirs, and drinks you may need to cool you down on a hot day.
When budgeting for food and snacks, have a look at some of the menus at the Disney park you’ll be visiting and get an idea of how much a meal will cost. You can also visit Disney guides to help you determine which meal venues are more expensive and less expensive. Food can be expensive in the parks, so knowing how much things cost ahead of time can avoid the sticker shock when you’re desperate for a bottle of water mid-day.
You can also work with Disney hacks, like joining the Disney Vacation Club if you’re a regular or renting Disney Vacation Club points. This DVC points chart helps you see what points get you at the Orlando property if you’re renting unused Disney Vacation Club points to save some money.
Make a List of Your Top Priority Attractions
While ideally, you want to see everything, this may not be possible due to time constraints and crowds. This is especially the case if you’re visiting Disney World, which has several parks with separate admission to each one. If your budget doesn’t allow you to visit all of the parks, you may want to make a list of the ones you have your heart set on.
If you’re under time constraints and only have one day, for example, to visit the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, make a list of the rides or attractions you don’t want to miss. Unless you luck out and go on a day where there are no crowds, you won’t be able to visit every attraction that catches your eye. Instead, make your list so you will avoid disappointment.
You should also be aware that sometimes attractions are closed for repair or other reasons. As such, before you head off on your vacation, make sure your favorite rides or attractions aren’t on the list. If they are, you’ll at least know ahead of time, and you can explain this to your little ones to avoid a meltdown on the day.
Book Fast Passes to Your Must-See Attractions
Fast passes can be booked 60 days in advance and can be a bit stressful. They fill up fast and can be like getting tickets to your favorite likely-to-sell-out concert.
At Walt Disney World, the fast passes go up for grabs at 7 AM local time, exactly 60 days before the day you’ll be there if you’re staying at a Disney Resort or a Disney Springs hotel that comes with Disney perks. That’s why planning which property you want to visit and which rides are your “must-do” are so important.
If you’re not on a Disney property, you can only book for one day at a time. Discuss with your family or whomever you’re going with which rides are your must-see so that you can grab your fast passes as quickly as possible for the rides you can’t miss.
It’s also recommended that you book a fast pass even if the time isn’t ideal. You can actually change the time of the fast pass, and that’s a simpler process than getting the fast pass itself.
Decide What Accommodation You’re Looking For
Deciding on your accommodation can depend on a variety of things. Booking a room on Disney property has its benefits, such as Disney Perks and not having to pay for transportation to the parks. However, some other hotels nearby, as mentioned above, will also offer these perks to guests.
If you don’t plan to be in the room often, a cheap hotel room will do just fine. As long as it’s a clean place to sleep and shower, some of the lower-end hotels without a ton of amenities can work just as well. But, if you’re someone who is planning to have a day or two off the property or a day to rest, some of these amenities may be more important to you. Consider this as you make your reservations for your accommodations, as well as how family-friendly the hotels are.
Crafting Your Ultimate Disney Vacation
A Disney vacation can be a trip of a lifetime, and you want to avoid as many hitches as possible so that the entire experience is one magical memory for your family. It’s easy to get stressed or for your child to end up having a meltdown, but planning can help prevent that.
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