How I Plan for Our Walt Disney World Vacation
Since 2023, my family has gone on an Annual Walt Disney World Vacation. As you start to think about planning your own vacation, I figured I’d give you some insight on how I plan ours.
Our preferred time of year to travel is January. We celebrate 3 birthdays that month, the Holidays are behind us, and the New England chill is something we are ready to get a break from. Historically, that means we are booking our trip in the late Spring (May) or early summer (June) when Disney releases Room Only and Package rates for the following year. If you are planning on booking for the Holiday Season (November/December) those dates are typically released late Summer/early Fall of the year prior.
As soon as bookings open, I search for our dates. While I don’t live and die by Crowd Calendars, I do refer to a few. I typically look at WDW Prep School, Undercover Tourist and Thrill Data. The beginning of January still has some leftover Holiday crowds and RunDisney hosts Marathon weekend. Then the Cheer Competition is hosted at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Given all this, we look for dates in the second half of the month. Once I’ve determined our travel dates, I lock them in with a $200 deposit. That is all you need to put down for a Walt Disney World Package.
I am, currently, an Annual Passholder. My renewal date for my pass is in September. Year to year I have to look at the price increase and travel plans and determine if renewing is “worth” it. So, I typically book a Package deal for my family in the Spring. If I determine I am renewing my pass come the Fall, I simply modify my Package to a Room Only Reservation. This is because everyone on a Package reservation has to have the same ticket type.
As far as accommodations, we almost always choose The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. We love the Fort because it is off the beaten path, so rest days feel separate from the hustle and bustle of the Parks. The Cabin sleeps 6 people, has cute Chip and Dale theming. and has a bedroom with a door. It has a full kitchen and refrigerator. We love to breakfast in the room and pack snacks, even cooking dinner on some of our Rest Days. There is outdoor space on the deck, with a picnic table.
The Fort is very large, so it does have an internal bus system. We choose to rent a golf cart to get around (an added expense of around $75/day) and I call to reserve ours as soon as we have a Cabin reservation. Complimentary Transportation includes a boat to Magic Kingdom (green flag), boat to Disney’s Contemporary Resort or Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (blue flag) and buses to the other 3 Parks and Disney Springs. From Disney Springs you can connect to a bus to Typhoon Lagoon. If you want to go to Blizzard Beach, you take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and transfer to a bus to that water park.
For Park Tickets, we typically book at least 4 park days. For family trips, we usually book One-Park-Per Day instead of Park Hoppers. Our kids are 5 and 6 years old. We don’t stay until Park Close, and find there is more than enough to do in each Park to give us a full day of activity. Our trips are also long enough to allow each Park their own day. This is why we don’t choose Park Hoppers. The one exception was a trip we took in June of last year. We did 3 Park Days and the girls couldn’t decide which Park to skip, so I purchased them Park Hoppers and we did Animal Kingdom and EPCOT in one day, giving Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom their own days. This was during Cool Kids’ Summer when kid tickets were 50% off so I felt I could justify the price of the Park Hopper for only one day of hopping.
Once I’ve booked our Package, I wait. I wait for discounts to be announced. When you book a package, your Park Ticket price is locked in. If ticket prices go up, you still pay the original booking price. However, if room discounts become available, you can change your package to include those savings. If a ticket deal is released, you can modify your Package to a Room Only and get your tickets separately using that deal. For my January dates, those Special Offers usually appear late Summer/Early Fall.
60 Days out from the start of our Vacation I am logged into my account at midnight EST if I plan to book any Enchanting Extras, and again at 7 a.m. EST to book dining for the duration of my vacation (known as ADRs, or Advance Dining Reservations.)
30 Days out from the start of our Vacation, if I’ve booked a package, I’m making sure I’m paid up. Room Only Reservations can be paid upon arrival for check-in. I’m also considering my grocery order, and getting it in sometime in the month before we leave. We use Vacation Grocery Delivery, but there are lots of options to choose from.
7 Days out from the start of our Vacation is a very exciting day for us, it is Lightning Lane Day. We book our Lightning Lane Multipass selections (3 in advance) and any Lightning Lane Single Passes (up to 2 a day) at 7 a.m. EST. The kids love reviewing their favorites and deciding which 3 they want to prioritize. Of note, if you stay off site, your Lightning Lane Day is 3 days prior to your first Park Day.
This is usually the time I check the weather and we pack or adjust our packing. Well, the girls and I do, my husband is a night before or day of packer. I plan and make checklists months in advance and then pull the bags out 1 to 2 weeks before travel. What can I say? Opposites attract.
Then, our final countdown begins!
Key Takeaways for YOUR Vacation
I hope you found this helpful. As always, reach out with questions if you have any.
Happy Planning,
Jody
