Walt Disney World is one of the most visited amusem*nt parks in Florida, and it is easy to see why. It is the most magical place on earth! Disney World consists of four theme parks, two water parks, a shopping district, numerous resorts, and golf courses (both mini and traditional). Preparing for a trip to Disney World can be overwhelming! That is why we have come up with a fully comprehensive Disney World World Planning Guide.
It should not only answer many of the questions you have, but should also help you get started thinking about everything from when to travel to how much to budget for.
When you look at the Disney World Map, you can see where the theme parks are in relation to each other along with the Skyliner and Monorail system.
It is pretty spread out, but all contained within the Disney bubble.
If you have never been to Disney World, I can tell you that you can easily spend a week in the Disney bubble and not see everything there is to see.
The main thing you will want to do is make sure that you hit all four of the major theme parks as each one is completely different and offers unique experiences.
In order for you to make the most of your time at Disney World in Florida, you are going to want to do some planning in advance.
While planning that trip to Disney World might seem overwhelming, you don’t have to do it alone!
We are sharing our full guide to planning your Disney World vacation to help you get started.
Feel free to also join our Disney Insider Tips Facebook group & ask questions.
There are plenty of us who have been to Disney World that can help you navigate the parks.
Guide for Planning Your Disney World Vacation
When you are getting started with our Disney World planning guide, there are a few questions that you need to consider.
These are crucial questions that will determine the course of your vacation:
1. When will You Go to Disney World?
Everyone has theirfavorite times to vacation in Disney World, whether it is because of the weather, holidays, or crowds.
What you need to know is that Disney World is pretty crowded year-round, but certain times are better to go to Disney because the crowds are fewer.
This is when a Disney Crowd Calendar comes in handy. It lets you know when to go to the parks and when to avoid them.
Most people planning a Disney World vacation go in the summer when the kids are out of school.
Disney knows this and prices those tickets at a premium rate.
Something else you should factor in when planning a Disney World vacation is the special events Disney has throughout the year.
Disney World Special Events
- EPCOT Festival of the Arts
- EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
- EPCOT Food & Wine Festival
- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
- EPCOT Festival of the Holidays
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
You may want to take part in the events to steer clear of the parks because they are some of the most crowded times of the year.
Make sure that you keep up with this list of events when planning your trip dates!
2. What Disney World Parks Will You Visit?
There seems to be confusion for those who have never been to Disney World as to which parks are part of the Disney World theme park system.
- Walt Disney World has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
- There are two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
- There is also a shopping, dining, and entertainment district: Disney Springs
- Disney has its own 18 Hole Golf Courses: Disney’s Palm, Magnolia, Oak Trail and Lake Buena Vista
- There are two Disney-owned mini golf courses: Winter Summerland and Fantasia Gardens.
You will definitely want to familiarize yourself with the layout of the Disney World Parks in proximity to the Disney Resorts.
Knowing how large Disney World is, you will need to plan how many days you will need at Disney World.
This will most likely be based on two things: vacation budget & time.
Ideally, you should spend 7 days in Disney World. The longer your stay, the better deal you are going to get.
We know that not everyone has 7 days of vacation to burn or money in the bank to fund such a lengthy stay at Disney World.
If you don’t have 7 days, I would suggest that plan for at least 4-5 days if you want to be able to adequately see all four parks (5 if you want to add in a water park).
3. What is Your Disney World Budget?
When you plan a trip to Disney World, you really should start with a budget.
Many factors will determine how much a trip to Disney World will cost.
This includes where you will stay, how many Disney park tickets you will need, and the time of year you plan to go to Disney World.
A good average cost for a family of four traveling to Disney World would be $150-300 per night for a hotel stay and $110 per person, per ticket per person.
You should also factor in the cost of food and Disney World parking ($30 unless staying at a Disney Resort) per day.
4. Where Will You Stay?
Staying at a Disney World Resort
If you choose to stay at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts, then you will most likely purchase a Disney Resort Package that gives you a resort stay and tickets to the park.
There are many benefits to staying at a Disney Resort, but the best perks are:
- Extra Park Hours
- Advanced Dining Reservations
- Transportation
Once you decide to stay on Disney property, you will need to decide which of the Disney resorts is best for your family.
Disney has three tiers of resorts: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Within each category, there are also different price variations based on the type of room and views.
Many resorts only sleep four, while other Disney resorts can sleep five comfortably. There are even suites available for those with larger or extended families.
Be sure to study each of the different Disney resorts carefully to make sure the one you choose can meet your needs.
Staying Off Disney Property
If you are looking to travel to Disney World on a budget, one of the main ways to save money is to stay off Disney property.
You will find plenty of nice resorts and rentals in the area.
We have often stayed off-property at Windsor Hills, a gated community closest to Animal Kingdom. It has wonderful amenities and gives us lots of room to spread out!
The only main difference when staying off-property is that you will have to purchase your Disney World park tickets separately and provide your own transportation (sometimes).
No matter whether you choose to stay on Disney property or not, you will still get some of these same perks:
- Use of the Genie+ Service
- Ability to purchase individual Lightning Lane entrances
- Photopass service (if you choose to purchase)
5. Do you need a Disney Dining Plan?
One of the most challenging parts of Disney World vacation planning is meals.
There are many different types of restaurants and they span from counter service to table service.
If you book a Disney World Resort package, you will have the opportunity to choose (if you wish) to take part in the Disney Dining Plan.
Depending on the Disney Dining plan level you choose, you will pay one price to receive a certain number of meals per day during your stay.
For some, these meal plans are a great way to try out different restaurants and can be a wonderful value if you are a foodie or want to have a sit-down meal once per day.
For others (especially those with small children) the Disney Dining Plan can be a waste of money.
Walt Disney World Planning Guide Timeline
Once you have the details of your Disney World Vacation planned, then you are ready to start with the fun part!
6-12 months out
- Choose vacation dates and determine whether or not your vacation will fall on any of the Walt Disney World festivals or events. Add tickets (if needed) for those events you wish to take part in.
- Make either a reservation at a Disney Resort (get the best price on a Disney World Resort Package) or book a stay at an off-site resort/ hotel. If staying off Disney property, go ahead and purchase your Disney park tickets online
- Determine which parks you will go to on which days. This is important for the next step in the planning process.
- Book your Disney dining reservations. Disney dining usually opens 180 days before your park visit. If you wish to dine at some of the more popular Disney restaurants, you must book these reservations early. You can always change them at a later date.
- If attending a special ticketed event, book your tickets online.
3 months out
- Begin reading up on the most popular rides and attractions at each park you are visiting and make a list of your top choices.
- Want to get Disney MagicBands? This is the time to buy them so that they can be sent to you before your trip and you can connect them to your Disney account.
1 month out
- If you purchased new shoes to wear to Disney World, start getting them worn in so you won’t have sore feet on your trip!
- Those who are considering using the Disney Genie+ service can still add it to their vacations up to the day they arrive.
7 days out
One week out from your time in Disney World should finalize your trip details!
- Those staying on Disney resort property should go through the online check-in process to make sure your Disney Resort reservation is correct. The online check-in will allow you to go straight to your room on the day of your arrival and bypass the traditional check-in desk experience.
- Make sure that you have copies of all Disney tickets. I suggest taking pictures of all Disney (card) tickets. In the event you lose a ticket, this is the only way to get them replaced when you go to guest services.
- Start packing for your Disney vacation. We have a great Disney World packing list you might find worth checking out.
Planning a vacation to Disney World is a lot of work, so we hope that this Walt Disney World planning guide helps take some of the guesswork out of it!
