There is so much involved when you are planning a Disney vacation. That’s where all the benefits of a great travel agent and this site can help. This page is a great place to start and you can find lots of information you need for planning your Disney vacation.
Booking Your Trip
Here you can find more information on how we at Magical Memory Planners plan your vacation and our free services. When you book your trip with us you will receive magical extras from Disney too. If you booked your trip directly with Disney don’t worry. If you booked in the last 30 days, you can transfer your reservation to us and receive a special gift!
You may also want to purchase a Disney guidebook. If you are traveling with preschoolers 2 to 5 years of age, I recommend Beyond the Magic.
You will have to decide what resort works best for your family and budget. You can stay on Disney property, choose a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, or rent a house or townhouse next to Disney. You can also decide on your park tickets, both the number of days and options. You may want to consider adding a dining plan and travel protection as well. Here are some tips for making the trip more affordable.
Planning Your Trip
After your trip is booked, you will get to planning. First, check all the park hours including fireworks and parades. This will help you with making your dining reservations and itinerary. Here is our suggestion for a 6 day itinerary for travel with children. This should be done 180 days in advance of arrival.* You may want to consider ordering groceries to be delivered to your resort, especially if you are traveling with children or have a villa. You’ll save a lot of space on diapers, formula, snacks, bottled water and more. You must order 36 hours or more in advance. Get all the details at Garden Grocer.
Planning on traveling with an infant? Check out my tips for traveling to Disney with an infant. I’ve done it 3 times and you can do it too!
I also have lots of tips for traveling to Disney without kids.
You may want to make an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or The Pirates League. This should also be done 180 days in advance or as soon as you know.*
If you want to plan a special night for adults then check out the options for babysitters in Walt Disney World and Children’s Activity Centers.
Keep in mind the Disney timeline and important dates. 180 days for dining and experiences, 60 days for FastPasses, and 30 days for final payment.*
*Due to the phased reopening of Disney this timeline has changed. For 2020 and 2021, dining can be booked 60 days before travel and the final payment is due 30 days before travel. FastPasses are not currently available.
What to Pack
You might want to bring some travel essentials along including a travel journal and an autograph mat. Check out this great Disney Gear if you want matching shirts for your family or kids. Here are some great tips for packing your carry-on too!
Getting to Disney
Your trip will start out easy with Disney’s Magical Express, a free service provided by Disney to transfer you from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to your resort. You can also rent a car or pay for a private transfer.
Enjoying the Magic
Obviously, the most important part of the trip is enjoying your time there. Don’t try to have fun by doing everything, just have fun at everything you do. You may want to enjoy some of the free activities outside of the park while you take a day off or just relax by the pool. Remember everyone needs this downtime, especially the kids. You may also enjoy a Disney Scavenger Hunt.
Disney also has some special events you may consider, but be sure to purchase your tickets ahead to save a little money and ensure availability. In the fall they have Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and then Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party when it gets closer to the holidays. There are also free events such as Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring and the Food and Wine Festival in the fall. You can purchase Disney special event tickets through Magical Memory Planners as well.
If you lose something while at Disney, you can contact Disney Lost and Found. It may take a few days for your item to get there so if they don’t have it the first time you call you may want to call back. On average we found it took a week for them to locate our item.
Happy planning and have a magical vacation!
