Planning Made Easy

So you have decided that you are going to take the plunge.  Congratulations!

Now what?

Here are a few simple steps (an outline so to speak) to plan your perfect Disney Vacation.

Step 1: Set your budget
This seems pretty self explanatory right?  Wrong.  Set a budget, otherwise you can get in over your head quick.  Plus, your budget determines lodging, food choices, days at parks, which parks, etc.

Step 2: Determine When
The beauty of traveling with little ones is that our kids aren't in school yet.  This gives us a lot of flexibility.  And, because they are so small, swimming is not a big deal.  The best times to travel with tots is September (when US kids have gone back to school) and January (after the 1st week).

I say it's the best time, because it is the least crowded.  Just keep in mind that September is still hurricane season in Florida. A great resource to research crowd levels is Undercover Tourist.  They have a crowd calendar by month, week and day.

Step 3: Pick a place to stay
This one is much more complex. You have so many options (and I've done them all).

You can stay onsite.  There are many perks to staying in a Disney resort.  There is transportation (or free parking at the parks if you choose to drive, which we do), extra magic hours, dining discounts may be available, and much, much more.

You can stay offsite at a hotel.  There are a lot of hotels in the Orlando area that offer great deals (many which are close to Downtown Disney).  So how do you find out about the deals?  Subscribe to the newsletters of Allears.net and Mousesavers.com.  Many hotels offer special discounts to subscribers of these. September and January are low seasons for hotels as well and they offer great discounts.

Another offsite option is vacation rentals by owner.  It takes a bit of time to sift through all the condos/villas and determine location, etc.  We found a villa that was 2.5 miles from the Magic Kingdom for $420/week in January.

Step 4: Food
Often, Disney will run a promotion for free dining at some point in the fall.  This year it is select weeks September through December, but you have to book by September 15th.

If you do not have free dining than consider what your food budget is and plan accordingly. You can choose a dining plan or pay out of pocket.  Often you can have breakfast in your hotel/villa and pack lunch to have at the parks (remember to pack those snacks!).

One thing I will say is that at Disney, the World is your oyster and the food is fantastic at the table service restaurants.  And there are so many to choose from.  Research, research research.

Once you've determined where you want to eat, schedule it ASAP (via website or by calling reservations).  Reservations open up 180 days in advanced.   Popular eateries like Ohana or Cinderella's Royal Table tend to fill up fast, even during the slower months.

Step 5: Sign up for My Disney Experience
Go to the Walt Disney World website and sign up for My Disney Experience (it's also an app).  This is a great way to research food, events, parks, etc.  You can make reservations and have it all linked in one place.  If you are an organizer, this is for you.

I am a planner and usually start planning my Disney vacation 6-9 months in advanced.  The beauty of a Disney vacation is that there is so much to do!  You can meet the needs of everyone in your family.