As someone who has been to Walt Disney World more than two dozen times in her lifetime, some friends and family have begun to come to me as their resident Disney expert. And while I appreciate their trust in me to plan their trips, the truth is that I constantly have to relearn how planning a Disney trip works.
Every year, there seems to be a new thing to understand about putting together a Walt Disney World trip, from FastPasses (I miss them so) to the Disney Dining Plan (is it back yet?). I spend a lot of time researching what’s happening in the parks, so I know just how overwhelming it is to try to plan a trip, especially if it’s your first time.
Unfortunately, a lot of people learn the hard way that going to Walt Disney World without doing any planning can result in a not-so-great trip. So, I’ve compiled a list of my top tips for planning a Walt Disney World trip that will hopefully make your first time an amazing one!
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7 Tips for Planning a Great First Trip to Walt Disney World
1. Research the Dates You Want to Book
Some people rely on crowd calendars to determine when they should book their Disney World vacation. Personally, I don’t take them too seriously, as they are simply predictions, which don’t always come to pass.
Crowds on one particular date can vary a lot from year to year. For instance, I love going the first week in December because you get to see all the holiday decorations, but it’s typically not as crowded as the remainder of the month. However, a friend of mine booked the same week another year and found the parks at near capacity.
Still, some things are generally true for most years. For starters, going in the summer typically means high crowd levels and very high, humid heat.
There are also events happening throughout the year that mean higher crowd levels, such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party from mid-August through early November and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party from early November through late December.
You also want to keep in mind that these separately ticketed events don’t run every night. But on the nights they do run, you’ll have to leave Magic Kingdom at 6 pm if you don’t have a party ticket, which means no fireworks that night and no late-night fun.
2. Book in Advance, But Keep an Eye Out For Discounts
Once you determine which dates you want to visit, it’s time to look into booking. Generally, Walt Disney World releases vacation packages around May or June for the upcoming year. However, you don’t necessarily need to book your hotel rooms or park tickets that far ahead of time.
In fact, Disney often releases special offers and discounts three to six months in advance. If you’re like me, you might be a little nervous about waiting that long to book your trip.
The good news is that, even if you book before the offer is dropped, you can modify your booking through the My Disney Experience app to rebook with the current offer. However, if you’re new to working with Disney technology, you may want to call up a Cast Member, or one of Disney’s representatives, to help them rebook your trip with the discount.
Many travel agencies also specifically work with Disney Parks, and they can help you get the best deal. These travel agencies don’t cost anything on your end, so they can be of great help if you’re unsure about how to get a more budget-friendly booking.
3. Set Your Alarm For 60 Days Out for Dining Reservations
If you’re not working with a Disney travel agency, you’ll most likely be doing dining bookings on your own. The best Walt Disney World restaurants tend to fill up quickly, so if you wait until the last minute to book a reservation or even try to see if they’ll take walk-ins, you’ll most likely be left disappointed, especially if you’re visiting during a busy time of the year.
However, Disney lets you book dining reservations 60 days in advance of the first day of your trip. That means that if you have a vacation planned for December 1 through 8, you can book a reservation for any day of your trip from 60 days before December 1.
These dining reservation slots drop at 6 am EST, so be sure to set your alarm to wake up early and try to grab a reservation as soon as they’re available. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve tried to book a popular restaurant at 7 am EST to find that there are already no reservations left for my trip, so I cannot stress that you need to be up by 6 am EST enough.
4. Decide If You Need the Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan disappeared for a while, but as of January 2024, it’s back in action. The Disney Dining Plan, which is only available for Disney hotel guests, provides a certain number of meal and snack credits for each night of their trip.
There are two types of Disney Dining Plans to choose from. The Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan includes two quick-service meal credits and one snack or drink credit per day. Meanwhile, the traditional Disney Dining Plan includes one table-service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack or drink per day.
While it can be a great way to keep your budget on track when it comes to dining at Disney, these plans don’t work for everyone. And if you’re not using all your credits every day, you’re really not getting your money’s worth. So, carefully consider if you’ll actually use these credits before booking.
5. Consider If You Need Genie+
Remember FastPass? Unfortunately, the days of the free FastPass system, which let you book a return time to skip long lines at the park, are behind us. Instead, we have Genie+.
Let’s break down a few important terms to know about this system. The first is that Disney also has Disney Genie, which is a free service located in your My Disney Experience app that can help you get an idea of what you might like to do each day in the parks.
It’s important not to confuse Disney Genie with Disney Genie+. Disney Genie+ is a service you pay for each day that allows you to book Lightning Lanes. You can also buy Disney Genie+ and book Lightning Lanes through My Disney Experience. These Lightning Lanes work much like FastPass did, allowing you to return to the ride or experience at a set time and, ideally, skip the long line.
Then, there are Individual Lightning Lanes, which are available for the parks’ most popular rides. These Individual Lightning Lanes are an additional cost, but the good news is you don’t need to have Disney Genie+ to get Individual Lightning Lanes.
You also pay for Disney Genie+ each day of your trip rather than buying one package that covers all the days. In fact, you can only purchase it on the day of your park visit. Not every park really needs Disney Genie+.
On my last trip, I found it very helpful in Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but we didn’t need it for Animal Kingdom or EPCOT. But you might feel differently, especially if you’re traveling with a group that may not do well with long lines.
6. Plan for Any Unique Accommodations Ahead of the Trip
Disney makes special efforts to make sure that everyone can comfortably enjoy their parks, but it’s best to plan for these accommodations in advance of your trip. If someone in your party has a disability, for instance, register for Disability Access Service (DAS) ahead of your park visit. DAS lets you book a return time to enjoy a ride or experience if you or someone you’re traveling with has difficulty standing or waiting in line.
However, keep in mind that while wheelchairs are available at all the parks, water parks, and Disney Springs, they are one thing that you cannot book in advance. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and they do sometimes run out of available options.
7. Figure Out Transportation Ahead of Time
Disney World used to provide free transportation from the Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World, but that service, called the Magical Express, no longer exists. Instead, you can pay for a service called Mears Connect, which charges a fee per rider, save for those under 3 who ride free.
Ideally, you should book this service ahead of your trip, but you are able to make on-the-spot bookings at the airport. Another option is taking a ridesharing app or cab, which I’ve found to be fairly comparable in price to Mears Connect for a family of four.
Keep in mind that if you are staying on Disney property, you will not have to worry about transportation during your vacation as Walt Disney World offers multiple free transportation options to get you around their parks and hotels. Their bus system will take you to most places, but there are also other ways to get around, including ferries, the Skyliner, and the monorail.
