fbpx

DISNEY WORLD PLANNING 101

 

If you’ve been googling how to plan your Disney vacation then you are probably thinking that it would be easier to earn your Ph.D.  But don’t be discouraged.  Yes! You can plan your Disney vacation, hit all your must dos and have a great time without overdoing the planning.

 

If you want to enjoy your vacation at Disney then yes, some planning must be done.  But over planning your vacation is just as much of a mistake as not planning at all.

 

Here is a list of your Must Dos:

Choose When to Go:

 

If you have the luxury of being able to choose when to go then you can plan to go at low peak times throughout the year.  Going at a low peak time if often a great way to save money and not to mention less stressful.  If the crowds are lower, then it will easier to plan and you can be more spontaneous.  If you want to choose a low peak time to go then read our blog “Best Times to go to Disney World.”  If you have a set date that you are traveling, whether it be what you’ve already coordinated with other family, around school or around work. Then let’s go to the next choice.

 

Be sure to reference any special events that are going on during your stay.  These can often cause higher crowds.  Marathon days, holiday events, spring break (or any school break for that matter) can all affect your planning.

Choose Where to Stay:

 

Once you know when you are traveling, then decide where you want to stay.  Maybe you have friends in the area or a time share already planned out.  If so, skip to Step #3.  If not, let’s look at the options.  You can stay On Property or Off Property.  There are pros and cons to both.

 

Staying On Property:

 

I personally prefer to stay on property when we travel to Disney World and here’s why.  Time is money at Disney World.  You’ve planned the whole day.  You’ve paid for your tickets.  And you want to spend as much time as possible doing what you came to do.  Having fun.  If you stay off property then you have to consider travel time to and from the park.  You are paying the same amount of money for your ticket if you spend 1 hour in the park vs. spending a whole day in the park.  You have to consider, is it worth it to you to save that money on the hotel at the cost of giving up part of your vacation time?

The Pros of Staying on Property

 

Extra Magic Hours (EMH)

 

This is a magical perk that’s reserved solely for guests of a Disney Resort.  Each day on property guests get extra time in the parks.  Either an extra hour in the morning or an extra couple of hours in the evening.  These are great times for enjoying the parks with less crowds and getting on those rides with less wait times.  Typically, there is one or 2 parks a day that will have EMH scheduled.  These times show up on the operating hours for the day at WDW.

 

While these are great times to visit the park, consider this when planning, the parks with EMH for that day will likely have higher crowds in the park during the normal operating hours due to more guests attending that park to take advantage of the EMH.  If you have a park hopper, it is usually best to go for the morning EMH and if the park gets crowded, switch to another, lower crowd park. Or start the day in another park and show up a couple of hours prior to the evening EMH at the other park.

Fast Passes

 

Those guests staying on property are also able to make their fast pass+ reservations 30 days earlier than the general public.  This means they get first choice when getting fast passes and will have more flexibility in their itineraries.

Free Transportation on Property

 

When staying on property you don’t have to worry about transportation.  Disney has an extensive bus system that will take you from your resort to the parks, water parks or Disney Springs.  There’s no need to drive your car or get lost.  Most buses run every 15-20 minutes, so you can arrive or leave the parks on your own schedule.

Magical Extras

 

If you are staying on property, did you know you could get a wake up call from Mickey Mouse, or family movie nights in the evenings, or trivia by the pool, pool parties?  This, and many more magical extras are available if you stay on property.

Free Transportation on Property

 

When staying on property you don’t have to worry about transportation.  Disney has an extensive bus system that will take you from your resort to the parks, water parks or Disney Springs.  There’s no need to drive your car or get lost.  Most buses run every 15-20 minutes, so you can arrive or leave the parks on your own schedule.