- Set a budget. There is no denying that a Disney vacation is an expensive vacation. With a little bit of preplanning, it is possible to have a great time at a Disney park without breaking the bank. The more flexible you can be with when you visit and where you stay, the easier it will be to stay within the budget. A knowledgeable travel agent will work to get you the best bang for your buck by keeping an eye out for deals and applying them to your reservation even after you have booked.
- Decide when you will travel and for how long. The dates you choose can make a huge difference in the experience you will have. There are certain long weekends in the US that dramatically affect the traffic in the parks, so I recommend avoiding Easter, President's Day and Thanksgiving (among others) if possible. If you are only able to travel during school holidays, you can expect larger crowds and longer wait times. That doesn't mean that you can't have an amazing time, but traveling at these peak times just requires more patience and planning.
- Choose where you will stay. There are so many choices in accommodations that it can be a little overwhelming to navigate them. Your budget will help narrow it down, but there can be several choices within each price range. On site hotels are generally more expensive than off site, but remember that price doesn't necessarily equal value. It is important to weigh the onsite perks against the price difference for off site. For example, Disney's Magical Express transportation from the Orlando International Airport is included in the price of your resort, but staying off site will require you to take a shuttle, UBER or rent a car. Using the included on site Disney Transportation saves the cost of a car rental and parking at the hotel, but can eat a lot of time.
- Decide how you will get to Orlando. Depending on where you are coming from, you may choose to fly or drive to Walt Disney World. If you choose to fly, shop around and check different airlines and even different airports to try and get the best deal. Sometimes driving to an airport a little farther away can save quite a bit of money in airfare. Make sure to consider baggage and other fees when choosing an airline - a budget airline may end up costing you more as most charge for every checked bag and some charge for carry-ons as well.
- Choose the best tickets for you. Planning your "must-do's" will give you an idea of which tickets you will need. I feel like a One Park Per Day ticket is fine for most travelers, especially first time visitors. The upcharge for a Park Hopper ticket is pricey, but can be worth the cost if you are looking to do more than one day at a park, but not two full days. If water parks or golf are on your priority list, purchasing the Park Hopper Plus option may be the best value for you.
- Consider dining options. If you are looking to eat at full-service restaurants, you will want to book those as early as you can. The Advanced Dining Reservations open 180 days before arrival date and allow you to book 10 days of reservations on that day if staying on site (if you are staying off site, you will have to book each reservation 180 days before the dining date). Many of the more popular restaurants book up very quickly at that 180 day mark, so knowing where you would like to eat beforehand will allow you or your travel agent to get those bookings as soon as the window opens.
- Plan your FastPass+ strategy. If you are staying on site, you can make your FastPass+ selections 60 days before arrival and you can make 14 days worth of FastPass+ at that time. This window drops to 30 days if you are staying off site. Knowing which attractions are most important to you ahead of time will help to speed up the process on that booking day as many fill up quickly. I know what you're thinking, how will I know what I want to do that far in advance? I suggest reading articles, watching YouTube videos and talking to friends and family to make your list and then get any and all of the FastPass+ reservations you can for the top rides as soon as your booking window opens. You can always make changes after booking, but at least you know that you have some reservations made if you aren't able to find anything else later.
- Countdown! Mark the days off on the calendar, celebrate "milestone" days with Disney themed activities or movies or whatever creative way you can come up with to build the excitement and anticipation for your trip! Tickers like the one above are available at www.magicalkingdoms.com.
