Here we go! Here is my take on how to plan a Disney vacation!
Disclaimer: some things are new because of Covid19, some things aren’t happening because of Covid19, some things are not affected by Covid19, I’m writing from the perspective of a non-Covid19 trip to Disney. I’ve been to the parks before and during Covid19, the parks do an excellent job cleaning facilities and making sure guests are wearing masks and following social distancing. So here we go, let’s get started on how to plan a Disney vacation!
So, you want to go to Disney World?
Like any addiction, we should have a meeting. HI, I am Bridget and am a frequent guest of Walt Disney World. There I have said it. While I do not claim to be an expert at anything, I do know what I like, and I like to go to Disney World and feel like I’ve had a positive experience and ate a snack I can’t get at home. If those two things appeal to you and your travel plans, let me share with you some tips, tricks, and stress eliminators I have picked up along the way in this guide to how to plan a Disney Vacation! For your reference, I have been to Walt Disney World three times in the past year, that’s with a Global Pandemic, I am an annual Passholder, I’ve been in the Utilidors and the Cinderella Suite. Enough about me! Let’s talk about how to plan a Disney vacation!
Say you haven’t been to the parks since you were a kid, you have a family of your own now, or are an adult looking for themed entertainment; that’s perfect! A one-day ticket to a Walt Disney World park, costs $109. Let’s see how to get the most bang for 109 bucks!
Lodging
Let’s start at the beginning when trying to learn how to plan a Disney vacation, where can we sleep! Walt Disney World has tons, and I mean tons of hotel options. They are ranked by price: value, moderate, and deluxe. Prices start at @$150 per night and go up from there. Let’s be honest, a family vacation to Walt Disney World is not cheap, so if you’re a first-time traveler, or first time-in-a-while traveler, you’re likely looking at the value hotels. I’ve stayed at two of them, All Star Movies and Pop Century. They are big, bright, and FILLED with young families. Rooms have 2 queen beds and a bathroom. These resorts have fun pools, a place to shop, and a dining hall. They, like all Disney hotels, have free transportation to and from the Orlando airport and the parks.
The moderate hotels have all those things, with a few upgrades; an optional twin-sized murphy bed for siblings who no longer want to share a bed, and a double vanity so more people can get ready. These hotels have a bit more of a refined aesthetic, and a smaller dining hall that’s more café, than cafeteria. We stayed in a moderate resort this time around, the Caribbean Beach Resort. We were placed in Jamaica!
Disney does an amazing job at decorating for all holidays, especially Christmas!
The deluxe hotels are just that, beautiful décor, more amenities, upscale dining options, and unique experiences. For example, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has wild animals just outside your room!
Walt Disney World has recently installed its Skyliner. It’s a gondola-style transportation system that connects some hotels to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. Not all hotels are on the Skyliner; for those details, plus hotel rates and info click HERE.
Food
Next up on adventures in ‘How to plan a Disney Vacation’ is Food! You’ll need some! Like I mentioned before, your hotel will have dining options available to you, but if you plan to go to the parks, you may need some intel on eating there.
Of course, there are Disney dining plans, I’m not here to sell those or share the intricacies of dining plan options, but what I can tell you is I have done Disney trips with and without a dining plan.
On the non-dining plan trip, we spent roughly $1500 on food, on a dining plan trip we purchased a roughly $1500 dining plan. Same cost, no one starved. WHEW! But what IS different is the amount of food you get for the money. We came home with a suitcase full of snacks and candy that we purchased with our remaining dining plan money because we hadn’t consumed it all according to the dining-plan plan.
Here are some tricks/tips that my husband and I employ when we are dining at Disney. When we are able to schedule our dining (Disney will tell you based on your arrival date, when you can reserve dining) we like to plan for a sit-down lunch or dinner in the park. We typically have breakfast in the hotel and then get on our way. Expect to spend @$50 on breakfast for a family of four. Disney hotels also have a reusable cup program, you purchase a souvenir cup for $20 and you can refill it with coffee, soda, and tea until your heart’s content, or until it’s time to go home. However, you now have a Walt Disney World Souvenir!
If you are traveling with kids and want to kill two birds with one stone, character dining is a win win. Have I stood in lines for hours so my kid can meet a princess/mouse/space ranger? Yes. But now I know some things…
Each park has at least one “character dining” experience. These are genius! You are feeding your kids (bird one), Mickey walks to the table and “chats” with them (bird two). Also, and here’s a proverbial third bird, air conditioning! Did I mention it gets hot in Orlando?
Now Disney isn’t going to just give you all these things for free…anticipate a meal for a family of four, to cost around $200.
If you aren’t interested in meeting Mickey with your mouth full, there are several non-character dining options as well. One thing I HAVE to have during every visit, is a Dole Whip. In Magic Kingdom they are near The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and The Jungle Cruise. If you’ve never had one, you’re missing out; if you’ve had one, you know what I’m talking about!
So, let’s talk about the parks…
Magic Kingdom
Since I just mentioned Disney’s Magic Kingdom, the most magical place on Earth…not the happiest, that’s Disneyland in California. I’ve been there too, but this article is about Disney World in Florida.
Here are a few tricks to help make your day in the Magic Kingdom more magical and less maniacal. There are security bag screenings as you enter the parks, leave any metal objects at home. I travel with an EpiPen, so I set off every metal detector, they search my bag, and I go on my way.
Once you’re in the park, but before you get to Main Street USA, someone will need a bathroom, I’ve seen it a dozen times. To your left is a large restroom, but if you came in closer to the right near the Theater, there is a small restroom in there, and it likely has no line.
OKAY!! You’ve made it to Main Street USA! The balloon people are out, the photographers are out, EVERYONE ON THE PLANET is out! Watch your step, the railway tracks will trip you as someone tries to run a stroller or rascal scooter over them. Get a photopass. Just having access to all the pictures taken on the rides as you go over the big fall is reason enough to get the photopass, but I appreciate a nice family photo taken with a decent camera that I don’t have to carry around myself too. If carrying around a camera is your thing… you do you. I’m just sharing what works for me.
Photopass is something you can purchase and set up through the MyDisney app.
Okay, back to Magic Kingdom! Just like everywhere weekends are busiest here. Plan your Magic Kingdom day for mid-week if possible. Also…when you have passed Main Street USA, go left to Adventureland, instead of right to Tomorrowland, Americans are predisposed to turn right. You’ll find smaller crowds if you run the park clockwise, as opposed to counterclockwise. There are food carts all over, so if you find yourself hungry before your scheduled dining time, you should be able to find a snack or drink to tide you over. As you are moving from Adventureland to Tomorrowland, you’ll hit my two favorite rides right away. Pirates of the Caribbean is really captivating and has been updated to keep current and is just “scary enough” for young riders, but comical enough to have everyone leave feeling lighthearted. Side note: Take a minute and look down as you walk, you’ll notice a path of brown gravel in the concrete as you pass from Frontierland to Liberty Square, that’s to represent the plumbing available in those early days. Now that you’ve landed in Liberty Square off to the left is my all-time favorite, possibly due to my Halloween birthday, The Haunted Mansion. The ride’s host, voiced by Paul Frees, has a deliciously creepy voice. Little kids may want to skip it or ride close to a family member. I find something new to appreciate each time. I have done backstage VIP tours of this ride and that’s only added to my enjoyment of the technology used to create the ghost-like imagery. If any little ones should find themselves a bit scared after The Haunted Mansion, your next stop is Fantasy Land, and its cheer and whimsy should put everyone back in good spirits. If you want a chance to see the park all lit up and if your kids are up for it, schedule a late dinner time, as in park closing time, you get to walk through an almost empty park, possibly sneak in one more ride, and get some awesome pictures.
My favorite family dining in Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s Royal Table inside Cinderella Castle, it’s a fun character experience and the cast members make your kids feel like magical royalty. If you want a non-character meal, Liberty Tree Tavern is my favorite, turkey with dressing and roast beef with gravy are served family style, and they serve hard cider there. It’s delicious!
EPCOT – Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
Epcot is my favorite park; younger kids may be less enthused.
Transportation to EPCOT will determine where you start your day in this park. If you arrive at EPCOT via the Skyliner you’ll be near France in the World Showcase, and bus transportation comes in through future world near Spaceship Earth (the big golf ball). The World Showcase is set up to give visitors a glimpse into different countries around the world. The architecture, music, dress, food, and drinks are representative of specific places around the globe. If seeing the world is on your bucket list, see the World Showcase.
There are character dining experiences in EPCOT if you have kids in varying age groups, but the rides are geared for a more experienced rider. SOARIN is in the The Land, it is an awesome ride and will appeal to all ages. For thrill seekers, rides like Mission Space and Test Track are must-do, for youngsters, the princess dining experience in Norway’s Akershus is a win, as well as riding Frozen Ever After, my kids have seen Frozen a couple of times, yours? My kids’ (who are 11 and 7) favorite ride at EPCOT is Three Caballeros in Mexico in the World Showcase, it’s a boat ride through various scenes in Mexico, hosted by Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose Carioca.
There are great food and beverage options in EPCOT, and you will likely notice groups of young adults eating and drinking their way around the world. My favorite family-dining option at EPCOT is Garden Grill, it’s a revolving restaurant with family-style dining and character experiences! During the fall, EPCOT hosts its International Food & Wine Festival, I’ve been to this event twice. In addition to the countries already represented in the World Showcase, additional countries are added each year sharing foods and drinks popular to those regions. If you are planning an adults-only Disney trip, EPCOT is your top destination.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This park was once a “half-day” park, but with the additions of Toy Story Land, and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, plan to spend a good LONG day here. Disney’s newest ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad is in the Chinese Theater directly in front of you as you come in the park, get in this line, it’s fast moving and this ride is mind blowing, kids and adults alike will adore this experience.
Because there’s currently a lottery system to get on Rise of the Resistance it’s hard to plan a specific lunch option in Hollywood Studios. ABC Commissary and the Backlot Express offer sandwiches and burgers without a long wait, so you can be sure to get back to Galaxy’s Edge in time for your turn on Rise of the Resistance. My all-time favorite restaurant in any Disney Park is in Hollywood Studios. The Hollywood Brown Derby takes you back in time, to the golden age of the silver screen and offers some fine dining options from Wagyu beef to the best cobb salad in the world, seriously order this salad.
If you are a newer Star Wars fan like me, be prepared, Galaxy’s Edge is a full on, in a way that only Disney can, immersive experience, that puts you in the Star Wars TV shows and movies. The clothes, the languages, the foods are like nothing else in any Disney park or on Earth. My husband was able to make sense of things right away, but I needed to check my notes on good vs bad guys, resistance vs empire, etc.
As far as rides in Galaxy’s Edge, Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run will blow you away! The technology, the sophistication, the details, and even the cast members on these rides are completely immersive and intense. Smugglers Run allows you and 5 others to fly the Millennium Falcon, decide in advance who wants the responsibility of being the pilots, gunners, and engineers because they all have jobs to do. Between you and me, don’t have a toddler be a pilot, they have the most responsibility and if they crash the Millennium Falcon, the ride is over for everyone.
Two other really fun things we did on our most recent trip to Hollywood Studios were, visiting Oga’s Cantina where you can sample out-of-this-world drinks (both non and alcoholic) and appetizers; and building custom droids at the Droid Depot. Oga’s Cantina brings a galaxy of unusual offerings! Enjoy some bold musical entertainment courtesy of droid DJ R-3X, a former Starspeeder 3000 Pilot and some fantastical drinks sourced with ingredients from across the galaxy! The crazy concoctions will delight even the youngest crew members.
Building droids at The Droid Depot wasn’t cheap, but because this trip was part of the birthday celebration for my now, 7-year-old son, and he was in Disney with his favorite travel buddy, his cousin Lenny, we were not about to deprive these two of quite possibly their biggest dream come true! Let’s just say we were on full vacation mode. The two boys got to work with their dads in the droid workshop stocked with parts, chips, manuals, and other useful tech items to construct their very own droids! They got to pick their droid’s personality chip and afterwards they can interact with different experiences around the parks. In the end, we all agreed it was worth it!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
As you come through the gates, move to the right. In addition to having restrooms right there, the walk into the park is shorter. You’ll know you’re in when you see the giant Tree of Life in front of you. My favorite attractions in this park are Kilimanjaro Safari, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Expedition Everest. Unfortunately, none of these are particularly close to each other, so you might want to use Flight of Passage as your starting point and go from there. Go left at the Tree of Life and then another left. If you like SOARIN in EPCOT you will LOVE Flight of Passage, it allows you to ride a banshee through the landscape of Pandora, with all the sights and smells you’d see along the way. It’s spellbinding. After riding Flight of Passage, we normally check our MyDisney app for the shorter line for either Kilimanjaro or Everest. If they both have a long wait, we go to DinoLand USA and play games or ride the carnival- style rides there.
Dining in Animal Kingdom offers flavors from around the globe. Tusker House is my choice here for tasty food and a character experience. Tiffins is delicious high-end dining, or for families hoping for something more familiar Rainforest Café is at the entrance to Animal Kingdom.
Whew! Those are the tips and tricks I have for you on how to plan a Disney vacation! In addition to my go-tos for navigating the parks and finding food.
A couple of money-saving tips:
- Purchase some Disney gear before your trip at a Disney Store or other retailers that carry Disney merchandise. EVERYONE in Disney World is wearing Disney clothes, some are park purchases, some are ETSY finds, some are homemade. My son’s favorite Mickey t-shirt came from Target. I’ve seen cast members see themselves on your shirt and interact with you. A free, but valuable experience.
- No sugar-coating here, but gifts and items in the parks are priced at a premium. A popular item you’ll see in the parks are the mini backpacks, while they are cute and feature your favorite character, color, movie, princess, animal; they range in price from $75-90. T-shirts are also pricy, and regularly go for $30.
- You can bring snacks into the parks, just not in glass containers. Additionally, you can use Disney Transportation from the park back to your hotel if you want to eat there. All rooms have small refrigerators.
One last tip:
- My one last tip as I do my best to inform you on how to plan a Disney vacation, you will most certainly want to familiarize yourself with the MyDisney app in advance of your trip and make sure all members of your party are linked in your group. You’ll use it for dining reservations, ordering quick service food, notifications on your hotel room, locating merchandise in the parks, checking ride wait times, and for reserving your spot in the Rise of the Resistance lottery system. If all members of your party are not linked in advance, they don’t go.
COVID-19 Protocols as the Parks:
To address any future travelers’ concern about Covid19 protocols at the Disney parks, here are the precautions guests will see.
- Temperature checks to get into the parks
- Hand sanitizing and washing stations throughout the parks
- Keeping travel groups 6 feet apart from other travel groups; while going into stores, rides, and restaurants
- Shutting down rides for disinfection throughout the day
- Enforcing proper mask wearing
We’re lucky in our family, that each cousin has a “travel buddy” cousin, and that we’ve been able to successfully travel on numerous occasions with kids and grownups alike having a great time. (Possible future article on traveling with family dos and don’ts! lol)
I LOVE talking Disney and could go on-and-on! I tried to be concise and to the point for new and inexperienced Disney travelers. If you have specific questions on how to plan a Disney Vacation, I’m happy to try to answer them! Just send me an email [email protected] with the subject line ‘How to Plan a Disney Vacation.’
If you loved this post on how to plan a Disney vacation, you may enjoy our Christmas In Chicago post about how Melissa’s Family did two days and one night in Chicago for under $300.
