Planning a vacation to Disney can be a huge task, especially if you have kids in your family. Having a vacation that is fun-filled and enjoyable requires work, planning and organization. So, the more time you can invest into the process, then the more you can expect to get out of it. Lots of memories can be made and shared on a Disney vacation, so what should you start doing first? After all, you want to make sure that your Disney vacation is as good as it can be.
Start Doing Your Research
To begin with, you need to start conducting some research. Start looking at why you want to go to Disney, and think about what you want to see and do when you are there. In these early stages, it is important to establish the motives behind your Disney trip. When you have the motives, you can then begin to better plan and prepare what you will do. At this time, you will also find it beneficial to start looking at flights and possibly even package deals too. Getting a good gauge of prices, flight times, and package deals will help you in your planning a little further down the line. The more that you can start to cover and establish, then the easier and more fun planning will be.
Decide on the Duration
Once you have begun your research, you then have to think about the duration of your vacation. Do you have to fit your vacation in around work commitments or schooling, or do you have a bit of flexibility? Ideally, you will want at least 7 days to explore the Disney parks, and really soak up the atmosphere. Any duration that is shorter than this may leave you rushing around each day, and it may have an impact on how the whole vacation goes and feels. When you are deciding on duration, you need to also consider who will be traveling in your group. For example, if you are traveling with younger, or smaller children, you may need to look at a longer duration – just to ensure you see everything that you want to.
When to Visit Disney
The duration of your visit is important, but so is the timing. If you visit during the midst of summer, you will be left feeling frustrated and emotionally drained. This could be down to the weather, it could be down to longer waiting times for rides or for meet and greets. It could be down to a combination of things. The right time to visit Disney will vary, and you may find that you are restricted to school term times or work commitments. However, if you have some flexibility in your life, you will want to look at visiting the park between February and May. This time frame allows you to explore the parks at a comfortable temperature, and it also ensures that visitor numbers are not as high as they could be.
Look at Hotels and Decide Where You Will Stay
After establishing the duration of your vacation to Disney, you then have to go ahead and book a hotel. Deciding where you will stay is an important part of the planning process, and it is one that should not be overlooked. When you are looking at hotels, you want to try and stay in those that are well-located and positioned. For example, you will find that these hotels are all minutes from Disney which is ideal because it means you haven’t got to worry about finding your way into the parks. Hotels that are easy to locate and well-located will be preferential for the duration of your stay. You do not want to have to worry about how you will get back to your hotel at the end of a busy day, and you do not want to have to worry about being miles away from the popular parks you want to visit.
Purchasing Park Tickets and Admissions
When you are planning your vacation to Disney, you need to understand the importance of purchasing park tickets and admissions. Using official and legitimate websites to purchase your passes and ticket is important. Scams are out there everywhere, and you should be on the lookout for them. When you are purchasing tickets and admission, you want to think about what tickets you will want and for how long. For instance, will a 4-day ticket be enough to cover all areas of the parks you want to visit, or could you get away with something shorter? When you are purchasing tickets and admissions, you need to ensure that you use a legally verified website. The last thing that you want to happen is entry refusal to the park you and your family have been looking forward to visiting.
Visiting the Theme Parks – When and Where?
To make your Disney trip as fund and enjoyable as possible, you want to visit as many theme parks as you can. Deciding where to go first can be a tricky element that you need to overcome. However, once you have done this, you can then create an itinerary for hotels and parks alike. When you visit parks, you want to think about how long you will be there, and what you would like to see during your visit. If you are travelling with smaller or younger children, you may have to give yourself double the time allowance – as this will allow you to go and see what you want – and at your own pace too. Some parks are best visited all year round. However, parks such as the Magic Kingdom are best to visit when they have special events on – as all of the stops are pulled out. Seeing everything that a Disney resort has to offer is important because this way you will truly get the full Disney experience.
Planning Something For All Family Members
As you are planning a fun-filled vacation for your whole family, it is only fair and right that you plan something for everyone. It can be easy to get carried away when you are planning your vacation, and this may mean that you overlook smaller details that may be big or important to someone else. Getting feedback from everyone traveling with you, and identifying what they want to do and why is important. If you leave other family members or travelers out of the equation then you will cause unnecessary stress and upset. So, what are your children’s hobbies and interests, and just what can you organize or arrange that will ensure they have as much fun as possible.
How Will You Get Around?
Even though you may find you end up staying in a central resort, or a room close to the parks, you will at some point find that you need to use other modes of transport (other than the free ones that Disney offer). Vehicle hires and rentals can be expensive, and they can sometimes be plagued with errors and issues. The free shuttles and buses that are run from the parks, or even from your hotel will be too chaotic and most likely too busy. If you are traveling in a large group, or you are traveling with younger children, you will want convenience and comfort over cost. Looking at the options available to you and your family, and making a commitment is important. Price hikes and rises can happen at any moment, so don’t delay organizing your care hire, as this may leave you feeling disappointed.
Evenings and Nightlife
So, just what are you going to do in the evening or at night? Even if you are only visiting Disney for a week, you will still want to make use of all the hours that you can. For example, did you realize that you can attend the Magic Kingdom at night for their parades (and other events)? Nighttime’s will never be dull in the Disney parks because there is something going on or something to see. When you are deciding what to do in the evening, you may also plan to just take in the great surroundings and scenery while having an evening meal. The beautiful thing about Disney is you don’t have to be on the go all of the time to have fun. Making memories with your family while watching a parade, or seeing the Magic Kingdom lit up can be the icing on the cake.
Planning your vacation will take time, so ensure you give yourself plenty of time to bring your ideas and inspiration to fruition. If you do not start planning early enough (at least one year in advance ideally) you will end up rushing the planning of the vacation, and this may mean you end up missing something out completely, or you end up having to make a compromise because you cannot do what you want to – so ensure you don’t end up in this situation!
