DIY DREAM
THE ULTIMATE DIY DISNEY VACATION PLANNING COURSE
Chapter 1:
THE BASICS
1
DECIDE WHEN
TO VISIT
2
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
BOOK YOUR HOTEL
BOOK YOUR PARK TICKETS
MDE ACCOUNT
don
't forget
download your DIY DREAM PLANNER
DECIDE WHEN TO GO
The very first thing you must do when planning a Disney World vacation is deciding when you want to go. It's no surprise that "When is the Best Time to Visit Disney World," is one of the most searched questions in regards to Disney World planning. Deciding when is the best time to go for your family depends on your priority:
LOW CROWDS
- January
- Early February
- Early May
- September (after Labor Day)
The worst crowds will be during Spring Break times (March-April), the week of Thanksgiving, and the week of Christmas/New Yars
BEST WEATHER
- December
- January
- February
May-November can be BRUTAL in terms of both heat and humidity and the infamous FL afternoon rainstorms. Be aware of traveling during Hurricane Season (June-November) .
Epcot Festivals:
- Festival of the Arts: Late Jan-Late Feb
- Flower & Garden Festival: Early Spring-Late Summer
- Food & Wine Festival: Late August-Late November
- Festival of the Holidays: Late Nov-Late Dec
Halloween:
- August-Oct 31
Christmas
- Nov 1- Dec 31
SEASONAL
Check out these for date-specific crowd info:
Free Crowd Calendar
Cheerleader Competition Schedule
runDisney Schedule
BOOK YOUR HOTEL
There are a few options when it comes to choosing where to stay when visiting Disney World:
1
BEST RESORTs FOR KIDS
- All Star Resorts
- Pop Century
- Art of Animation
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Port Orleans Riverside
- Polynesian Village
- Wilderness Lodge
- Animal Kingdom Lodge
my recommendations
RESORTS WITH BEST TRANSPORTATION
- Art of Animation
- Pop Century
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Riviera
- Polynesian
- Contemporary
- Grand Floridian
3
RESORTS THAT SLEEP MORE THAN 5 PEOPLE
- Art of Animation Family Suite
- All Star Music Family Suite
- Any Deluxe Resort suite
2
On property perks
Disney World wants you to stay at their Resort hotels, so they've added some really great perks to give you more bang for your buck! Here's everything included when you stay at a Disney World Resort Hotel:
- Early theme park entry (every day) and Deluxe Resort After Hours (select nights)
- Free admission into one of the Disney World water parks on your check-in day
- First access to dining reservations
- First access to Lightning Lanes
- Magical Extras
BOOK YOUR PARK TICKETS
Now that you've decided when you're going and where you're staying, you need to decide how you want to book your park tickets.
things to consider
How many days do you want to spend in the parks?
Disney World has 4 parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. If you want to visit all 4 parks, I recommend doing 1 park per day for 4 days.
Do you want to be able to Park Hop?
You can upgrade your tickets to include "Park Hopper," which allows you to visit more than one park per day.
Many people like having this option because:
Many people like having this option because:
- Your dining is not limited to whichever park you're currently in for the day
- You can spending the day in one park and the evening in another park (because who doesn't want to do Magic Kingdom just to catch Happily Ever Ever?!)
- You can go to another park after your first park has closed. Example: Animal Kingdom closes early every day, and Magic Kingdom will close early many nights from Aug-Dec for after-hour parties.
Do you want to do things outside of the parks?
You can also upgrade your tickets to include one of the Disney World water parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports. Remember that you get access to one of the water parks for free on your check-in day, but you can add this on if you prefer to go any other day of your vacation.
Are you planning on attending any after-hour events?
Most of the parks will include special ticketed after hour events. With this ticket, you can usually enter the park much earlier than the event starts (usually around 4 pm). Many guests choose to make that one of their "park days" since you can usually get so much done during that time. That being said, I recommend doing a 3-day Park Ticket, along with the after-hour event ticket.
Money Saving Ticket Promotions
Disney will often have major ticket discounts during late Spring-late Summer. They will have certain stipulations, like the number of parks you can do, if you have to have Park Hopper included, you can only visit certain parks, etc.
ticket options
base ticket
Visit 1 park per day
park hopper
Visit more than 1 Disney World park after 2 pm per day
park hopper+
Visit more than 1 Disney World park after 2 PM each day, plus visit Disney Waterparks, Minigolf and Oak Trail 9-Hole Golf Course and ESPN Wide World of Sports
Where to purchase park tickets:
READ MORE
THROUGH A TRAVEL AGENT
You can book directly through a Disney Travel Professional (or travel agent). There are many benefits to booking through a travel agent. See more about my free travel agent services here.
Where to purchase park tickets:
READ MORE
DISCOUNT TICKET WEBSITES
Websites like Away We Go and Undercover Tourist offer discounted park tickets. These usually can't be combined into a vacation package, but may save you some money in the long run.
magical add-ons
DINING PLAN
memory maker
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Add some extra magic to your Disney World vacation to enhance your experience:
dining plans
1
2
quick service plan
disney dining plan
- 2 quick service meals
- 1 alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverage per meal
- 1 snack
- 1 resort refillable mug
Approx. $57 per adult / $26 per child, per night
- 1 table service meal
- 1 quick service meal
- 1 alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverage per meal
- 1 snack
- 1 resort refillable mug
Approx. $95 per adult / $32 per child, per night
Give yourself that "all inclusive vacation" feel with pre-paid dining plans!
take note:
Disney often runs promotions for free dining plans with select vacation packages!
travel insurance
If 2020 taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected.
Add travel protection to your vacation package to stay protected from unexpected covered losses from the moment that you step out of your front door until the moment you safely arrive back home.
Travel protection is $95 per adult, and this covers both the adult and any applicable children traveling with the party.
Add travel protection to your vacation package to stay protected from unexpected covered losses from the moment that you step out of your front door until the moment you safely arrive back home.
Travel protection is $95 per adult, and this covers both the adult and any applicable children traveling with the party.
MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE (MDE) ACCOUNT
Now that you have your hotel and park tickets booked, you will need to link everything in your MDE account.
MDE App Guide
You will use the MDE app for pretty much everything during your Disney World vacation. Here's how you can use the MDE app:
VIEW FULL SCREEN
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW SOON SHOULD I BOOK AND START PLANNING?
I would give yourself at least 6 months to plan and make your payments (if you decide to do a vacation package.) If you want to start before then, you can book as early as mid-year (usually in May) for the next year.
DOES DISNEY OFFER PAYMENT PLANS?
- If you book a vacation package, you can book with just a $200 deposit! You can make payments however you want to, as long as the balance is paid in full within 30 days of your checkin date
- If you book a resort only reservation, you will book by paying the amount of the first night's rate and pay the remaining balance at checkin
- If you are purchasing only tickets, you must pay in full at the time of booking
how long should i spend at disney world?
If you want have to the most laid back vacation, I recommend staying 1 full week, with an arrival day, 4 park days, a rest day, and a departure day.
IS THERE A WAY TO SAVE MONEY ON DISNEY RESORT HOTELS?
You can always try to book a hotel through a third party booking website, like Expedia or Priceline. You can also rent Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points from a DVC rental website to stay at a Deluxe Resort at a discounted rate. The only thing to consider is these websites have their own policies and procedures that may differ significantly from a normal planning process.
IS IT OK TO BOOK "LAST MINUTE?"
If this is your first trip to Disney World, I do not recommend booking any less than 4-6 months before your travel dates.
now you know....
✓ When to visit
✓ Where you're staying
✓ What type of park tickets you're getting
✓ How to link everything in your MDE account
AND YOU HAVE....
✓ Booked your hotel & tickets
✓ Book your Magical Add-Ons
✓ Linked everything in your MDE account
next up
CHAPTER 2: MAKE YOUR PARK PLANS
check it off in the planner!
