Going to The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is a special time for any traveler. I've grown up in the parks totaling 55 trips, so far, while living in the Midwest my entire life. Whenever I go, I always seem to see at least one family confused, frustrated or even upset due to poor planning, so here are five things to do when planning your Walt Disney World vacation.
1. Plan ahead
Disney has gone out of their way to make your experience as magical as possible, but that does require some planning on your end. If you're only visiting for one day and decide to go to Magic Kingdom, be prepared and purchase your ticket before you plan on visiting to avoid lengthy ticket lines. If you plan on staying for multiple days (I recommend staying for five days and four nights to be able to experience all four parks and Disney Springs) plan accordingly and decide which parks you wish to visit which days to make your vacation as easy as possible.
2. Moderate resorts
One of the biggest arguments I have heard is that the resorts cost too much or their stay was not as magical as they hoped, which is why Moderate Resorts exist. Moderate Resorts are resorts that completely immersive while not breaking the bank. They allow for a completely immersive and magical experience while you're not in the parks and make your vacation a lot more enjoyable.
3. FastPass+
In 1999, Disney created a virtual queuing system known as FastPasses. These allowed guests to skip the line of any one attraction and allowed them to come back at a given time and ride with little to no wait. This was, and still is, included with park admission, and later, in 2013, was transformed into FastPass+. This new version of virtual queuing asks a guest to reserve their FastPasses for three rides per day with their reservation online. Guests who are staying in resorts may reserve theirs 60 days before their trip, while other guests cannot reserve them until 30 days before their visit. Make sure to reserve yours as early as you can because many popular attractions, such as AVATAR: Flight of Passage, will sell out of FastPasses the day they are released, and without one, you will have to wait in 1-2 hour lines, which is not magical.
4. Dining reservations
While quick service dining (grab-and-go dining) is useful, getting reservations always makes your trip more magical, from the amazing and different tastes from each location to the atmospheres and quality service, these are experiences that will make your vacation more memorable. If you're traveling with young ones (or the young at heart -- because me too), character dining experiences are available where famous Disney characters will come around to your table while you're eating for pictures, autographs and fun conversations. Plan these ahead with your vacation reservation in order to get into the best restaurants.
5. Remember to relax
You're on vacation so don't stress about getting the perfect family photo in front of Cinderella's Castle, instead, take advantage of Disney's PhotoPass photographers to get a professional one for you. Plan some time to shop at Disney Springs and enjoy the nightlife it has to offer. Allow the Cast Members, Imagineers and Vacation Planners to make your vacation go just right and remember to enjoy these moments with your loved ones because they truly are magical.
