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Home > Travel Information and Tips > How to Plan a Disney World Vacation (The Hard Way and The Easy Way)

How to Plan a Disney World Vacation (The Hard Way and The Easy Way)

July 5, 2015 by Jo Garrett

Option One – Do It Yourself (AKA the Hard Way)

  1. Choose your vacation dates
  2. Research all 31 resorts on Disney property to figure out which one will be the best fit for your family and your budget.
  3. Research ticket options to figure out which ones will be the best fit for your vacation.
  4. Research the dining plans to find the best fit for your family and vacation.
  5. Research the 113+ table service restaurants to find the ones that your family will love.
  6. Research the 165+ quick service dining options.
  7. Make sure you know about all the special events and recreational options that will also be available during your vacation!
  8. Book your vacation. (If you don’t know what you’re booking, you are likely to pay more.)
  9. Get everything and everyone linked up in your My Disney Experience account.
  10. Check park hours and take those and your family’s preferences into account to come up with a basic touring plan for each day of your vacation.
  11. If you are flying, be sure that Disney’s Magical Express has your flight information!
  12. 180 days before your arrival, get up at 6:00am to make your dining reservations and other reservations (like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique). Maybe sure they match up well with your touring plan.
  13. If/when a new promotion comes out, spend three or more hours on hold with Disney to see if you can apply it to your vacation.
  14. Research which attractions tend to have long waits and would be a good use for your three fastpasses each day.
  15. 60 days before your arrival, get up at midnight to select your fastpasses.
  16. Make sure you have customized your MagicBands!
  17. Reserve stroller or scooter rentals, if needed, and arrange for them to be dropped off and picked up from your resort.
  18. Research how to get from place to place at Disney World (it is about the size of San Francisco).
  19. Put together an itinerary with the park hours, your fastpass times, your dining reservation information, and parade/fireworks times and print for your travel folder.
  20. Buy a cute autograph photo mat for the characters to sign.
  21. Pack, travel, arrive, and HAVE FUN!

Option 2 – Use a Magical Memory Planner to Plan Your Vacation (AKA the Easy Way)

  1. Choose your vacation dates.
  2. Allow us to use our knowledge of all the resorts, ticket options, dining plans, restaurants, special events, and recreational options to help you put together the perfect vacation for your family.
  3. Book your vacation through us for the exact same price as if you booked it yourself (or maybe less since we are familiar with all the promotions and the best ways to get the most value for your vacation money).
  4. Take advantage of our free vacation planning services as we handle all the rest of the details, including making your reservations for you and putting together a customized touring plan for your family.
  5. Relax knowing that we are always on the lookout the the best deal for you. If a promotion comes out, we will call to see if we can have it applied to your vacation!
  6. Contact us anytime with questions or advice about your vacation.
  7. Receive a packet of goodies from us with your final documents, including an autograph photo mat for the characters to sign.
  8. Pack, travel, arrive, and HAVE FUN!
  9. Be thrilled that our services are always 100% free and wonder why anyone would ever plan a vacation without Magical Memory Planners!
  10. Refer us to your friends and get Disney Gift Cards as a thank you!

Ready to try the Easy Way? Contact us for a free quote today!

Filed Under: Travel Information and Tips

About Jo Garrett

Jo Garrett lives in North Carolina. She has been planning vacations with Magical Memory Planners since 2014. She has not only traveled but lived around the world. She has been recognized as an All Star Agent for her experience and expertise. [Learn more about Jo]

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