5 Disney Vacation Planning Tips

1. Planning Disney trips are always easier for me because I just happen to be best friends with a professional Disney Travel Planner. My number one tip for planning a trip to Disney is to consider hiring a Disney Travel Planner because their services are complementary and experts in where to stay, things to do and where to eat. Navigating the reservation system at Disney can be a full time job, so hiring a Disney travel planner is the first step in the right direction.

2. This might seem extreme, but you will want to start planning your Disney vacation no less than six to nine months out so that you can receive the best reservations possible for

3. Disney allows guests to make dining reservations sixty days out, if you are not utilizing a travel agent, make sure and mark your calendar so you can select the dining options you want. The same goes for special experiences, such as the

4. Download the Disney World App, you will basically live on this app before and during your Disney trip. You will be able to manage your reservations, purchase mobile orders in the park or at your resort, access your photo pass, view the park maps and so so much more.

5. Whether you are planning a trip with your bestie or with your family, I always recommend planning a activity or dining experience each day that one person from the group has selected. Rotate through the selections, so that everyone feels like they have had a hand in the planning process and you have a variety of experiences each day.

5 Packing Tips

Packing for a week long trip can be overwhelming and I am a chronic over packer to the letter. As a Disney fanatic and lover of travel, here are a few packing tips that I default to when packing for a Disney vacation.

1. Pack comfortable shoes… seriously. On average we ranged between 15,000 to 20,000 steps per day in the Disney parks, and while I love wearing cute flip flops and sandals my biggest tip is to invest in a good pair of walking or running shoes. You will see it all at Disney, including some of the poorest shoe choices, such as house slippers and UGG boots. I wish I was making this up. Do yourself a favor and pack the tennis shoes. I have a neutral pair of tennis shoes that I absolutely love, they are comfortable, and they go with everything.

2. Sun glasses, sun tan lotion, and a ball cap. In Florida, the days can get really hot and it’s important to keep your head, face, and eyes protected while spending the entire day wandering around on asphalt.

3. Disney is the time to wear your animal print and pastel colors, pack fun jewelry that is heart shaped, neon and or Mickey Mouse themed.

4. I also like to pack face masks and fun slumber party activities when I’m traveling with my bestie. After a long day in the park we go back to our resort, enjoy a glass of wine (or two) and pamper our faces with a mini spa evening.

5. Packing cubes. I will talk about packing cubes probably forever and strongly believe that they are a must when traveling because they are a great way to save room and organize your suitcase. I also use old purse dusters as laundry bags, they make great additions to the packing cubes.

If you would like to purchase any of the items I have curated for traveling to Walt Disney World check out my online shop HERE

Where to Stay

I have always wanted to stay at the Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. At the time of publishing this story (Feb 2022), Disney is in the very beginning stages of a large renovation to the interior guest rooms that will take approximately 18 months to complete. Although the resort had not received it’s new debut, we decided to stay at the Grand Floridian for several reasons. The number one reason we stayed at the Grand Floridan Resort & Spa was it’s proximity and access to the parks and the monorail system. The newly created walking path from the resort to Magic Kingdom was a perfect way for us to get out and enjoy a little extra sunshine and add a few more steps in our day.

In addition to the location, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa offered several dining options, including the Enchanted Rose a Beauty and the Beast themed cocktail bar with the best Espresso martini I’ve ever had and would recommend. Start your evening with a cocktail from the Enchanted Rose and walk to dinner on the waterfront to Narcoossee’s for a delicious sea food dining experience.

Things to Do

Depending on the time of year you are planning your trip to Walt Disney World, there are always a lot of things to do and plenty of fun to be had. This year we decided to attend the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. While I really enjoyed viewing the art and trying a few of specialty food items during the festival, it probably ranks lower on my list of the festivals. We have attended the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival and the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival in the past and both of these Festivals remain at the top of my list and are my favorite Epcot Festivals.

We planned out our Disney vacation week based each park. We also purchased park hopper tickets for easy access between parks, should we want to jump back and forth throughout the day. We dedicated two solid days to Magic Kingdom, one day to EPCOT and a half of a day to Animal Kingdom. If you are attending a festival in EPCOT, I would recommend dedicating two to three days if you are really food focused and wanting to experience and explore all of the culinary treats. Our trip was mostly focused on riding our favorite rides at least once, trying new foods, and relaxation.

28 Disney Park Treats

One thing that is guaranteed at Disney… you wont go hungry. Keep fueled up throughout the day with some amazing treats and adult beverages from each park. We could have stay an entire second week and still not make it through all of the dining options at each park. Check out 28 Disney Park Treats in the food highlights below, including their park location.