Disney is just fun. Whether you have kids or not.
Yes, it can be crowded.
Yes, it can be hot (or in our case a little rainy).
Yes, there can be lot of logistics.
But it is so worth it. Here is how we planned everything.
When to Visit
There really is no "off season" in my opinion. Sure there are busier times than others (around the holidays and school breaks) where you should expect larger crowds and longer wait times, but there is never really a time where you will have the park to yourself. Many people consider the "off-peak season" to be late January to mid-February and mid-September to mid-November.
Weather is hot and humid in the summer, sometimes oppressively so. Winter brings some cooler more comfortable temperatures. When we went in December I wore leggings and tee shirts and was comfortable most of the day.
The Disney Budget
Budgeting is so important for many and when you are looking to take a family to Disney costs can quickly add up. For me, it was just me and my husband and we still felt the Disappearing Disney Dollar! Be sure to determine your budget for flights, transportation, accommodations, park tickets, food, souvenirs, and any extras like Lightning Lanes (more on that later).
Ticket Prices vary based on the time of year and the number of days you are visiting. Consider park hopper options if you want to visit more than one park in a day.
It IS possible to do Disney on a tight budget. You just need to be very conscious of your choices and experiences.
Where To Stay
Honestly, we booked this sort of as a last minute trip so the options were pretty slim for resorts with available rooms in our preferred price range. We ended up booking a King Size - Water View room at Disney's Coronado Springs resort and it was a great choice.
It was clean, convenient, and surprisingly quiet. It was also very well connected to the parks thanks to the excellent Disney bus system. I shared an entire review of the resort here on the blog.
Generally, there are two types of options for accommodations: Disney Property or Non-Disney Property. I highly recommend staying on Disney Property at a Disney resort if you can swing it because it helps eliminate some logistics.
Disney Property is broken down into three tiers: Deluxe, Moderate, and Value.
Deluxe resorts are the most expensive options:
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: Close to Disney's Animal Kingdom, this resort has a main lodge and a smaller Disney Vacation Club section called Kidani Village
- Disney's Beach Club Resort: A good choice for families with children who like to swim, this resort has a pool with a lazy river, hot tubs, and private alcoves
- Disney's Contemporary Resort: A deluxe resort set apart by its close location to Magic Kingdom (it is attached by monorail!)
- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: The flagship Disney hotel with elaborate themes and decorations, large rooms, and live entertainment. It is absolutely HUGE and very close to Magic Kingdom (connected by monorail).
- Disney's Polynesian Village Resort: A deluxe resort that evokes tropical fun and has overwater bungalows!
- Disney's Yacht Club Resort
- Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Moderate resorts are the middle options:
- Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside: A resort with boat rides, walking trails, a pool, hot tub, and dining options
- The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort: Part of the large Fort Wilderness resort, which also has campsites
- Disney's Coronado Springs: A sprawling resort with Spanish/Mexican flair. Read my in-depth review here.
- Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter
- Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
Value resorts are the cheaper options:
- All-Star Movies Resort
- All-Star Music Resort
- All-Star Sports Resort
- Art of Animation Resort
- Pop Century Resort
I stayed at the All-Star resort when I visted in high school and I thought they were great. So don't feel like they are "budget" options where you will miss out on anything - you won't!
The My Disney Experience App
We booked the resort stay and park tickets on the computer and then used the My Disney Experience App for everything else. Planning a trip to Disney World can be as exciting as it is overwhelming and thankfully, the My Disney Experience App helped us navigate the enchanting world of Disney with relative ease.
The My Disney Experience App is an essential tool for any Disney World visitor. It serves as your personal guide, offering a wealth of features designed to streamline your trip. With the app, you can:
- Make Dining Reservations: Browse menus, check availability, and secure your table at the most popular restaurants.
- Manage LightningLane Selections: Reserve access to attractions and minimize wait times.
- View Park Maps: Navigate the parks with interactive maps that help you find rides, dining options, and more.
- Check Wait Times and Park Hours: Stay updated on real-time wait times for rides and attractions. Also check park closures (like for special parties).
- Join a Virtual Queue: For certain attractions (like Tiana's Bayou Adventure), Disney has implemented a virtual queue system. You can use the app to join these queues and enjoy your time in the park while you wait your turn.
- See Pop-Up Experiences: Some attractions or character meet-and-greets may only be available for a limited time. Keep an eye on the app for special events and experiences.
- Mobile Ordering: Skip the lines at quick-service restaurants by ordering your meals ahead of time.
- Photopass and Memory Maker: Capture and download your magical memories with ease.
Overall, the app is user-friendly, but like any tool, knowing how to use it properly is key! Be sure to set up your account before you go and don't forget to link your park tickets, dining reservations, and hotel reservations to streamline your planning!
What I found most helpful about the app was the "Plan Your Day" area. By using the app's "Itinerary" feature we could plan our day in advance and help prioritize must-see attractions and dining experiences.
Disney Magic Bands
We purchased a Disney MagicBand+ for each of us because it can be used for so many things. A MagicBand at Disney acts as a convenient all-in-one wristband that allows you to access your park tickets, unlock your Disney resort hotel room, make purchases, check-in for Lightning Lane reservations (more on Lightning Lane later), link Disney PhotoPass pictures to your account, and essentially navigate the park without needing to carry multiple cards or tickets, streamlining your experience by simply tapping the band at various touch points.
And there are all kinds of options to suit your unique taste: Princess bands, anniversary celebrations, particular rides, characters, plain, and glitter.
I went with a silver glitter for me and my husband went for plain black. If you purchase a MagicBand when you are booking your hotel you can even get discounted prices on certain bands! Make sure to have a look when you are reserving your hotel.
Are they required? NO. But we found they made it easier and added to the Disney magic for us because we weren't constantly taking out our park ticket to scan or root through my bag for things. Just tap your wrist and go!
Lightning Lanes
I can't do a blog post about "Everything You Need to Know" about planning a trip to Disney World without mentioning the Lightning Lanes. You have probably heard about it if you have done any amount of research online and you may be confused by what you have seen. To be fair, Disney keeps innovating and changing their Lightning Lane system. So here is what the system was for us when we went in December 2024. I'll do an entire post on Lightning Lanes in a little bit but a quick overview is this:
Lightning Lane or "LL" is a way for visitors to try to maximize their time in the parks and ensure they get to as many attractions as possible. LL is a paid service that you can purchase in the My Disney Experience app that allows guests to skip the regular standby lines at select attractions, significantly reducing wait times. There are a few different options: Single LightningLane, MultiPass, and PremierPass.
- Single Pass is for a single select attraction reservation at a particular park (i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot or Tron at Magic Kingdom). Costs range typically from $13-$30 depending on the ride and date you are trying to reserve.
- Multi Pass allows you to book three ride reservations and book more on a rolling basis (i.e. when you scan into one you can book another). It can only be used once for each ride so you cannot re-request the same ride through LightningLane. You can use it once but then you will have to wait in the standby lane if you want to ride again. Also, you will be limited to what times are available so you may find yourself reserving 9-10 AM for "It's A Small World", 12 PM-1PM for Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and 4:15-5:15 for Jungle Cruise. When you scan in for It's A Small World, you will be able to book another ride (perhaps 10:30-11:30 AM for the Mad Hatter Tea Party). The reservatio windows will always be a one hour window and it is ok if you have some overlap since you will move very quickly through the Lightning Lane. We did the Multi Pass for Epcot and by the end we were pros! Do expect the most popular rides to have the most limited windows of availability.
- Premier Pass is a pass to every included Lightning Lane ride without scheduling or reserving. You can just wander through the park and enter the Lightning Lane one time throughout the day at your convenience. It eliminates all the scheduling. But Premier Pass is also VERY expensive. The cost varies per park and per day but could be anywhere between $130 for Animal Kingdom to $400+ for Magic Kingdom. Premier Pass was initially only available to people staying at Deluxe Disney Resorts but when we visited it had been extended to our resort too. I'm pretty sure it is available to any Disney resort at this point.
All ride reservations can be done through the My Disney App and linked to your MagicBand for convenient tapping at the Lightning Lane turnstyle. It is crucial to plan ahead and prioritize which rides you want to experience, as popular attractions can fill up quickly.
Another vital aspect of using Lightning Lane is understanding the timing and booking process. Reservations can be made starting at 7 AM on the day of your visit for Disney Resort guests, and at park opening time for those staying off-property. It’s wise to set an alarm and be ready to make your selections as soon as they become available. Also, keep an eye on your return times; some attractions may have limited availability, and once you’re in the park, you can only hold a limited number of reservations at once. By familiarizing yourself with the system and utilizing the app for real-time updates, you can turn what could be a stressful day into a seamless, magical adventure. You can read more about Lightning Lanes here.
Disney Dining
There are so many options for dining at Disney. Generally you have quick-service where you order at a counter and can either take away or eat at available tables (some places have more tables than others). Then you have Table-Service restaurants which require reservations and are more your typical sit-down restaurant experience.
You also can purchase a Disney Dining Plan which includes meals, snacks, and drinks at Walt Disney World. The plan is available in tiers and costs vary by age. Typically you have the following included:
- Meals: One quick-service meal and one table-service meal per night
- Snacks: One snack or non-alcoholic drink per night
- Beverages: One non-alcoholic beverage per meal, or an alcoholic beverage for guests 21 and older
- Refillable mug: A mug that can be used for refills at self-service beverage stations at any Disney Resort hotel Quick-Service location
The Disney Dining plan must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up). Then the meals and snacks can be redeemed on any day during a stay or in any order. You still need reservations at Table-Service restaurants are highly recommended and are subject to availability.
As of 2025 the costs start at $59 per night for adults and $25 for kids. All unused meals and snacks and the ability to use your refillable mug expire at midnight on the reservation checkout date.
Be sure to do your research and make sure the details before booking.
Join the Conversation
- Did I leave anything out?
- Which park are you most looking forward to visiting?
- What do you think is the most important planning consideration for a Disney vacation?
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