Tag: Park Planning

The old adage “Early bird gets the worm” has a lot of truth to it, especially when it comes to Walt Disney World. Our family jokes that our WDW trips are the only time we can get all of us up and out of bed at the crack of dawn (we’ve gotten up before sunrise, literally). Because we know the big secret – getting to the parks WAY before they open is the best way to get in the most rides/experiences without wasting time in crowds and lines.

Full disclosure, this is not easy to do. Especially with young kids (or adults who act like young kids). But we’ve been there! I’m the oldest of four girls, and at one point we traveled with two of my sisters under the age of 4 when we started our annual WDW trips. We’ve gone through the early mornings with young kids, pre-teens, teens, and now, mid and late twenty-year-olds. It’s always a struggle, but always worth it.

None of us has ever said, “oh I wish we didn’t get up early and ride all the rides.” Yes, we’ve mentioned the tiredness, but that’s where our strategy comes into play. It’s simple.

1. Hit the parks early
2. Leave the parks after lunch, or before, depending on the length of your vacation
3. Relax in the afternoon (pool, nap, AC, whatever!)
4. Hit the parks again in the evening/night

This plan of attack has yet to fail us after all these years. We’ve tried getting to the parks at a “normal” time, and that’s when we always regret it. We get spoiled from getting there early and beating the crowds and lines!

If you’re in WDW for a week, one thing we’ve done is pick a day in the middle of the week where you get to sleep in! It makes the other early mornings more bearable, just knowing you get one day to leisurely sleep in. Maybe do a fun character breakfast and make that a pool day for everyone. And then that night, head to Disney Springs – this even helps to cut back on your Park Hopper days!

WDW makes us morning people, and you can be too.

Interested in using our Park Planning service? Contact us below!

Visiting the Walt Disney World parks and resorts has always been a magical experience for me and my family. Over the years of traveling to WDW, our family has gone through many changes: we’ve both grown up and grown in numbers.

Despite our changing family, WDW has always been a constant in our lives. Our annual August trips (and sometimes more – we’ve been for Christmas and New Years – the other busiest times) were always the perfect way for us to end the summer together. Don’t get me wrong, August in WDW has its share of challenges – from the heat and humidity to the excessive crowds and business – but we love going that time of year.

People think we’re crazy for choosing to spend our vacation time in WDW, and even crazier for going in August, when the heat and crowds are at their peak. Our response to them: if you know how to do WDW right, none of that matters.

What we mean is that there are a lot of things you can you do to make your trip magical, but it does require some planning and work in advance. This is the part I love, and what I want to share in this blog.

So you’ve booked your trip to WDW. Now what?

It’s a rush of excitement when you get that confirmation email from WDW, but now is when the real preparations and work begin. Depending on how far out your trip is, you likely will have to wait until the 180-day window for dining reservations and 30 or 60-day window to book your Fast Pass+ (30 days if you’re staying off-property, and 60 days if you’re staying on property).

This is when WDW Park Planners can help you.

We’ll sit down with you to talk through your trip – we want to learn about you and your group traveling so we can make every detail of your itinerary perfect for YOU. We’ll talk through everything from what parks you want to hit, to if you’re early or late risers, to the types of rides, shows and food you like.

First, we’ll make a general plan of attack with you – what parks and dining you want to do each day. Then you get to sit back while we do the hard part!

If we’re within the 180-day window for dining reservations, we’ll get those locked down right away! Then, as soon as that 30 or 60-day mark hits, we’re ready to make your Fast Pass+ selections for you! Based on availability we will make the necessary adjustments, and then will come back to you with all of the Fast Pass+ selections and dining reservations we confirmed for you.

Once we have your approval, we will move ahead and design the rest of your itinerary for the trip. We know the ins and outs of the parks and will map out what rides, shows and experiences to hit, based on average wait times for that time of day. It’s easy to waste time waiting in lines and wandering the parks, so we want to make sure that Every Minute is Magical.

Interested in using our Park Planning service? Submit a form now at our “Contact Us” page below. Let us do the heavy lifting so you can focus on enjoying your time at the Happiest Place on Earth!

Throughout the years of visiting Walt Disney World, it’s easy to understand why most of the general population dislikes the Happiest Place on Earth.

The crowds, the lines, the heat (it’s hot pretty much every month except January & February), screaming children, fighting families, oh and did we mention the lines?

For most people visiting WDW for the first time, or even second or third, it’s easy to just want to “show up” to Orlando and expect the magic to happen. No planning or preparations or reservations.

BIG MISTAKE.

To get the most out of your time (and money) in WDW, there is a lot of work that must be done in advance. Don’t get me wrong, we steer off our itinerary and plans almost every day, but having a plan to fall back on makes everyone’s life easier, especially when you’re tired, hot and hangry.

Planning out each day of your WDW trip months in advance is so important. Dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance and Fast Pass+ reservations can be made 30 or 60 days in advance (30 if you’re staying off property, and 60 if you’re staying on property). It’s a lot of work, but worth the effort once you’re strolling down Main Street.

For people who don’t enjoy the planning part, WDW Park Planners is the answer. We do the hard part for you, so you can just “show up” to WDW and Make Every Minute Magical.

Interested in using our Park Planning service? Contact us below!