Planning Checklist

Summary:

• Use the chart below for an overview of the steps to start planning your Disney World vacation.
• Check out the additional information below for more details on each step.

When to Go and Trip Length  

I have a separate article on this topic, When to Go and How Long to Stay.

Where to Stay  

You will need to decide if you want to stay on or off Disney property. My recommendation is to stay on property for the most convenience and perks.

Disney World offers several great perks to guests staying in their hotels. This includes:

• Transportation to all the parks and Disney Springs
• 30 minute early entry to the parks
• Extended evening hours on select nights if you are staying at a Deluxe/Deluxe Villa hotel

Letting someone else handle the driving for you is quite convenient and stress free. Additionally, having the extra time in the parks without the general public means that the parks are significantly less crowded allowing you more time to get on the rides you want to. In other words, staying at a Disney World hotel means that you don’t have to think or worry about getting to and from the parks, and gives you extra time to explore the parks with less crowd. Isn’t enjoying the parks the main reason you’re going to Disney World?

If you have some hotel partner points, or would prefer to stay off-property, there are other hotel chains near Disney Springs, Flamingo Crossing, the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve, and the Four Seasons that give the same perks but with a less Disney-centric experience.

Getting to Disney World from the Airport  

Growing up, my family always used Magical Express (RIP) and I continued to use their replacement in Mears Connect over the last couple of years. On my last trip, I decided to try using Uber and am forever changed. I now will recommend that anyone just take a rideshare over Mears Connect from the airport to their hotel.

The Mears Connect is a shuttle bus service offered by the bus transportation company Mears. It has two tiers of service; standard and express. I have never done express so cannot comment on it, but have done the standard service several times over the last couple of years. It is cheaper than a rideshare, but it takes much longer because the shuttle bus picks up for multiple hotels and then has to stop at all those places. I plan for the Mears Connect to take anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours depending on the time of day and which hotel your stop is (if you are last, you best believe you will be on that bus for a while).

You are definitely paying for convenience with a rideshare, but it also goes straight to your hotel, so gets you there in about 45 minutes to one hour depending on traffic. My Uber was about $50 because I came in at an off date/time, but as with Uber anywhere using it during peak times will result in surge pricing and delays in arriving if there is traffic.

In this situation, I personally value the convenience of getting straight to my hotel, so it is a cost I am willing to pay. If you would prefer to save some money, the Mears Connect website is easy to use and a very straightforward process when using it. I would recommend if you go the Mears Connect route to purchase your tickets about one month in advance of your trip.

MagicBand+ vs MagicMobile vs Physical Key Cards  

Once at Disney World, you have three options of what to use to access the parks, your hotel room, and to make any purchases. 

1. MagicBand+
2. MagicMobile
3. A physical key card

MagicBand+ (most convenient)  

The most convenient way is to use a MagicBand+. This customizable RFID bracelet is a one stop shop for all things you need on your vacation. You will be able to use it to scan into the park, unlock your Disney hotel room, and link your credit card to tap to pay for any food/merchandise. Because it is on your wrist, you never need to worry about keeping track of it. FYI - to charge purchases to your MagicBand+ you must set up a four digit pin which is used on every purchase: that way, no one else can make purchases with your MagicBand+ without that pin. 

You get an email a couple months before your trip about purchasing them and you need to do so at least 11 days before your check in day so it has enough time to get shipped to your house. You select the color or pattern you like best, and can even engrave your name into the band! You can also buy them at all merchandise shops in the parks. 

The downsides of the MagicBand+ is you have to pay for them and they require charging due to some interactive features. 

MagicMobile  

MagicMobile is a feature of the My Disney Experience app that allows you to download a digital pass in your iPhone, Android, or to your Apple watch. I have not personally used it, but I have heard from others it is easy to use and download. More information can be found on the Disney World official website. Note - this cannot be used to open your Disney hotel room and will require a physical key card or the Direct-to-Room feature in the My Disney Experience app. 

Physical Card  

You can also skip digital tools and use physical cards for everything:

• One card for park entry and payments
• A second card for your hotel room

This option works, but it means keeping track of multiple cards - which can be a hassle - and therefore I do not recommend.

Must Do Rides/Experiences  

Disney World has so much to do and see, there is no way to fit everything into one trip. One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to get on every ride. Doing so is highly unlikely, so that means you’ll need to do some research ahead of your trip on what you cannot go home without seeing. For me personally, no trip to Disney World is complete without dropping in to Tower of Terror, or ending my day at the Magic Kingdom with fireworks.

Dining Reservations  

If you plan to eat at any of the sit down restaurants at Disney World, you’ll need to make an advance dining reservation. These open up 60 days in advance at 6:00 Eastern time (ET). Most restaurants don’t need to be booked that far in advance, but if you want to get into any hard to get into ones, then you definitely will want to set a reminder.

Line Skipping Programs  

Disney has several programs you can use to help shorten your time waiting in lines. The catch is they all have a cost to them.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass

• Lets you pre-schedule a time to ride up to 3 attractions
• After going on your first ride, you can select something else to add to your itinerary
• If have a park hopper ticket you can book rides in multiple parks
• Disney World hotel guests can make reservations up to 7 days in advance; 3 days for all other guests. At 7:00 AM Eastern time (ET)

Lightning Lane Single Pass

• Separate pass required for the most popular rides in each park
  • Magic Kingdom - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tron Lightcycle Run
  • Epcot - Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
  • Hollywood Studios - Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
  • Animal Kingdom - Avatar Flight of Passage
• Can book up to 2 per day across the parks (via park hopping)
• Separate from Multi Pass; can be bought with Multi Pass or on it’s own
• Disney World hotel guests can make reservations up to 7 days in advance; 3 days for all other guests at 7:00 AM Eastern time (ET)

Lightning Lane Premier Pass

• Skip the line at every ride that has a Lightning Lane, including those in scope for the Lightning Lane Single Pass
• No advance booking required; show up to the ride whenever you want to go on it
• Only available in one park for the day
• Note - significantly more expensive than the other options

I have used past versions of the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, and highly recommend them. Being able to cut some of the lines at the parks helps to make the day more enjoyable. It also allows a good balance of planning some of your day out while still allowing for some spontaneity during the day.

I haven’t tried the Premier Pass yet. While the ideal sounds quite amazing, I can say without even trying it I would not recommend this for Epcot or Animal Kingdom. Those parks are fine to manage between standby queues and the Multi Pass/Single Pass options. I am curious to see for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios if it makes a difference, so once I try will report back.

Must Eat Snacks  

Disney World is know for its snacks. And with so many to chose from, picking the best ones can be tricky.

My favorites include:

• Dole Whip! It is a Disney classic for a reason. Yummy pineapple ice cream (or swirled with Vanilla if you prefer to cut the tartness) can be found throughout the parks as well as at the Polynesian Village Resort. My favorite place to have it is at Aloha Isle at Magic Kingdom.
• Eating at seasonal food booths at Epcot - throughout the year Epcot has a variety of festivals that bring in different food booths. These stalls serve mini versions of the item so it’s a perfect way to snack around the world and try a bunch of different things.
• Popcorn - I’m not sure what they put into it, but Disney World’s popcorn is always such a tasty snack. It’s simple and a classic; you just can’t go wrong.

Some ones I’m curious to try but haven’t done so yet:

• Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs - I’m a huge Levain Bakery fan, so am very curious to see how these rank compared to the NYC based fan favorite.
• Anything from Karamell-Küche - I’ve heard great things about all the deserts in this bakery located in the Germany pavilion at Epcot.
• Churros from the Nomad Lounge - While I’ve been to this Animal Kingdom lounge before, and highly recommend it, I’ve not tried these churros. I heard they are the best on property, and happen to be gluten free.