Finding a place to call “home” while visiting Orlando is a great place to start when planning your Walt Disney World Resort vacation is a great first step in planning your dream vacation to The Happiest Place on Earth.

 

Since Orlando really is my home, I know that there are many lovely places to choose to stay while visiting. Some of the perks to choosing a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel are complementary access to Disney’s Magical Express, resort transportation and parking, early access to FastPass+ and advanced dining reservations, Extra Magic Hours, access to the Disney Dining Plan, Magic Bands for your family, Resort Hotel Entertainment, and WiFi. The magical reasons to choose a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel though are hard to put into words. From the diverse theming of each hotel room to the unique interactions that Disney’s Cast Members provide throughout your stay, you will never regret your decision to choose a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel.

Next is starting to plan your days while visiting the parks themselves. Anyone who asks me what they “must do” while at Walt Disney World Resort are usually shocked that my answer isn’t a ride, character interaction, or dining experience but one that simply requires them to sit back and let Disney’s special magic take over. Watching “Celebrate the Magic” for the first time with my husband and children while sitting on a bench has to be the single greatest memory I have with them. Seeing my children’s faces as that beautiful animation danced across the backdrop of Cinderella Castle mixed with the unmistakable moments where the magic became real in their hearts was awe inspiring. I managed to silently sob while watching them and missing the show myself the first time we sat there. We then proceeded to miss “Wishes” entirely because Mama was a hot mess and the kids were really concerned. We had to abandon our bench for the restrooms where I could meltdown in peace! We have returned to watch it many times and every time they still check to see if I am okay afterward. They have no idea that as much as I love the show, they are the thing I love to watch most.

 

Finally a big part of planning your time at Walt Disney World is planning your dining experiences. There are a ton of options when it comes to when, where, what, and with whom you want to eat. Character dining is very popular and many of the restaurant reservations fill up months in advance. The same goes for many of the five star dining restaurants.

If you are curious or planning a Walt Disney vacation, I would highly suggest contacting an authorized Walt Disney vacation planning specialist. I know that sounds like a huge step, but trust me when I tell you that you will not regret it. They have all of the answers you seek and are on your side through the whole process. Also there are many things you will spend your money on during this process, but a vacation planning specialist is not one of them. They are not paid by you, but by Disney so it is definitely a service to look into while planning your trip.

Another resource I would suggest is checking out another tool Disney provides via the Disney Moms Panel. This group of Moms (and Dads) answers questions submitted to them on Disney’s official website daily.

Good luck with planning and feel free to reach out if you have any questions and I will do my best to help you out!