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This is the second in my new series: Dreaming of Disney! It is no secret that I LOVE Disney and have such precious memories of visiting as a child and with my own children. Over the years I have had LOTS of people ask for advice & tips – and I am more than happy to share to make their time more magical. I am a self-proclaimed Disney expert =-) So I decided to share my tidbits with you =-)
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I am a HUGE planner – so it is no surprise I put a lot of thought into planning our vacations too! I feel that if I plan well ahead things go smother & I can just enjoy the moment.
What time of year to go? There are a LOT of factors in choosing when to go: do your kids go to school, are you a teacher with only certain times you can get off, amount of money you want to spend, etc. If you are able to, I HIGHLY suggest going in:
- January or early February – for lowest crowds (most everyone is in school so you will have low crowds with 15 minutes or less wait time on most rides) and lowest cost (it is one of the budget times so hotels are 35% cheaper PLUS you will probably find other deals like free dining or an additional 30% off hotels). The only downside to this time of year is the weather is a little colder (high 70-74; lows 45-50). So you will need to bring a sweatshirt and splash mountain may not sound like such a good idea.
- September & October – again lowest crowds, lowest rates plus good chance of free dining or hotel offers, and warm Florida weather (high 90 / low 73). September (like all summer) you are going to get more rain, an average of 6” a month. So expect sudden showers, but it is very rare to get rained out all day. Plus if you go in the beginning of October the park is decorated for Halloween and you could even go to the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
- May – There is a small 7-10 day window at the beginning of May where crowds are low (spring break is over and most schools haven’t gotten out yet) and the rates are good. The hotel is still 20% less than during regular season, but no quite as cheap as in Jan/Feb/Sept/Oct. The weather is perfect in my book with high of 88 and low of 66 with only about 3” average monthly rainfall. Plus you will get to see the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival (AMAZING!!) and might even catch Star Wards Weekends at Hollywood Studios (a very cool experience if you are a Star Wars fan)
- November / December – Disney is truly magical around the holidays! Each park has it’s own magical celebration: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, Holidays around the World Candlelight Procession at Epcot, Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom, and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios. Mid November or December 1-14 are the best as far as crowds and pricing, but will still be more crowded than Jan/Feb/Sept/Oct.
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- The rest of the year there are crowds to deal with (although the parks are open longer and more characters come out for meet & greets) and the prices go up (although you will still find some deals out there). June is the best summer month as far as crowds go. No matter when you go it will be magical! Just remember the more crowded it is – the more important to have a plan to see everything!
- Excellent Resource: Touring Plans – you do have to pay for this service, but their crowd calendar predictor is FANTASTIC!! Find out how crowded each park is going to be!
How long should you stay? Well – that depends on how long you can spare and how many parks you intend to see. I think the Magic Kingdom is the best – it is the most magical, most rides, and my favorite by far!! You need 1 LONG day to see it all during low season…and trust me you’ll want to ride things more than once. I would allow 3 days. You can do the other parks in 1 day (although there are always things you’ll want to see more of!) So at minimum here is what I’d allow:
- Magic Kingdom – 3 days (the most magical place – you’ll want 2 days to see it all and an extra day to see your favorites again!)
- Hollywood Studios – 1 day (you won’t be able to fit in all the shows, characters, parades, rides, and Fantasmic! in one day – but you’ll see MOST of it! Besides chances are your kids will be too young or old for different attractions.)
- Epcot – 1 day (you could spend longer if you watched every movie & show around the world and played a lot in the Imagination areas, but you’ll get on all the rides, walk through the countries, character pictures/autographs, and see Illuminations in one day.)
- Animal Kingdom – 1 day (You can see it all in 1 day, but you could spend longer watching the animals or seeing more characters)
Click on parks above for my park specific tips
If you can spare it, this is what we do & recommend – we spend 10 days. That is getting the most bang for your buck! After all – for most of us the expense if flying/driving down there!! And especially if you can get a Free Dining offer – stay longer!! If you stay 10 days this is what I suggest: 6 days at Magic Kingdom, 1 day at each of the other parks, and 1 day at one of the other parks of your choice. If you stay this long you don’t have to pay extra for the non-necessary and at times stressful hopper option. Also, by staying longer you can go back to your hotel around lunch when the crowds get longer and it gets warmer – use the pool, have the kids take a nap, or just enjoy the beauty and theming of your Disney hotel.
*As pricing can change, please visit Disney to get up-to-date pricing.
Book Dining 180 days before your visit! - It is CRAZY, but if you want to get a good selection of days/times for dining during your visit you will need to book them waaaaay out. You can begin booking 180 days before you arrive. You can always cancel, but so many of them book up & you will have a hard time getting the random cancellation spot if you do not. This is especially true if you want to eat at Cinderella’s castle or for other favorite spots. Even if you have not booked your vacation yet, if you have dates you are looking at BOOK YOUR DINING. You can always cancel it if you change your mind (at no charge if in advance)! DEALS! - Let’s face it, any vacation costs money. But that doesn’t mean you have to pay full price!! So how do you get deals on a Disney world vacation.
- Check their website: SPECIAL OFFERS (Let’s face it, in this economy everyone is offering deals!)
- Order their vacation planning DVD! Make sure you opt to receive email promotions. I have gotten many exclusive PIN offers for free dining or up to 40% off hotels this way. I don’t know that anyone outside of Disney knows when & why they mail them out, but you may receive an email or your may receive an offer in the mail.
- Check Mousesavers to find promo codes. They are a Disney authorized travel agency. You will not get special offers, but it is a place to check for any current Disney offers you may have missed. They can book your vacation for you if you want. But it is very easy to do online at Disney’s site so I see no real value as I like to see things are done right with my own two eyes =-)
- Sign-up for a Disney Visa card. Another way to get free offers is by having their visa card. There are other perks too: a one time sign-up bonus (I got $150 first statement credit so shop around on this offer), free stroller rental at Disneyland, private photo op with Mickey & Goofy at Epcot only for cardmembers, 6 month 0% financing on Disney vacations, plus Disney dream dollars that are good towards giftcards or merchandise online/stores/Disney.
- Ever wondered how good the deals get for the particular time you are going? Check Mousesavers here to see historic offers – a VERY cool tool!!
Should you stay at a Disney World Hotel? YES! - Unlike Disneyland, Disney World has a LOT of land! So they have a LOT of hotel options – options to meet EVERY budget! Check out some of their amazing hotels here. PLUS when you stay at a Disney World property you get the following perks:
- FREE pick-up/drop off from the Orland International Airport (MCO) – super easy to find & well organized. Note: You need to reserve this free service in advance through our reservation.
- FREE shuttle to/from all the parks, hotels, and downtown Disney (yep! you can even go hotel hopping!)
- Luggage transportation – if you use their luggage tags you don’t even have to lug around your luggage in Orlando. They deliver it right to your hotel. They will also take it from your hotel to the airport when you leave!
- FREE LUGGAGE on return flights – they have an agreement with most major airlines so that if you check in for your return flight from the hotel they will check in your luggage for FREE!
- FREE Shopping delivery – If you buy something while you are in the parks they will deliver it to your hotel room for free – no need to lug the bag around in the park all day or worry about loosing it!
- FREE Morning/Evening Magic Hours – For hotel guests only one park either opens 1 hour early or stays open up to 3 hours late!! You can see a LOT of rides with the fewer lines =-)
- They are as close as you get to the parks so you will be able to get their sooner (and sleep in longer!)
- You can use your Disney Dining Plan at your hotel!
- Stay in the magic – everything is magical when you stay in the magic!! Trust me you’ll LOVE it! Everyone is so nice – even the other guests
*Please visit Disney’s website for any updates, changes, and current ride closures/refurbishments.
LOOKING FOR MORE?!?
Check out other helpful topics in the Dreaming of Disney Series below!
- When to take your kids (what is the 'perfect' age)
- Planning for your trip (time of year, how long to stay, Disney hotels, and affordability/deals)
- Tidbits (20 tips from the best place to see Mickey to strollers to super cool Disney features you may not know about)
- Dining: My top picks for snacks, quick meals, and reviews on 12 restaurants (including character meals)
- Magic Kingdom
- Animal Kingdom
- Hollywood Studios
- Epcot
- Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland, CA
And if you are ready to book your next magical vacation may I recommend:
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Great post!! When we went last year we stayed at Pop Century and it was definitely more expensive to fly out there and board our dogs than it was to actually stay. I'm glad you are letting people know that it can be done with a reasonable budget! I can't wait to read the rest of your tips!!
ReplyDeleteHow fun....I have never been to florida...I wonder if you know how different are the two disneyland ( you know I'm in cali)
ReplyDeleteChristina, California and Florida are 2 very different experiences. Disneyland is not even comparable to the size of Disney World. We did Disneyland in 1 day (and weren't impressed, it just didn't seem as *magical*). Each Disney World park, on the other hand, takes at least 1 day to see everything and was so much better in many ways.
DeleteBeth, you've just really made me want to go now. Not in the 3 years we are planning on going. Our plan is when my husband graduates. Our girls will be 5 and 7. I think that's a fun age. If we had the money we'd go sooner. It's going to be a graduation present for all of us. Yeah husband finished and we all made it through this never ending journey of school.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this! We are leaving for our first trip as a family to WDW on February 12, so I'll be following your blog to see if there are anymore posts before we leave:)
ReplyDeleteWow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post.Thank you for sharing to us.
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I was wondering how you find out about free disney dining? How have you found this?
ReplyDelete-Veronica
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ReplyDeleteI think that's a fun age. If we had the money we'd go sooner. It's going to be a graduation present for all of us..Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLuggage Delivery
Oh my thank you so much for this huge tips. We are planning a WDW trip next month and your post just helped me out. We will be bringing our twins and for sure will rent strollers. Thanks you! **hugs**
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips. I wonder how much of them are applicable for Disney World which is a lot closer to us. I have to pin for this post to reread since we will probably go next year.
ReplyDeleteJust a heads up on the meal reservations...we went in early October 2011 and we are returning early May 2012. As we went to make our reservations for the meals in May, we learned that Disney has a new cancellation policy where they charge $10 a person for any no shows or cancellations when your vacation begins. Even if most of the party still keeps the reservation and one person can not make it, they will still charge, for that person, $10. Which in most cases would not be an issue because who would think of not showing right? But it would have cost me $40 extra this past October, had this policy been in place at the time. Due to the fact that I became ill and was unable to attend several dinners...so something to keep in mind!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips. Found you on Pinterest. Please just correct your spelling of the word "dining". LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your Disney vacation! Will be there this summer :) Reading your post made me more excited to take my vacation in the Magical kingdom especially now that I won't be bringing stroller along knowing about Stroller Rental Moms would surely enjoy too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWE LOVE Disney Too! We have two Disney cruises planned and a week of Disneyschooling in Novemeber!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog through Pinterest. So timely, since we are heading to Disney next month. Thanks so much for all the great tips!
Maureen
Thanks so much, this is very informative. We're heading to Disney in September (free dining!) and your reviews on the character dining restaurants were very helpful.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Orlando originally, and the BEST place to stay of all the Disneyworld resorts is camp Wilderness. Cheapest if you have your own camping tent or vehicle, but you can also rent their Fleetwood camping 'cabins' which sleep six to eight, and have a kitchen so you can manage your costs by making some of your own meals. Their are load of activities right there in the campground, some free (like a nightly outdoor movie in an amphitheater setting complete with roasting marshmallows, and a petting zoo) two resort pools, and just like every other resort in the complex--access to all the magic kingdom transportation. Dogs are welcome in certain areas, and there is an air conditioned kennel where you can leave them during the day while you 'park hop' during the day. There is also a reasonably priced dinner buffet right in the camping resort, and a beach. When we lived in Orlando, we would just go to the resort for the week-end, just to get that full on Disney experience without having to visit the Magic Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteSo our first family trip is only 60 days away and I am in full Disney planning mode. I have a few questions. What times are the light parade and fireworks in the magic kingdom? I want to plan around dinner reservations. I am torn between which character dinners to do. I have lots booked and am going to have to start cutting some out. When would you do bippity bippity boutique the morning or afternoon. Thanks for all of your help and I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteCarmen, your profile is not attached to an email so I can't respond to you directly. the best way to see current times for parades & shows is here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/calendar/ For character meals check out my Dinning post (#4 in my series; link above). We have not personally done the bippity boppity boutique... but I would say morning that way your girl can enjoy being treated as royalty all day!!! You can even get a slot 1 hour BEFORE the park opens so you don't loose any park time!! Hope that's helpful,
ReplyDeleteBeht =-)
Just a head's up: If you are planning on going anywhere near Halloween, yes, the decorations are gorgeous, but they kick everyone out of the parks around 6pm to get the park ready for the scary Halloween stuff. And, if you don't have a hopper pass, you will need to pay again if you want to come back that evening. When we went, that was the worst part about our trip because we would get to the park around 10am, get kicked out at 6pm and not feel like we saw everything we wanted to see and certainly didn't want to pay again to go back that evening.
ReplyDeleteYour Life in Print - you are right they do close the Magic Kingdom early 2-3 days a week in October. Generally the crowds are so much less that time of year that you will see much of what you wanted to see. The other option is to plan the days you are at MK to not be there on one of the Halloween days! (The other parks are open 'normal' hours) We tried to plan character meals (like Chef Mickeys, Cinderella dinner, etc. for those days at 6pm... then be back swimming at the wonderful pools by 7:30pm). We found one of those days to be a welcome change of pace.
ReplyDeleteBeth =-)
We have NEVER been to Disney World, but grew up next door to Disneyland and so are a little jaded....HOWEVER we are now raising our granddaughters aged 6 1/2 and 5. We MUST do Disney now as we haven't been to Disneyland in 18 years....maybe this time we'll go to Disney World. We live in Northern California and reading your site was certainly a help!
ReplyDeleteWhen are the Star Wars weekends? I couldn't find it on their site.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say for those that are wondering..... Disneyland and Disney World are so different! Disneyland is extremely small in comparison and when you drive outside of the theme park, you're just in a regular city. When you drive outside of each Disney World theme park you still feel like you're in a special Disney area. I really don't know how to describe it, but its so nice. Anyway, thank you SO much for doing this! Great tips!!!! =)
ReplyDeleteHi, we are going to Disney next week and just disxovered your blog and i'm reading it all, cause it's helping me a lot! But i just called the hotel ( we are staying at The Swan) an asked about the free transportation from the airport and they told me they dont have that service.they work w a company that charges $34 per person/round trip.
ReplyDeleteWhere can i check again the free transportation?
Thanks for all your help
The Swan and Dolphin, although on Disney property, are not owned by Disney and therefore do not include free airport transportation.
DeleteCarmen,
ReplyDeleteI hate to be the bearer of bad news.... but the Swan is listed as an "Other Deluxe Hotel" (along with the Dolphin) and does not include the same perks as staying at a Disney Hotel =-( You will also not find free parking here. Calling the hotel directly will be your best bet. If you are using the Disney Dinning Plan you may also want to check if they accept that. I agree it is confusing on the Disney website!!
Have a GREAT trip,
Beth =)
We are planning a trip with a 3 & 1 yr old. We will be staying at a seaworld hotel, so how should we go about doing meal plans, etc? We're also interested in the Halloween party, do u recommend this for these ages? What rides, restaurants, or activities do u suggest?
ReplyDeleteOther random questions... Do u suggest taking our own strollers, car seats, pack n plays or renting them all?
We r hoping to get by with just using shuttles, and not renting a car. How likely is this ? :).
Gibsons,
ReplyDeleteI have never stayed at a Seaworld hotel. I highly recommend staying at Disney in the midst of the magic. You can still purchase the Disney meal plan if you like or just purchase a la carte. Reservations for sit down meals are still necessary and book out.
I have not done the Disneyworld Halloween party, but just got back from the DisneyLAND one and it was wonderful and perfect for little ones.
See other posts in the series for rides/restaurants I recommend by park =-) There is a lot of information in there.
Again, I have never done it from SeaWorld....but staying at Disney we ALWAYS bring our own stroller. It comes out cheaper and is so convenient for kids & stuff at the bottom. No need for carseats if you are riding the shuttle - we never needed to rent a car. Pack & Plays are free at Disney, but not sure about Sea World.
You will want to read up on Sea World to answer your other questions.
Have a GREAT vacation =-)
Beth
We are trying to decide if we want to stay on property or off. Do you know if you can take a limo/car to the front gates or do you get dropped off and take a shuttle?
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE staying on property in the midst of the magic! On property there are free shuttles that drop you off as close as any vehicle can come =-)
ReplyDeleteOff property you'd have to see if they offer a shuttle. If not, taking a car will cost $14 to park per day!
Any specific tips for a single MOM bringing her daughter. I'm wanting to plan a trip for daughter's 6th bday this October. I'm nervous about traveling alone and getting more BANG for my very small buck! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderfully helpful and informative article for planning a Disney Vacation. We have done the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios with the kids (but I sure wish I had this information first). We are planning to do Animal Kingdom when we take a short trip to Orlando in March. I was wondering if you could suggest which Disney movies we should watch before doing that park so that the kids would get the most out of it? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRebecca - I would say The Lion King (wonderful show based on it, plus characters in the parade), Bug's Life (tree of life/show/characters to meet/great), and Finding Nemo (wonderful show!)
ReplyDeleteYou may also want to catch Jungle Book (some caracters to meet & great).
Have FUN!!
Beth =-)
The post really appreciable and it contains such impressive offers. thanks for sharing...... Limo Services in Bay Area
ReplyDeleteHow does the free baggage check work? That could save a lot of money with three people traveling.
ReplyDeleteThis is SO awesome! I just moved to first from K and really needed some resources. THANK YOU!
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Great site and suggestions. Just so you know, dining is not spelled "dinning". Your entire article has it misspelled.
ReplyDeleteI've been scouring the internet for cheap vacations to Disney, and this post just gave me a lot of useful info. Thanks so much for all the resources!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! We're are headed for our 2nd Disney vacation next week. So excited!
ReplyDeleteI have a question regarding car seats. If we have an infant with us does the shuttle or van require us to have a car seat? and if so, do they provide one if we request it?
ReplyDeleteShuttles do not require the use of carseats. If you reserve ahead many taxis or "car" services will bring them for you to use free of charge. I called FLorida Police before our trip and they are REQUIRED for children traveling in taxis.
DeleteHope that helps =)
Beth