When it comes to traveling to Disney in Florida, you will want to enjoy every moment of the trip. To make the most out of every moment, you have to be prepared to plan and prepare as much as possible. When you are highly organized for your trip, you can ensure that it gets off to the right start and that it ends well too. So, how can you plan the perfect Disney vacation, and where should you start?
Where Are You Going
Where do you want to go in Florida?
To begin with, you need to think about where you are going. You are going to Disney World in Florida, but is there anywhere specific that you want to go? Are there any resorts or theme parks that you want to visit, and if so, where are they located? When you plan out where you are going – even going as far as to create an itinerary, you can then fill each day to the maximum. If you do not plan out where you are going, you will end up not visiting the sights and theme parks you want. So, for example, do you want to spend a day or two at Disney world, or would you like to head to Seaworld, or perhaps to Busch Gardens? Planning out where you are going will also allow you to purchase tickets and admissions earlier, and this will save you money and time.
Decide on When You Will Visit
Are you planning a spring visit
The time of year that you will visit will impact what you see and do. If you visit in the summertime, you may find that it will take you much longer to get around the theme parks. Whereas when you visit in the off-season or the winter months, the temperature may be cooler. However, you may then be at risk of other things such as hurricanes. There is a lot to consider when you think about times to visit, and if you are traveling with children, you will, of course, have to visit around their school holidays. This in-season traveling can put up prices, and it can affect what your budget is, so carefully think about when you want to go (and when you need to go) and why! When you do this, you can then start looking at the duration of your visit.
Duration of Visit
All good things have to come to an end!
How long do you have to visit Disney and Florida in general? If you are traveling over from another country, you may lose a day at the start of your vacation and one at the end to travel, so try and factor this into your plans. When you are deciding on duration, you need to think about who you are traveling with. For instance, if you are traveling with small (or young children), you are going to need to allow yourself more time to get around the sights and attractions. For example, simply booking 5 or 7 days to get around is not going to be sufficient. You are going to need extra time to get around the parks and go where you want to. So, always factor in extra time if you are traveling to lots of places in a small amount of time. Ideally, looking at 2-3 weeks when visiting Disney is the duration you need to be considering. This amount of time gives you ample time to explore and discover.
Set a Daily Budget
How much do you want to spend each day
You are going to need to spend money when you are at Disney, and if you are not careful, you will find that you are constantly spending money on everything from souvenirs to snacks. To stop this downwards spiral, you need to focus on setting a daily budget. A budget will tell you what you can afford to spend and on what. When you are working out a budget, try and think around the $100 mark per person, as this will cover everything (excluding accommodation). When you are putting together a budget, you also need to think about having an emergency or contingency fund. Quite often, you can find that things end up costing you more than you planned for or even anticipated, and in this case, you will need to have access to emergency funds. Allowing around 10% of your total budget should be sufficient enough.
Accommodation and Lodgings
Are you looking for more than just a room
Where are you going to stay when you are at Disney? Are you focusing on staying solely in the Disney/Orlando area, or are you going to go further and explore what Florida has to offer? For example, visiting the beaches or looking at visiting other attractions such as the Kennedy space center. When you know what you want to do, you can then establish where you should stay. When you are looking at accommodation and lodgings, you then need to start looking at brands and certain locations just to ensure that you get the best deals and prices around. For example, throughout the year, Westgate’s latest deals in Orlando are available. These deals and offers may work well with your stay, and they may help you get affordable accommodation during your vacation. When you are looking at accommodation and lodgings, you want to make sure that you are not too far away from it all – especially if you are not hiring a car. Being close to good transport links is essential. Because, this way, you can be sure that you can move around as and when you want to.
Discounts, Codes, and Promos
Keep an eye out for codes and discounts that will save you money
Planning the perfect Disney vacation means getting on top of everything as early as possible. Using promos, discounts, and codes where can help you save money. Using apps or even signing up for newsletters is going to give you the access you need to save time and money. If you do not sign up for these special offers, then you do risk paying more than you need to, and perhaps even more than you should. When you are searching for discounts and promos, try and be as specific with your search as possible. There are websites that are geared towards Disney vacations that are perhaps run by bloggers who tell you the sites to use, when, and why.
Seek Guidance
Using sites and blogs of past visitors will help you and your family
Lots of people have ventured to Disney before, and to make sure your vacation is perfect, you want to take elements of their vacation and mold them into yours. When you see the best and the worst on offer, you know what to expect, and you know what to plan for. You may find it beneficial to visit family blogger websites that are just specific to Disney. Or, you may find it better to join groups on social media. There are specific groups you can join which let you in on all the insider secrets. These secrets will certainly save you time, stress, and hassle.
Get Everyone Involved
Share plans, and plan together
Unless you are traveling to Disney on your own for a vacation – you will be traveling with others. Getting everyone involved in the planning and preparation will make it a lot more fun and certainly more enjoyable. When everyone can have their input about what they want to happen and what they want to do, you will see how it will become a true family vacation. If you start excluding people (even in the planning stages), you will find that they will become isolated on vacation, and of course, this is not what you want. So, from the get-go, give everyone tasks, chores, and responsibilities. This way, everyone feels unified in their efforts, and they feel part of the process.
Think Transportation
Will you use the monorail
You are going to need to move around the theme parks and even around the sights and attractions, but have you thought about how you will move – and how easy it will be to move? For example, are you looking at hiring a car for the duration of your visit to get you from one park to the next? Or, are you considering using public transport to move you around Orlando and Florida? You may even be looking at using apps such as Lyft and Uber. When you know how you will move and get around, you can get more out of your whole visit. If you do not think about your transportation ahead of your trip, you may end up paying more on arrival – simply because services have been booked up in advance. When you know what transportation services you will be using, you also know how long you can spend exploring a certain place or sight. This then means you can put together a more accurate itinerary.
Going to Disney at any age is fun, and it brings out your inner child (if you are a little older). Making the most out of your trip (no matter the duration) is important. If you do not plan and prepare, you will struggle to fit in everything that you want to, and this may ruin the vacation that you have been looking forward to.
