Being an avid Disney Fanatic who has been visiting Walt Disney World since 1974, people are always asking me for help booking their vacations. I hear horror stories all the time about people who booked their Disney vacation by themselves or with a travel agent who had very little personal experience. There is so much to see and do at Walt Disney World that you can’t just show up and wing it.
Here are 5 rookie mistakes people make when planning a Walt Disney World vacation
1. Buying only a 2 or 3 day park ticket
There are 4 theme parks to visit! Walt Disney world is roughly the size of San Francisco, there is no way you’re going to see it all in a couple of days. Trying to cram everything in to 2 or even 3 days makes for very long days and stressful times, especially with little ones. If you experience an attraction that you love, don’t you want the opportunity to do it again and not be stressing about the next thing on the itinerary? There is nothing worse than being rushed and anxious all the time while you’re trying to stay on schedule. You will miss the magic of BEING there!
2. Not buying a hopper pass
Now many will disagree with me, but I really believe that a hopper pass is worth it. For example – Fantasmic is only happening on Monday and Wednesday the week you’re there – guess what days will be busiest at Hollywood Studios? With the hopper pass you can enjoy another park during the day and then head over in time for the night time entertainment elsewhere. The flexibility of the hopper pass is extremely valuable in my opinion, and you won’t realize how much until you’re there. My only caveat to this would be if you have really little ones and you don’t envision having enough energy to hop around.
3. Not staying on property
There are some fabulous Deluxe resorts on property, but if those aren’t in your budget there is still a place for you! The Value and Moderate resort categories have some great places to stay to fit any budget. These resorts are well themed, convenient and affordable and include the benefits of staying in a Disney resort including transportation to/from the parks. The transportation options include buses, monorails, boats and the Skyliner!
4. Not knowing what to plan in advance
If you’ve never been to Walt Disney World – how would you know what you want to see and do? Walt Disney World planning is always evolving. Disney Genie and Lightening Lanes, Park Reservations and Dining – how do you know what reservations you need before you go? It is quite possible if you book your trip far in advance that things will CHANGE between the time you booked and the time you travel, Disney is ALWAYS mixing things up! It’s imporant to know these things and having a Disney travel agent will help you with all of that. There are a lot of myths about using a Disney travel agent, but I can guarantee you that the RIGHT agent can help you plan the BEST vacation.
5. They over plan!
I know, that kind of contradicts what I said in point 4, but there’s something to be said for just enjoying the moment. If you want to eat with the Princesses – then yes, you need a reservation. However, planning all of your attractions in a strict itinerary takes all of the fun out of being there. I’ve seen many families racing around the park to make sure they are ‘on schedule’ and it really takes away from all of the wonderful things they could experience if they took a moment to slow down!
A Walt Disney World vacation can be an amazing experience making memories you will treasure forever. Knowing how to get the most out of your vacation will give you time to enjoy the magic!
Have you made any of these mistakes? We’d love to hear what tips you have, comment below!
Explore some of the resorts we have reviewed here and listen to our Podcast for more info!
