Hi there! Happy Monday!

Right now my family is planning a big DISNEY vacation and we couldn’t be more excited! I am constantly talking and thinking Disney! I want to do a blog series here, as well as a video series on my YouTube Channel on our planning process, tips, packing, custom outfits, and so much more.

Today I want to talk the very basics, things that you can to before you even book your trip, to make sure you take advantage of all that Disney has to offer, and get your money’s worth! I will go into more details on these things in another post if people are interested : )

*Photo credit to WDWlive.com

1. On Property or Off Property

The first thing I suggest is deciding if you want to stay on Disney property or off. *Personally* I think staying on property, while much more expensive at first glance, really evens out once you factor in food. Also, you are completely immersed in the magic. And, you have extra perks like Disney’s Magical Express, the monorail, and the bus. But, perhaps the biggest perk draw for me is that you get FIRST DIBS on dining and fast passes!!!

2. Dining Books 180 Days In Advance

When considering when to book your trip, keep in mind that you can make reservations at 180 days out…yes that’s SIX MONTHS in advance! If you’re staying off property you’ll need to log onto your Disney account or call for each day of your trip! If staying on property, you can book 180+10 so as long as your trip is 10 days or less you can book dining for your whole trip in one go. This is HUGE because dining is *extremely* competitive. Some restaurants, such as Be Our Guest, are so competitive that even if you book at your 180+10 you may not get it. I can get more into the dining and dining plans later, but for now just know that if you want to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table, Hollywood & Vine, Be Our Guest, etc, you will want to book on or before 6 months out.

3. Make A MyDisneyExperience Account

The MyDisneyExperience site and app are so awesome! You will use this to make dining reservations, view your itinerary, make payments, favorite rides, check wait times, finding characters and again a ton more…it’s so fantastic! The site has tons of information and online help that help you get an idea for your trip. It’s the perfect baby step ; )

4. Research Research Research!

I LOVE researching everything so I love this part and I’m constantly researching everything, but I love researching Disney! I know not everyone loves it, but it’s a game-changer when it comes to planning your perfect magical vacation. I suggest searching things like “Disney Planning Tips” on YouTube or Google to get started. If people are interested, I can go into more details on my planning process.

5. Get Excited!

Ummmm you’re going to be going to Disney?! How exciting is that?! Everybody has a great time at Disney World!

Thank you SO much for reading! Please tell me what blog posts and/or videos you’d like to see about Disney, because I would LOVE to talk about anything Disney ; )