I think one of the best tips I can share with you, is that it's never to early to plan. Now, don't get me wrong, if you find yourself making a quick, impromptu visit to the World, go and have fun. But I'm a planner. Sometimes I think planning is almost as fun as going.
So where do you start?
First thing to do is order your FREE Walt Disney Vacation Planning DVD. It is a great way to get a feel of everything that Disney has to offer. Parks, Hotel, Cruises, Adventures, and so much more. We ALWAYS going to Walt Disney World in Florida. Someday we hope to visit the other parks and take in all that Disney has to offer, but for now, it's Walt Disney World.
And since that is where we have been, the majority of our knowledge and experience is about Walt Disney World. But don't let that stop you from reading the blog. Much of what we share is completely applicable to the other parks (Especially planning tips-Tuesdays, Films-Fridays, Scrapbooks - Saturdays, and Wednesdays will contain News and infos about any and everything Disney).
Once you have decided WHERE you are going I would suggest you decide on your budget. If you're collecting coins in the change jar or using the money from your recent lottery win, there is a vacation waiting for you. Everyone deserves a Disney vacation at least once in their lives.
Your budget needs to be realistic. I suggest to plan for everything. Don't assume anything. And then plan a little bit more. Don't leave anything out. My goal is to make this a real vacation. To make it doable for those with even the smallest of budgets.
Second thing you're going to want to do is began to devour all the resources available to you. There are guides, websites, and apps that you'll just want to get. Today we'll talk about guides. You can find them at your local book stores. Trying to keep to your budget? Look at the library or local Goodwill. The editions may be older, but so much of the information is all the same.
My must have is
Design magical vacations with this travel guide and planning system for
everyone's favorite playground. Fourteen built-in organizer pockets keep plans, maps, and
memories all in one place, and the travel guide includes everything you need to plan the
perfect vacation. All Disney parks and resort hotels are described in depth, with ratings,
floor plans, and maps. Comprehensive information for planning, traveling, and dining is
also included, along with an entire section devoted to extra-special Disney magic. Design
your vacation with the help of nine planning worksheets, write your itinerary on the front
of each organizer pocket before you go, store guidemaps, brochures, tickets, and receipts
inside the pockets while you're there, and record expenses and memories to review and
share when you return. This is the ultimate traveling companion for Walt Disney World! (Passporter website description)
I can't say enough about this Disney guide. There isn't an area left out. There are detailed descriptions about each of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.
Each of the Parks has multiple pages filled with tons of information.
-A detailed map
-Tips and notes
-Shopping
-Times
-Transportation
-Character Attractions
-Rides and Attractions -
This part is great. There are detailed descriptions, photos, ride restrictions, length AND ratings. 3 separate ratings. 2 by the authors and on by average reader poll. There are also Teen/Tween and Kid tips. This has really helped us determine if a certain attraction is appropriate for everyone or something someone might want to or need to forgo (Think scarey, motion sickness, etc).
The pockets: An amazing way of planning, keeping track of dining reservations, hotel information, etc. You can store your receipts in the pockets and make notes for scrapbooking when you return home.
The guide can be found at most major book retails, or on-line at their store (http://www.passporter.com/wdw/guidebook.asp). There are a wide range of options to fit every budget. A current 2013 collector's edition for $59.46 (15% off regular list price), spiral bound edition for $21.21, e-reader for $16.96. If those edition's don't fit in your budget you might think about buying in older edition. I've seen used 2011 editions on Amazon.com for just under $4.
(They've also got a long list of other guides that you may find useful,
Vacation Club Guide, Cruise Line, DisneyLand, Sidekick, Character Yearbook, etc. ) (And just in case you're wondering, no, I don't work for them or get any type of compensation).
If you're not a book person their site is great. Great downloads, on-line commmunity and general information. They also have a great newsletter you can sign up for.
Other guides that have found their way onto my shelf:
The Complete Walt Disney World (by Julie and Mike Neal)
Walt Disney World with Kids (by Kim Wright Wiley)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (by Bob Sehlinger w/ Len Testa)
Walt Disney Aorl Resort Guide to the Magic for Kids (by Tim Foster)
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World by Birnbaum travel guides
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World
Fodor's Walt Disney World 2013
The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World
That's just the beginning. There are so many out there. So spend some time this week finding what suites you best.
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