Planning is crucial. Nowadays you have to plan in order to have a fun experience in Walt Disney World. Planning how many tickets you’re going to buy, what dining reservations you should make, and even which FastPass+ selections you’re going to choose are all very important to plan beforehand.
Time
Whether your Walt Disney World vacation is 2 days long, or 2 weeks long you won’t find the time to do everything you wanted to do. Planning will certainly help you get a lot more done than those who don’t plan, but if you set your mind on conquering all of Walt Disney World then you’ve set your expectations too high. When planning out your time management, remember Walt Disney World’s property is 43 square miles. By this I mean don’t plan to book a FastPass for Space Mountain in the Magic Kingdom at 5:30 p.m., and expect to make it in time for a dining reservation at Teppan Edo in Epcot at 5:45 p.m. It takes awhile to get around Walt Disney World property. If you plan everything back-to-back you’re going to end up being late, or miss every experience on your list. It can take an hour just to leave the park and get to your car in the Magic Kingdom. Additionally there are unexpected problems that can arise during your vacation. For example, it could start raining on the day you planned on watching the parade. It is impossible to plan for some of the problems you are going to have to overcome when vacationing in Walt Disney World, so stay flexible with your time management.
Money
Walt Disney World is expensive; it is as simple as that. Budgeting your money often times causes you to sacrifice something you had originally planned. For example, staying at a deluxe resort might mean you have to limit how many table service dining experiences you have. If you plan to do everything your heart desires, just be prepared for your wallet to shrink. If we are being brutally honest, the top shelf Walt Disney World experience is more expensive than most people families can afford. Some multi-millionaire families will be able to buy the most VIP version of a Walt Disney World vacation, but for most of us, money will prevent us from planning an unflawed Disney vacation. There is always going to be another experience or upgrade available. Focus on what makes your Disney vacation special, and splurge on the special experiences you and your family really want to do, but remember there is an endless number of things to splurge on so choose carefully.
Realistic Expectations
No matter how much you plan your Disney vacation, it will not look like a Walt Disney World commercial. Walk into the parks with realistic expectations. There are certain limitations that everyone has when visiting Walt Disney World, and if you think planning will solve all your problems you’re going to walk away disappointed. Unless your name is Neil Patrick Harris or Tom Cruise, you and your family won’t be sleeping in Cinderella’s Castle, and Goofy will not be riding the Barnstormer with your special snowflake. Magical moments do happen, and you might be lucky enough for something special to happen to you and your family, but don’t expect it to happen. There are thousands of people who enter the parks everyday, and cast members try and make everyone feel special, but feasibly there are only so many guests they can help at once.
Not to seem to abstract, but the perfect Disney vacation is in your mind. The perfect Disney vacation happens when your definition of perfect is skewed. A perfect Walt Disney World vacation for me means being with the people I love, and not letting any of the other little details get in the way. Planning some basics for my vacation, and then letting the rest of the experience happen organically is the best plan for me. I book a couple FastPass selections, and have a couple dining reservations, but besides that I just let the day take me where my family or friends want to go.
