Disney Planning Website and Essential Tools

Disney has a vast array of planning tools at your fingertips. My favorite is the official Disney website, which offers a comprehensive planning experience.

The website allows you to book your trip, including flights, hotels, and park tickets, all in one place. This is super convenient, especially if you're traveling with a group.

To make the most of your trip, I recommend using the Disney trip planner tool, which helps you create a customized itinerary based on your preferences. This tool is super helpful in planning out your days and making the most of your time at the parks.

Disney also offers a mobile app that allows you to access your trip plans and make changes on the go. This is a lifesaver if you need to make any last-minute adjustments to your itinerary.

To start planning your Disney trip, it's essential to determine the best time to visit, which can make or break your experience. The best time to visit Disney World is during the off-season, typically from mid-January to mid-March and from September to mid-November.

Disney World has four main theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Each park offers a unique experience, so it's crucial to decide which ones to prioritize.

The Disney planning website allows you to create a personalized itinerary by selecting your preferred park days and times, which can help you make the most of your trip.

When planning a trip to Disney, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing your ticket options.

Disney offers a variety of ticket types to fit different budgets and needs, including base tickets, park hoppers, and add-ons like the Park Hopper Plus option.

You can choose from one-day, multi-day, or park-hopper tickets, depending on how long you want to spend in the parks.

The Park Hopper Plus option allows you to visit multiple parks in one day, as well as add on experiences like character dining or a visit to an ESPN sports bar.

Disney also offers a Park Hopper ticket option for visitors who want to visit multiple parks in one day, but don't need the extra experiences.

The cost of tickets can vary depending on the type of ticket and the time of year you visit.

To plan your Disney World vacation, it's essential to have a month-by-month guide to help you stay on track. You can find a month-by-month planning guide right here.

Make dining reservations 60 days ahead of your trip to ensure a spot at popular table service restaurants like 'Ohana. Don't wait too long, as reservations can book up quickly.

Consider making changes to your dining reservations later if your plans change, but be aware that most Disney reservations will charge a cancellation fee. This fee is usually $10 per person if you don't show up for the meal or cancel up to two hours in advance.

You can also use the My Disney Experience app to join virtual waitlists for Disney World restaurants with walk-up availability. This feature is called Mobile Dine Check-in, and it's a great way to save time waiting in line.

If you're on a budget or have picky eaters, you can bring food, snacks, and drinks into the Disney World parks. Just be sure to check Disney's policies on outside food and drinks.

Our touring plan philosophy is all about finding a balance between planning and flexibility. We don't try to plan every minute of our day, but rather aim to get a sense of the order we want to do things.

Having a rough idea of the time needed for each activity is helpful, but trying to schedule bathroom breaks is probably not necessary. Think of it as building a logical sequence of progression through the park.

We've found that canned Disney World touring plans available online can be helpful, but they often don't fit every family's needs. You may want to look at some of these plans to get ideas, but be prepared to customize them for your trip goals.

One great resource for interactive touring plans is touringplans.com, but be aware that it does come with a cost.

Creating Your Touring Plan is a fun and interactive process that allows you to engage your kids and other family members in the planning process.

You don't need to plan every minute of your day, just get a sense of the things you want to do and the rough order you want to do them.

Having a concept of time to do things is helpful, but don't worry about scheduling your bathroom breaks.

Think of it as building a logical sequence of progression through the park, clustering attractions together to avoid backtracking and wasting time walking.

You can find canned Disney World touring plans online, but they're not one-size-fits-all, so be prepared to customize them for your trip goals.

Some popular options include touring plans available on the internet, but they can be limited, and you may need to pay for more interactive options like touringplans.com.

Disney's Magic Kingdom is a must-visit destination for any Disney fan. With so many attractions to see, it's essential to prioritize your list.

The Magic Kingdom is divided into different lands, each with its own unique theme and attractions. For example, the Frontierland area is home to Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. We have a list of 23 rides and attractions that we want to see, which includes classics like Haunted Mansion, Small World, and Peter Pan.

To make the most of your day, it's a good idea to have a list of priorities. In our case, we're hoping to hit Haunted Mansion, but we're prepared to skip it if the wait times are too long. If that's the case, we'll head to Small World or Mickey's Philharmagic instead.

Here are some of the top attractions to consider:

The Magic Kingdom's park hours are from 9AM to 10PM, but be aware that there might be ticketed events or special activities that affect the park's schedule.

You can check the official Disney website for the most up-to-date information on park hours and special events, and you can even change the date to see what's happening on a different day.

For example, on July 15, there is a ticketed event called Disney Early Morning Magic – Fantasyland from 7:45 – 9:00AM, but it's not included in the regular park hours.

If you're planning to visit during Extra Magic Hours, be aware that there are no Extra Magic Hours on July 15.

Park hours can vary depending on the day and the season, so it's always a good idea to check the official Disney website or app for the most up-to-date information.

Disney World theme park admission prices vary based on demand, with peak days, like holidays, priced higher than slower periods.

You can save big by visiting during a slower time, when demand isn't as high.

Park hours can be affected by ticketed events, like Disney Early Morning Magic – Fantasyland, which takes place from 7:45 – 9:00AM on certain days.

Make sure to check the park calendar to see what's happening during your planned visit.

Not all days are created equal when it comes to theme park admission prices, with prices jumping up or down depending on the time of year.

Planning a day at the Magic Kingdom can be overwhelming with so many attractions to choose from. You can check the park hours and special events on Disney's website to ensure you don't miss anything important.

The park hours for July 15 are from 9AM to 10PM, but be aware that there may be ticketed events like Disney Early Morning Magic – Fantasyland, which takes place from 7:45 to 9:00AM. If you're not interested in this up-charge, you can skip it and plan your day around the regular park hours.

To make the most of your day, it's essential to prioritize the attractions you want to see. We've built a list of our top picks, which includes 23 rides and attractions. Here are some of the must-see attractions, grouped by land:

Keep in mind that it's unlikely you'll be able to fit in all 23 attractions in one day, so be sure to plan for a second day at the Magic Kingdom if needed.

We'll be heading straight to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan after breakfast.

Standby lines can be a great way to get into these popular attractions quickly.

Plan to finish breakfast by 8:30-8:45 am to make the most of your morning.

Getting in the standby line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train first will put you in a good position to ride it within the first 30 minutes to an hour after the park opens.

You might even get to ride it 5-10 minutes early if the standby line is released ahead of schedule.

Early Morning Magic hours could impact the standby line, but it's generally not a major concern.

Head over to Frontierland and ride Thunder Mountain, which has a relatively short wait time of 30 minutes in the morning.

You can save your FastPass+ reservation for later in the day when wait times peak.

After riding Thunder Mountain, make a stop at Tom Sawyer's Island to spend some time exploring.

This will give you a chance to relax and have some fun before heading over to Splash Mountain for your scheduled FastPass+ time.

Your Splash Mountain FastPass+ reservation is in the 11:00-12:00 time-frame, and you should be done riding by 11:15 to 11:30.

Haunted Mansion is a great ride to hit, but be aware that ride wait times can start escalating around this time of day.

Ride wait times can sometimes be well over an hour, but it's more likely to be around 45 minutes.

If the wait is longer than expected, it's a good idea to skip Haunted Mansion for now and come back later in the day if a FastPass becomes available.

If no FastPass is available, it's logical to save it for a 2-day visit to Magic Kingdom.

Instead, you could consider visiting Small World or Mickey's Philharmagic, which are both great options that will keep you close to Columbia Harbor House.

Ariel and Space Mountain are two of the must-visit attractions at the Disney parks.

You can meet Ariel and her friends at the Ariel's Grotto, but be prepared to adjust your plans if the wait time is too long.

Ariel's Grotto is a great place for kids, especially if they love the mermaid character.

After visiting Ariel's Grotto, head over to Space Mountain, where you can expect to wait in line for 15-30 minutes if you have a FastPass+ reservation.

Make sure to check the wait times before heading to Space Mountain, so you can plan your day accordingly.

The FastPass+ reservations for Space Mountain are usually available at 2:00 PM, so plan your day around that time.

Lightning Lanes are a game-changer for navigating Disney World's busy parks.

You can purchase Lightning Lane services within the My Disney Experience app, where you'll find two different options: Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass.

The Lightning Lane Multi Pass is an optional paid service that allows you to bypass standby lines and enter the Lightning Lane for multiple attractions at a base price.

Guests staying at a Disney World Resort hotel can purchase and select their first 3 Lightning Lane Multi Passes up to seven days in advance of their check-in day for their entire stay, which can be up to 14 days.

For all other guests, purchasing and selecting the first 3 Lightning Lane Multi Passes is available three days in advance.

The Lightning Lane Single Pass service is another paid option for using the Lightning Lane, but this time for Disney World's most popular attractions, where you pay a fee to ride per attraction.

You can purchase and select your ride selections in advance, which can be a huge time-saver when you're in the parks.

Disney dining is a crucial part of your Disney World experience, and making reservations is a must for table service restaurants. You can make reservations 60 days in advance for popular spots like 'Ohana.

Reservations can book up quickly, so it's essential to book them as soon as possible. For example, if you're looking to eat at a character meal like 'Ohana, you'll want to book those reservations 60 days out.

You can change or cancel your reservations later if you need to, but be aware that most Disney reservations will charge a cancellation fee, usually $10 per person.

If you're on a budget or have picky eaters, you can bring food and snacks into the Disney World parks. You can also notify Disney about special dietary concerns or allergies, and Cast Members will be happy to help.

Here's a quick rundown of dining options at Disney World:

Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for Mobile Dine Check-in and Virtual Waitlists for table service restaurants with walk-up availability. This can be a lifesaver if you're short on time or want to try a popular restaurant.