Proper Planning a Must For Walt Disney World Vacation

There are many things to consider when planning a Walt Disney World Vacation. With some research and planning you can customize a vacation to fit your needs. Disney Resort's, dining and ticket options offer something for every lifestyle and budget. Whether you are a first time guest or seasoned veteran, your Disney vacation begins months before you ever step foot in The World.

Accomodations vary from camping at Fort Wilderness to the Five-Star Grand Floridian. Each Walt Disney Resort has a theme, selecting what one best suits your taste is often not an easy task. Would you like to stay on the Savannah at Animal Kingdom Lodge or escape to the Islands at Caribbean Beach Resort, how about trip down the Mississippi at Port Orleans Riverside? Having a hard time choosing a resorts, consider what park you will be spending the most time at and pick the Resort in that parks area. All Disney World Resort guests are provided complimentary transportation throughout The World. Transportation options vary by Resort and include the Monorail, buses and boats.

There are many options to consider when choosing what tickets best suits your needs. A Base Ticket includes admission into one park, per day. To the Base Ticket you may add on the Park Hopping option, allowing you unlimited admission to any of the parks throughout the day. This allows you to go to one park in the morning and then another park later in the day. It also gives you flexibility if you arrive at a park that is extremely crowded, to leave and try another park that might not be as crowded. You may also add on the Water Park and More option, allowing you unlimited access to the Water Parks and Pleasure Island. Before selecting this option, take into consideration the time of year and the age of any children traveling with you. If you are traveling in the winter, will you be swimming? Or, if you are traveling with young children, will you be attending Pleasure Island.

Walt Disney World offers vacation packages which include dining. There are now three different options to choose from. The first, Magic your Way Plus Dining, gives you one Counter Service meal, one Table Service meal and one Snack per person, per day. The Deluxe Dining plan offers three meals (Counter Service or Table Service) and two snacks, per person, per day. The third option allows you to add a bottle of wine to your meal each night. You are not required to buy a dining plan with your vacation. You are free to pay out of pocket for your meals and snacks. Some like the convenience of having their meals pre-paid, others think the dining plan offers too much food. If you are planning on having a sit down dinner each night, then a dining plan will most likely save you money. If you would rather grab a quick bite when you get hungry and a sit down meal or two, then the dining plans probally are not for you.

Walt Disney World begins accepting ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations) 180 days prior to your arrival date. I highly recommend making ADR's prior to arriving to Disney, if you plan to attend Character Meals or any of the more popular restaurants, such as, Cinderella's Royal Table or Le Cellier which are known to book solid at the 180 day mark. If you are unable to secure a must have reservation, don't panic. Try back often, you never know when a cancellation may occur. If you have booked a dining package for you vacation, do not assume that you are guaranteed a reservation. There are days that restaurants are booked and do not have any seating without an ADR.

With proper planning, some research and a little Pixie Dust, you can design your dream Disney World vacation. The magic begins when you check in and hear "Welcome Home", just be sure to have a pair of comfy shoes!