Today marks thirty days until our next Disney vacation. In that regard, we wanted to provide you with some must do planning tips to make sure you arrive at the Disney parks with ease and excitement for your days of magic and unbridled fun. Below are a few suggestions when making final plans before you enter the Disney parks.
Make your final payment
The very first item that needs to be marked off of your 30 day checklist is to ensure that you have made your final payment for your Disney vacation package. We suggest making your final payment a day or two prior to the actual due date in case there are any payment process issues. Contact your travel agent to verify the final date at which your payment is due.
Finalize touring agendas for each day of your vacation
One of the best ways to make the most of your time at the Disney resort is to have a touring plan for each day of your visit. At this point, you will have made all of your park pass reservations (and any dining reservations as well) so you can plan out what your “must see” attractions are for the day. Having a basic touring plan for each day of your vacation can help you get the most out of your days. Your touring plan can be as simple as mapping out all of your attraction must do’s alongside the times and dates of your dining reservations. You’ll want to review the hours of operation at each Disney park you plan on visiting each day as well. For insider tips and expert touring plan advice contact us today to plan out your next Disney vacation and touring plan.
Start monitoring Orlando weather in preparation for packing needs
When preparing for our next Disney trip we usually start monitoring the weather at the 30 day mark. This is especially advisable during the Florida winter months as the temperatures can vary greatly in the off season. We have even experienced 30 degree nighttime lows during vacations in the month of January! Monitoring the weather well in advance will help you prepare your packing needs well in advance. This will also help you plan accordingly for the experiences or special events that occur outdoors for an extended period of time. These include fireworks dessert parties and special events such as “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” and “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party”.
If using Disney’s Magical Express, ensure you submit your flight information to your travel agent
We absolutely love Disney’s Magical Express transportation service. This is a convenient and stress free way to get to your resort hotel if you are staying on Disney property. A Disney bus will transport you from the Orlando International Airport to your Disney resort hotel. Note, the service previously took your luggage for you directly from the airport to your resort without your party having to wait in baggage claim. The service also offered a similar process back to your departing flight for select airlines. However, due to COVID-19 safety protocols that portion of the service is on hold for now. Still, this is a great service that we truly enjoy. In order to use this complimentary service you will need to submit your flight information to your travel agent so he/she can make the transportation reservations for you. In order to ensure the booking process is done well in advance of your vacation we recommend completing this process at or before 30 days until your check-in date.
Order your magic bands
While currently things are a bit different at the Disney parks with regard to FastPass+, the dining plan and park hopping abilities, the magic band is still a great piece of Disney hardware to wear and use around the parks. The bands can be used to unlock your Disney resort hotel room door, to check in to your Magical Express transportation pickup and also store a payment method to use for purchases made on property. If and when FastPass+ returns the magic bands are a quick way to check in for your return time. In addition to the usage benefits of the magic band, these items have been another great collectors item for any Disney enthusiast as well as a reminder of your magical vacation. You can order magic bands with pre-made custom designs on them right from the My Disney Experience app. Because the inventory of the custom designs vary greatly, we recommend ordering them at least 30 days in advance of your vacation. There is a deadline on the My Disney Experience app for magic band orders shipped to your home; however, we should emphasize that the designs tend to vary by day and you may not have the selections you desire as your vacation arrival date nears.
Start packing those suitcases
Coming in the next article for this series, we will help you with tips on packing essentials…what to bring and not to bring.
We hope these vacation planning trips help you prepare for your next Disney vacation. Please note, we can help you with all of these vacation planning tips and more. Contact us today to get information on booking your next Disney, Universal, Cruise or other vacation destination.