I haven’t written about Disney World in awhile and today has been, um, crappy. Literally. I woke up to raw sewage coming up in our master bathroom tub. The plumber is on the way and to improve my mood, I’m listening to my Spotify Disney playlist so I thought I’d take the day in a different direction, and write an updated article on my FAVORITE place in the whole wide world!!

But since we’re already planning for our November trip, I thought I’d share with you my updated rules for planning for my own family!There have been SO MANY changes to Walt Disney World in the past couple of years and there are many experts far more knowledgable than I on planning a trip. For a list of those resources, head over to my first article about Disney World planning here or you can go to my page dedicated to my WDW posts here.

1. Use a travel agent who specializes in Disney travel. I was just chatting with a friend in the industry and she shared the statistic that only 3% of summer visitors to Walt Disney World use a travel agent. I don’t get it. They are free to you (Disney pays them), they can get you great discounts, AND they can give you all kinds of insider info on how to plan. ESPECIALLY if it’s your family’s first trip, this is a MUST and with fast pass plus and all the changes, it’s more important than EVER. We love ours!
   
2. Plan far in advance. Can you still go last minute and have fun? Of course. But if you want the special experiences you’ve been dreaming of (dinner in the castle for your princess for example) you now need to be working at least 6 months ahead of your trip. One of my least favorite things about Fastpass Plus is how it’s all but eliminated spontaneity. But when that window comes open for that dining experience at 180 days or for that ride your kids must do at 60 days out (or 30 days if you’re not staying on property), you need to be online and booking. Sorry. It’s just the way it is now. We still see people show up all the time and they’re stunned that they can’t do and see what they want by just showing up. I don’t like it either. But it’s how it works. (did I already say that?) And I will say I’m a fan of the Magic Bands. No more worrying that kids are going to loose their park admission or you or your spouse are going to loose your room key or freaking out as you walk to a ride because you can’t find your paper fast passes. Oh, and being able to also charge to them is handy. Just think long and hard if you want that on your kids’ bands. Learned this the hard way after we found a $70 room charge to the arcade at the Contemporary. And yes, we will be watching that child for a gambling addiction in the future. Kidding not kidding.
   

   Being photo bombed on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – great family memories;)

3. Don’t over-schedule I get emails from friends frequently that say “we’re headed to Disney for 3 days and want to see everything!” That’s, um, how do I say it? NOT a very good idea. If you can only swing a short trip, then figure out what’s most important to you and your family and do just those things. Maybe even consider only doing 2 of the 4 theme parks. There’s a tipping point in any Disney trip where your fatigue will override any pixie dust you might encounter. We’ve been there, done that, have the t-shirt. We now schedule ourselves very gently and take the time to really enjoy our time together.
   

   OK, this is me yelling at a kid. Not my finest moment. Don’t be me.

4. Meals are important This may not be true for your family, but when we make dinner an affair every night of our trip, it’s just . . .better. We make a point of “dressing for dinner” (which basically just means changing out of sweaty park touring clothes into clean clothes that look exactly the same;), and going somewhere nice to sit down and really talk. After all, we don’t go on vacation to ride rides. We got on vacation to be together. And if we’re running around and never  make time to sit and really be together, we’ve missed something. Yes, it’s more money, but for us, the wonderful meals are a huge part of our experience, especially as the kids have gotten older. Oh, and again, you’re going to need to make those dining reservations early especially if you have a party of 5 or more and/or you’re going during a school holiday. For this year’s trip, we’ll be doing the Disney Dining Plan which can be a good value if used appropriately.
   

   Crystal Palace for a pre-park opening breakfast. One of our must do’s and hard to secure. Now I want the puffed french toast really bad.

5. Be realistic about your budget The one thing people seem stunned at is how much the park admission costs. An adult 4 day pass  without park hopper (only one park per day) is currently $372.75 (including tax). If you have a family of 5 like we do and they’re all considered adults? Yup. It’s a chunk of change. And coming home to a huge credit card bill is no way to treasure the memories of your trip. Again, using a travel agent can help with this as can planning in advance! The further out you book the longer you have to pay it off before the actual trip. It’s great to leave knowing that everything is already paid for!