Planning timeline!

When is the best time to start planning your Disney World vacation? What comes after you book it? When do you do what?

These are questions I get a lot :) So here's my suggested timeline!!

7 months or more prior to travel: Select a date and contact Fairytale Journeys by Stephanie for a quote on your vacation package. Book the reservation with a minimum of a $200 deposit. Begin researching Disney restaurants and make note of any that sound interesting to you. Create a My Disney Experience account and link your resort reservation. Customize your Magic Bands.

6-1/2 months prior: Finalize your dining selections.

6 months prior (180 days exactly): Book dining reservations. Online reservations open at 6:00am EST on the dot, whereas the phone lines open at 7:00am. If you book your package with me, I'll do it for you!

4-6 months prior: Research the parks and all the attractions. Make a list of your must-do attractions. Familiarize yourself with the park layout by studying the park maps. Watch the planing DVD. Make a countdown chain. Put away money each week to pay for the trip. Purchase Disney gift cards periodically to use for souvenirs.

2-1/2 months prior: Finalize your Fastpass+ selections. Choose 3 per day to book ahead of time. I can help you decide by offering advice on which attractions need them most.

2 months prior (60 days exactly): Resort guests can book Fastpass+ online at 7:00am on the dot. If you book with me, I'll do it for you! If you are able to, pay off your balance. If you plan to rent a car, stroller, or ECV/scooter/wheelchair, reserve it now. If you haven't yet, make sure you customize your Magic Bands in My Disney Experience.

6 weeks prior: If you need to make any changes to your resort package, do it now. This is your last chance to change resorts, add a dining plan, alter the length of your park pass, etc... without incurring a penalty fee.

1 month (30 days exactly): If you are staying off Disney property, book Fastpass+ online at exactly 7am. Pay your vacation package in full. Start packing. Have your suitcases out and toss things in whenever you think of them.

2 weeks prior: If you'd like a grocery delivery, set that up now. You should have received your Magic Bands, Magical Express packet, and resort voucher booklet by now.

1 week prior: Pack. Make sure you have all of your travel documents in your carry on bag, including your Magic Bands. If you'd like to add Memory Maker, do so now if you haven't already.

24 hours prior: If you are flying, check in online for your flight. If you are flying Southwest, make sure you do it exactly 24 hours to the minute to ensure the best boarding group number possible. Print boarding passes, if you desire. (You can also print at the airport.) Finish packing. Attach the yellow Magical Express tags to your checked bags.

Morning of departure: Double check to make sure you have everything, including any medications you need. Then enjoy your vacation!

Fastpass+ Explained!

Disney World has what they call Fastpass+. It's a way to hold your place in line at all of the most popular attractions so you only have to wait a few minutes to experience them instead of possibly hours. The service is free to all park guests and can really help maximize your time in the park.

The Fastpass system has been around for years but the original system worked a little differently than what we have now. The new system has a lot of pros and cons, many people loving it, many people hating it. I personally love it.

First of all, you need to create a My Disney Experience account, either on Disney's website or on their app. You cannot use Fastpass+ without an account. 

Desktop version

App

Next you need to have a valid park ticket linked to your account. If you have a resort package, the tickets will be included and the entire package needs to be linked to your My Disney Experience account. If you are not staying at a Disney resort, you need to purchase a park ticket and link it to your account.

Now you can pick out 3 Fastpasses for each day of your trip. Which means you must decide which park you will go to each day of your trip. You can still use the Hopper option if you choose to purchase it, but you do need to decide ahead of time at least one park you will go to each day. I recommend using the Fastpasses for the most popular and newest attractions, such as 7 Dwarves Mine Train, Frozen Ever After, Soarin', Flight of Passage, Na'Vi River Journey, Expedition Everest, Peter Pan's Flight, and Splash Mountain during the hotter months. Or slow-loading attractions such as Rock n Roller Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain. Also, a good use is the popular character meet n greets such as Princess Fairytale Hall, The Character Spot, and Mickey Mouse at Town Square.

Resort guests can book 60 days prior to check-in. Non resort guests can book 30 days prior to check-in. A HUGE perk to staying at a Disney resort, especially if you want to ride some of the most popular attractions where the wait times easily reach triple digits (in minutes). As a travel agent/travel planner specializing in Disney vacations, one of the services I provide is booking Fastpasses for my clients. I get online and do it for them so they don't have to worry about it. 

Fatspasses are booked with a one-hour availability window, for most attractions. Some shows only have a 15 minute window, which grants you early seating in the theater before guests in the standby line. 

After they are booked you can view them in your My Disney Experience account either on a desktop or the app.

Desktop

App

Once you arrive at the park, you an enter the Fastpass line at any time during your hour. So if your Fastpass return time is 1:30-2:30, you may enter the line at 1:30 on the dot, but not a minute sooner, and have til 2:30. If you are unable to get there by the ending time, the Fastpass will expire and you will not be able to use it. When you approach the line, you must scan your Magic Band (resort guests) or park ticket (non resort guests). The scanner will illuminate green if you have a valid Fastpass, red if you do not. You may have to scan again at the end of the line. This prevents line jumpers from hopping over from the standby line. 

After you have used all three of your pre-booked Fastpasses, you can go on the app and book more! You can book them one at a time.

The Fastpass+ system is a great way to minimize your time waiting in long lines and ride your favorites faster :) If you'd like help with this or any thing else Disney, book your trip with me!! I'll do all the work and you just enjoy!!

What is the Best Time to Visit Walt Disney World?

If you ask 10 people that question, you'll get 10 different answers. Everyone has their own definition of "best." For me, best is when the parks are quietest. I'm not a fan of huge crowds. I don't like waiting in long lines. I like to feel relaxed and calm on vacation, not worrying about everything we have to skip because the parks are so crowded.

According to TouringPlans.com, the lowest crowds are:

The week after New Year's Day
End of January into the beginning of February
End of February into first week of March
End of August through the first week of October
End of October through mid November
The week after Thanksgiving through mid December

It's best to avoid all holidays or school breaks. Even just a single day holiday like Martin Luther King Jr's birthday or Columbus day will draw crowds, though not as much as full school breaks do. The marathons draw crowds as well.

Highest crowds:

Mid February (President's week)
Pretty much all of March and sometimes April (Spring Break and Easter)
Memorial Day weekend
Fourth of July
Most of June, July, and August
Thanksgiving week
Mid December through the first of the year

But some of the busier times of year are also a great time to be there, if you can handle crowds. There are all kinds of fun events going on, such as:

Marathons (February, April, and November)
Flower and Garden Festival (Spring)
Food and Wine Festival (Fall)
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (September and October)
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (November and December)

When's your favorite time to go to Walt Disney World??

Pros and Cons of Every Age Range

Many parents struggle with the "right" age to take their kids on a Disney Parks vacation. In my opinion, EVERY age is a great age! I've heard many say they are waiting until they are old enough to remember. I understand that. A Disney vacation can be expensive, and may be a once in a lifetime event for a family, so I understand the need to get the most out of the experience. But there are drawbacks to every age, actually. Not just the little ones.

Here's my list of pros and cons for each age range!

Babies (Ages 0-18 months)

Pros: Babies are easy. They sit in their stroller all day and don't ask for every souvenir they see. Most are content to sit and watch everything going on around them and will nap right in their stroller. Disney has Baby Care Centers that are a great place for a meal (for baby) or just some quiet downtime. There are many attractions that are perfectly safe for babies to ride on mom or dad's lap, so the family can still experience much of the park together. (Unlike many other theme/amusement parks) And for the bigger thrill rides, Disney has a Rider Swap program to minimize your line wait times. Babies are FREE! No need to pay for a park pass or dining plan.

Cons: There are many attractions that babies cannot experience, or won't want to (dark rides). You will need to tour the parks at a slower pace and take frequent breaks for diaper changes and feedings. You'll need to lug quite a good amount of stuff into the parks with you- diapers, wipes, food, bottles, extra clothes. Babies won't remember it. You won't be able to ride thrill rides with your significant other. Someone will have to stay with baby.

Toddlers (18 months-3 years)

Pros: At this age they're starting to recognize who Mickey and other characters are and most will be amazed at seeing them up close and personal. They get so excited! Attractions will be very exciting for them too. You may be sick of the song from it's a small world, but they will love it. Many kids this age will still nap in the stroller. Kids under 3 are FREE! Even if they turn 3 while at Disney, as long as they are still 2 at check in, you're good!

Cons: They're still too small for bigger rides. Some kids will be scared of the characters. They might not remember it. This seems to be the prime age for being scared of dark rides.

Preschoolers (3-5 years)

Pros: This is the best age for character interaction. They just love meeting the characters they adore and still believe it's really the character and not just a person in a costume. The amazement and wonder is still there. Many kids are taller by this age and can ride the attractions with a 40 inch height minimum.

Cons: Still too short to ride thrill rides. They're no longer free. Some are still scared on dark rides.

Elementary Kids (5-9)

Pros: They're FINALLY tall enough for Space Mountain and Rock n Roller Coaster! And they are so so excited to ride! Kids on the younger side of this spectrum are still into the characters, any many of the older ones too. They're still considered a kid, so they're cheaper for park passes and dining plan. They understand more of what's going on at Epcot and Animal Kingdom and get a kick out of things like Kidcot Stations at Epcot and Wilderness Explorers at Animal Kingdom. They'll definitely remember it, and will most likely talk about it for months after you go home. (Is that a pro or a con? LOL!)

Cons: By the later end of the spectrum, most kids know the characters are just people in costumes. No more strollers, so you get lots of complaints about sore feet. And lots of, "Can you buy me this?"

Tweens (10-12)

Pros: They have more stamina at this age and can make it all day and into the evening without needing a nap or being tired. Most will be ready for all thrill rides and want to do them over and over.  Their palettes are expanding so they will be willing to try all the awesome restaurants on Disney property, not just ones with chicken nuggets and mac n cheese.

Cons: Starting at age 10, they are considered adults and must pay adult price for park passes and dining plan. Kids start to get embarrassed at this age and might not be as willing to play along and have fun. They might be over the whole character meet n greet thing. They might not be as impressed with slower rides.

Teens (13-19)

Pros: You finally have mini adults on your hands and can enjoy the parks together. Teens are more appreciative of fancier restaurants and shows. They will be able to shop with you without constantly asking for things (hopefully) and can better understand the cost of things.

Cons: They might miss their friends at home and want to spend a lot of time on their phones. They might want to spend time on their own at the parks, without you. And two words- hormonal meltdowns. Teen years are so so fun.....

So there's my list of pros and cons! Got a pro or con of your own for a certain age range that I haven't listed?? Comment below!!

UPDATES coming soon!!

So so excited for my upcoming Disney trip because that means I will be updating my blog! My plan is to take TONS of pics of EVERYTHING! And share them with all of you! Attractions, shows, decor, and most importantly, FOOD! I'll be experiencing two new-to-me restaurants: Mama Melrose and Tusker House and I plan to give you a full report. As well as updating some of my other restaurant notes. Is there anything specifically you'd like me to check out and report back on???

How to Maximize a Short Trip

A Disney Parks vacation is amazing. We simply adore it and try to get there as often as we can. But many times, for various reasons- time, money, etc... to get there, we have to keep it short. We've done 2 short trips in the past and one is coming up. My idea of short is 4 nights or less. Many may disagree with that and consider it a perfect amount of time. Others may gasp in horror at even thinking of only going for 4 nights. For us, 4 nights with 3 full days and 2 half days, is relatively short because most of our trips are 7 or 8 nights with 8 or 9 park days. And when you're not used to cutting the trip basically in half, it can leave you feeling as if the trip flew by and you didn't get to do nearly as much as you wanted. It can leave you disappointed.

But there are ways to avoid disappointment!

- First of all, remember you are in Disney! And any time there is better than none!! Savor every moment!!

- Limit yourself. You may have to limit the number of parks you visit, or limit the days you spend at each park. It's a personal preference. In my opinion, you cannot do everything there is to do at Magic Kingdom or Epcot in one day (each). So on a short trip, you will need to decide between visiting all parks for only one day each, or skipping one and spending two at your favorite park. I might get yelled at, but I'm gonna say it- Animal Kingdom is our least favorite park. There just isn't much there that appeals to us. There is nothing there that is a must do for us. We do love it and there are many awesome things, but we can survive without it. So on short trips we will skip it in favor of two days at Magic Kingdom. We prefer two at Epcot as well, but MK wins for us.

- Don't waste time. When you only have one day at each park, you need to skip things that just take up too much time. Like midday breaks, parades, browsing every gift shop, Kidcot stations, street entertainment, play areas such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids, character meet n greets, basic rides that seem to have really long lines (Tomorrowland Speedway, Astro Orbiter, Peter Pan, unless you have a fastpass). But if those things are very important to you, do them. You just need to realize you may not accomplish as much in the parks as you may be used to.

- Use Fastpass + to the maximum your day! Schedule your 3 ahead of time for as early in the day as you can. Then when you're there, you'll be able to get more sooner. Once you use your 3 you can book more, one at a time, using the My Disney Experience app on your mobile device.

- Keep meals simple. One thing that sucks up a lot of park time is sit down meals. Especially if you need to leave the park to get to them. An average sit down meal eats up at least an hour and a half to two hours, not including travel time. Depending on time of day, you can do a counter meal in half that time, or less, freeing you up to do more with your day.

- Skip Disney Springs (Downtown Disney). It's a great place and it can be really fun, but in the end. it's mostly just shopping. And as much as we all want the perfect souvenir, I'm not willing to pass on park time to shop for hours to find it. If you have time in the evening, sure! Especially on a day where a park closes early, like Animal Kingdom.

I think that's it! If you have questions, or more tips for maximizing your time, please post them! Enjoy every moment of your short trip! Suck up every second of Disney magic that you can!