Does the thought of planning a Disney vacation seem overwhelming, with too many to-do list items and important dates to remember? This handy planning timeline (and a little help from your trusted travel advisor) will make planning YOUR dream Disney vacation a breeze. Read on for some key planning milestones.

Anytime: Consider what your dream Disney vacation will look like.

Consult your calendar and decide on the best time for you to travel to Disney World. Consider things like school breaks/holidays, weather, and seasonal events happening at Disney World (such as holidays or special events like Food & Wine Fest). Narrowing down your search for the best weeks or months of the year for you to travel is a great first planning step.

Also, consider the type of accommodations you are willing to consider. Are you looking for Deluxe, resort-style amenities, or are you planning to be on-the-go and maybe you just need a more modest resort to rest up at night?

It’s ok to not have all of these answers right away! But, it is a good idea to start considering them so that you and your travel advisor can hit the ground running!

About 8 Months Prior to Travel:

Reach out to a trusted travel advisor to begin planning your Disney vacation! This is the time to select and book your Disney resort. Of course, it is possible to plan a Disney trip a year or more in advance (especially if you want to travel at a busier time), or within just a few weeks prior to travel, but I’ve found about 8 months out is a perfect booking goal as it gives you a great selection of resorts and room categories. Also, with Disney’s new Park Pass Reservation System, this length of time ahead of your trip gives you a great chance of reserving the parks you wish to visit.

Plan to have at least one initial conversation with your travel advisor at this point so they can get a good sense of what you are hoping for in your Disney vacation. A good advisor will present you with a few options of resorts and vacation packages and will keep working to find the right package to fit your needs. Once you are ready to book, your advisor can make it a totally easy and seamless process for you.

For all Disney vacation packages, you will pay a $200 deposit to complete your booking.  This deposit is refundable up to 30 days prior to travel. Once you are booked and paid in full, you should set up your My Disney Experience account, which is a website/app used for all of your Disney planning.

About 2 – 4 Months Prior to Travel:

This is a good time to start considering the overall plan for your trip. It’s fun to start looking up restaurants you’d like to dine at and other special experiences you’d like to have. Communicate your interests to your travel advisor so they can help you secure these memorable experiences.

If you’re unfamiliar with the parks, spend a little time reading about each to get up to speed.  Your travel advisor will also send you park tips and “can’t miss” information, too.

This is a common timeframe to book your flights, if necessary. When you do, be sure to alert your travel advisor of your arrival/departure plans. Your advisor can help coordinate Disney’s Magical Express (motorcoach transportation to/from Orlando International Airport) or can advise on other transportation options such as car rental or ride sharing options.

Many families traveling with small children also elect to rent a stroller from an outside vendor for their trip. This is a good time to reserve this item; if interested, your travel advisor can help you arrange this.

60 Days Prior to Travel:

Disney Advance Dining Reservations currently open for booking 60 days prior to travel. You or your travel agent can log into your My Disney Experience account on this day at 6 a.m. EST to select your dining locations and time. Be patient! You may find some popular dining experiences have been booked before you had a chance to snag them. Often with persistence in checking, these reservations can be found at a different time. This is another area where your travel advisor can be a huge help! 

Other select experiences can be booked at this time as well, so be sure to discuss those with your travel agent.

If you plan to order Magic Bands, this is a good time to do so. Magic Bands are offered for a small fee and are a wristband that you wear while at Disney. You can use it as your room key, park ticket, make charges back to your room account on it, etc. It is a handy tool to have, and I currently recommend guests purchase them for all members of their party.

30 Days Prior to Travel:

Your final payment on your Disney package is due 30 days prior to travel. Your travel advisor will reach out to you prior to this to make sure you are both aware of the final balance and the credit card that should be charged.

2 Weeks Prior to Travel:

Although it may seem early to some, this is a good time to start packing! Florida weather may be different than what you are currently experiencing at home, so it may be time to dig out those shorts and give them a wash to be packed up for your Disney vacation! You also want to make sure everyone in your party has at least 2 pairs of comfortable shoes, so this may be a good time to start “breaking in” anything new.

1 Week Prior to Travel:

It’s time to get excited!  Make sure your packing is well underway, you have all identification you need for travel, and you are clear on your plan for arriving at and parking at your home airport for your departure day. While your travel agent will be communicating many tips with you along the way, this is the time to reach out with any last minute questions you may have. Make sure you are totally familiar with your My Disney Experience account and have the app downloaded on your phone.

By following this timeline and working with a travel advisor who can help along the way, planning your Disney vacation can be a hassle-free process that makes for a MAGICAL vacation! Still looking for a travel advisor who specializes in Disney? Reach out to Katie at Travel Ease at katie@teplanners.com to get started!

Katie Carges is a Travel Ease advisor specializing in Disney destinations. Katie is a mom of three from Connecticut who has traveled to Disney with family and friends of multiple ages from little ones to grandparents. She prides herself on making Disney World vacations enjoyable for all ages with lots of great planning, but also opportunities for magical moments to pop up!