If you want to know how to plan a trip to Disney World, you’ve come to the right place.
This guide includes tips for choosing the right Disney World hotel for your budget, deciding which ticket type is right for you, determining which extras are worth splurging on and planning a trip that’s fun and memorable without too much unnecessary stress along the way.
The Walt Disney Resort is home to four theme parks, two water parks, more than 25 hotels and over 200 dining locations, as well as more attractions, experiences, shows and shops than we can list here. So, the best way to build a magical Disney World vacation is with planning, preparation and realistic expectations.
Planning a trip to Disney World should be fun and build excitement for your upcoming trip, and this guide will help.
How to start planning your trip to Disney World
There are a few questions you will want to answer early in the process of planning your Disney World vacation:
- What is your budget? Your budget will determine most other factors of your vacation, including where you stay and how many days you visit. How much it will cost you to go to Disney World can vary widely based on the choices you make.
- When will you go? You may be at the mercy of work or school schedules, but if you have the flexibility, you can plan your trip when crowds are smaller or the weather is better. The summer can be very hot and rainy. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is one of the busiest. Weekdays, when most kids are in school, are often the quietest days.
- Where will you stay? You will typically pay more to stay in Disney’s on-site hotels — especially at the Moderate and Deluxe tiers — but these properties do come with perks like early theme park entry and closer proximity to the parks. Before you choose, consider your budget, whether you want a themed room like the Royal guest rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside and if you want to be near a certain Disney park. Pro tip: Renting Disney Vacation Club points can help you stay at a Deluxe hotel for the price of a Moderate property.
- Which parks will you visit on which days? Depending on your vacation length, you may need to prioritize which parks you plan to visit. This will influence whether you purchase one-park-per-day or Park Hopper tickets, the latter of which allows you to visit multiple parks daily. If you have young kids, be sure your family has the stamina for multiple parks per day before shelling out extra to hop.
- Where will you dine? Popular Disney dining reservations get snatched up almost as soon as they become available. Plan ahead for any character dining or other table service restaurants so you don’t miss out.
Book your hotel, dining and theme park tickets as early as possible for the best rates and availability. Disney periodically releases special offers on hotels and vacation packages that you can often apply, even if you have already made your reservations.
Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?
We will dig deeper into each of these topics in this guide. Once you have a rough outline of your vacation based on the questions above, here are some important notes to keep in mind so you can make your Disney dream a reality.
How soon can you book a Disney World hotel?
Disney releases hotel availability periodically, so there is no exact date that Disney hotel reservations become available. You can currently book Disney World hotel stays through a Dec. 31, 2025, check-in date.
Disney typically opens reservations for the following year around May or June, so expect to see 2026 availability around that time.
If your plans change, you can cancel your room-only reservation up to five days before arrival for a full refund. Ticket and hotel vacation packages must be canceled at least 30 days before arrival to receive a full refund.
When can you purchase Disney World tickets?
Disney World tickets follow the same availability calendar as Disney hotel reservations. You can purchase tickets (or vacation packages including a hotel and tickets) through Dec. 31, 2025. Disney releases tickets for the following year around May or June, so expect to see 2026 availability around that time.
All tickets are date-based, and the price of one-day tickets varies by park. You can purchase your tickets any time before you visit; the price won’t change regardless of how long you wait. Theme park tickets are nonrefundable, but you may be able to change your ticket date if your plans change.
When do Disney World dining reservations become available?
Dining reservations open up 60 days before your visit. If you are staying in a Disney World hotel, you can make dining reservations 60 days before your check-in day for your entire stay (up to 14 days).
Reservations open on Disney’s website or the My Disney Experience app between 5:45 and 6 a.m., or you can call 407-939-DINE beginning at 7 a.m. However, coveted reservations may already be snatched up by that time.
You can cancel most Disney World dining reservations up to two hours before the reservation time. Exceptions will be noted in the confirmation email you receive when booking.
If you’re unsure where you’d like to eat, here are our favorite restaurants at Disney World.
FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
What are the 4 parks at Disney World?
Each of Disney World’s four parks is uniquely themed and packed with fun. You can learn more about each park — including attractions, shows, parade times and interactive maps to help you find your way around — in the My Disney Experience app.
Related: 9 new rides, attractions and experiences coming to Walt Disney World in 2025
Here’s more information about each and some of the new experiences coming in 2025.
Magic Kingdom
Open since 1971, the Magic Kingdom is Disney World’s original theme park. This park is a world of fairy tales and fantasy, where you’ll find five themed lands: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Liberty Square.
The Magic Kingdom is home to some of Disney’s most iconic attractions, including Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Peter Pan’s Flight and the Haunted Mansion. It also has exciting new rides like Tron Lightcycle / Run and the park’s latest ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
In the summer of 2025, the Magic Kingdom will debut a new nighttime parade called Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. Later in the year, guests will also be able to visit a “Pirates of the Caribbean”-themed tavern in Adventureland.
Epcot
Epcot opened in 1982 and has changed drastically since then. What hasn’t changed is Epcot’s core purpose: sparking visitors’ imaginations through science, technology, nature and the human experience.
The park is sectioned into “neighborhoods”: World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery and World Showcase. You can visit pavilions that celebrate the arts, culture and customs of 11 countries around the world.
There are many new things to see at Epcot, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana and the park’s latest fireworks spectacular, “Luminous: The Symphony of Us.”
A reimagined version of Test Track, which has been closed at Epcot since June 2024, will reopen this summer. A bit before this, in late spring, a Spaceship Earth-themed lounge will open in World Celebration.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a movie-themed park with lands and attractions inspired by blockbuster films and beloved Disney characters. In Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you can pilot the Millennium Falcon and meet familiar faces like Kylo Ren, Chewbacca and Rey.
In Toy Story Land, visitors shrink to the size of Woody, Buzz, Jessie (who you can meet, by the way) and Andy’s other toys. The land’s Slinky Dog Dash coaster is a family-friendly ride perfect for a kid’s first roller coaster.
Outside of the lands themed to specific films, much of the park evokes old Hollywood glamour, making you feel like a bona fide movie star. In these areas, you’ll find some of the park’s most iconic shows. These attractions, including The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror drop ride, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, are also some of its longest-running.
Hollywood Studios will begin a multiyear transformation in 2025, starting with two new shows, “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure.”
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but if you want to experience Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or Muppet*Vision 3D in their current forms, you may want to do so this year before they close for good.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
More than 2,000 animals from about 300 species call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home. You can visit many of these animals via walking trails, the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride and even a petting zoo.
In addition to the creatures and landscapes found on Earth, you can visit another planet at Pandora — The World of Avatar or go back in time at DinoLand U.S.A. The animals aren’t the only things that are “wild” at Animal Kingdom. Expedition Everest is a thrilling coaster; Avatar Flight of Passage puts you on the back of a banshee as you fly over Pandora; and Dinosaur sends you careening through the Cretaceous period in an off-road vehicle.
Later in 2025, the It’s Tough to Be a Bug attraction inside Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life will open with a “Zootopia” retheme. Zootopia: Better Zoogether will feature Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde (along with the rest of their animal friends) and familiar music from the film.
What type of Disney tickets should I buy?
Disney World base tickets
You can purchase one-day or multiday Disney World tickets. All tickets are date-based, and the price varies depending on the date of your visit. If you purchase a one-day ticket, the price will vary based on which park you plan to visit. The Magic Kingdom is the most expensive, and Animal Kingdom is the least expensive.
Disney World Park Hopper tickets
A base ticket gets you into one park per day. To visit multiple parks on the same day, you must purchase the Park Hopper option with your ticket. (You can also add it on in person after you arrive.)
You can save money by visiting only one park per day, but this does limit how much you can see and do during your vacation.
For about an additional $20 more than a standard Park Hopper ticket, the Park Hopper Plus ticket includes two visits to either Disney’s golf courses, miniature golf courses or water parks. However, this is only worth it if you know you will use all the benefits.
Disney World special event tickets
Some of Disney’s after-hours events, like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, require a separate ticket. The park is only open to guests with special event tickets during these events. If you plan to visit for one of these parties, you may be able to forgo a general admission ticket that day and utilize your special event ticket — usually, you can enter the park a few hours before the party starts.
Disney World ticket add-ons
There are two major ticket add-ons to consider. Both can be worth it, but they will increase the cost of your vacation.
The first add-on is Lightning Lane access. A Lightning Lane Multi Pass lets you skip the standby line and enjoy shorter wait times for most Disney World rides. However, several attractions at each park require a separate Lightning Lane Single Pass purchase to skip the line. (Read more about Lightning Lane passes further along in this guide.)
Another popular add-on is Disney’s Memory Maker. Memory Maker gives you unlimited downloads of pictures taken by PhotoPass photographers during your vacation and on-ride photos.
You can purchase a one-day Memory Maker for short visits or a multiday Memory Maker that covers your entire vacation. You can save $25 on a multiday Memory Maker when you purchase it at least three days before your visit, so it’s best to purchase it when you buy your tickets.
How to get discounted Disney World tickets
Aside from Disney’s own discounts, you can sometimes save money on Disney tickets by purchasing them from an authorized third-party reseller. There are a few reputable sources for Disney World tickets. Our go-to is Undercover Tourist.
Depending on your ticket type, you can usually save between $5 and $100. One of the best ways to save money with Undercover Tourist is when Disney World raises ticket prices, which happens at least once per year. Undercover Tourist typically has a limited amount of existing ticket stock available at the old prices while supplies last.
Related: Disney World discounts: Get a free Disney Dining Plan with hotel and ticket packages
If you are a Florida resident or an active or retired U.S. military member, there are generously discounted Disney World tickets available directly through Disney’s website.
Is booking a Disney vacation package a good idea?
If you are staying in one of Disney World’s on-site hotels or a certified “Disney World Good Neighbor” hotel, you have the option to bundle your hotel stay and theme park tickets into a Disney vacation package. Normally, these packages are not discounted, but they can be a great value if Disney runs any special vacation package promotions.
Aside from discounts (and the fact that it all likely codes as a travel charge for points-redemption purposes), there’s one major reason to book a vacation package: When you purchase your tickets and hotel together, you only have to pay a $200 deposit at the time of booking.
Payment in full is due 30 days prior to arrival. If you purchase your tickets separately from your hotel stay, you will have to pay the full amount at the time of purchase.
This is another great example of why you should book through an authorized Disney travel planner who can compare prices for you and keep an eye out for discounts.
When is the best time to visit Disney World?
Do you want the thinnest crowds or the best weather? Do you want to attend a Halloween party or see the Magic Kingdom’s 65-foot-tall Christmas tree?
The best time to visit Disney World depends on your reason for visiting.
Plan your visit between October and December if you want moderate temperatures and less chance of rain. If you want shorter waits, your best bets are late January, early May or just after Thanksgiving before the crowds descend upon the parks for winter break. Of course, regular weekdays typically see thinner crowds than weekends and school breaks.
If you are planning a Disney World vacation on a budget, opt for midweek dates in August and September, when one-day ticket prices start at $109.
What’s the best way to get to Disney World?
Getting to Orlando and getting to Disney World after arriving are two different topics, so let’s look at each.
What is the closest airport?
The closest airport to Walt Disney World is Orlando International Airport (MCO). Most major airlines fly into MCO, and you can reach Disney World in about 25 to 30 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic. If you are flying Allegiant Air or Sun Country Airlines, you’ll fly into Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB). SFB is smaller than MCO and farther from Disney World. From SFB, it is about a 45-minute drive to Disney World.
What is the best way to get to Disney World from the airport?
Because of its size and proximity to Disney World, MCO has more and better options to help you get between the airport and Disney World.
From MCO or SFB, you can rent a car or use a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft. If you do rent a car from MCO, you can forgo paying tolls through the car rental company (which often comes with an additional fee) and pick up a Visitor Toll Pass to save on tolls during your trip.
Disney does not charge a parking fee for overnight hotel guests, so if you rent a car, there is no additional parking fee.
Keep in mind that you may not need a car if you don’t plan to leave Disney property after you arrive. Disney has a robust internal transportation system that operates between its on-site hotels and theme parks, water parks and Disney Springs.
You can also use Disney’s official airport shuttle, Mears Connect, to travel from MCO.
Mears Connect is a shuttle service that picks you up from MCO and drops you off at official Disney World hotels and a handful of nearby hotels. Pricing starts at $16 one-way for adults and $13 one-way for children. Mears Connect offers shared shuttles, where you will stop at multiple Disney hotels on the way to your own. You can pay an additional fee for an “express shuttle” that takes you directly to your resort. The easiest way to reserve your ride is online through Mears Connect.
What is the best way to get around Disney World?
If you are staying on Walt Disney World property, you can utilize Disney’s complimentary transportation for travel between your resort and Disney’s theme parks, water parks and Disney Springs. Disney offers transportation by bus, boat, monorail and the Disney Skyliner gondola system. The transportation options you can access depend on your hotel.
Disney does not charge a parking fee for overnight hotel guests who drive to its theme parks, so if you rent a car or drive to Disney, you can park at the theme parks for free.
All Disney hotels offer regular bus transportation around the resort. Transportation begins 45 minutes prior to the theme park opening and ends up to one hour after the theme park closes.
Guests of Disney’s Magic Kingdom-area resorts — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa — can use boat or monorail transportation to reach the Magic Kingdom. There is also a monorail line that will take you to the Transportation and Ticket Center, where you can transfer to a separate monorail line that goes to Epcot. These hotels offer a walking path to the Magic Kingdom.
Guests of Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort can use the Disney Skyliner gondolas to travel to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. All Disney World visitors can also use the Disney Skyliner to travel between these two parks, regardless of where they’re staying. It’s a fun and scenic way to get around the resort.
Many Disney World hotels offer ferry boat transportation to nearby parks. The BoardWalk-area hotels, for example, offer boat transportation to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and other properties offer boat service to the Magic Kingdom. You can view a full list on Disney’s website. You can also walk to Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios from any BoardWalk-area hotel.
Whichever transportation option you choose, you can view the schedule, routes and stop locations in the My Disney Experience app or on video monitors at each stop location.
Disney’s Minnie Van service is a door-to-door (or door-to-front gate, as it were) service between your hotel and Disney’s theme parks. You can book these private rides in red-and-white polka-dot vans directly through the Lyft app. Accessible rides and child safety seats are available.
Though not “official” Disney World hotels, Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotel guests have access to Disney’s complimentary ferry boat service to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A walking path is also available. These resorts operate their own shuttles to Disney’s theme parks that pick up approximately every 20 to 25 minutes throughout the day.
Disney Springs hotels operate their own shuttle services independent of Disney’s transportation. If you are staying at one of these hotels, you can inquire about scheduling and pickup times at the front desk.
What’s the best place to stay on a Disney vacation?
There are more than two dozen Disney World hotels to choose from, so your main considerations will be your budget and the type of hotel experience you are after. Whether you want over-the-top Disney theming, an upscale cabin in the woods or a luxury villa with access to a club lounge, you can find it at Disney World.
Disney offers three hotel tiers: Value, Moderate and Deluxe.
Value Disney resorts are the most affordable, with prices ranging between $150 and $300 per night. These resorts offer quick-service, cafeteria-style dining outlets and large pools; they don’t have full-service restaurants or pool amenities like waterslides and hot tubs.
On average, Moderate Disney resorts cost between $300 and $450 and offer amenities you won’t find at Value Disney resorts. Some have full-service restaurants, and the pools are better-themed and equipped with waterslides. Many of them are in central locations near Disney’s theme parks.
Deluxe Disney resorts are the most expensive, ranging between $500 and $800 per night for a standard room. They have the best locations, amenities and dining. You can expect large, well-furnished guest rooms; pool complexes with hot tubs, waterslides and beach areas; multiple full-service restaurants; spas; and more.
Regardless of which hotel you choose, Disney’s on-site hotels offer perks to enhance your stay:
- Free water park admission on your check-in day
- A 30-minute jump-start on your day with Disney’s Early Theme Park Entry benefit
- The ability to purchase individual Lightning Lanes for eligible rides begins at 7 a.m. on the day of your visit (which nonresort guests can’t do until the park opens)
- The ability to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass for your entire stay up to seven days before your vacation and preselect three ride choices per day
- Complimentary hotel and theme park parking
- Extended Evening Theme Park Hours for guests staying at Deluxe Disney resort hotels on select nights (also available to guests of Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotels, as well as Shades of Green)
Best hotels at Disney World
The best Disney World hotel for you depends on what you are looking for in a hotel stay. If you won’t spend much time in your room, you can save money by staying in a Value resort.
If you want to enjoy hotel amenities like the pool and restaurants, you may want to choose a Moderate or Deluxe resort.
For a large family that won’t be comfortable in a standard room, one of Disney’s family suites might be your best bet.
Below are a few of our favorites.
Best Disney World resort if you are on a budget: Disney’s Pop Century Resort may not be the most glamorous hotel at Disney, but the kitschy 1950s through 1990s theming and the starting price of around $200 per night will surely put a smile on your face.
This resort has three pools, a playground and an arcade. Guest rooms are furnished with either one king bed or a queen bed and a space-saving table that folds out into a bed. It is also one of two Value resorts with Skyliner gondola access to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
Best Disney World resort for large families: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is in Disney’s more affordable Value category and has family suites themed to popular Disney films like “Cars,” “The Lion King” and “Finding Nemo” that sleep up to six guests. The pool here is the largest at any Disney World resort, and you can take the Disney Skyliner gondolas to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Standard rooms are also available.
Best Disney World resort for swimming: Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club resorts are sister properties near Epcot. The resorts have rooms that average around $600 per night and share access to Stormalong Bay, the best pool at Disney World. Stormalong Bay is much more than just a pool. It is a water park with sand-bottomed pools, a lazy river, an activities pool with a volleyball net and daily pool games, plus a shipwreck-themed waterslide.
Best Disney World resort for a luxury stay: If the sky is the limit for your Walt Disney World vacation budget, the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offer some of the finest accommodations. With two bedrooms, a fireplace, a screened-in porch, a hot tub and lakeside views, these cabins are anything but rustic. They offer great privacy, but they are still close enough to take a boat ride to the Magic Kingdom and enjoy the amenities and dining in the resort’s main lobby.
If you are leaning toward a luxury Disney stay, you may be able to save money by renting Disney Vacation Club points. DVC is Disney’s version of a timeshare program. DVC members rent out their points to nonmembers through sites like David’s Vacation Club Rentals, helping you save hundreds of dollars versus booking directly through Disney. The trade-offs are that availability is limited, and the cancellation policies are much less flexible than booking directly through Disney.
Best new hotel at Disney World
The 10-story Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is the newest hotel to join the Disney resort hotel lineup. The tower’s architecture was inspired by early concept art for the original Polynesian Resort, with design elements drawing inspiration from the South Pacific and including subtle nods to “Moana” throughout.
The resort is within walking distance (or a short boat or monorail ride) to the Magic Kingdom, and the hotel’s terrace lounges offer a prime viewing spot for the Magic Kingdom’s nighttime fireworks. As a Disney Vacation Club property, you can book this resort with cash or by renting DVC points.
Best hotels near Disney World
Disney World partners with a handful of off-site hotels where you can still take advantage of certain benefits like Early Theme Park Entry and complimentary transportation while paying less than you would for an official Disney World hotel. These hotels also participate in major hotel points programs, so you can earn or redeem points for your stay.
The Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotels all participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program. While not technically Disney hotels, they are on Disney property between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you are a Marriott Bonvoy elite member, these hotels offer benefits like complimentary upgrades and a welcome amenity.
Related: The best hotels near Disney World you can book with points
Disney Springs has seven hotels from brands like Wyndham, Hilton and Holiday Inn. All of these are adjacent to the Disney Springs shopping and dining district, and some have room rates that start at close to $100 per night. These can be a great option if you want to save money and don’t mind leaving the “Disney bubble” at the end of the day.
Related: The 7 best Disney Springs hotels with rates as low as $98
What are the best restaurants at Disney World?
With more than 200 restaurants to choose from, you will have to decide which Disney World restaurants you most want to visit. Dining options run the gamut from the predictable burger and fries spots to an out-of-this-world restaurant in space.
Hardest Disney reservations to get (and how to get them)
Many of these restaurants are quick-service spots or snack stands that don’t require advance reservations. However, there are a few popular restaurants that book up almost as soon as reservations become available.
If you want to dine with Disney royalty at Cinderella’s Royal Table, for example, you’ll want to make your reservation as soon as you can. Those staying at a Disney World hotel can make reservations for the entire vacation 60 days prior to check-in day.
Other reservations that book up quickly include Storybook Dining at Artist Point, Space 220 at Epcot, California Grill, ‘Ohana, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Hollywood Studios and Topolino’s Terrace, especially for the character breakfast. All of these have great food and atmosphere, making them popular for new and returning guests.
Best quick-service restaurants at Disney that don’t require a reservation
Luckily, there are plenty of Disney restaurants with delicious food you can get your hands on without a reservation. Satu’li Canteen in Pandora — The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is consistently ranked as one of the best quick-service restaurants anywhere at Disney. The food is fresh, flavorful and surprisingly inexpensive. You can get a build-your-own bowl with beef, chicken or fish for less than $20.
Other must-try quick-service restaurants include Ronto Roasters at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (the Ronto Breakfast Wrap is the best hand-held meal at Disney), Columbia Harbour House at the Magic Kingdom for New England-inspired fare and Regal Eagle Smokehouse at Epcot for all things barbecue.
Using the Disney app to improve your dining experience
The My Disney Experience app is a must for your Disney World vacation for checking wait times, finding your way around and more. When it comes to dining, you can use it to find walk-up dining availability, score last-minute reservations, see what restaurants are nearby and place mobile orders at select quick-service restaurants.
When you place a mobile order via the app, you choose what time you would like to pick up your order (with the option to modify if plans change). When you arrive at the restaurant, you can click “I’m here. Prepare my order.” Then, you’ll receive a notification on your phone when your food is ready.
Should you buy a Disney Dining Plan?
The cost of dining at Disney can add up quickly, and Disney offers two dining plan options that may help you save money. The Disney Dining Plan lets you prepay for a specified number of meals and snacks for your Disney World vacation. You receive a certain number of meal and snack credits for each night of your stay.
The Disney Dining Plan is both convenient and flexible. By prepaying for your meals and snacks, you won’t have to pull out your wallet every time you get hungry; you also aren’t required to use a set number of credits each day. You can redeem them anytime during your stay in the way that best works for you.
There are two options: the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Plan. The first is a bit less expensive and allows for more flexibility. The second is best if you plan on more sit-down dining and character meals during your vacation.
Whether or not you can save money with a Disney Dining Plan depends on how you utilize the credits. It is possible to break even or come out ahead if you maximize the value of your credits and actually eat all the food available on the plan. If you don’t use all of your credits, you are essentially leaving money on the table. Our guide can help you out with the math.
Related: Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it? We put it to the test
How to save time in line at Disney World
Most Walt Disney World attractions offer a standby line. The only exceptions are new attractions, which will often offer a virtual queue or Lightning Lane access only for a limited time after opening. When Disney World is busy, though, standby lines for popular attractions can climb as high as two hours. Luckily, Disney has Lightning Lane passes that help you skip the standby line and get to more attractions with shorter waits.
With Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can skip the standby line and utilize a much shorter Lightning Lane for most attractions.
The cost of Lightning Lane Multi Pass varies per park and per day. The service starts at $15 per person, per day. It occasionally reaches a per-person price of $35 per day during the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season or in April during spring break.
If you are staying in a Walt Disney World hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve hotels or Shades of Green, you can purchase your Lightning Lane passes at 7 a.m. seven days before your vacation for the length of your trip. If you’re not staying in one of these hotels, you can purchase three days before your visit, one day at a time.
When you purchase, you can also select your first three Lightning Lane Multi Pass rides and arrival windows, as well as any Lightning Lane Single Pass rides and arrival windows. This means that if you are staying in one of the above-mentioned hotels, you can make your three initial Lightning Lane passes for each day of your vacation at one time.
Even if you plan to “park hop” to multiple parks in one day, you will purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass and make your first three selections for the first park where you plan to use it. After you use your first selection, you can make subsequent selections for any other park you wish to visit.
Most attractions are included in the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service, but one or two attractions at each park require a separate Lightning Lane Single Pass purchase to skip the line. The Lightning Lane Single Pass pricing varies by day and attraction. It typically falls between $7 and $25 per person, per attraction for Disney’s most popular rides, such as Tron Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
You don’t need to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass to buy individual Lightning Lane Single Passes and vice versa.
If you are staying in one of Disney’s on-site hotels or in select “Good Neighbor” hotels, as mentioned in the section above, you can also save time in line by utilizing Early Theme Park Entry and/or Extended Evening Theme Park Hours. You can get into the parks 30 minutes early with the early entry benefit, but you actually want to arrive at the front gates 30 to 45 minutes before that. This will give you time to get through security and to the roped-off area where they hold guests, making you one of the first in line to rush to your favorite ride when early entry starts.
If you or someone in your party has a developmental disability that makes it difficult for you to wait in a traditional standby queue, you can also save time by registering for Disney’s Disability Access Service. You need to start the registration process before your visit. Full instructions are available on Disney’s website.
How to plan a Disney World trip on a budget
While sensational stories about $2,500 meals at Disney make for good headlines, it is totally possible to visit Disney World on a budget.
Here are some of the most important things you can do to make your Disney vacation budget manageable:
- Stay at a Disney Value resort like Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, or use Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve. These are the best cards to get those points.
- Use Disney’s complimentary parking and transportation for on-site guests instead of renting a car.
- Purchase groceries for some meals and snacks, and only buy one or two meals in the parks each day.
- Don’t visit the parks every day you are at Disney. Stick to one park per day, avoiding park hopping. You can save on tickets by spending a day swimming or visiting Disney Springs.
- Don’t forget to periodically check Disney’s website for discounts. Even after you book, you may be able to apply a hotel or vacation package discount that can save you even more money.
- Be on the lookout for discounted Disney gift cards to help cover the cost of your trip and/or use points for the tickets.
- Visit during less busy times of the year. Ticket prices are cheapest in August and September, with one-day tickets starting at $109.
Disney World pretrip checklist
Now that you’ve determined your budget, purchased your tickets, booked your hotel and made a few dining reservations, your trip is nearly planned. There are some other details you’ll need to consider to make your trip as magical as it should be. Here’s our ultimate Disney World pretrip checklist:
- Pack accordingly: Depending on when you visit, you could be dealing with heat, humidity, afternoon showers, chilly temperatures or a mix of all of the above. It’s important to pack comfortable shoes and clothing no matter when you visit, but you may also want rain gear, sun protection or a warm jacket, depending on the weather. You can read our full Disney World packing guide here.
- Download the My Disney Experience app: This app is an invaluable tool that you will use daily during your visit. You can use it to check everything from wait times to walk-up dining availability. You can also use it to navigate the parks with turn-by-turn walking directions, purchase Lightning Lane passes and even open your hotel room door.
- Check the park hours before your visit: You can view the park hours on the Walt Disney World website or the My Disney Experience app. Each park has separate opening and closing times, and parks occasionally close early for special events like Halloween and Christmas parties. When you view the park hours, you’ll also be able to see times for any parades or fireworks shows happening each day of your visit and plan for early entry or extended theme park hours for eligible on-site hotel guests.
- Check the height requirements for attractions: If you are traveling to Disney World with young children, you can check the height requirements for attractions on Disney World’s website or in the My Disney Experience app. There are also measuring stations at all attractions that have a minimum height requirement. Still, it’s better to know ahead of time to avoid tears if your child isn’t quite tall enough.
- Know where to find your favorite characters: Most Disney characters have designated meeting times and locations that you can find in the My Disney Experience app. Booking a character meal can be a great way to meet multiple characters at once, but you can also meet many characters in the parks.
- Decide if you want to purchase PhotoPass photos: You can save money on Disney Memory Maker by purchasing it before you visit. It’s the easiest way to capture your vacation memories and an add-on we highly recommend. You can view and download your photos in the My Disney Experience app.
- Study up on Lightning Lane passes: As helpful as Lightning Lane passes can be, there is a bit of a learning curve with them. Study up using our guide and Disney’s own overview before your visit. It’s good to know which attractions participate in the service, how to reserve Lightning Lane access and how to make the most of the service.
- Plan for downtime: One of the biggest mistakes people make at Disney World is overscheduling their trip and leaving no time for rest and relaxation. If you are visiting for more than a few days, try to schedule a day away from the parks where you swim, explore the other resorts or just lounge around the hotel. It’ll help rejuvenate you for the rest of your trip. For shorter trips, you may want to schedule a slow morning or return to your hotel early one day instead of being at the parks from opening to closing every day of your visit.
Bottom line
There you have it — the ultimate guide to visiting Walt Disney World.
In addition to the planning and preparation you’ve now mastered, there are two very important things you must do during your Disney World vacation: Don’t overplan, and have fun! It’s much better to have a short list of must-do rides, restaurants and activities than to have a minute-by-minute itinerary that almost certainly will not play out exactly how you planned.
FOR NO-COST-TO-YOU ASSISTANCE IN PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
Keeping a loose itinerary leaves room for magical moments like stumbling upon a favorite character, noticing a super short line for a ride or deciding last-minute to watch a parade you happened upon. You can’t do everything in one trip anyway, so do the things you can and save the rest for next time when you are a certified Disney pro.
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