Disneyworld Planning 101 – Tips for Newbies

Planning a Disney World vacation is hard work especially if you have never been before. There are so many books and websites out there devoted to planning a Disney Vacation it can be very overwhelming.

I created these Disneyworld Planning 101 articles to help you learn some of the many tips and tricks I have learned over the years to make each of my Disney vacations fun and enjoyable.

Today I wanted to talk directly to the Disney Newbies. This article goes out to those people who might have been 1 maybe 2 times or not at all. For you season pros who know maybe you will learn something new. Lets dive right in..

1. Spreadsheets are your friends. Create a simple to use spreadsheet. Google Docs are free and available online. You can share them with friends and family or even look them up on your Droid or iPhone while your at WDW. They come in handy when your at the parks and need to find your ADR Reservation, or you dont want to carry a fireworks or parade schedule with you. If you want to get a glimpse of a sample spreadsheet check it out here.
2. Make your ADR (Advanced Dining Reservations) ASAP! With the all new Disney Advanced Dining Reservation website you can now book your meals 180 days out. Do your research on WDW Info and find all the restaurants where you want to visit, then on that 180th day book your meals.
3. Touring Plans Lines & Crowd Calendar. I live on these 2 tools while at the parks. When I start the day I am checking Crowd Calendar to make sure the park that I have planned for that day is still not as busy. Once I am at the parks I am using Lines to check wait times and reporting on them as well. Have I mentioned how much I love my Droid?
4. Walk a mile in my shoes. Having the right shoes at the parks can make or break your vacation. I have done the research. I have walked around the parks all day in my Flip Flops only to be worn out at the end of the day. Next I tried some Teva sandals, while better than flip flops I wasn’t as tired as wearing the flip flops at the end of the day. For my wife and I we wear running shoes! You will be surprised how wearing the right shoes makes your day more enjoyable. My next choice goes hand and hand with a good pair of shoes.
5. Drink plenty of water. Pack a nice water bottle. If you want to be really cool like me you will buy a water bottle with a filter built in or a nice Camelbak hydration system. We make it a point to consume as much water as possible while at the parks. Even with the dining plan we get free pop I try to go easy on the soft drinks and still drink water. With everyone from Gatorade to Crystal Light making flavor packs be sure to pack several boxes.
6. Use a travel agent. Disney Travel Agents won’t cost you a cent. They get paid directly from Disney so no matter what package you choose you are out nothing. Most times those travel agents like my good friend and fellow writer Chris knows just about everything there is to know about Disney. She can answer questions, share with you her thoughts on different restaurants, and even recommend tips and tricks like visiting a certain website with Chip in the title 🙂 Click the banner at the top for Pixie Vacations to learn more. Be sure to tell them Chip sent ya!

I have a ton more tips for planning your Walt Disney World Vacation, stay tuned over the next couple months as I share those with you as I plan my own Disneyworld Vacation in September.

If you have any tips or tricks let us know in the comment section below.

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• Disneyworld Planning 101 – Are you a Disney Planner? (chipandco.com)
• Disneyworld Planning 101 – Discounts (chipandco.com)

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