I Just Clicked “Confirm Reservation”….Now What?!

Congratulations!  You’ve just confirmed your vacation reservation to Walt Disney World.  Feel overwhelmed?  I understand.  Now it’s time for the fun planning-parks, restaurant reservations, shows…it’s all waiting for you!  Where to start?

1.  Make ADRs.  This means “Advanced Dining Reservations”.  If you chose the Disney Dining Plan or the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan, you are entitled to at least one sit down meal at a Diseny restaurant.  Not doing DDP or DDDP, but still want to have a character or other special meal?  You still  need ADRs.  You can start making these when you are 180 days away from your trip.  The Disney website makes it easy to make these and search for open reservations.  Or, y ou can call Disney directly and they’ll help you over the phone.  Even though we are doing Quick Service Dining, we still made reservations for two character meals.  I made these about two weeks after I booked our vacation.

2.  Plan your park days.  You plan these based on the type of ticket you have-Park Hopper or Base Ticket.  Park Hopper tickets make it easy to just “hop” from one park to the next.  You can visit multiple parks in one day with this option.  If you chose a base ticket, like we do, you can only visit one park per day.  Look at your dining reservations.  Where did you choose to eat and when?  Let’s say you chose breakfast at Crystal Palace on your first day.  You should make this a Magic Kingdom day, since Crystal Palace is located on Main Street U.S.A.  Or do you want to see Fantasmic?  Then check out the calendar for Hollywood Studios during the time of your stay.  If Fantasmic is on the Wednesday of your trip, you’ll want to make that a Disney’s Hollywood Studios day.

3.  Plan your “non park” days.  Leaving a day or so in your schedule for non park fun can add to the relaxation factor of your vacation.  Many resorts have multiple pools, crafts for the kids, and playgrounds.  Take advantage of these activities while you’re there.

4.  Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or Pirates League?  These are fun experiences for your princesses and pirates.  If you want your children to enjoy these experiences, then you’ll need to make reservations WELL in advance.  It’s a good idea to look into and book these when you make your dining reservations.

5.  Flying or driving?  Soon after your reservation is made, you’ll want to decide how you’re going to get there.  Start watching flight prices, or start mapping out your trip.  Do you need to allot money for a hotel stay on the way down and back?  Don’t forget to budget for food and gas, too.  If you make a reservation for dining or another special experience on your arrival date, make sure you get to your resort in PLENTY of time to make it to your fun event!

What am I missing?  Do you reserve dining or plan your park days first?

Magically Yours,

Carrie

Related articles

• Why Choose Disney’s Quick Service Dining Plan (chipandco.com)
• Disney World Dining without Reservations (chipandco.com)

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