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Category Archives: Trip Planning

Ideas to Keep Kids Entertained on Long Car Rides [TIPS]

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Hello Disney Fans!

I wanted to touch base with everyone about taking car rides with kids. We all know family vacations can be super fun and make lifelong memories, but sometimes the actual act of getting to your destination, while an adventure, can be tricky. So whether you’re driving to Disney or on another adventure, let’s explore some ways to keep the kids (and, by default, you) happy on long car rides.

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Weekly Tip #4

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To Plan or Not to Plan: Why it is Important to Plan.

Disney can be a very intimidating trip to take. There are four different theme parks, two waterparks, a couple of miniature golf options as well as some regular golf courses, over 20 on-property hotels to choose from, and hundreds of dining and shopping options. T

hat doesn’t even include all the extra things you can find to do, like the all the tours Disney offers. Seriously, it’s insane how much there is to do at Disney World and it’s impossible to see it all in one trip. It’s impossible to see it all in a few trips! There is just so much to do.

That brings me to this week’s Weekly Tip…lists. It is so helpful to make a list before your trip, planning out everything you want to see and do. If you plan on making your advanced dining reservations (ADR) at the 180 day mark, or anytime before your trip, or you want to make your FastPass+ choices at the 60 mark, planning is pretty much a necessity.

If you are not a planner, you can go with the flow, but just go in knowing you may not get to see everything you want to see or eat in a certain restaurant. Of course, the ability to go with the flow depends on what you want to do and what time of year you are going. If you are going during a really slow time, you should be able to get in to some restaurants without an ADR. However, if you go during a busy time, like summer or Christmas, I highly (highly) recommend making a list and planning in advance.

For me, planning is part of the fun. It makes me feel that much closer to my Disney trip, even if it is over a year away.

The first thing I start thinking about is which hotel we are going to stay in. This is an easier decision than, say, looking at all your dining options. First, figure out your budget. This will help you decide on a category of resort hotels that will work for you. There are value resorts, moderate resorts, deluxe resorts, and deluxe villa resorts.

When you look on Disney’s website at the hotels, there is a compare option on the screen. You can compare up to four resorts, so that helps you to compare and choose all on one screen. Once you have decided on a category, you can start comparing all of the different resorts in that category and you can use the same compare function for this.

Just click where is says to compare. After you pick your first hotel, you will then be able to select an additional three to compare
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Here is the compare screen with all the moderate resorts.
 After you have decided on a resort and make your reservations, the fun begins! Now you know you are going, so you can start planning what restaurants you want to go to, what rides you want to ride, what shows you want to see, any extra activities you want to reserve, and even what shops you don’t want to miss.
This is where the lists come in handy. Before we even booked our latest reservation, I had a spreadsheet with all of the different table service restaurants we might want to book (not all, just ones that interest us).
The categories I made for the spreadsheet are name, location, price, type of meal (table service or buffet), meals served (breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner), whether or not they have characters at the meals, and I even have columns with links for pictures and menus.
I am very obsessive when it comes to planning a Disney trip, but it does help to get everything in. Then by the time your 180 day mark rolls around (if you are staying on property), you will know what restaurants you really want to see. I wouldn’t go overboard with the ADRs, leave some wiggle room, but the really popular ones (like Be Our Guest) are worth booking 180 days out, if you can.
Here is another tip, and I’ve heard this from multiple people, if you don’t get your restaurant choice at first, keep trying. Some people have gotten reservations a week before their trip. So don’t get discouraged if there is no availability at first. Cancelations happen all the time, so that is good news. You just have to be vigilant about checking everyday.
Here is part of the spreadsheet I made for our next trip. This is only part of it, but you get the idea.
 Your next list, if you want to plan this much, would be for your FP+ picks. These you can get 60 days out from your trip (if you are staying on property). So, again, it involves a lot of planning, but if there are certain things you or your children really want to see, it might be a good idea to reserve early. The same thing applies to the FP+ picks as the ADRs, if you don’t get your first choice the first time you look just keep checking. I have also heard a lot of stories of people getting their Anna and Elsa FPs or Seven Dwarfs Mind Train FPs a week before their vacation, so keep checking if you don’t get want you were hoping for on the first try.
Another list you can look at making is one for any other things you don’t want to miss seeing. Even if it’s just little things in the parks or anywhere else on property. For instance, I have read about this Wish Book that is available for guests to write a wish in. It’s available in Pinocchio Village Haus in the Jiminy Cricket room. One story from the Wish Book I heard was that a little girl wrote in the book that she wished to meet Anna and Elsa and later a cast member took her to meet them! Very cool Disney magic with that book. So, this is definitely on my “extras” list.
You can always make different lists for the different parks and incorporate any extras, like the Wish Book, into those lists. I know, it sounds like a lot of work, but most Disney enthusiasts that I know love the planning process. So making these lists is actually a lot of fun for us! It definitely helps with your trip when you do some planning beforehand.
One more tip, don’t go overboard with the planning. I know, here I am telling you to plan and now I’m saying don’t over-plan. Where’s the line, right? Well the reason I say don’t over-plan is because, there definitely needs to be some downtime penciled in. Days off from the park help everyone to keep their sanity. You need that relaxation time.
Whether you’re shopping, spending time at the pool, or just hanging out in the room, definitely make sure to have some days off from the parks. I have seen some major meltdowns (from both children and adults) that happened as a result of trying to cram too much in. That’s no fun for anyone.
I hope this helps with your planning! I will probably add to this post as I start planning my own trip. There are always new things you learn about planning with each trip. If you have any questions or need help planning anything, feel free to ask me or you can ask in our Facebook Group (lots of knowledgeable Disney fans in that group). It’s fun helping people plan a Disney trip!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
For help planning your Disney vacation, contact Starts With a Wish Travel by Liz!