I have talked about planning in past posts and how helpful it is to a Disney World trip. Once you have planned your trip and you have everything set, you can start planning your days in Disney. I know it may seem like a bit much to plan all your days out, but it does help.
If you do not want to plan your whole day, then I would concentrate on which attractions you do not want to miss. Some parks, like Magic Kingdom, have more rides than say Hollywood Studios, but it is still helpful to have a plan of action before you visit each park.
My traveling party learned this on our last trip. Our first park day was at Hollywood Studios and we had not planned anything. We didn’t even look at a map before we went. So it felt like we were just going in circles all day, because I was the only one that had been there and the others didn’t really know what was there to see. We had two wasted days at Hollywood Studios (didn’t plan the second day either).
After the Hollywood Studios fiasco, the adults decided to plan out the next day at whatever park we were visiting. Once we started planning which attractions we wanted to see and looking at the maps, we had a better handle on how to plan out the day. Granted, things always happen to throw you off your plan, but being flexible helps. For instance, we had FastPasses (FPs) for Enchanted Tales with Belle, but it was down when it was our time to go. We were told we could come back when it opened and still use the FPs or we could get FPs for another attraction. We held out for awhile and decided to see the other attractions on our list. After checking My Disney Experience multiple times on our phones we saw that Belle was back up and running. So we headed over and had a great time!
Things happen. Attractions break down and need to be fixed. It is good to have an idea of what everyone wants to see and where everything is located in the park. That way if you do have a hiccup in your day, you know where you can head to next and you are not left standing there staring at a map and scratching your head. This is especially helpful for Magic Kingdom. There are over 40 attractions just in Magic Kingdom park. Unless you are a park commando, you will need at least two days to see everything Magic Kingdom has to offer.
If you do not mind getting up early, I would recommend getting to Magic Kingdom for rope drop. It is good to be at each of the parks before they open, but this is especially true for Magic Kingdom. You will be able to fit in so many of the attractions on your list within the first couple of hours, because the park won’t start getting busy until later in the morning into the afternoon. Plus, you get to see the opening ceremony!
It can seem a little daunting to have to plan out each day the night before, but we actually had a lot of fun with it! We would put the kids to bed, throw some laundry in, and break out the maps. We were like kids on Christmas Eve! Planning out the next day got everyone excited for the fun we were going to have the next day in the parks.
If you are staying in Disney World for over a week, it can be a little easier to have a relaxed plan of action. As I said earlier, two days at Magic Kingdom and Epcot can be very helpful when you want to see a majority of the attractions. So, the longer you are there, the more you can break up the days. I know this isn’t an option for a lot of people, due to Disney’s ever rising prices. So if you are there for a week or less, just pick the attractions that you really do not want to miss.
There is a lot of planning that goes into a Disney World vacation, because there is so much to do. When you think about the cost of a Disney vacation, planning out your days will give you a better chance at seeing everything you want to see. Have fun with it! Mix up some drinks and have a little planning party with all the adults in the traveling party. Relax, enjoy, and get excited for your next fun day in Disney World! Happy planning!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰