There is a lot that goes into planning a Walt Disney World vacation. From determining where you want to stay and when you want to travel to booking dining reservations and now Genie+, Walt Disney World takes some time.
Although it can be easy to become frustrated with all the planning, some things have made a trip to Disney easier and less stressful when we step back. Let’s look at six ways that planning a Disney trip has become slightly more manageable.
1. Disney Park Pass Reservations
Some Guests might find having to purchase a Theme Park ticket and book their Park Pass Reservations frustrating; however, this new system makes some aspects of a trip to Disney less stressful. Park Pass Reservations are required for each of the four Disney Parks (EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom).
This step allows Guests to know that they will be able to get into a Disney Park during their vacation. If you have a reservation, you can enter the Park even if it hits capacity. This might be important for when Tron Lightcyle Run opens in April at Magic Kingdom.
By having a Park Pass Reservation made, there is less stress regarding being turned away due to capacity.
2. My Disney Experience
The official Disney planning app allows Guests to access a wide range of information. The app makes it extremely easy as so much information is located in one specific spot- the app. Having all our plans: dining, Resort stay, and memory maker in one area is extremely helpful.
Seeing current Wait Times and Show Times in the app saves us time because we aren’t running back and forth in the Park only to find out that a Wait Time is exceptionally high. Having this feature at our fingertips makes planning in the Parks much easier.
The addition of Bus Times in the app has also helped with planning while at Disney. Being able to see approximately when buses will be arriving at our Disney Resort lets us know when we need to head out to the bus stop. This can help us ensure we don’t just miss a bus or aren’t waiting forever for one.
Many features within My Disney Experience work together to help make Disney planning easier when on a Disney vacation.
3. 60 > 180
Another area that has gotten better when it comes to planning a Disney trip is the reservation system. Previously Guests were asked to make dining reservations 180 days before their trip. That means you were determining where you wanted to eat six months before traveling.
Guests can start making dining reservations 60 days before check-in. This is much better as Disney’s calendar and schedule are more set two months before travel. This allows Guests to make better-informed decisions regarding their dining options, which we feel has made planning much more manageable.
The 60-day mark is also important for special experiences in a Theme Park. Fireworks packages, Savi’s Workshop, and Bibbitiy Bobbity Boutique are all open for reservations 60 days before travel. Again, two months before travel makes it much easier for Guests to know their vacation plans.
4. Mobile Ordering
A great feature found within the My Disney Experience app is mobile ordering. Through this option, Guests can order food from quick service locations throughout the Disney Parks and Disney Resorts.
Mobile ordering has made Disney planning easier because we can now order our food quickly on the app and choose when to pick it up. This means the family can order food while waiting in line for a ride. This is a great way to limit waiting at a quick service location.
We are glad that Disney uses this option throughout the Parks and Resorts, making getting food so much easier.
5. Disney Genie
We will focus specifically on Disney Genie, making planning easier for Guests. This is the free planning option within My Disney Experience.
Disney Genie provides tips and suggestions as well as predicted wait times. It can be helpful for those that might need to learn how to navigate the Park as it provides an overall plan. By using Disney Genie, Guests can have a less stressful time in the Disney Parks.
6. Early Entry
Guests are given Early Theme Park Entry when staying at a Disney Resort. Resort Guests can enter any of the four Theme Parks thirty minutes before the official Park opening.
This has made Disney planning easier than the previous Extra Magic Hour in the morning. Extra Magic Hours were only offered at one specific Theme Park. That hour could become extremely busy as all Resort Guests headed to the same Park.
With Early Theme Park entry, Guests can now choose any of the four Theme Parks, making it a lot easier to have some flexibility in your plans. We can take advantage of this extra time every day at any Park we choose.
Planning a vacation to Walt Disney World can be stressful. We are grateful that Disney has worked hard over the years to make this process easier on Guests. These six ways have made Guests less stressed when planning a vacation to Walt Disney World.
As you plan your Walt Disney World vacation, we hope you find it less stressful and more magical. That is what Disney is all about, and we hope the planning can add to the magic.
