PlanningThe ParksTips

Adjustments You Need to Make For Your Disney Vacation

Walt Disney World is constantly changing.  Because of all the changes, there are probably some adjustments that you need to make as you plan for your Walt Disney World vacation.  We want this to help you be more prepared for your magical Disney vacation.

My Disney Experience App

My Disney Experience is Essential

We have talked a lot about the importance of My Disney Experience at How to Disney.  The reality is that this app is essential to a successful Disney vacation.  Even though the app has been around for a while, the importance of the app has changed drastically.

The My Disney Experience app is where Guests are able to find information such as wait times, Park hours, bathrooms, and more.  It allows Guests to mobile order, book Genie+ reservations, join virtual queues and so much more.

Because of all these features, it is extremely important that you not only download the app prior to your vacation but also mess around with it.  Take time to navigate the app so you know where Disney Genie is at and how to find wait times.  Don’t wait until you arrive at Walt Disney World to open the app.  This will cause you to be extremely stressed and overwhelmed.

We have some great articles at How to Disney that walks through key features of My Disney Experience.  Use those to guide you as you navigate it.

transportation to disney
transportation to disney

Transportation

On January 1st, 2022 Disney’s Magical Express became no longer available to Guests traveling to Walt Disney World.  Because of the discontinuation of this perk, Guests now need to find their own mode of transportation from the airport to their Walt Disney World Resort.

Although there are many different options to choose from, it is another step that Guests need to add to their planning and well as their budget.  Bus systems such as Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer are very similar to Disney’s Magical Express.

There are a lot of private transportation companies as well as Uber and Lyft if they would work for you as well.   No matter what transportation method works for you, make sure you have it booked prior to your vacation.

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Credit: Disney

Housekeeping Has Changed

Prior to the pandemic, Guests would receive housekeeping each day of their vacation.  Walt Disney World has adjusted this policy.

Resort rooms are given a deep clean prior to Guests checking in and then housekeeping will come in usually every other day to grab the trash and bring new towels.  This doesn’t mean that you can’t get items from housekeeping, just that Disney is trying to limit how many people are in and out of a Resort room.  This is part of their safety procedures and might be something you have to adjust to at first.

Keep this in mind so you can keep your Resort room picked up throughout your trip.

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Credit: DIsneydining

Plan Early

People are once again traveling to Walt Disney World.  Crowds are higher than we have seen in a long time and this means you need to plan early.  Once you get your dates set, make sure that you are booking your Disney Resort.

We are seeing Resorts book up quickly and early.  By booking early, you are going to have the most choices.

Another adjustment revolves around Park pass reservations. Once a ticket is purchased, Guests can go into their My Disney Experience account and select which theme Park they wish to visit each day.  This is important to do as soon as possible as we have seen some parks fill up.  You don’t want to wait to make a Park reservation to find out that a Park isn’t available.

We have always had to think about our dining plans early on, but now Guests don’t have to book their dining reservations until 60 days prior to check-in, a big deal for those that used to book 180 days ahead of time.  This doesn’t mean that you don’t need to jump on the right at 60 days because you do as dining reservations are filling up quickly still.  If you have specific dining locations, make sure you are ready to go within 60 days so you can snag your dining experiences. These are all important to Disney planning.

It is so important to plan your Disney Resort, Park pass, and dining early on so you get what you are wanting.

Chef Castmembers

Be Flexible Overall

We are a huge fan of plans when it comes to Walt Disney World, but those plans need to be flexible.  Have a plan of what your must-do attractions are each day and then use those to plan your day.

With Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes, you won’t be able to plan a set schedule ahead of time.  Instead, those general, overall plans are what you are going to what to focus on.  This might take some adjustment for many veteran Disney travelers, but we know that like with fastpass+, we will figure it out during our Disney trip.

Weather can also have a big impact on your day in a Disney Park.  Allow yourself to be flexible when rain storms come up and things shut down.

Know that Walt Disney World is constantly changing.  Because of this change, you might need to make some adjustments to your Walt Disney World planning strategy.  Having a plan when it comes to these adjustments will allow you to experience all the magic that Disney still has to offer.

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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