Top Questions For Planning a Disney Vacation

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World comes with a lot of questions and decisions.   Now more than ever before there is a lot that goes into a Walt Disney World vacation before evening leaving home.   

To help you as you plan your Disney vacation, we have some of the top questions Guests ask when planning a trip to the magic.  We will look at some answers and suggestions to help you as you ask yourself these questions as well.

When is the Best Time to Go?

One of the biggest questions that people ask when heading to Walt Disney World is when is the best time to go.  This can be difficult because what everyone means by best can be very different.

For most Guests, when they ask for best they are looking for low crowds.   If we have learned anything in 2022 when it comes to Disney it is that crowds are back.  It really seems like there is no longer a down time when it comes to Walt Disney World.   

If you are looking to avoid the large crowds, then we suggest avoiding the holidays.  Even the three day holidays such as Presidents Day are seeing large crowds.   The best way to avoid large crowds is to travel when kids are in school. 

For those looking for the best weather, we would suggest avoiding the hot and humid summer months.  These are probably the hardest ones to visit during.   February and early March are great options as are October through December if you don’t mind a few cooler days.

In the long run, the best time to visit Walt Disney World in our opinion is whenever fits into your schedule. 

Where to Stay

Once Guests know when they want to visit, the next big question that comes up is choosing where to stay at Walt Disney World.   Disney offers three categories of Resorts which are value, moderate, and deluxe.   Each of these offer different price points and amenities so eveyone can find something that works for them.

When determining where you want to stay, we suggest starting by thinking of what is important to you.  Is it the cost, the pools, location, or dining?  Knowing what is important to you will help you narrow down what your options are.

Think about how you are going to spend your Disney vacation.   Are you spending everyday in the four Theme Parks or will you have a Resort day making the pool more essential.   

Are you traveling with little ones that will be in a stroller the whole time?  This might mean looking at a skyliner Resort such as Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or a monorail Resort like Disney’s Contemporary Resort might be good options for some easy transportation. 

Knowing what your main needs are when it comes to your Disney Resort will help you determine what Resort will be the best.

What is Genie+?

A new question that we get a lot now is what is Genie+.  This new paid feature was added to the My Disney Experience app at the end of 2021.  By paying an additional $15 per day per person, Guests are able to skip the regular waits and use the Lightning Lane for many experiences in the four Disney Parks thus saving time in line.

At How to Disney we have a lot of posts about the good, bad, and everything in-between when it comes to Genie+.  We would start by recommending that Guests do some research first so they can determine if Genie+ is worth the additional cost. 

There are a lot of good things about Genie+ but Guests need to be able to use it efficiently in order for it to be a good addition. 

Can We Bring Food and Drinks In?

Many first time visitors to Walt Disney World are surprised to learn that Guests can bring in food and drinks into the Disney Parks.  There are restrictions such as no glass and no alcohol so make sure you double check before you head out.

We appreciate that we can choose to bring in our own snacks and water, saving us some money while in a Disney Park.

Even though we love the Disney snacks, we are grateful we can bring in some of our standby snacks as well.

What Should I Bring With Me?

We have a whole post about what to bring into a Disney Park HERE to help Guests prepare for a successful day at a Disney Park.

Overall our top recommendation would be a portable charger.   Phone batteries die quickly at Walt Disney World and as important as My Disney Experience is to a successful day, a dead phone could be a big issue.  

We also always recommend having items for the weather.   This means rain gear as well as sun protection.   The weather elements in Disney can be tough so prepared ahead of time can save a trip.

Where Should I Eat?

There are so many outstanding Disney restaurants both at the four Disney Parks as well as at the Disney Resorts. 

The first decision is to determine if your family is one that would prefer sit down meals or more go with the flow of quick service meals.  By determining this, it will help you better determine where to eat.

Also keep in mind how much your family eats.  Even if they typically eat three meals plus snacks at home each day, when busy and hot in the Disney Parks will this still be the case.

Once you have a good grasp on those areas, then do some digging regarding places to eat.  Doing this will help you see menus and know what is best for your family. 

Heading to Walt Disney World takes a lot of planning and preparation.   We hope that looking as some of the top planning questions with help you have an amazing trip.