Countdown to Disney: Optimize Your Time
In case you missed it, we are headed to Disney World! You can follow along in all of our planning in our Countdown to Disney series! Missed the reveal? You can view it here: Surprise, You’re Going to Disney World! Don’t forget to read our tips on Planning a Multigenerational Trip to Disney World!
When is the best time to go to Disney? How long should we stay for? How far in advance should I book? All very important questions that almost everyone asks when considering a Disney vacation. In all honesty, you need to choose a time that works best for your family, but educate yourself on crowd levels and operating hours ahead of time.
Check On Crowds
One of my favorite websites to see expected crowds is on Undercover Tourist. Not only can you see the crowds for all of Disney’s theme parks but you can also see the crowds expected at Universal. Undercover Tourist also shows you the historical temperatures.
Know that if your child has off for particular school break, chances are that everyone else’s child does too. Don’t let that deter you though, especially if that’s the only time that works for your family. Be prepared that you may not be able to get to everything on your bucket list depending on the length of your stay.
Length Of Stay
That depends on the amount of time that you are able to get away or afford. Typically it’s suggested for a full week. With that being said that allows for a day on each end for travel, then 5 in between allowing for a day at each park and a day for down time.
When we were on our trip in November, we were there for 9 days. With a range of generations being Gigi & Poppy, my niece Riley (5), Billy, Abby (3), and myself, my sister Brittany, and her fiancé Chris, I can tell you that we definitely did not do everything. In fact there were some things I thought that we would be able to do, and we just ran out of time.
When you go, know that there is no way that you will be able to cover every single thing. That’s the beauty of it, and why we keep returning. Even if we were able to do a particular attraction 4 years ago, visiting it with our daughter was an entirely different experience. No matter the length of your stay, know what attractions are important to your party.
Start With Research
First things first – My Disney Experience! They have so many different resources available to help you plan what not to miss. One of my favorite sections of the site was all of the information that they had for parents of preschoolers. I also suggest watching the Disney Vacation Planning videos that they have to offer on their site with your whole family! You can view them right online, or have a DVD sent to your home. Watching this was a great way for the little ones to know what to expect with certain attractions.
We have this fun printable to help you make that list of attractions that everyone considers a “must do”.
Looking for more Disney posts? Check out all of the posts in our Countdown to Disney series!
