1 - Start with a Travel Agent who specializes in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Disney Travel Agents do not charge you a fee, and the price you pay for Disney tickets and hotels is the same price whether you use a Travel Agent or not. I understand a lot of people want to plan their own trips. I do! So, I get it. Just remember a Disney Travel Agent can help with the best times to go, explain Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, ways to save money, and how to get the best hotels and food.
2 - Best Time To Go if you want low crowds and less wait can vary some. So, Travel Agents use a mix of different crowd calendar predictions based on the past, school schedules, convention schedules, and sporting events. There are so many variables to consider including whether you're limited to when kids are out of school. January and February used to be great times, but that's starting to change with all the marathon events, festivals, conventions, and cheer competitions. Now, the first couple of weeks of May, in late August, and most of September (after Labor Day week) tend to have the lowest crowds. But, some exceptions need to be considered even for the lowest crowd days. (that's where the Travel Agent can help).
3 - Learn about Genie+, Lightning Lane (LL), the Virtual Queues (VQ), and the individual Lightning Lanes before you go. Again, a Travel Agent's knowledge of these tools is invaluable and will make your life SO much easier. Especially, if you haven't been to Disney since these options have been put into place. This topic makes up thousands of online articles, YouTube videos, and social media questions. The individual Lightning Lanes and Genie+ cost extra, and the cost depends on the day. The Virtual Queues do not cost you money, but it does cost most people their valuable sleeping time because you need to be logged in at 7 am to try to get one. Currently, Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy (Disney World's best two coasters) can only be experienced with a Virtual Queue. There are no standby lines for these. We'll go into more detail in a different article since there is just too much information that you need to know for this one topic.
4 - Ways to Save Money This is another long topic that we will post more info on in another article so that we can give more details. Generally, going on low-crowd days, taking a water bottle, bringing lots of snacks (or even a brown bag lunch), and staying off Disney property can save an estimated $450 to $590 for a family of four doing a 6-7 night stay. The downside is that you wouldn't be eligible for the Early Entry benefit, and taking naps in the afternoons for little ones is more time-consuming. If you're financially disciplined to pay your card in full each month, we recommend the
Disney Visa Card because you can get up to $300 after qualifying purchases. Disney frequently offers special hotel discounts to their Visa Card holders, and there are some savings in the parks. If you plan on flying to Orlando (MCO), there are good flight savings with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card. Please know that the card recommendations are only good if you pay in full each month. The interest cost to carry a balance from month to month is much worse than any savings you would have with them.
5 - Best Hotels and Restaurants This requires planning around 12 to 8 months before you're planning to be there. Last-minute trips to Disney can be the most expensive. The best hotel can depend on the unique needs of your family and can be customized to your goals with a Travel Agent. Disney Restaurants that require reservations need to be made at the 60-day window. Space 220 Lounge, the Sci-Fi Dinner, and most of the Character meals can be hard to get if you aren't online booking exactly at the 60-day mark. Most Travel Agents will book these for you, so you don't have to worry about the planning.
