9 Things You Need To Do Before Your Walt Disney World Trip

After you make your travel arrangements, such as getting your airline tickets or determine the days of your arrival by car, bus, train, the following steps should be taken.

9. Make a budget

Consider things such as tips and tolls, guidebooks, postage for post cards, snacks and entertainment. If you taking a road trip you will also may need another hotel reservation, pet costs, laundry costs, gas, and car maintenance prior to a trip, etc.

8. Make reservations

For your resort, and choose your dining reservations as soon as possible. Do a little research on the official Walt Disney World website for a description, photos, and amenities of the resorts and also the menus of the restaurants.

7. Open A MyDisneyExperience Account

On the Disney.go website and open an account. You will want to add your resort, dining reservations, and FastPass+ reservations as well as the Family and Friends names you want included on your account. This will enable you to make FP+ reservations for everyone. Download the MyDisneyExperience app for your smartphone. This is a very important part of the WDW experience these days.

6. Look at the attraction descriptions on Disney

Go and choose your FastPass+ for your top attractions to visit. Customize your MagicBand on MDE.

5. Make your packing list

Begin getting things together. You may need special clothing and shoes if you are eating in Signature restaurants at Walt Disney World or going on a Disney Cruise, otherwise you just need casual clothing suitable for the weather at the time of your visit.  Don’t assume it is Florida, so it is always hot, because that is not the case.  Check the forecast for your dates. In addition to your clothing you will want toiletries, sensible shoes, sunscreen, paper work such as hotel confirmations, boarding pass, driver’s license, insurance cards, snacks or beverages for in your resort room, maps or gps (cell phone may take care of this), umbrella, any personal items such as favorite pillow or toy for children, prescription medications, Band-Aids (especially the Blister kind), first aid kit, spare batteries for camera, camera, chargers for electronic devices, sunglasses for everyone in party, water bottle and strap, cash, lanyard and pins for trading (optional).

4. Tie up loose ends

Have your mail held, and your local newspaper. Alert your bank or credit card holder that you will be traveling to avoid having a limit imposed on your charge capabilities because they did not expect you to be away from home. Make arrangements for family pets. If you are taking children out of school find out what that entails and get it done.  If you have a neighbor consider telling them you will be out of town so they can keep an eye on your house while you are gone and maybe pick up any packages that are delivered by someone other than USPS. Consider having a responsible person be your house and pet sitter.

3. Talk to family and friends

Especially ones who have been to WDW recently and find out what they liked and didn’t like. You may like something they did not, but it is helpful to hear several people share their WDW vacation memories. Some of them will have special, magical even, Disney moments that they love to share and will get you excited about your upcoming vacation.

2. Walking

If you purchased new walking shoes, wear them as much as possible to break them in before you get to Walt Disney World. That will save you some blisters and miserable days walking in unbroken-in shoes. Another thing that helps is to wear two pairs of socks. You don’t want your vacation ruined by blisters and sore feet.  It is helpful to do this if you are at least a month or so out so you don’t arrive with any fresh blisters. Get yourself prepared for doing a lot of walking by getting out and walking to build up your endurance.

1. Now that you have all the hard work done…

It’s to prepare for your Walt Disney World vacation, the only thing left to do is arrive with the attitude that you are going to relax, ignore work as much as possible, and have fun! Even the lines for the attractions can be a good place to reconnect with each other. Walt Disney World’s banner says “Where Dreams Come True” and I hope that it is true for you! Have a magical time!