Critical Decisions Disney Guests Are Expected Make

Planning a vacation is supposed to be fun and exciting, but lately, vacations to Walt Disney World seem anything but relaxing. There is so much to do before you even arrive at the magic. Determining precisely what you should do before arriving can be stressful.

Guests who want to have a great time at the Walt Disney World Resort must ensure they take care of these critical planning steps.

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Learn About Disney

The first critical step to a successful Disney trip is to learn as much about Walt Disney World as possible. Take a look at the maps of the four Disney Parks, your Disney Resort, and even Disney Springs if you plan to visit there.

Related: Disney is Canceling Guest’s Park Reservations

Becoming familiar with where rides, shows, characters, and restaurants are located can make your experience much smoother and less stressful.

Credit: My Disney Experience App

Figure out My Disney Experience

Another critical planning step for guests visiting Walt Disney World revolved around My Disney Experience. This is the official app of Walt Disney World. This app is essential to a successful and magical trip to Walt Disney World.

It is through this app that guests will be able to see wait times while in the parks, order food throughout the parks and resorts, book Genie+, and so much more. Don’t skip out on this critical step. Doing so will leave you frustrated before your trip even gets underway.

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Dive Into Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes

Two new critical steps added to Disney planning are Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes. These two new features allow guests to bypass the long standby lines at the four Disney Parks.

These two features can be highly beneficial when visiting Walt Disney World, but they are paid features. Because they cost additional money, it is essential to dig in and understand exactly what they are and how they can help make magic during a trip.

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Food Plans

Dining is a critical planning step for a Walt Disney World vacation. It doesn’t matter if you want to enjoy sit-down meals or a quick meal before heading to ride more rides; dining is a significant step in preparing for a Disney vacation.

Related: The Difference Between Quick and Table Service Dining at Disney World

For table-service meals, guests can start making reservations 60 days before check-in. Many popular dining locations, such as Chef Mickey’s, Space 220, and Cinderella’s Royal Table, book up quickly. Because of this, it is essential to be ready to make your reservations.

If sit-down meals aren’t for you, having a quick meal also takes some planning. Using mobile ordering can save you time and frustration during your trip.

Credit: Disney

Make Plans

While we don’t recommend planning every minute of your trip, having an overall plan is critical to a successful trip. Start with a must-do list to help determine what you should focus on each day when visiting each theme park.

Figure out where your top rides, shows, characters, or snacks are in each Disney Park. Use that to start your plan, and the rest is extra magic.