If you're planning your first Disney vacation you might be feeling like I was and have no idea where to start. I'll walk you through the steps we've taken so far to make sure our Disney Vacation is the best it can be!
Where do you start??
1) Decide when you want to go.
You probably already have dates in mind, but if you don't or you need to fine tune exactly what day to arrive and depart it's time to pull up a crowd calendar. This one, from The Mommy Mouse Clubhouse, is easy to read and extends all the way through 2018. We will spend a total of 5 days at the parks on our trip and I wanted as many of those as possible to fall on days with fewer crowds. Keep in mind these crowd calendars are only estimates and may not be 100% accurate, but it can really help in deciding exactly what days you'll spend at the parks.
2) A Disney Travel Agent??
Find yourself a Disney travel agent! I always thought having a travel agent meant I'd have to pay for the service and would end up spending more money. Boy, was I wrong!! Not only is our travel agent a wealth of information, but by booking through her we have the option to break up the cost of our trip into payments. Our park tickets are also included in the total booking package! Another thing I didn't realize is that you don't have to book a Disneyland Resort Hotel to use the services of a Disney travel agent. Our travel agent, Linda Gordon from Part of that World Vacations, was able to give us quotes for any local hotel we inquired about. She has been so helpful in this planning process!
An extra tidbit! Make sure you discuss character dining with your travel agent. Vouchers for character meals can be added to your vacation package. Click here to get an idea of what character dining is and the four different restaurants that do them. We decided to add two character dining vouchers to our travel package. Just be aware that you are only buying a voucher and you will still need to make actual reservations with the restaurants. At Disneyland reservations can be made starting 60 days before your trip.
3) Get familiar with hotels.
I know this is something my travel agent could have done for me, but I like doing my research. After we decided on our travel dates I pulled up Google Maps to get an idea of the closest hotels to the park entrances. We do not plan on renting a car so staying within walking distance of the park entrances is a must. Also keep an eye out for amenities you would like such as free breakfast or free wifi.
4) Flying? Consider travel logistics.
The two most common airports to fly into are LAX and John Wayne (SNA). SNA is closest to Disneyland. If you fly into SNA you likely won't encounter Los Angeles traffic and you'll get to your hotel more quickly. However, it's usually cheaper to fly into LAX. If you are traveling with small children you will also want to consider how you will be getting to your hotel. The only method of transportation that does not require car seats for younger children is the Disneyland Resort Express. You can also include that transportation cost in with your vacation package with your travel agent.
5) Join a Disneyland planning group on Facebook!
Almost everything I know about Disneyland has come from Facebook planning groups. I've learned which hotels are recommended, what "rope drop" means (being at the park when it opens), which rides are the most jerky and rough, which characters usually show up at character dining, which rides have the longest wait times, how fast passes work (read up on these!!), and so much more. You can run a simple search on Facebook for planning groups and numerous will pop up. Several are run by travel agents so just be sure to read the rules in the pinned posts.
6) Do your own "research".
Pull up the Disneyland website and start checking out restaurants, attractions, parades, and more. Use Pinterest to find blog posts with food recommendations, ways to save money, tips and tricks, and whatever else is important to you. In my experience it's better to be prepared and have a plan that you can adjust as needed, but always try to be flexible and go with the flow.
7) Have fun planning!!
I know it's easy to get overwhelmed with the amount planning a Disney vacation can entail, but I've consistently heard from experienced Disney travelers that planning is one of the funnest parts. Try your best to take it one step at a time and enjoy yourself!
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