Disney World Trip Planning Pays Off

With so much going on at the Disney parks, it really pays off to do some advance planning for your trip to Walt Disney World. Naturally, you will book your airfare and resort accommodation before you get there. You may even rent a car if you decide you want to visit some other Orlando attractions. But there are some other things to plan in advance of your Disney trip if you really want to make the most of it.

Now, you don't need to do a lot of advance planning if you are the spontaneous type, but there are two situations in which I think it pays off. Get your park tickets before your trip and try and book a dining reservation or two at one of Disney World's table service restaurants.

Buy your Disney World Tickets in Advance

You can buy your Disney tickets at the gates of any of the parks. If you like to save money though, it's best to buy them in advance. Authorized ticket vendors for Walt Disney World can usually save you money over buying at the park gate. AAA is a good place to start as they often have some good discounts for Disney tickets.

I recommend getting tickets without extra options. Since the extras like the Water Parks or park hopping aren't discounted, you can always upgrade them at the park if you decide you want to use those options. But if you never get around to park hopping, you will save $50 per ticket if you avoid buying that feature in advance.

Make some Advance Dining Reservations

Walt Disney World has some great restaurants. They also tend to be very popular. If you have a favorite restaurant or there is a special one you would like to dine at for the first time, you can save on some disappointment by booking dining reservations well before your trip. You can book as far as 90 days in advance and I recommend doing so as soon as you know your travel dates.

To make a Disney dining reservation, call (407) WDW-DINE during business hours.

I usually make a couple of dinner reservations for each trip. If you are at the parks and you decide you want to eat somewhere else, you can always stop into a Guest Services office at whichever park you are in and get them to cancel the reservation for you. The front desk at your Disney resort can also book and cancel reservations for you.