Congratulations!  You've decided on a trip to Walt Disney World but you're soon thinking, "Now what?  What do I do next?" 

Let us help make the Wonderful World of Disney a bit more manageable!

• When to go?

• How to get there?

• What do you want to do?

• How long to stay?

• Where to stay?

• What type of tickets do I need?

• What about the dining plan?

When to go?

While budget, vacation and school schedules factor into this answer, also consider the following:

Best times to visit...

• January through mid-February: room prices are lowest; cool temperatures; and it's probably the least busy time of year - however many rides, attractions and resort facilities may be closed for refurbishment.

• May (entire month): warm weather; crowds and room prices are moderate.

• End of August through September: crowds and room prices are low - however it will be HOT! 

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How to get there?

• Should I fly or drive?  Consider the cost of a fare versus the time it takes to drive.  In addition to gas, food, possible overnight lodging and other normal parts of any road trip, how long will it take to safely drive?  For some, time is money, and if that is the case, we generally recommend flying. 

• If you decide to fly, sign up for fare-watcher services and check prices frequently.  Know what a good price for your market is so you can grab a good deal when you see one.  Consider alternate airports.  Sometimes driving a little bit will save you a lot.

• If you decide to drive, map your course ahead of time.  Spread your drive out if you're more than 500 miles away and allow one day for every 500 miles.  Make reservations for overnight accommodations ahead of time.  Take your car in for a tune up and have all electrical and cooling systems checked before you leave.

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What do you want to do?

This question is asked now in order to better answer the next questions of how long and where to stay, and what type of tickets to purchase.

• Certain resorts are more convenient to specific parks.  Depending on which parks you want to visit and what activities you want to do most, we can make recommendations.

• Invest in a good guidebook / planner.  Two that we highly recommend are "PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007" and "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007".

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How long to stay?

The $64 question!  When you start researching and realizing all that Walt Disney World has to offer, you'll probably need to re-adjust the number of days you were originally planning.  While no "one trip fits all", we can make the following suggestions:

• Five full days will be needed simply to experience the majority of rides, shows, attractions, parades and/or fireworks at the four main theme parks.  [Epcot is essentially two theme parks, Future World and World Showcase, and requires two full days]
• Want to experience Walt Disney World in a slightly less hurried fashion?  Or go to the water parks, Pleasure Island or DisneyQuest?  Then allow more days.
• First time to Walt Disney World?  We recommend a stay of at least seven days.  The cost between a 5-day and 7-day park ticket is only a few dollars more!

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Where to stay?

From value to deluxe, Disney has a resort to suit every budget.

• No matter which resort you choose, Disney's Magical Express, Extra Magic Hours, and complimentary resort transportation are available to you!
• What resort fits into your budget? 
• Within each category of resorts, there are different themes available.  Choose one that appeals to you.
• Are there certain parks / activities you want to do?  That may help narrow your resort choice.

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Tickets are a major part of your vacation purchase, in fact, they may cost as much as your accommodations.

• First - pick your number of days.  The Magic Your Way Base Ticket gets you admission to one theme park each day of your ticket.  The more you play... the less you pay per day.  Tickets available for 1-10 days.

• Then pick your options:

  • Park Hopper® Option allows you to 'hop' from one park to another on the same day.  Want to go to Epcot in the morning and the Magic Kingdom in the evening?  Then add the Park Hopper Option to your base ticket.

  • Water Park Fun & More Option adds a certain number of visits to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex or nine holes of golf at Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course.

  • No Expiration Option: All Theme Park admission tickets and options must be used within 14-days from the date of first use unless the No Expiration Option is purchased.

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• The dining plan gives you the opportunity to experience the wonderful restaurants of Walt Disney World at a savings of up to 40% off per person!

• It allows you to prepay for a good portion of your meals ahead of time.

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EARS FROM... Ruth and Lance Butler & Family

I just wanted to say how much I love Maureen!  She has been the most helpful person I've yet to meet, planning for WDW! We have tried working with another agency earlier on, but there was no comparison! She even helped us with a bad situation, saving us a lot of aggravation and worry, not to mention money!

This will be our 3rd trip using Maureen this coming August, and a 4th trip this December, and we wouldn't think of using anyone else again!  She's always been so knowledgeable, friendly, and quick to answer any questions or concerns that we might send her.  We saved so much money our last 2 trips having her help us with discounts and hotel recommendations that we were able to have an even better trip than we had originally planned!  She's also saved us time and effort, helping with restaurant reservations we wanted...and got us just what we had hoped for!  She's just an all-around great agent to work with, and the nicest person to have helping you plan a vacation!