The Disney Flag…

Originally posted Spring 2020-Note: All advice is the opinion of this blogger and is pre-COVID-19. As more is known about WDW (Walt Disney World) operating procedures I will try to update these posts. UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2023

Overwhelmed at where to begin planning a Walt Disney World vacation? Never fear! The Chaos Manager is here! Read on for my favorite planning resources for Disney.

I realized that I’ve been writing (or thinking about writing) this blog for a year and a half now and have yet to let my Disney flag fly. Well, I’m flying it high now, we are definitely one of those Disney families!

***Some links are affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase at no extra charge to you.

We not only love Disney, but love traveling in general. Family and friends are constantly asking for advice in planning their Walt Disney World trips so I thought I would finally share the method to my madness. A lot of work up front makes for a much more enjoyable trip.

Read about our Disney staycation here-Disney at Home!

If you have never been to the World before there is a lot to consider:

-Budget (hahahahaha good luck!)
-Length of stay
-Where to stay
-Where to eat! (Pretty much our favorite part, I could have an entire blog just about Disney food)
-Rides & Character interactions
-Transportation
-And more!

It is completely overwhelming and can be difficult to know where to start. In fact many people say, “I want to enjoy my vacation, I don’t want to stress out planning it a year ahead of time.” Well, let me tell you, those are the people who are yelling at their three year old in the middle of the Magic Kingdom. It is so so so worth the bit of planning on the front end to enjoy the actual trip.

Here are a few of my picks for a little research before you spend your life savings to see the Mouse.

For the person who wants all of the information in one spot:

This book is huge and overwhelming- but you do not need to read it all! It is broken up into chapters, so you can choose to read only what applies to you and your trip. It is also linked to a great website: www.touringplans.com. On this site you can customize your plan down to the minute. Again, this might seem ridiculous, but if you want to be sure to see everything this is the way to do it!

For the family who is planning together:

My kids love these books, we buy the current one before every trip. They have a lot of pictures, fun trivia and ride reviews by actual kids. It makes the kids feel like they are a part of the planning process. It also gives them an idea of what to expect when they get to Disney!

Read about how I homeschool with Disney– Arts, Music, Social Studies and Math, Science and Technology

For the person who has specific questions:

If you have a good handle on what you want to accomplish while in the parks but now you have even more questions www.characterlocator.com is a great place to start! Kenny the Pirate is the website’s operator and your guide to all things Disney World & Land. For a very reasonable fee you can gain access to his entire website and his touring plans (you need a touring plan whether it is your own or from a website).
There is also a very active and knowledgeable Facebook group called Kenny the Pirate Crew: A Disney Planning Group. This is my favorite group for advice and quick answers to questions.

Ready for more information? Find out what time of year you should go to Disney!

For the person looking to immerse themselves in Disney culture:

Check out the family friendly Disney podcast- Beers and Ears. Casey and Matt discuss Disney movies, travel, the Parks and more. For more insight into my Disney madness, be sure to listen to episode #49! This is a great podcast to listen to while you are waiting for your trip to begin!

What are your favorite planning resources? Do you have any questions you’d like me to answer next? Comment and Subscribe!