5 Things to Think About When Booking a Disney World Vacation

If you didn’t know, Disney World can be rather complicated to plan. Sure you’re going to have an amazing time regardless, but there are several things to think about when booking a Disney World vacation. I mean, why do you think there are SO MANY Disney travel agents out there?

Here at Third Wish Travel, we book Disney World vacations all the time so let’s dive into 5 things to think about when booking a Disney World vacation.

#1 Booking Your Resort and Tickets

Did you know there are over 25 hotel options for Disney World over 3 different resort category types? That’s a lot of options to consider when booking your Disney trip. Normally you can easily narrow down to the price range you can afford but then you’ll have to determine the correct resort to pick. It’s important to do your research into these options as each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Next, you’ll need to determine your ticket type. This part is actually pretty easy and boils down to one question, “Do you want to have the ability to visit multiple parks in one day?” If yes, the park hopper ticket is right for you. If no, the regular standard one-park per day ticket is your best bet! There are other ticket add-ons you can explore as well if needed but for most people it’s “park hopper or no park hopper, that is the question.”

When booking with Third Wish Travel, we ask a set of questions to help determine the best option for you and your family as well as inform you of the different advantages and disadvantages for each resort. This helps you make an informed decision and feel confident when booking your trip. We also look up Disney offers to see if any can apply to your trip to save your extra $$$.

#2 Transportation from/to airport

If you’re driving Disney World you can skip this point, although you may need to research how parking works at your resort. But let’s speak to the masses of people who fly into MCO airport for their Disney World vacation. In this day and age, you have multiple options on how to get from the airport to your resort.

One option is using a ride-share company such as Uber or Lyft. Another option is using a pre-scheduled transportation company such as Mears or Sunshine Flyer which operate out of MCO. Let’s discuss some advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Ride-Share Company Advantages

Depending on your personality type, an advantage of choosing a ride-share option may be that you can schedule it when you arrive in MCO. No pre-scheduling needed! Simply land and call a ride-share. Another advantage is that your ride will be private which means you’ll only be with people you know (except the driver of course). Our last advantage is that you’ll be taken directly to your destination and won’t need to make multiple stops. These advantages are true for your transportation from and to the airport.

Ride-Share Company Disadvantages

Some possible disadvantages of ride-share options could simply be the price. You may be paying a little extra for that private service and you’ll probably be expected to tip. You may also be waiting a while for a ride depending on driver availability. Lastly, you may just feel a little uncomfortable in a ride-share option especially if traveling alone. There is also the awkward “Do I talk to the driver or not?” decision.

Pre-Scheduled Transportation Company Advantages

Going back to your personality type, a pre-scheduled option may put your mind at ease which is why we are listing it as our first advantage. If you’re like us, you want everything planned out so having transportation already scheduled is a must! Another advantage is that it may be a little less awkward. For transportation services, you typically get on a big bus and sometimes they even have entertainment! There is no awkward chit-chat with the driver so you can just sit back, relax and maybe take a nap.

Pre-Scheduled Transportation Disadvantages

Probably the biggest disadvantage with a pre-scheduled transportation option like Mears and Sunshine Flyer is you’re likely not going to be taken directly to the resort - unless you’re the lucky one! It’s very likely you’ll need to make a few pit stops before you’re at your permanent destination so if you want to immediately go to the parks - you may need a faster option. In regards to getting back to the airport after the trip, you’ll be picked up at least 3 hours in advance which may be a disadvantage if you’re trying to soak up every last possible minute or an advantage if you always think you’re going to miss your flight.

When booking with Third Wish Travel, if you choose the pre-scheduled transportation option we book it for you and send you the confirmation information. This way you can sit back, relax and know you’ll have a ride from and to the airport.

#3 Reserving Your Park Days

A big factor right now when planning your Disney trip is reserving your park days. Ask anyone and each person will give you a different answer on what days you should visit each park. There are quite a few factors including the specific days of the week you will be on vacation as well as the activities you wish you do. To be honest, the parks will always have people, it’s just trying to schedule your days when there are less people.

When you book with Third Wish Travel, we provide our opinion on when to visit each day as well as reserve the parks for you! We can always make changes if needed as we continue the planning process and book dining reservations.

#4 Planning and Booking Dining Reservations

FOOD! Disney is known for it and everyone wants the best they can get in Disney World. There are options to dine with characters, dine in space, or dine in literal castles. The options are truly endless so doing your research ahead of time is super important!

The problem is, if everyone wants the same reservations, how can you be the lucky one that snags it? The best answer is to PLAN IN ADVANCE. If you didn’t know, you can book dining reservations 60 days before your trip. That means you’ll need to determine where you want to eat before 60 days.

After you know where you want to eat, it’s now time to determine your priorities. You’ll want to rank your dining reservations in order of importance for you and your family. You’ll also want to try for the more popular restaurants first before moving down the line to the other reservations.

When booking with Third Wish Travel, we will provide dining suggestions we think best suit your family and educate you on how to prioritize these options. We will also wake up in the wee hours of the morning (4:45 am CST) on your 60 day out date and book the reservations for you!

#5 My Disney Experience App Set Up

Is there anything you can’t do on an app? Is there a company that doesn’t have an app? If so, its rare! Disney has the My Disney Experience App where you can link your payment method, link your magic bands, see dining and park reservations, mobile order food, access your hotel room, see where you are in the park via the map, and even pay for select Disney rides you MUST do! Honestly, all of that barely scratches the surface on what the app can do and how it can impact your trip if you know how to use it properly.

That being said, it’s important when booking your Disney trip to set up your app properly to make it easy on you once you get inside the parks. You’ll also need to know how to use Genie+ if you’d like to maximize your time in the parks and don’t mind paying that extra fee.

When booking with Third Wish Travel, you will receive a personal planning call where we walk you through the My Disney Experience App including how to set it up, how to use Genie+ and tips on other key features you need to know how to use!

If you made it to the end of this, congratulations! We hope you know a little bit more about what it takes to book a Disney World Vacation. We at Third Wish Travel would LOVE to help you book your next magical adventure! If we can be of any assistance, please contact us and schedule a free consultation. We’ll see you out there!

Best Wishes ✨