When is the best time to go?
I have been to Disney World in…
January
March
April
June
July
September
October
November
December
While I love going there in the winter months to warm up, I would have to say that of all the times we have gone, September is the best month to go. It is still summer in Florida, but not quite as humid as it is in July.
Less crowds – September seems to be the least crowded and so, the rates in and around Disney are usually the least expensive. With the exception of the Food and Wine Festival, of course. It used to fall towards the end of the month. However, 2023 was the first year that they decided to move up the dates and the festival started in July, so who knows how it will be in 2024?
I have mentioned this in my blog before, but it bears repeating. I highly recommend Birnbaum’s: The Official Vacation Guide. They will give you all the best tips and tricks right from the professionals, the average weather by month, and crowd estimations all year. And there are pages of coupons in the back which will more than pay for the guide book itself.
Where to stay?
This really depends on your own preference and budget. There are resorts scattered all around all of the theme parks, and I will cover them in more detail in future articles, but they break down into a few categories – Deluxe, Moderate, and Value. Then there are the Disney Springs resorts, which are hotels that are on Disney property that still include the benefits of extra hours and transportation, but are not operated by Disney.
How many days should I spend in the parks?
Again, this is a preference. Some things to take into consideration is what kind of vacation you want this to be. I can tell you right now that if you’re looking to relax, you will not do that in the parks. The parks are fun, recreational and entertaining. And while you can find some peaceful moments to rest and enjoy the atmosphere, you do not go there to unwind. You’re there for the attractions. So if you want to enjoy a few days lounging by the pool, factor that into the equation.
Plan for at least a day or two in Disney Springs. It’s a good way to experience Disney without the expense of a park ticket.
Check out the water parks or the golf courses. Or if you really want to be inside the magic without actually going to the parks… hop the resorts. Once you’re on Disney property, transportation is available to anyone. So take advantage of everything that Walt Disney World has to offer outside, as well as inside the parks.
Is the Park Hopper option worth the extra money?
The best thing about the Park Hopper option is that it is a somewhat of a flat rate. I say somewhat because it does increase, but only slightly. Park Hopper price can vary depending on when you go. So let’s say that you only want 1 park hopper day, and the day you are going it will cost you an extra $75 to park hopper just that one day. But if you buy a 10 day ticket, the rate to park hop may go up to $85, but it is for the entire 10 day ticket. So now you’re only spending an extra $8.50/day to park hop. Make sense?
Basically what I am saying is that park hopping can really be worth it depending on how long your are going and/or what you want to do. Some people may only go for a couple of days, but they still want to park hop because they know that there is only a few things they want to to in each park and don’t need to spend the entire day in one place. We’ve done that. Having the park hopper option is convenient for flexibility. Because you could say that you just want a 4 day ticket, one for each park, which is great. But if you want to see all four parks and you don’t have a park hopper option, you’re locked in for just that one day. There’s no going back to it later, which can feel limiting.
However, if you’ve never gone before, or you haven’t been in a while, and you want to see and experience as much as you can, then you need at least one whole day in each park. There is so much to enjoy in each park that you won’t need to go anywhere else all day. So again it depends on your preference. And your limitations. Maybe spending just half of a day in one park is exhausting. If so, why would you go anywhere else?
I took my parents a few years ago and we did something I said I would never do – I bought a 2-day park hopper ticket. Now, we had been there countless times before, so we didn’t need to spend much time in each park, but that rate is expensive considering it is only for two days. However we wanted to be able to go wherever on both days and see something in all four parks. After all, two parks per day is manageable, especially when you’re not doing much in each park. Our mistake was starting with Magic Kingdom.
I love Magic Kingdom, but for me, it is the hottest of all four parks. It’s all concrete. There’s nothing to absorb the heat. So the sun just reflects off of every surface around you and you feel like you’re melting. Half way through the day, we looked at each other too hot and too tired to do anything but go back to our resort and crash. That meant doing three parks the next day, which we did. We had an agenda and we got it done. We had fun, but it was a lot!
So have a plan as to what you want to do, how much you want to experience. That will make a big difference as to what park tickets will work best for you. Which leads me to my number one tip when planning a Disney vacation – Get a travel agent. Of course, I am a travel agent, so I would say that, but making all of those reservations can be stressful, and we can do it for you at no additional cost. Disney pays us, not you
Why should I get a travel agent?
We will find you the best deals. Yes, we’re looking at the same database with the same resort rates, but those packages are always changing. You may think you got a great price, but they could make a better offer after you’re locked in. The only way to get the best deal is to stay on top of that, even after you’ve made your reservations. So let us do that for you.
It’s not just finding the best bookings, its making dining reservations, and organizing transportation. There’s park tickets, Genie+ (which will be changing at some point), and Memory Maker. There are so many options that you may not be familiar with. That’s where we come in!
If you’re looking to plan a Disney vacation, or any vacation for 2024, the time to act is now. So please reach out to us. We would love to help you!
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