Disney

One of the best things about Disney is there is something for everyone. Many people wonder “What age is the best age to take my kid to Disney?”  Everyone can enjoy a vacation at Walt Disney World. Some people say “I am too old for all of that” or “Our toddler won’t remember it, so we are going to wait.” or “My teenager has outgrown Disney World”. I am telling you now, those people are wrong.

My son went on his first trip to Walt Disney World in Florida when he was 18 months old. Does he remember it? No. Did he have fun? You better believe it. He was so excited at every turn, at every character Meet and Greet, every ride, and every meal. To watch him have that much fun and giggle that much, well it is one of the best joys of parenthood. As parents, we made the best memories. We have the pictures. My now twelve year old loves to look at them and ask about his first trip. A toddler will have the biggest grin when meeting Mickey Mouse. They will clap when riding The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. They will squeal with delight when handed a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar. Some parents with younger kids worry about not being able to ride the roller coasters. Disney thought about that and have a rider switch process to take care of that. One parent or caregiver rides the ride first, while the other one hangs out with the little one(s). As soon as the “rider” gets off the ride, they swap. The second parent goes to the Fastpass line, instead of the normal line. There is no waiting twice or missing out. It is a great time to get the little one(s) a snack or take them to the restroom or even to take a nap.

Nothing reminds a teenager that they are still young more than Disney. Remember back when she had a tea party with Belle from Beauty and the Beast every day or when he watched Toy Story EVERY day for months and slept in his Woody cowboy costume. When at Disney, they will put that phone down (after they take a selfie) when walking into Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom for lunch or walking into Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios. They will take those earbuds out when they start singing Hi Ho with the Seven Dwarfs. Another upside to having a teenage with you- they can ride all of the roller coasters. Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Expedition Everest and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will get their attention over and over.

For all of the kids in between a toddler and a teenager, there is everything!   From the all-time favorite Peter Pan ride to the parades to meeting Cinderella to Star Wars (and more Star Wars) to ‘UP! A Great Bird Adventure’ there is something to do every moment of their trip. Everyone will have the “best age” idea for their kids. There are advantages to take a kid at each stage in their childhood. As parents though, every age can be the perfect age for you. Again, you get those great memories, great pictures, and those great bonding moments that are special for that age.

Disney by the Numbers

“How many days in advance can I book a Disney trip?”

That is a very common question that many people have about planning a trip to Walt Disney World. The simple answer is 499 days in advance. Then there is the question you should be asking. ‘How far in advance SHOULD I book a Disney trip?’ The general answer is ‘as soon as you can’. That is where the numbers get tricky. There are all of these other numbers that people don’t realize are important- 1, 10, 30, 60, 90, 180 and 200.

Are you going to during a holiday? Do you want a certain room? Do you want to dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle at Magic Kingdom? If so, then you need to book as soon as possible. Theme park-view resort rooms, family suites and treehouse villas will book quickly. Dining reservations for table service dining opens 180 days in advance.

If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can book up to 10 days out from your arrival, once you hit the 180 day mark. If you are staying off site, you can book at 180 days out, 1 day at a time. Some restaurants will book completely up the first day, even the first hour or two.

There are over 200 dining options with roughly 90 full service (reservations needed) restaurants. Fastpasses for rides open 60 days in advance when staying at a Disney resort (30 days if you are staying off site). There are numerous rides that will run out of Fastpasses on the first day. Basically, you need to know what you are going to book BEFORE the timeframe opens. That means that you need to review your options (given to you by one of our wonderful travel agents) ahead of time.

You can make a generally make a deposit on a package for $200. Package prices become available the summer before (ex- 2019 pricing came out in the summer of 2018). If you are wanting to book the room 499 days before and package pricing is not out yet, you can still reserve the room for the cost of 1 nights stay at your resort. Once the packages open, your travel agent can update the reservation to a package for you. You are immediately refunded the cost of the room and a $200 deposit is made, without the risk of losing your preferred resort choice. Payments can be made on the vacation package as long as the package is paid in full 30 days before your arrival date.

There is a lot of information to go through to book that dream vacation at the right time. A The Dream Planner Travel Agent can help you sort that information out and help you make a timely decision without the stress of missing out. With providing the information needed at the best time to review and reminders for reservations and payments, your travel agent makes the numbers easy to remember.

Angela Hutton

I have completed two half marathons as a part of Disney’s RunDisney program (Walt Disney World Half Marathon in 2013 and the Princess Half Marathon in 2015). Below are my key take-aways from preparing for and participating in those two events:

1) Find a training program that works for your skill level. I like Hal Higdon’s novice training, but a quick google search will give you all kinds of advice. There are also lots of apps (free and fee-based) that work well with a daily tracker!

2) Don’t plan to PR your Disney race! Disney races are not to break records, but more so to enjoy the experience! Get to know those running with/near you, stop for character selfies, take in your surroundings, have fun!

3) Know you will be getting on a Disney Transportation bus around 3:30 AM on race day and be okay with that! Again, it’s about the experience!!! Embrace it!

4) Pace yourself at the expo the day before. It will be crowded no matter what time you go. It’s almost impossible to show up just to pick up your race packet and leave in less than one hour!

5) Don’t go straight into a park after the race. Go back to your hotel and recover. Then wean yourself into a park at an easy pace!

6) Encourage friends and family to come along, even if they don’t run with you. It’s great to see familiar faces cheering you on! Make a vacation out of it!

7) Be kind to participants of all speeds! Whether you are passing someone or the one being passed (that’s my typical role), know that everyone is doing their best and be proud of their accomplishment!

8) Make up for all those calories burned by eating all the fabulous food Disney has to offer!! See my restaurant recommendations blog post for more information 😉

Happy running!