Editor’s Note: Please join me in welcoming Alysia to The Affordable Mouse writer’s team. With years of Disney vacation experience, Alysia will be sharing planning tips and ideas in the coming weeks. We are thrilled to have her join us! 🙂
In most cases, the best part of the vacation is well… the vacation itself. Maybe you’re used to booking a trip just weeks out from departure, or with a few clicks of the mouse, having your entire trip mapped out for you.
Things are a bit different when it comes to planning a successful trip to Walt Disney World. “Winging it” is not an option, and will result in long lines and disappointment when you’re turned away from the best restaurants. If the “p” word makes you more nervous than your first ride on Tower of Tower, then the key is learning to embrace the planning process… and to realize that in this case, the journey can truly be as much fun as the destination. And if you love to plan things like I do, then, my friend you are in for a good time!
OK, so where to begin? There are so many things to think about. First, realize you are not alone in this. There are hundreds of blogs, Facebook groups and planning sites to choose from, and each offers different services. If even that feels overwhelming, you can chose to work with a Disney travel agent. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy the planning process, as it makes me feel empowered to create the experience I’m looking for, while knowing that I have the tools and resources to pull it all together. Even with that, I ALWAYS use a TA, if for nothing else than to make sure I receive all of the Disney discounts and promotions available during my stay, but also to bounce ideas and get their expertise and perspective on my many (sometimes silly) questions.
Once you’ve decided if you want to go it alone or use a TA, the fun can really begin. Use the old elementary school approach – who, what, where, when and what I like to call, what else?
Over the next few weeks I will be going deeper into each of these, and will cover how to decide when to go, where to stay, if the dining plan is right for you, how to make Park choices, how to get around and what extras are available.
Look forward to sharing the journey!
Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple and STRESS FREE!
Alysia has always been a Disney freak. From her first visit in 1974 to her most recent visit in September, she has grown up loving the experience that Disney provides its guests. Now with two children, she can proudly say she’s raising two little Disney freaks of her own. When she’s not planning a trip, Alysia has spent the last 23 years in marketing, working at both billion dollar corporations and small non-profits. It was during her time at one of those non profits, the Wildlife Conservation Society (parent company of the Bronx Zoo), that she took a side job at the Disney Store to supplement her income. Those five years as a Cast Member convinced Alysia that she would do whatever she could to work in and around the Disney company to marry her professional expertise and her passion for the Mouse! Writing for the Affordable Mouse brings her one step closer to that goal!
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