Any tips that I should do for a trip that is a year from now

[kid@heart-karen]

Hi all, a past lurker and now a present and future participant on DisForums here and need any help I can get.
I am planning a trip in May 2012, is there any tips that I need to know or should do now? I have been to Disney World in the past however the last trip is over 15 years ago and so much has changed. Thank-you in advance to all that respond.
Have a Disney Day

 

[kelticknott]

The most important tip I can give is to know when you can start making your dinner reservations. For most restaurants in DW, it is 180 days before you arrive. My other tip is to enjoy the excitement of planning your trip.

 

[Aurora&Prince]

I rented a WDW trip planning guide from our library and it helped me SO MUCH! It tells you the ins and outs and can really help you save and optimize your trip!!!

So I would say read up on a WDW guide whether it be an unoffical like passporters (what I suggest) or an official one.

 

[Disney Newby]

I would suggest setting up a Word document to start keeping track of all the good advice you read on here. As you read it, copy and paste it to the document so you can find it later. There is so much information available that it can be hard to find something you read 2-3 months ago let alone an entire year.
We went last summer after planning for a year and this really helped when it got time to start packing and making serious plans for our days.

Also, start a Disney box to drop things in as you find them on sale or when you have extras. We dropped in things like the new toothbrushes and toothpaste we got after dentist appointments, and at the end of summer when things go on sale you can start buying them to keep for next year. Helps elimanate the last minute run to the store spending tons of money you didn't plan on.

 

[bpesch]

Start saving now. Try to pay for as much ahead of time as you can. Vacations are always so much more fun when I know those big bills won't be waiting for me when I get home!

 

[kid@heart-karen]

great tips so far> thanks and keep it coming.

 

[kitnrose99]

If you have a Disney store near you then pick up a gift card and put $20 or so on it every so often. You won't notice it but in a year you should have enough on it to let you pay for snacks and souvies without guilt or feeling like you're going over budget. Also the stores are always having some sort of sale so you can begin collecting tees and such for the trip.

Go to Disney.com and order the trip planning DVD.

Begin walking if you're not already in shape. If you have any young children bring them along. You'll all build up endurance for those long Disney miles!

Another small child hint, work on crowd and restaurant behaviors now to minimize melt downs and lost parent moments. Disney is overwhelming enough for adults!

Start a classic Disney movie night - there's 50 now, not counting Pixar stuff so you won't run out of things to watch!

 

[JenSop]

So great that you're thinking ahead!

*Know your time frames - packages usually come out in August for the following year, so be ready. Know when your 180 days for dining reservations will open and make sure you've already researched the restaurants leading up to that date. (I always reference the menus on allears.net.)

*Start a Disney box or drawer - I throw in travel size stuff throughout the year so that by the time we go, we have everything we need. Don't forget to add band aids and blister block and sunscreen.

*I agree about making an ongoing list of tips you read on the Dis! Helpful things I learned early on: free water at CS restaurants!

*I also agree about starting your walking regimen now. Seriously - you will walk MILES every day in Disney.

*My grandparents always did a GREAT thing when prepping us for our childhood trips. (We were quite young when we started going.) Mom-mom always reminded us that when we were in Disney, we were going to be waiting in some lines and that's just the way it is. She seriously reminded us EVERY time we spent the weekend at their house for MONTHS leading up to our trips. But, you know what? By the time we were in Disney, we knew we'd be waiting in lines, because that's one of the things you do at Disney. (And those were the pre-Fastpass days, so there were some LONG lines!) As a result, we never pitched a fit about having to wait in line when we were little - on any of our trips (at least that I can remember ) She's already started prepping my nieces in that way for their first trip next summer (Aug.2012.)

*Start thinking of a BASIC priority list of what's important to your family - read up on the different attractions and decide what you really want to do.

*Start to think about shopping for some really good walking shoes. I know some people like sneakers, but I can't even THINK of wearing closed toe shoes to Disney. I've invested in some really good walking sandals - Eccos and Keens. I alternate those every other day - for our heavy walking that we do in the mornings. I also take my Reef flip flops to wear in the evenings. I find them to be super comfy.

*Make sure you understand Fast Pass. This will save you valuable time and sanity.

 

[pooh2001]

I would look at the menu's to see where you and your family would like to eat.

Check TS or CS credits if you will be on the meal plan.
Check prices if you pay out of pocket (OOP).

See what characters, if any, you would like to see at your meal.

Do you want to do a dinner show ?

Are you going to also do water parks, mini-golf, golf, water boats of any kind, or anyhting else WDW has to offer ?

Will you have a standard park pass or a park-hopper ?

Do a preliminary schedule of what park each day - use the extra magic hours you find for May 2011 as a guide - but the day the park gas extra magic hours may change.

The planning is 1/2 the fun! enjoy

 

[tdizzle]

Order your free personalized maps from Disney. Use them to find your "must sees" and so you don't waste time milling around the park!! I'll never forget our first trip to Epcot - we couldn't find the Land pavilion (for Soarin') and we were right in front of it!! Oh and pour over the DIS threads obsessively, the nice thing about that is you can do it pre and post trip