General planning/booking??

[Simba726]

I guess this is the best place for this. I didn't see any other location to post this questions, but hey... I am a mom of 2 so excuse me if my brain doesn't function correctly.

OK so.. after about a year of talking, saving discussing saving...etc.... I thik we have finaly narrowed down some of the important details.... I just didn't know when/how I should book this thing?

We are going to WDW at the end of June 2010. We want to stay at the WL, We want to get a DMP and parkhopper passes. I don't know if we will do a water park option or not.

So how do I do this? Is there a way to get good deals? If I book now and something comes up later can I change my res?


This is my first trip to WDW so I wasn' sure if I should call my travel agent or if there was a better way. So I am asking the experts!! TIA

 

[Metro West]

 

[SunnieRN]

I guess this is the best place for this. I didn't see any other location to post this questions, but hey... I am a mom of 2 so excuse me if my brain doesn't function correctly.

OK so.. after about a year of talking, saving discussing saving...etc.... I thik we have finaly narrowed down some of the important details.... I just didn't know when/how I should book this thing?

We are going to WDW at the end of June 2010. We want to stay at the WL, We want to get a DMP and parkhopper passes. I don't know if we will do a water park option or not.

So how do I do this? Is there a way to get good deals? If I book now and something comes up later can I change my res?


This is my first trip to WDW so I wasn' sure if I should call my travel agent or if there was a better way. So I am asking the experts!! TIA

There are a lot of ways and a lot of places you can book. You can book directly through Disney, AAA, a travel agent or book to name the most common, although there are others.
When you book through disney or AAA you will have to put down a deposit to "hold" your trip. It helps to know what type of view, tickets, dining plan that you want. There is LOADS of information about all of this and more under the individual forums below this one. Planning for the trip is a lot of the fun and people here are very helpful!! Soon you'll be an expert!
Welcome to the dis!!

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Simba, just to help you out with navigating the boards: The best place for general questions about your WDW vacation is the Theme Parks Attraction and Strategy board. Welcome, btw!

 

[Beach Gal]

As you probably know, planning a WDW vacation can be overwhelming. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to make the process much easier! If you haven't created one already, sit down and make a budget for your vacation. Be sure to include your flight or drive expenses, hotel costs, and daily food and souvenir money. Now that you know what you have to work with, make a wish list. Write down your must-do's for the trip, and amenities you want in your hotel. After making a wish list, you may find that the WL doesn't have everything you need or want in a hotel. So it's a great idea to get these things on paper. Typically, Disney does not post information until about 3-4 months in advance, which can make planning a bit difficult. But as long as you have your flight and hotel booked early, everything else can wait.
Before purchasing park tickets or jumping into dining reservations, it is important to have a general itinerary planned out first. If you do end up staying on Disney property, plan your trip so that you can take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours! If you end up staying off Disney property, you'll do the opposite - plan your park visits on non-EMH days. If you'll be staying for more than 5 days, I recommend planning a day in between park visits for some R&R - great options include lounging at your hotel pool, visiting a nearby beach, shopping at Downtown Disney, etc.... The key is to not over do it. Visiting the parks alone can be exhausting, so fitting in some down time is highly recommended. Once you have your flight reserved, hotel booked, and itinerary planned, things will really fall into place. Those are the big steps.
You can find great flights on Southwest Airlines as well as Continental. I recommend downloading "Ding" from Southwest's website. It alerts you when your favorite airports are offering deals into Orlando.

Have a wonderful vacation!