BEFORE YOU GO
Reserve Your Resort 11 Months Out
Walt Disney World resort reservations open 11 months ahead for guests booking a package, and dining reservations open 60 days before check-in. Disneyland hotels release rooms further out with fewer hard deadlines, but the best rooms still go first.
Buy Park Tickets Before You Travel
Multi-day tickets are cheaper per day than single-day tickets, and both resorts require a park reservation linked to your ticket — book your park days as soon as your dates are locked in.
WITH YOUNG KIDS
Plan a Midday Break
An on-property or nearby hotel makes a midday nap or pool break realistic — a rested toddler at 7pm beats a meltdown at 3pm. Off-property stays add commute time that eats into that window.
Use Rider Switch for Height-Restricted Rides
Both resorts let one parent wait with a too-small child while the other rides, then swap without waiting in line twice. Ask a cast member at the ride entrance.
WHAT TO PACK
- A lightweight stroller or a rental — both resorts have stroller rental locations at park entrances.
- A portable phone charger — the official apps (used for Lightning Lane, mobile order, and wait times) drain batteries fast.
- Ponchos and a change of clothes for water rides and Florida's afternoon storms.
- Autograph books if your kids want character signatures — pens included.