In this video, I walk you through the 18 (yes, 18!) Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and provide some helpful tips on choosing the best fit for your vacation.
In this video, I introduce myself and share why you should book your next Disney vacation with Magical Journeys. I also show you how to request a quote and give you some helpful tips on planning your Disney vacation.
Websites mentioned My Website: http://www.brittanyformagicaljourneys.com/ Magical Journeys: https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/ Disney World Quote Request Form: https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/quote_request Intercot: http://www.intercot.com/ Email me: [email protected] ![]() It seems as though the more I go to Disney, the more complicated my trips become. I’m not complaining… who could complain about going to Disney?! However, it does take a little more time planning and packing than it did when my trips were nice and easy. Lately, we’ve been staying at two resorts each trip. I know many people do this. Splitting up a trip can serve a number of functions. To start, it is a great way to see more resorts on Disney property. Additionally, it can be more cost effective to stay at a less expensive hotel the first part of your trip and a more expensive hotel the second part. Please note… ALWAYS do it in this order. Save the more expensive for last…. trust me. :) While traveling this way certainly has it’s pros, it can also be a pain. It was traveling like this that helped me perfect my packing method. I thought I’d share what I have to contribute to the packing world in hopes that it will help some people have a little bit easier of a time with the logistics of traveling. 1) I’ve done trips where my husband and I each checked a bag, where only one of us checked a bag and where neither checked a bag. That being said, we almost always have two bags. If you are staying at two different hotels in one trip, I recommend splitting up your clothes between the two bags according to hotel. If you’re staying at one hotel longer than the other, use the smaller bag (if they are different sizes) for the shorter stay and the larger bag for the longer stay. This helps so you don’t have to go rummaging around your suitcase, disrupting clean clothes to search for something or to place dirty laundry in with the clean. 2) Use packing accessories. Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes are my F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E. I’m seriously obsessed. They come in many different shapes, sizes and even colors. I got all of mine from The Container Store, but I’m sure you can get them elsewhere as well. These are the ones that I use. You can separate clothing however you like. Some people like to pack all shirts together, shorts together, etc. I prefer to assemble my outfits ahead of time and keep all components together, but to each their own. These cubes help you stay organized before and during your trip. They also help keep your clothes in one place so they don’t wrinkle or get all smooshed as easily. Since the nearest Container Store is about 4 hours away, I (regretfully, sadly, unfortunately, etc.) don’t get there as often as I’d like. However, when I DO get to go, I usually pick up one or two pieces to add to my collection. This has really helped my collection to grow without feeling a big hit financially. 3) Decant, decant, decant! Whenever possible, I prefer to not bring the actual (original) bottles of products I use at home. If it’s something cheap (like deodorant, toothpaste, nail files, etc.) I just have backups of them and leave them in my toiletries case (coming up next). For other items which I’d prefer to not have backups, either because it would be too expensive given the frequency of use, or, the packages are large or cumbersome, I decant the products into smaller bottles. I have several of these bottles (also from The Container Store). They can be used for lotions, shampoos, creams, medication - anything! I label the container (using my label maker) so I know what’s in each container, and toss it in my toiletry bag. 4) Speaking of toiletry bags…. I love mine. I got a set for Christmas one year. Mine is made by Lori Greiner. I can’t seem to find the one I have, but here is a similar one. This particular version isn’t nearly as big as mine, but it’s the same concept - it folds and can hang and has clear storage pouches. Put your toiletries in these and you can hang them in the bathroom, which a) saves on counter space and b) makes it easier for you to move hotels and/or pack when you’re ready to leave. Just fold it and throw it in your bag. Easy peasy! 5) Dirty laundry bags - I have two of them (once again, courtesy of The Container Store… can you tell I love that place?!). These are the ones I have. On my last trip they served me quite well as I used one bag for the first portion and one for the second (I put one in each suitcase when packing). They are nylon, so they fold up to practically nothing and don’t really add any weight to your bag. These are convenient because you can hang them in the closet (I usually hang mine off the ironing board in the closet). This past trip I discovered that when I was packing to come home I had a few pairs of clean clothes. I put my dirty laundry on the bottom of the bag, laid my laundry bag on top of it, and then put my clean clothes on top of the laundry bag (in my Pack-It Cubes of course!). This worked really nicely to keep my clean clothes smelling fresh so I didn’t have to wash them when I got home. I hope you found some of these products/tips helpful. They definitely work for me! ![]() Every trip we always see at least a couple families with children having complete meltdowns because they didn’t have a plan. I know a lot of people like to fly by the seat of their pants on vacation, but unless you’re very well experienced in Disney, this probably isn’t the place to do it. Having a screaming, overheated, low blood-sugared child at 1:30 in the afternoon isn’t the best way to spend your hard-earned vacation dollars. No, you don’t have to plan your vacation down to the second, minute, or even the hour. But… having SOME plan in place before stepping foot on the Happiest Place On Earth will go a long way to create some happy memories. 1) Know the weather. With the internet these days, there really is no excuse for not being prepared in this department. Showing up in August and grumbling about high sunscreen prices can definitely be prevented. Bring sunscreen (and ponchos!) with you. You’ll save tons and be prepared. 2) Make dining reservations ahead of time. For me, I like to plan a table-service lunch reservation. When noon rolls around and you’re suddenly starving and overheated you don’t have to worry about deciding where to eat and how long the wait is. You can make dining reservations up to 180 days in advance of the first day of your trip. However, if you are less selective about where you want to eat, you can make them MUCH closer to your trip. 3) Look at the park hours before making your dining reservations! It only makes sense…. if you plan on participating in Extra Magic Hours in Animal Kingdom you might want to think carefully about making an 11am lunch reservation at Magic Kingdom. 4) Realize you won’t get to do everything. This is probably one of the biggest mistakes. People run themselves ragged trying to do everything. Guess what… Disney World is HUGE. You could stay there for two straight weeks and not see and do everything. Make a rough plan of what your top things are in each park and hit those first. Along these same lines is a sore subject - refurbishments. They DO happen. Disney is open every single day of the year. Yes, it stinks when something you were counting on doing or seeing or riding is down, but in order for them to fix something, they have to take it down at SOME point. Don’t let it ruin your trip. For everything you can’t do there are hundreds of other things waiting for you. 5) Schedule rest time each day. This is important even for adults. My husband and I have gone back to the hotel to rest every single day of every single trip since we’ve been married. Like I said earlier…. Disney World is HUGE. Even those in the best shape will get tired and need a rest. Sometimes it’s just an emotional rest from all the stimulation and people. If you don’t want to take the time to go back to you resort, consider going on a longer, more relaxing ride (Ellen’s Energy Adventure or Hall of Presidents are a couple good options). You could also find a nice air conditioned spot to eat some ice cream. Moms also like to take their babies to the baby care centers to feed them and let them take a nap in the air conditioning while Dads take the older ones somewhere else. 6) Use Magical Journeys to book your trips (be sure to request me - Brittany)! I’m so glad I stumbled on this company. I always booked my trips myself until I had a complicated trip. At first it was very difficult for me to relinquish control to somebody else. However, I had seen tons of amazing reviews on Intercot (and literally not a single negative) and decided to give them a try. I never looked back! It certainly doesn’t hurt to get an e-mail saying your agent just saved you tons of money because Disney released a discount for the days of your vacay and they automatically applied it for you. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to work with them now, and help everybody else plan amazing trips to the Happiest Place On Earth! This is such a knowledgeable group of people that you’d be hard-pressed to have a Disney question one of us can’t answer. :) Disney trips can be wonderful and a little daunting all at the same time. Taking a few steps to prepare ahead of time will help ensure it goes smoothly for you. Just remember… even a rainy day at Disney is better than a sunny day at work! |
AuthorBrittany is a Disney fanatic and an agent with Magical Journeys Travel. As a College of Disney Knowledge graduate, she has plenty of expert tips to share. Brittany can help you plan a spectacular Disney vacation and ensure you get the best deal possible... for free! Archives
October 2023
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