P&K Insider

One month closer to our Disney trip.

Thanks to the fabulous hold-handing that local mom and Disney expert Jodi of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel has been giving me - I’m feeling less panicked and more excited. Read my past blogs for advice on all things Disney.

Last week, Jodi suggested setting a budget for souvenir shopping at Disney. Great idea - not only does it get them psyched for the trip but it forces us to save a little cash for other expenses. Here’s my daughter next to her Cinderella-themed savings jar. We put up some erasable boards with tasks - every time they complete them in the course of the week, a cute little smiley-face goes up. On Saturday, up to $5 is given as a reward and put in the jar. Grandparents have been sneaking a little into the jars too!

Here’s this week’s installment on Disney planning - advice on rides, parking and more!

First - My husband found this extra cool option to create customized map of the Disney Theme Parks. The best part is it’s free!. You just click through the instructions and they mail you some beautiful maps with all the family favorites or must-see attractions. We’ve had fun studying them and have even begun plotting out our our attack! Also, we’ve been told to pick up a “First visit to Disney World” button when we arrive. Disney hosts will take extra care to help us around. Of course, our confused faces may tip them off as well!

Now - let’s get some stellar advice from Jodi!

Next week, she’ll help us tackle…on-site accomodations, Epcot attractions and bringing food to the park.

ME: We’re staying off-site. There is a shuttle service to the park from our hotel but it seems like it’s pretty limited as far as time frames. Does it make more sense to rent a car? How much does it cost to park at Disney?

Jodi: I’ll admit that I don’t have much experience taking shuttles from off-site locations. But given the length of time of your vacation, I’d suggest that you rent a car unless you are certain what the shuttle schedule is: the hours, where specifically the shuttle stops (e.g., at all of the parks, just at the transportation and ticket center), what happens if it’s full. You will want to make the most of your limited time, and waiting may potentially cut in to your valuable vacation time. The last time I checked, parking at Walt Disney World for guests staying off-site was $12 for a standard automobile per day (keep in mind that rates are subject to change). Parking is currently free for guests staying on-site.

Jodi: If your vacation plans can accommodate it, I would recommend that you visit Walt Disney World mid-week. As you’d probably assume, weekends can often be the busiest time. In my experience, especially with young children, the earlier you can get to the parks, the better. With my young children, I like to arrive before the park opens, so we can hit our favorite attractions first.

Jodi: Walt Disney World prices rooms based on different seasons - value, standard, and peak. Taking a look at the pricing during your trip is a great way to have some insight as to how busy the parks may be. Depending on when you are traveling, the crowd levels can vary. Arriving at opening and hitting popular attractions early is one way to help avoid too much of a wait. Another great way is to take advantage of FASTPASSES. The FASTPASS is available for the most popular attractions throughout the four parks of Walt Disney World. Simply enter your park ticket in a FASTPASS kiosk, and a small paper ticket will pop out. The ticket will provide you with a window of time to come back. When it’s time, enter the attraction through the FASTPASS line, and you’ll only have a short wait before you can ride the attraction. You usually can only get one FASTPASS at a time (although there are exceptions to this), so choose wisely.