Ultimate Disney World Trip Planner for Families 2026
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Does planning a Disney World trip with your family feel incredibly overwhelming? I have been there- I feel your pain. Now the thought of planning a Disney trip brings me so much joy and excitement! We have taken our kids a number of times to Disney and I have been through it all- the good, the bad and the ugly! I am here to help you plan your ultimate family Disney trip with everything you need to plan your magical family vacation!
Before you Book
It is important to decide on how much you plan to spend and when you want to go. Now those two can really affect one another, during prime times such as around Christmas and over Spring break you are going to pay more in those windows.
If you are planning to stay onsite (which is always my suggestion) you want at least two resort days to enjoy all of the fun your hotel offers. If you are planning a 7 day vacation then 4 park days is plenty. If you are looking at a longer trip and are thinking of 10 days then 7 park days is great.
Book Your Resort
Before you get into the park day planning or when you plan to have your resort days you need to get your hotel booked and get your park tickets. In my experience park hoppers are not necessary if you are going to Disney for a week or longer. If your children are under 10 years old you are not going to be doing open to close with parks (sorry to disappoint if this was your plan).
You will have time to enjoy the parks doing 1 per day and to be honest it feels a lot less rushed doing one park per day. We have done it a few times where we go for rope drop (park opening) and then head back to the hotel for a few hours and then go back to the park for the night.
All of the Disney resorts have fun pools with waterslides and offer amenities such as dining and small shops.
Use this link to get your hotel and tickets booked: https://expedia.tpk.ro/Su544Eqp
Dining
Do your research ahead of time so that you know where you want to eat. Are you going to purchase the dining plan or pay as you go? Or does your hotel room come with a kitchen and you plan to cook all your food? No matter what your plan- just think about it with enough time.
Disney Dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance. Once you have your park days planned then you can create your dining schedule around that. Check out Disney’s website to decide where you want to eat Discover Dining Experiences & Options | Walt Disney World Resort.
Transportation
Once you get to your Disney resort you can use the complimentary transportation that Disney offers; buses, monorail, SkyLiner, boats- try them all. But there is no longer free transportation from the Orlando Airport. Be sure to plan this well in advance. If you are renting a car all of the airports in the Orlando airport have rental counters, Turo is also another option and we have had great experience with these vehicles.
There are also plenty of shuttle companies.
Strollers
Are you bringing your own stroller, using the park ones or renting one? No matter what you decide be sure to think of this. If you have kids under 8 years old you are going to need a stroller even if you think they should be able to walk. It is a LOT of walking- from the bus areas, to get to the park and everything in between it is a lot on their little bodies.
We have done all 3 of these options. Our least favorite is renting right at the park- they are expensive, uncomfortable and don’t help with the long walk to the bus area.
Renting a stroller from Kingdom Strollers Stroller Rentals in Orlando | Strollers to your Orlando Resort is a great idea- they deliver right to your resort and offer many add on options.
If you are planning on bringing your own stroller this would be my personal go to https://amzn.to/4tK65mu for a full stroller or a light weight one would be https://amzn.to/4tDIBz9 for an easy fold option.
Packing Your Park Bag
| Item | Description | Amazon Link Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stroller Fan | Keep kids cool | https://amzn.to/3OqOkYX |
| Stroller Hooks | Hang bags/snacks | https://amzn.to/3OicswV |
| Collapsible Water Bottle | Hydration without bulk | https://amzn.to/4tDJ5Ft |
| Autograph Book & Pen | Character signatures | https://amzn.to/4kAOuci |
| Charging Bank | Keep devices charged | https://amzn.to/3ZEJSbG |
Final Tips
Use our links to get your Disney trip all planned. Remember to check your calendar for the time of year that you are going. Buy your must have items ahead of time to save money! For more family travel tips and tricks be sure to check out our other post at Blog – Together We Can Travel.
