There is no one size fits all Disney vacation, but with all the videos, advice, and checklists that other guests share on social media, it can be easy to develop a fear of missing out and feel like you have to do it all.
“I became very overwhelmed,” said Nezhat Baygie, who was planning her family’s first trip to Walt Disney World in 2022. “All these parents are doing all these extravagant things and on the other side you have the people who just find any way to do literally anything for free.”
She did her research and then chose a different path for her family.
“Running from ride to ride, going back and forth across the park to make these reservations, that would have made us miserable. It’s a holiday, she said. “We had to be able to go with the flow.”
One of the most liberating things you can do at Disney World is play your way through the parks by ear or, as Elsa famously sang, let go.
Are reservations still required at Disney World parks?
Cinderella Castle is the heart of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Reservations are highly recommended for popular table service restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table, and for experiences like lightsaber building at Savi’s Workshop or makeovers at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Space is limited and reservations, which open 60 days in advance, are filling up.
Theme park reservations are no longer required for date-based tickets, the type of tickets most people buy. Park reservations are still required for other types of tickets, such as student groups, conference attendees and military personnel. Annual passholders must also make reservations if they wish to enter the parks before 2 p.m., outside of certain good-to-go dates when reservations are not required.
Can you go to Disney without planning?
Darrell Johnson and Nezhat Baygie took their daughter Aysha Johnson to Disney World for her 10th birthday. “This was my daughter’s trip,” Baygie said. “She wouldn’t have been happy on a holiday where every moment of her life was regulated.”
You should at least make hotel reservations. While there are certainly enough hotels on Disney property and beyond to find a room at any time of year, you may find fewer choices at higher prices when booking last-minute.
You’ll also want to plan any experience you have your heart set on. For example, if you want to ride Disney Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, it’s worth learning how to join their virtual queues, as neither offers traditional standby lines during regular park hours, and the places go fast.
Before their trip, Baygie and her family identified a few top priorities for each park. For everything else, they decided, “We get done what we get done, and what we can’t do, we just don’t do, and it’s that simple. You just have to understand that it is impossible to do everything, so be happy with what you can do.”
Pro tip: It also helps to plan for the weather. It can be rainy or sunny at any time of the year. Packing ponchos and sunscreen in advance can help you save on premiums at the parks.
The ‘most magical place on earth’: 10 Tips to Keep the Magic in Your Disney World Vacation
How do you do Disney without planning?
EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth shines at night.
The key to enjoying Disney World without planning is to be flexible.
“We didn’t drop any rope. We got up when we got up,” Baygie said. “We got there every day at about 10 a.m. and stayed until closing, and we sat down when we were supposed to be sitting down. If our feet were tired, we would grab a snack or something and take a break and then get back up and wander around.”
You can view showtimes, ride wait times, character locations and more in the free My Disney Experience app and pay to save time consistent with Lightning Lane passes.
“We weren’t going to pay extra to be in a shorter line,” Baygie said. “Amusement parks are lines. That’s part of it. That is expected.”
Her family also stuck to quick meals.
“My daughter said, ‘I’d rather have more time in the park than spend time sitting and eating,’” she recalls. “Okay, your trip. That’s great. Knock that off the table. That’s not something we spend money on.” have to go out for.”
You can find plenty of popular treats at quick-service locations, like oversized cinnamon rolls at Gaston’s Tavern and cheeseburger bao buns at Satu’li Canteen. You can also grab a bite to eat at the EPCOT festival booths and other World Showcase eateries. However, if you arrive and regret not having booked a character dinner or other sit-down meals, check the app as other guests cancel at the last minute.
Reservations are not required for parades or spectacular nighttime shows. Make sure you arrive early enough to get a good view.
What should you not forget at Disney?
Disney fans have all kinds of advice on what to skip and do at each park.
“There will be people with vastly different points of view,” Baygie said. “That doesn’t mean it’s your perfect trip, because that was their perfect trip.”
“My biggest recommendation is to decide what type of power works best for your family, not just one person,” she added. “Because if you set everything up the way one person wants it, will everyone else really be okay with that? How much stress will there be?”
She advises families not to get caught up in the try-it-all hype.
“We have no regrets about the way we did things,” she said.
If you go with the flow, you’ll be surprised at how much you can get done.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney vacations don’t have to be stressful: Simple planning tips
