7. Know Your Booking Windows for Dining & FastPasses
Booking windows are important! You’ll want to circle two key dates: 180 days from your trip, when you can start making advance dining reservations (ADRs) and 60 or 30 days from your trip, when you can select FastPass+ reservations (60 days for on-site guests, 30 days for off-site). You can have a wonderful trip without making dining reservations, but if you have some must-do’s on your dining list, you should consider booking them as far out as possible from your trip. Certain reservations are usually very hard to come by, such as dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle or at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.
While some FastPasses can be secured same-day, you’ll definitely want to book the most sought after ones right at 7am Eastern time on the day they’re available to you (60 days in advance for on-site guests). In addition, you may want to schedule the most popular ones for later in your trip, when your chances of finding availability are greatest. Currently, the most difficult FastPasses to obtain are for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, and Flights of Passage.
8. Get excited!
Once your travel details are all set and reservations are made, it’s time to use your remaining days to get excited! You can read up on all things Disney, learn about the attractions at each park, study food menus, familiarize your kids with Disney characters and movies, or create a family countdown. For many folks, planning the trip is half the fun, so be sure to enjoy it! We hope these tips help you prepare for your next magical adventure.