Planning our Trip to Disney

August 20, 2012

In June of 2012, we took our honeymoon to Disney World, Orlando. It was, as I sure you can imagine, magical. We were there for 6 days and 5 nights, and we barely scratched the surface of this gigantic theme park. It is around 100 acres of awesome with some of the best customer service I have ever come in contact with! Each park has a unique theme and feel that permeates everything from the staff, to rides, to the food available to eat. As we started to plan this vacation, we quickly realized that there were so many possibilities; we needed some direction and guidance. The Library actually has an extensive collection of guide books to help navigate Disney. 

We started with Fodor's Walt Disney World. This is a comprehensive, in-depth guide to everything Disney. It also has some information on the Orlando area in case your whole day is not spent inside one of the parks. It gave tips for possible adventures and explains in really nice detail events, lodging choices, restaurant choices, and really anything to do with Disney. We found it helpful as we narrowed our plans and figured out what and where we wanted to focus our attentions. 

I also really enjoyed Disney on a Dime: Money Saving Secrets for Your Walt Disney World Vacation by Chris Carlson. Although we were not working on a strict budget (it was our honeymoon!), this book had some GREAT ideas on how to utilize programs and incentives already in place throughout the Disney complex to make your stay as cost effective as possible. Chris Carlson gives some great suggestions for families with kids of all ages, as well as a comprehensive list of things you need /should pack! We actually used it as our check system to make sure we covered everything, from basic toiletries to bad weather gear. This book breaks down money saving ideas in each park. It covers using your refillable mug for drinks and taking photos of trying on the crazy hat options, so you have the memory but not the cost of taking one home. They also discussed the policies for bringing food into the park. It seemed like a family could save quite a bit of money with some of his techniques and practical advice. Disney is a wonderful place for kids and adults alike. If you take time to plan and learn as much as possible before hand your magic can truly be never ending!

Katie L.
Red Bridge Branch