Now, it is time for the best part, you’re finally going to start traveling to your vacation! All of the planning has finally come to this moment. Here are some tips that will help you be able to ensure that the traveling will happen smoothly.
Back All of Your Park Supplies in Your Carry-On
This is something that can be very important if you are planning to go to any of the parks after you land. Even if you are just going to the Resort and are using the Magical Express, you are going to want to make sure that you have your Magicband. Your bags, if you use the bellhop service, your bags won’t arrive at your room right away. So, if you are planning on heading to the parks right after dropping off your bags, then make sure that your park bag is easily accessible. Things that you will want to have include your Magicband (!!!), backup ways to pay for things, a poncho if there is a chance of rain, a hat for the Florida sun, autograph books for your favorite characters, a backup charger for your phone, YOUR PHONE (!!!!!!!), and water. You want to make sure that you are prepared for everything.
Keep the Kids Occupied
The kids, if you bring any, will not want to sit still for more than 10 minutes. Some good ways to keep them from driving everyone insane include some fun Disney themed coloring/activity books, an iPad with Disney+ or other Disney games downloaded (speaking from personal experience, this works!), Disney themed books (Kingdom Keepers are the best books about the Disney parks), and more. Amazon would honestly have everything you need, and shopDisney would as well.
Getting There Early
Just like every crazy person, you will want to wake up at least 2 hours plus the time you drive to the airport. You’ll want a bit of time to completely wake yourself up, grab your toothbrush and your matching shirts, and make sure you grabbed that Magicband. When you get to the airport, you’ll need time to park the car, get through security, grab those Auntie Anne's pretzels (lol), and get to the gate. Plus, after all that running around, you need a second to sit before your boarding group is called. Getting there early will also help if your plane is early, or if the security checkpoint line is super long, so you’ll want to make sure that you are prepared for any delays.
What to do if There is a Delay or Cancellation
The worst possible thing; you are sitting at the airport and your flight has been delayed for an extended period of time, or maybe even cancelled! You were planning on staying at one of the Disney owned Resorts, had dining reservations, Fastpasses, and/or park tickets! But don’t worry, Disney may have a policy that will help you. I tried contacting a Cast Member via chat on the WDW website, but they said that you should contact Resort Reservations instead. Make sure to contact your Resort to make sure that you are taken care of.
This picture was taken by Elise Miller, who is a co-host and contributor of this blog!
Disney’s Magical Express
If you are going to take the Magical Express, you are going to need to know what it is! The Magical Express is a shuttle service that goes from the Orlando International Airport to the Disney Resorts and vice versa. This service is free for any Disney-owned Resort guest, but you have to book this before. The buses are located outside of baggage claim, and you will be able to give the driver your luggage and it will be delivered to your room a bit after. This service can either help you out, or cause a lot of time wasted, so make sure that you are going to know everything about wait times and other people’s opinions.
Arriving at Your Resort
When you arrive at your Resort, preferably just as you arrive, you can use your My Disney Experience app to virtually check into your room(s). Your MDE app is going to be your best friend this trip, I promise! Anyway, your phone is able to unlock your room, if you're staying at a Disney Resort, or you can use your Magicband/card. If you took the Magical Express, there is a good chance that your bags will not be at your Resort yet, but it’s very possible. Checking into your room will definitely be a priority.
What Do I Do the Rest of the Day?
If you are not planning on visiting the parks after you fly in, and you get there pretty early, then here are some ideas of things you can do! If you want more explanation and ideas, check out my blog post located here. Something fun that you could do is get a reservation beforehand at Disney Springs, eat, and then shop and walk around to see all of the different shops, bars, bakeries, and more! Or, you could swim at your Resort’s pools and take a tour of all the amenities. Or, take a look at other Resorts and use the buses or monorails to get there. There are also 2 minigolf courses, plus the 2 water parks (that I believe also require tickets, but they are still a fun option!). There are so many cool things that you can do!
CHARGE YOUR PHONE
Yes, the plane ride is going to be boring, and you will want to go on your phone and watch The Mandolorian, but you MUST make sure that you still have a good amount of juice if you are planning on going to the parks later. Bring a portable charger, or make sure to charge your phone on the plane. Be prepared for using My Disney Experience a lot!
That’s all for this episode, so stick around for next week! I always change around what I am going to post about, so ignore previous posts if the new one is something different.