Disney World Reservations Planning Timeline

Wondering when you have to plan all the things for your next Disney Trip? From 60 day dining reservations, to the Lightning Lane Passes you can book 7 days in advance, there are things to remember! This Disney Trip Timeline is pretty set in stone by Walt Disney World so put on your planning hat and let’s get started. Here are all the Disney deadlines from booking your vacation package, to ordering your Magic Bands. Grab the FREE PRINTABLE Disney World Planning Timeline and Checklist below. 

Disney World Trip Planning Schedule

Just like planning any trip, there are deadlines to know along the way, from when your payment is due, to the last day you can cancel your trip. With a Disney Vacation, you can add in booking windows for Dining Reservations, and Party tickets, along with transportation and Lightning Lane Passes. Here is a quick look at the Disney deadlines we cover in this post.

• 180 Days: Planning, and setting up your My Disney Experience Accounts. Choosing Trip Dates and Resorts
• 90 Days: Make lists of Must do Restaurants, Rides and Activities
• 60 Days: Make Dining Reservations, Complete Online Check-In.
• 45 Days: Book Flights, Car Rental, and Pet Boarding
• 30 Days: Final Trip Payment Due, Last Day to Cancel, Order Disney Shirts
• 14 Days: Order Magic Bands, Book Disney Shuttle, Pre-Order Memory Maker
• 7 Days: Book Lightning Lane Passes, Buy Travel Essentials
• 3 Days: Check the Weather, Start Packing
• 1 Day: Arrange Local Transportation to Airport

180 Days Before your Disney Trip

Dining Reservations, which Rides to ride, what days to visit each Disney Park, are all part of the Disney World Itinerary Planning process. Are you taking a special tour during your trip? Visiting all the parks? Disney Springs, or even the Wizarding World of Harry Potter over at Universal. Now is the time to iron out some specifics. 

Set Up a Disney Account

You have a Disney Account if you’ve ever shopped on shopDisney.com, taken a Disney Cruise, or are a Disney+ Plus subscriber. If so, then you can use that Disney Account to sign into the Walt Disney World Website. If not, create a Disney account to get started. 

Download The My Disney Experience App

The main app for Walt Disney World is called the My Disney Experience App. This App allows you to see resort times, ride wait times, bus arrival times, dining reservations, tickets, showtimes and much much more! Be sure to Download the My Disney Experience App on your phone, so that you can see all your plans in the app once your vacation is booked. 

• Download the My Disney Experience App in the Apple Store
• Download the My Disney Experience App in the Google Store

Add Friends and Family on the Disney App

If you’re traveling with other adults, then chances are they have their own Disney accounts, or should, as well as their own profiles. By connecting everything in the app ahead of time, you can easily add friends and family to your dining reservations, Lightning Lane plans, and more.

Start Your Disney Savings

If you’re taking a Disney trip you’ll have a lot to budget, and buy. So, be sure to check out all the ways to save money on a Disney trip post before you get started. Everything from buying Discounted  Disney Gift Cards to Dining Plan options and free souvenirs are covered here. 

Choose When to Visit Disney World

Picking the best time to visit Disney World, doesn’t need to be complicated. Especially since you’ll probably be up against some pre-determined off-school or off-work time. That said, as soon as you know when to visit you can pick your resort, and start pricing your Disney Vacation Package.  With a variety of dates scattered throughout the year that are somewhat cheaper than other times, if you’re looking for the lowest cost travel of the entire year, then January and September are the best months to visit Disney World. 

Make Disney Resort Reservations

 Take a look at our Disney Resort Reviews to get a good idea of what may work for you. From cheaper Value Resorts, to Deluxe Resorts, things like transportation, location, and amenities are all part of what you’ll want to consider. 

Book Your Disney Vacation Package

Once you’ve figured out your budget, and which dates you will be traveling, you can hop on the Walt Disney World Website to start seeing which resorts, tickets, and/ or vacation packages may work for you. A Disney Vacation includes 2 Types of booking options. A Disney Vacation Package that includes a resort and park tickets. Or a Room Only Reservation that only includes a Room. Generally, we like the Disney Vacation Package best, as it tends to be overall more budget friendly. But if you’re staying off site at Disney World, a Tickets package may be your only option. And truthfully, there are many Orlando hotels within walking distance of Disney Springs that can save you money, and still get you close to the action.

Purchase Park Tickets

If you’re not purchasing a Vacation Package, then plan to purchase Disney Tickets separately. You can grab Disney Tickets on the Disney Website, OR at a Discount Disney Ticket Retailer like Get Away Today. Park Tickets at Disney World are set a variable rate, which means, depending on when you visit, the cost of the tickets will change. Therefore, we typically recommend avoiding the busy seasons if you can. 

Add the Disney Dining Plan ( Or Not)

If you’re in the midst of booking a Disney Vacation Package, know that you can ADD a Disney Dining Plan to the package prior to checkout. As such you’ll want to review the Disney Dining Plans Guide to see which are available and if you have the option to get your Disney Dining Plan for FREE. 

Book Special Experiences and Enchanting Extras

One of the BEST parts of any Disney Vacation are the special experiences. Whether you’re planning a Disney World Tour, like the Behind the Seeds Tour at EPCOT, or the Happily Ever After Fireworks Dessert Party, or the Candlelight Processional Dining Package, there are plenty of ways to make your trip extra special. This would also include all of your Disney After Hours Tickets as well as Magic Kingdom Party tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. ALL of these special experiences cost extra and are not included in your park ticket. As such, you’ll want to book these ahead of time, when you plan your  vacation. 

90 Days Before your Disney Trip

Planning Your Disney Day Itinerary is by far the MOST FUN thing on this list! As always check out the day by day Disney World Calendar for park hours and showtimes. 

Make  a List of Must Do Disney Rides

While Disney Lightning Lane Passes are not a mandatory expense, if you’re hoping to ride all the rides, we highly recommend getting them. Especially for Magic Kingdom, which has more than 25 rides to cover. Check out our printable Disney Checklists for each park to get a handle on what rides, shows, and restaurants are in each WDW park. 

Make a List of Disney Restaurants to Try

Disney Restaurants range from walk up service to table service, which typically includes about a 1 hour meal and reservations. As such, you will need figure out where you want to eat throughout your trip. Character Dining, Lounges and Bars, and Signature Dining are all options to consider. Check out a list of the Restaurants at Disney World to get started.

60 Days Before your Disney Trip

At 60 days before your trip, everything starts happening as you countdown to your trip. 

Make Disney Dining Reservations

The earliest you can make your Disney Restaurant Reservations is 60 days before your desired reservation date for all types of dining. So whether you’re just booking Disney Dining Reservations or planning on a Disney Character Dining experience, the 60 day mark is your goal.

If you’ve added the Disney Dining Plan to your Vacation package, be sure to read through the Disney Dining Plans Guide for details on Dining Plan options, Dining Credits for each restaurant, types of restaurants at Disney World. Also, if you’re staying on-property at a Disney Resort, you can book restaurants for your entire stay, instead of just one day at a time, 60 days out. This makes a world of difference  if you’re trying to snag hard to get dining reservations. 

Why Should You Book Disney Restaurants So Early?

The best restaurants at Walt Disney World are table service restaurants. And they require reservations. Keep in mind that you’re also potentially up against local Florida residents and Disney Annual Passholders who already know this system. 

What Time Can You Make Disney Restaurant Reservations?

If you have your heart set on a certain restaurant be prepared to be up early. Disney Dining Reservations can be made starting at 5:45 AM, 60 days before your vacation date on the website or in the My Disney Experience App.

Complete Online Resort Check-In

At the 60-day mark, you need to Complete Online Check-In at your Disney Resort. You can do this on the Disney website through the “My Reservations” tab or in the app. Completing the check-in online will allow you to skip the line at the resort and just use your magic band to scan into your room.

Your room number will appear on the My Disney Experience app on the day of your arrival. Of course, if you get in early, you can always call or check in at the resort to be proactive. Doing the online check-in will also confirm the credit card you want to be associated with your room.

45 Days Before your Disney Trip

As most travel rules go, at 45 days, you want to book the flight, rental car, and make plans for someone to house sit, or take care of pets. 

Reserve Your Flight and Car Rental

We highly recommend you Book your Flight or Rental Car 45 days out to get the best price. We most like Jet Blue and Spirit, but you can choose any airline that works for you. For awareness the Orlando International Airport can get pretty crazy, so any opportunities you have to make your transportation easier, take them! This includes getting TSA precheck, so your security lines are shorter. Utilizing any automatic flight check-in offered by your airline. Self-tagging your luggage, or bringing only a carry-on.

We’d also recommend arriving about 3 hours prior to your flight boarding time at MCO. Check out hopper.com for the best deals, and add your flight to a Google Flights alert to grab the best price when you’re ready. 

Make Plans for Pets

If you have pets, now is a good time to plan for pet sitting or a boarding kennel. Most pet boarding locations need  about a 6 week notice. Be sure to give your pet all the extra love they need to prepare for your absence. 

30 Days Before your Disney Trip

As far as Disney trips go, at the 30 day mark, everything comes due, or can be canceled. If there’s any chance you can’t follow through with your trip, now is the time to reassess. 

Make Your Final Trip Payment

What is the Deadline for Payment on My Disney Vacation Package? At 30 days your Final Payment on your Disney Vacation and Resort is Due. Note this deadline is ONLY for Disney Vacation Packages. If you’ve purchased a Room Only Reservation then your resort payment is due at the time of check-in. 

If you’re paying this in increments, it’s helpful to split up your balance into savings amounts throughout your planning process. To help with saving for your Disney Vacation we highly recommend using Discounted Disney Gift Cards or the Disney Visa Rewards Credit Card to get the best deals. 

Last Chance to Cancel Your Disney Trip

Disney sticks pretty closely to the 30-day mark for penalty fees. If you’re going to cancel or adjust ( add a person, change a room, etc.) call 31 days before. They will more than likely try to just reschedule your vacation for another time. Do whatever you gotta do, but check out the full Disney cancellation policy for details. Check out the Disney Cancellation details later in this post. 

Order your Disney Shirts

Whether you’re buying your Disney outfits or matching family shirts from Amazon, Small shops on Etsy, or the Disney website itself, ordering a month ahead of time is ideal. Our Shop at Polka Dot Pixie Shop typically can get you an order in 2-3 weeks, and the two week mark is standard for small shops, as many are print on demand. That said, only amazon can really turn around an order in a weeks time, so don’t put this off. If you want to wear something unique for your Disney trip, plan ahead. 

Place Your Mail on Hold

Placing a Mail Hold is absolutely necessary if you’re gone through the week, and away for more than 3 days. You can Request a Mail Hold on the USPS website. And are able to request a hold up to 30 Days in Advance of your trip. This means your mail carrier will simply accumulate mail and packages that can be delivered when you return, or picked up at the post office. 

If you have packages coming from UPS or FedEx, they too have the services that allow you to place a hold on your mail, or have it delivered to an office to await pickup. 

14 Days Before your Disney Trip

Two weeks to go, means pulling out your luggage, last minute Amazon orders, for things you need, and the rest of your Disney chores, like magic band orders, and airport transportation. 

Buy Your MagicBands

What is the Deadline to Get MagicBands? 14 Days Before Your Trip. Another Disney Must-Do is to Customize Magic Bands for everyone in your travel party. You can do this in your account on the My Disney Experience App. This is actually one of our favorite things to do because we can match them to a special outfit, a Halloween costume, or pick the color that would be fun to decorate. No matter which color you choose your name will be on the back of it when it arrives prior to your vacation and it will stay active on your account until you deactivate it.

Book Airport Transportation

When Can I Book Airport Transportation to Walt Disney World? At least 7 Days Before. The main Disney World Shuttle service , provided by Mears is able to be scheduled at the airport when you arrive. However, it’s best to reserve your Disney shuttle transportation sooner. The services require you to know your flight information when you make your reservation and email you 24 hours ahead of time to let you know your bus arrival time window at the airport.  

If you’re looking for transportation from the Orlando International Airport ( MCO) to Walt Disney World you can also just grab an Uber, last minute. If you go this route, know that uber costs are highest when planes land. As such, you could see rates for a 45 minute drive from MCO to WDW at about $60 dollars for one way. Alternatively you could book the Disney Shuttle from the Airport offered by Mears, which is about $15 per person and offers a coach bus service. There are pros and cons to both options. 

Check Travel Documents

As you wrap up the main things on this Walt Disney World Vacation Checklist, you’ll want to double check your travel documents. Including your flight information, resort information, local transportation, parking, and WDW transportation as well. You can also check your TSA precheck, or preboarding info, and any other plans that involve other people to ensure a smooth trip. 

Pre-Order Disney’s Memory Maker PhotoPass Service

If you’re hoping to have photos taken at Disney World, grab the Disney PhotoPass service. Memory Maker allows you to download all your favorite photos from the ride snapshots, and all the photos taken across the parks. So whether you’re standing in front of the castle or screaming on TRON, grabbing the Memory Maker for your Disney Vacation is a great way to capture the memories! 

7 Days Before your Disney Trip

With one week left until your Disney trip, your highest priority is Lightning Lane passes, if you plan to use them. 

Book Lightning Lane

When can you book Lightning Lane Passes? 7 Days Before your Arrival if you’re staying at a Disney Resort and 3 Days before if you’re staying off-site. For Disney Resort Guests, available 7 days before your date of arrival, you can choose your ride selections for Lightning Lane Multi Pass. This service is for an additional charge but you can choose up to 3 rides per day ahead of time, and then stack the service with more ride options as you use them one at a time. Being able to plan your rides ahead of time is a great way to really make the most of your Disney Vacation. 

If you’re not staying at a Disney Resort, then this service is available Up to 3 Days Before your arrival day. 

Buy Travel Essentials

We’ve rounded up Things to Buy Before You Go To Disney items to help you get started. But you can also head to Amazon for things like ponchos, packing cubes, battery packs, sunscreen, and good shoes. 

3 Days Before your Disney Trip

At 3 days before your trip, you’ll want to start packing, pulling together outfits, charging devices, finding your water bottle, camera and anything else you need. 

Check the Weather

Florida weather is varied. Depending on when you visit you’ll see a range of temperatures not only throughout the year but the day also. As such, being prepared for Florida weather is a must. If you’re traveling during the winter months, temperatures can drop down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. And if you’re traveling between March and September, you can expect temperatures as high the 90’s, with an even higher heat index. Add in the Hurricane Season at Disney World, and you can expect intermittent rains from June through November. Luckily, we have packable rain jackets for that.  

Start Packing

While two weeks ahead of time to start packing may seem early, it’s not. We recommend grabbing your suitcase and slowly pulling together your outfits, sunscreen, first aid kit, ponchos and anything else you have ready. This will help you see what you need to buy, and with only two weeks left, this is the perfect time to get a handle on that. Check out our Disney World Packing list for all the things you’ll want to start putting in the suitcase now. 

• An Airplane/ Travel Bag: This bag should have an extra set of clothes, if needed, all your tech, and charging items, and snacks. Travel bags should also include something fun to do; a book, game, ipad, etc. 
• Luggage: Whether you’re carrying on the luggage or checking your bags, your luggage should be free of batteries or any electronic equipment. 
• Disney Park Bag: A Disney Day Bag is needed for your days in the parks. However, you may need these same things in your travel bag. As a result we typically recommend just packing the park bag itself, so you can transfer any thing you need into it, prior to your first park day. Check out the 10 Things On Your Disney Park Bag Packing List that you should bring. And remember that while Disney World does have lockers, it’s best to bring a small bag, that you can carry all day, and that will fit at your feet when you’re riding rides. 

Gather Medications and First Aid

If you’ve visited Disney World before you know that everything costs more there. Whether you’re finding it in the gift shops or in the parks, things like sunscreen, medicine, Band-Aids, and even tampons all cost more! Save some money by buying these things ahead of time. Pack any necessary medications, pain relievers, and a basic first-aid kit just in case. 

Download Playlists and Shows on Your Device

One of our favorite parts of planning a Disney Vacation is making the travel parts extra fun. So, we always make sure to have our favorite Disney Playlists and Disney shows downloaded for the plane, and bus trips. Since many places during your travels may be without accessible wi-fi networks, you can, it’s best to be prepared. We also love having our favorite shows ready for when we need downtime during vacation. 

1 Day Before your Disney Trip

The day before you leave, you’ll need to double check everything, but the most important things have nothing to do with Disney. 

Charge Electronics

Often a forgotten step in the Disney World Vacation Checklist is charging your technology and electronics. Ensure all your devices, like battery packs, phones and cameras, are fully charged. Even better be sure to charge your FuelRod as well, so that you have a battery back up. Also often forgotten are the charging cords, and plug blocks needed for the usb cord devices. Check out these Disney Shopping Lists for the best battery packs and charging needs.  

Arrange for Local Transportation to and from Home

Parking at your local airport only makes sense when you’re a long distance from the airport, or if you’re traveling for a short period of time. Otherwise, airport parking can get pricey! Be sure to check rates and daily limits on your airport website. It may be best to Uber/ Lyft to the airport if you live closer and are traveling during daytime hours. Whatever your choice, be sure to add this to your Disney budget and planning so that you’re ready when the day comes! 

Check in for your Flight

Most flights require check in at the 24 hour mark. And since some airlines attached your speediness to your boarding group, the sooner the better! Be sure to check your flight details in the app or on the website, for when to check in. 

Clear out Perishables in Your Fridge

When planning for vacation, we typically start working through all the perishables in the fridge the week before we leave. Making sure that the foods that remain will still be good once we return. Be sure to get rid of, or eat though, any fruits, vegetables, greens, and milks. You can freeze cheeses, meats and breads to use later. 

Take Care of Plants

Plants should be watered just before you leave. If you have extra fussy plants, you can ask a friend to pop in to do the watering while you’re away. 

Leave the Light On

A great security measure is to leave your front porch or garage light on in the evenings. If you have a backyard light, you can leave that on too. It deters anyone from getting to close to your home, and ensures a higher level of security. 

Disney World Trip Planning FAQ

While this Disney travel checklist is the one we use every time we travel, you may find a few additional things to add to the list to make it your own. As such, we’ve also included even more answers to common questions when planning a trip to Disney World.

Can I get a Magic Band if I’m Staying Off Property? 

If staying off-site you will receive a regular card ticket for your entry into the park. You could also grab a fancy magic band ahead of time and link it to your account, shop for them at shopDisney. 

When Will I Get Charged Cancellation Fees for a Disney Trip?

• 30 Days Before: For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees assessed by third-party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed will be refunded
• 2- 29 Days Before: For cancellations made 2 days to 29 days prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus a cancellation fee of $200.00 per package and minus any cancellation fees assessed by third-party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs and other amounts owed will be refunded
• 1 Day Before: For cancellations made 1 day or less prior to guest arrival or for no-shows, the full price of the package is non-refundable.

What is the Earliest I Can Book a Disney Vacation?

About 16 months ahead of time. Keep in mind that Disney Vacation Packages for the following year are typically released in the summer, and Room Only reservations can be made about 499 days in advance. 

When Does Disney Release New Disney Vacation Packages?

Disney Vacation Packages for any given year are typically released the summer of the year prior. So about 7 months before, but this is volatile.

Disney World Trip Planning 

There you have it! A complete round up of the timeline you need to know to get ready for your trip. Hopefully, this post has helped you get a good handle on the Disney Vacation Planning timeline you can follow to make sure you don’t miss a thing.