Category — j. To-Do Lists for Walt Disney World

TO-DO LIST FOR DISNEY WORLD MULTI PASS ITINERARY WITH TIANA

This To-Do List is for the Disney World Multi Pass Itinerary with Tiana.

This itinerary requires that you stay in a hotel that is eligible for both Early Entry and for booking Multi Pass and Single Pass rides seven days in advance.

Like everyone else, you must also purchase park tickets. Park reservations in addition are no longer required for anyone with date-based tickets–the kind of tickets that are purchased for ten days or fewer, and that have an explicit date of first possible use.

In terms of supply and demand, specific hotels are the hardest elements to book, next, some of the Single Pass and Multi Pass options, and then some of the recommended dining  restaurant reservations.  Date-based tickets themselves are easiest to book.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system. If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for eight nights, and nine day “one theme park per day” tickets.

Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Disney Dining used to begin booking 180 days from one’s arrival date. As I write this, booking begins 60 days from your arrival date. So I technically don’t need this header here. But I am reserving space for it in case things change—and to put you on notice that things might change.

The dining you will need to book is as follows:

• First Sunday night, around 6p, dinner at 50’s Prime Time Café as the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Monday night, around 6p, dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (character meal with princesses) at Epcot
• Wednesday night, around 6p, dinner at Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom (character meal with Winnie the Pooh and friends)
• Thursday morning, late breakfast, around noon, Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort, near Magic Kingdom (character meal with Mickie, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy)
• Friday evening, 6.15p show, Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, at Fort Wilderness, near Magic Kingdom (dinner show)

C. 61 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account the day before, click the “Things to Do” tab, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants for the day before your arrival (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but it works much better than it used to…

D. EXACTLY 5.50am EST, EXACTLY 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Be on the restaurant website by 5:50am eastern time, and have your first reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a. Book the restaurants from the list above on the days and time noted.

2. Do online check in, requesting as you do any special location points if offered.

3. Order and customize your MagicBands if you wish to use them.

E. EXACTLY AT 7am EST, SEVEN DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

As of late July 2024, you can purchase the ability to pre-book some rides and their arrival times beginning seven days before your arrival at a Disney World hotel (if you aren’t staying in a Disney hotel, then you can book beginning three days before the beginning of your date-based ticket).

There are two ways to buy, and most guests will want to use both (this itinerary requires both).

• Lightning Lane Single Passes (“LLSP”) allow you to buy an arrival time for one specific ride
• Lightning Lane Multi Passes allow you to buy arrival times at three different rides in one park

The key is that if you are in an eligible hotel, you can reserve for the entire length of your hotel stay, starting seven days before your arrival date.

My itinerary has both LLSP and LLMP built into it, and the list you need to book beginning at 7a seven days before your arrival date is as follows (note that there are some rides you book twice–this is purposeful, not an error.)

First Saturday at Epcot

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at 6p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Frozen Ever After at 6.30p, Spaceship Earth at 4.30p, and Mission: SPACE at 5.30p

First Sunday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Rise of the Resistance at 1p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at 9a, Tower of Terror at 10a, and For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration for the 12.30p show

Monday at Epcot

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at 1.30p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at 4p, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 10.30a, and Spaceship Earth at 12.45p

Tuesday at Animal Kingdom

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Flight of Passage at 5p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: DINOSAUR at 1p, Kali River Rapids at 3p, Expedition Everest at 4p

Wednesday at Magic Kingdom

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Get two–TRON Lightcycle Run at 4p, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 5p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Jungle Cruise at noon, Pirates of the Caribbean at 1p, and Haunted Mansion at 2.30p

Thursday at Magic Kingdom

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: none
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 11a, Tomorrowland Speedway at 4.30p, it’s a small world at 5.30p

Friday at Magic Kingdom

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Get two–Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 11a, and TRON Lightcycle Run at 3.30p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at 4p, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 9.30a, and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 10.30a

Second Saturday at Hollywood Studios

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Rise of the Resistance, 12.30p
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: Slinky Dog Dash at 9a, Toy Story Mania at 10a, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular– noon show

Second Sunday at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Lighting Lane Single Pass: Flight of Passage, 8.30a
• Lighting Lane Multi Pass: N’avi River Journey 8a, Kilimanjaro Safaris 9a, Festival of the Lion King 11a show

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

TO-DO LIST FOR DISNEY WORLD GENIE+ WITH TRON ITINERARY

This To-Do List is for the Disney World Genie+ with TRON Itinerary.

This itinerary requires that you stay in a hotel that is eligible for both Early Entry and 7a booking of ILL rides, and like everyone else you must also purchase park tickets. Park reservations in addition are no longer required for anyone with date-based tickets–the kind of tickets that are purchased for ten days or fewer, and that have an explicit date of first possible use.

In terms of supply and demand, specific hotels are the hardest elements to book, and tickets themselves are easiest to book.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system. If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for eight nights, and nine day “one theme park per day” tickets.

Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Disney Dining used to begin booking 180 days from one’s arrival date. As I write this, booking begins 60 days from your arrival date. So I technically don’t need this header here. But I am reserving space for it in case things change—and to put you on notice that things might change.

The dining you will need to book is as follows:

• First Sunday night, around 6p, dinner at 50’s Prime Time Café as the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Monday night, around 6p, dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (character meal with princesses) at Epcot
• Wednesday night, around 6p, dinner at Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom (character meal with Winnie the Pooh and friends)
• Thursday morning, late breakfast, around noon, Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort, near Magic Kingdom (character meal with Mickie, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy)
• Friday evening, 6.15p show, Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, at Fort Wilderness, near Magic Kingdom (dinner show)

C. 61 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account the day before, click the “Things to Do” tab, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants for the day before your arrival (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but it works much better than it used to…

D. EXACTLY 5.50am EST, EXACTLY 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Be on the restaurant website by 5:50am eastern time, and have your first reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a. Book the restaurants from the list above on the days and time noted.

2. Do online check in, requesting as you do any special location points if offered.

3. Order and customize your MagicBands if you wish to use them.

E. JUST BEFORE/EXACTLY 7am EST, ALMOST EVERY DAY

Almost every day at 7a you will need to buy Genie+, and book times for Genie+ rides and/or ILL rides. This includes your first day, when you likely will be doing this from home. On Genie+ days, you’ll need to buy Genie+ first, every morning, before 7a.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

TO-DO LIST FOR DISNEY WORLD GENIE+ ITINERARY

This To-Do List is for the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.

My recommended itinerary requires that you stay in a hotel that is eligible for both Early Entry and 7a booking of ILL rides, and like everyone else you must also purchase park tickets for your specific dates, and in addition must book specific park reservations for each day of your trip.

In terms of supply and demand, specific hotels are the hardest elements to book, next hardest (but usually much easier so long as you have enough time before your visit) are park reservations, and after that, tickets themselves are easiest to book. However, you can’t make park reservations until you have tickets, so the conceptual order is 1. Hotel; 2. Tickets; 3. Daily park reservations.

As I write this, Disney World hotel reservations are available online through the end of 2023.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

Set up your hotel, tickets, and if available for package purchase, Genie+. (Genie+ is currently available only day-of, not for package purchase.) Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system. If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for eight nights, and eight day “one theme park per day” tickets. If possible, add Genie+ to your package, as my itinerary has you using it seven of your eight park days.

Make sure your hotel and tickets are linked in your account, and then make your daily park reservations.

Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Disney Dining used to begin booking 180 days from one’s arrival date. As I write this, booking begins 60 days from your arrival date. So I technically don’t need this header here. But I am reserving space for it in case things change—and to put you on notice that things might change.

Disney Dining is also not quite back to where I’d like to see it in coming out of COVID.

So right now my only recommended dining is resort (that is, not park) dining on Thursday, your off day.

A late breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and/or dinner at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue on Thursday are highly recommended! Neither of these is in a park, so no tickets or park reservations are needed–although dining reservations (available at the links) are more or less required, and can sell out very quickly.

However, I do note next the meals I used to recommend:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom. Character meal
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, Fort Wilderness, sort of near to Magic Kingdom. Dinner show.
• Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom. Character meal
• Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort, near Magic Kingdom. Character meal
• Tusker House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Character meal
• Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom. Character meal
• Akershus Banquet (character meal) or San Angel Inn, Epcot

The basic approach is to book the in-park restaurants on the same day as you have a park reservation. Any reservation not in parks (in my list, Chef Mickey’s and Hoop-Dee-Doo-Revue) can be booked either on days you are in the parks they are near—Magic Kingdom for these two– or on your off day.

C. 61 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

If you will be booking dining the next day, login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account the day before, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants for the day before your arrival (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…

D. EXACTLY 5.50am EST, EXACTLY 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. If you do wish to book table service dining, be on the restaurant website by 5:50am eastern time, and have your highest-priority reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a. Book the table service restaurants you wish.

2. Do online check in, requesting as you do any special location points.

3. Order and customize your MagicBands.

E. EXACTLY 7am EST, EVERY DAY EXCEPT YOUR OFF DAY

Every day except for your off day, at 7a you will need to book times for Genie+ rides, ILL rides, or both. This includes your first day, when you likely will be doing this from home.

My friends at Destinations in Florida, the long-time travel agent partners of this site, can do most of this work for you!  Contact them using the form below.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

This To-Do List is for the Disney World Extra Extra Magic Hours Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

(Note that a good travel agent, such as Kelly, the long time travel agent partner of this site, can do almost all of this for you, for free. Use the form at the bottom of the page to contact her.)

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system.  (Note: if your dates are later than what the online system permits, see this.)

• If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for 8 nights, nine day no hopper tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express if you are flying
• Itineraries other than mine will have different requirements here

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Decide whether on your first night you’ll be dining at Akershus or the San Angel Inn. Akershus is a princess meal–you’ll have another princess meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table on Thursday.  If you really like princesses, do Akershus; otherwise, San Angel Inn is the better choice.

Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…

Collect your restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below.

C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

(For an 180 day calendar, see this).

Be on the restaurant website by at least 5:50a EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.

Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Tusker House), in the exact order listed–but note that sometimes the Rivers of Light Dining Package is not available until 90-120 days before:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Thursday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Tuesday 6.15p show. The later time will keep you up later than you need to be, and the earlier time will cut into your afternoon–but it is the better choice if the 6.15 show is booked.
• Chef Mickey’s (dining plan, one credit) Tuesday 11a.  Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier–no earlier than 10.30a
• Tusker House as Rivers of Light Dining Package (dining plan, one credit). First Sunday 5.30p or later. You can schedule for as late as Disney will allow you to do so, but not earlier than 5.30p
• Crystal Palace (dining plan, one credit): Second Saturday 6p if you can; earlier OK, but not later
• Akershus Banquet or San Angel Inn (dining plan, one credit): First Saturday 6p.  No later than 6.30p, but earlier is OK if your travel plans allow for an earlier arrival at Epcot.

For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Note that you are booking your FastPass+ in two steps: first you are focusing on nailing the ones that are hardest to get, then second  you are going back to the beginning of your visit and adding the rest. This is because some FastPass+ are hard to get even at 60 days (because people whose 60 days opened a few days ago booked their FastPass+ for all their ticket days after that date, overlapping with your dates.)

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account at 7am and set up the following hard-to-get FastPass+, booking them in the order noted

• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a
• Wednesday at Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash for 12-1p if you plan to do Savi’s Workshop, Oga’s Canteen, and/or the Droid factory; 2-3p if not
• Monday at Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror 9a-10a
• First Saturday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After. Set the time for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park.

2. Second, continue with the rest (I’ve kept the ones above in this list so you can see the various times):

• First Saturday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After. Tier Two: Spaceship Earth. The Tier One FastPass+ is your priority. Set the Tier Two times for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park. If you can book just one because of your travel schedule, choose Frozen Ever After
• First Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids. Set Kali River Rapids for 2-3p, Nemo 3p-3.15p for the 3.30p show, and Na’vi for 4.30-5.30p
• Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Tower of Terror. Tier Two: Star Tours and Frozen Sing-Along. Set Tower of Terror for 9a-10a, Star Tours for 10a-11a, and the Frozen Sing-Along for the first show available 11a or later, ideally 11-11.15a for the 11.30a show)
• Tuesday at the Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, and Jungle Cruise. Set Space Mountain for 8-9a, the Speedway for 9-10a, and Jungle Cruise for 10-11a.
• Wednesday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Slinky Dog Dash. Tier Two: Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. Pre-book FastPass+ for Slinky Dog Dash (2-3p if you do not plan to pre-book Savi’s Workshop, Oga’s Cantina, and/or the Droid Factory; 12-1p if you do have plan to see them) and for the shows Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.  Ideally, you will pick both the times and the order of the two shows so that you tap in for the second show as early in the afternoon as possible, so check both shows before booking either.
• Thursday at the Magic Kingdom:  Peter Pan’s Flight, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Haunted Mansion. Book Peter Pan before your Cinderella meal, and Enchanted Tales with Belle after–but not between the window of 1.45-2.45p (you will be watching the afternoon parade then).  Book Haunted Mansion for 3.30-4.30p
• Friday at Epcot: Tier One: Test Track. Tier Two: Mission: SPACE and Turtle Talk with Crush. Set Mission: SPACE for 9a-10a, Test Track for 10a-11a, and Turtle Talk with Crush for 12.30p to 1.30p.
• Second Saturday at the Magic Kingdom: Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and a third ride. Set Big Thunder for 9-10a, and Pirates for 10-11a
• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: DINOSAUR, Avatar: Flight of Passage and Festival of the Lion King. Set DINOSAUR for 8a-9a, Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a, and Festival of the Lion King for 10.30-10.45a for the 11a show.

3. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points

4. Customize your MagicBands

E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE

1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons

2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to Epcot on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.

3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.

4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.

5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins

6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.

Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can book your Disney World vacation at any Disney World hotel!  Contact her using the form below.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

This To-Do List is for the 2019 Basic December Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system.

• If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for 8 nights, nine day, no hopper tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express
• You also want to order your MVMCP tickets for your planned date there.
• Itineraries other than mine will have different requirements here

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).

2. Collect your planned restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below. Note that the two dining packages–Rivers of Light and Candlelight Processional–may not go on sale until later in the summer.

C. EXACTLY 5.50am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

(For an 180 day calendar, see this).

1. Be on the restaurant website by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.

2. Make the following reservations in the exact order listed (the two dinner packages may not yet be open for booking at 180 days):

• Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Tuesday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Tuesday 6.15p show. The later time will keep you up later than you need to be. Avoid the earlier time–it’ll cut into your park time too much
• Crystal Palace (dining plan, one credit) Second Saturday 6p.  Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier as you have a late lunch this day
• Tusker House as Rivers of Light Dining Package (dining plan, one credit). First Sunday 5.30p. You can schedule for as late as Disney will allow you to do so, but not earlier.
• San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Dining Package (dining plan, two credits): Friday 5.45p. Can be earlier but not later.

For any you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account at 7am and set up the following hard-to-get FastPass+, booking them in the order noted

• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a
• Wednesday at Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash for 2-3p
• Second Saturday at the Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for 1-2p
• Thursday at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After for 12.30-1.30p

2. Second, continue with the rest (I’ve kept the ones above in this list so you can see the various times):

• First Saturday evening at Epcot: Book just one, Test Track, for 6-7p
• First Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids. Set Na’vi for 10-11a, Nemo 11.30 to 11.45 for the noon show, and Kali River Rapids at 12:40p
• Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Tower of Terror. Tier Two: Indiana Jones and Frozen Sing-Along. Set Indiana Jones for 2.30p for the 3.15p show, Tower of Terror for 4-5p, and the Frozen Sing Along at 5p for the 5.30p show
• Tuesday at Magic Kingdom: Book FastPass+ for Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain. Design the times for them around the time of your reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table, and don’t set one for 1.30-2.30p, as you will need that time for the afternoon parade. (A FP+ time of 1-2p and/or 2-3p is OK, as you can use them at the beginning of the 1p window or end of the 2p window without interrupting your parade viewing.)
• Wednesday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:  Tier One: Slinky Dog Dash. Tier Two: Star Tours and Beauty and the Beast. Set Slinky Dog Dash to 2-3p, Star Tours for 3.30 to 4.30p, and Beauty and the Beast at 4.30 for the 5p show.
• Thursday at Epcot: Frozen Ever After 12.30-1.30p, Mission Space 1.30-2.30p, Spaceship Earth 2.30-3.30p
• Friday at Epcot: Soarin’ 11a-noon, Living with the Land noon-1p, Turtle Talk with Crush 2p show
• Second Saturday at Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 1-2p, Peter Pan’s Flight 2-3p, Haunted Mansion 3-4p
• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage and Festival of the Lion King. Set Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a, and Festival of the Lion King for 10.30-10.45a for the 11a show.

3. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points

4. Customize your MagicBands

E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE

1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons

2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to Epcot on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.

3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.

4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.

5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins

6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

This To-Do List is for the 2018 Basic December Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

(Note that a good travel agent, such as Kelly at Destinations in Florida at 980-429-4499 or at Kelly@DestinationsInFlorida.com can do almost all of this for you, for free. If you use Destinations in Florida as your travel agent and tell them you came from this site, then they share a bit of the pixie dust they get from Disney with me.)

1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system.

• If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for 8 nights, nine day, no hopper tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express
• You also want to order your MVMCP tickets for your planned date there.
• Itineraries other than mine will have different requirements here

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).

2. Collect your planned restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below. Note that the two dining packages–Rivers of Light and Candlelight Processional–may not go on sale until later in the summer.

C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

(For an 180 day calendar, see this).

1. Be on the restaurant website by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.

2. Make the following reservations in the exact order listed (the two dinner packages may not yet be open for booking at 180 days):

• Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Thursday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Thursday 6.15p show. The later time will keep you up later than you need to be, OK if all you can get. Avoid the earlier time–it’ll cut into your park time too much
• Crystal Palace (dining plan, one credit) Second Saturday 6p.  Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier as you have a late lunch this day
• Tusker House as Rivers of Light Dining Package (dining plan, one credit). First Sunday 5.30p. You can schedule for as late as Disney will allow you to do so, but not earlier.
• San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Dining Package (dining plan, two credits): Friday 5.45p. Can be earlier but not later.

For any you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account at 7am and set up the following hard-to-get FastPass+, booking them in the order noted

• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a
• Wednesday at Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash for 10-11a
• Second Saturday at the Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for 1-2p
• Monday at Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania for  9-10a
• Tuesday at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After for 12.30-1.30p

2. Second, continue with the rest (I’ve kept the ones above in this list so you can see the various times):

• First Saturday evening at Epcot: Book just one, Test Track, for 6-7p
• First Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids. Set Na’vi for 10-11a, Nemo 11.30 to 11.45 for the noon show, and Kali River Rapids at 12:40p
• Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Toy Story Midway Mania. Tier Two: Star Tours and Frozen Sing-Along. Set Toy Story Midway Mania for 9a-10a, Star Tours for 11a-noon 3.30p, and the Frozen Sing Along for the 10.30a show.
• Tuesday at Epcot: Frozen Ever After 12.30-1.30p, Mission Space 1.30-2.30p, Spaceship Earth 2.30-3.30p
• Wednesday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Slinky Dog Dash. Tier Two: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Fantasmic. Set Rock ‘n’ Roller for 9-10a, Slinky Dog Dash to 10-11a, and if more than one Fantasmic show is available, pick the earlier one–likely for 8p
• Thursday at Magic Kingdom: Book FastPass+ for Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain. Design the times for them around the time of your reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table, and don’t set one for 1.30-2.30p, as you will need that time for the afternoon parade. (A FP+ time of 1-2p and/or 2-3p is OK, as you can use them at the beginning of the 1p window or end of the 2p window without interrupting your parade viewing.)
• Friday at Epcot: Soarin’ 11a-noon, Living with the Land noon-1p, Turtle Talk with Crush 2p show
• Second Saturday at Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 1-2p, Peter Pan’s Flight 2-3p, Haunted Mansion 3-4p
• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage and Festival of the Lion King. Set Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a, and Festival of the Lion King for 10.30-10.45a for the 11a show.

3. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points

4. Customize your MagicBands

E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE

1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons

2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to Epcot on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.

3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.

4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.

5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins

6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!