Nervous about your upcoming Disney vacation? The biggest last-minute decisions and tasks you need to take care of 30 Days Before Your Disney Trip are covered in this post.
Today we are continuing our discussion of planning a WDW vacation and it’s all getting closer to our trip! What are those last-minute decisions and tasks you need to take care of to make your trip an unforgettable experience?
We’ve got your planning covered!
The next step is those last-minute things to consider. So, I know it may feel we are going a bit slow with this series…but honestly, we have seen too many people get overwhelmed with this process and really want to give you “bite-size” chunks to help deal with stress/overwhelm.
30 Days Before Your Disney Trip
Don’t wait until the last minute. Give yourself peace of mind knowing that you won’t miss any important dates and that you’ll have time to shop for or order anything you’ll need for your vacation. The things to think about during the last 30 days before your Disney trip are:
- Make your final payment.
- Update Disney with your flight info and arrange transportation to your resort.
- Order your magic bands.
- Set up and get familiar with the My Disney Experience app.
- Start filling in the plans for your park and resort days.
- Make sure you have plenty of face coverings for your family for the week.
- Make sure you have good shoes.
- Start preparing physically for your trip.
Final Payment for WDW Packages
You can pay in installments up to this day. Your travel advisor should send you a reminder 7 to 10 days before your payment due date.
You can still cancel up to 30 days before your trip. We always recommend rescheduling over canceling. Keep it on the books. Always have something to look forward to and work for.
Flight Info for Magical Express (through 2021)
Arrange for transfer from the airport to your resort if necessary.
Make Sure Magic Bands (if using) Are Ordered and My Disney Experience is Set-Up
If you haven’t already done it at this point, it’s important to do it now. Mainly, you want to make sure that all of your traveling party is linked. As your trip gets closer you’ll be glad that this is taken care of.
If you have multiple rooms and reservations, you can still connect everyone that you’ll want to dine with or ride Rise of the Resistance With.
A month or so before your trip is a good time to start getting familiar with the Play Disney Parks app. It will have some fun activities at the park, especially if you’re a Star Wars fan.
Start Filling in Your Itinerary 30 Days Before Your Disney Trip
Use notes app on phone. It’s like the adage of writing down your goals. We don’t recommend thinking you’ll be able to do everything, but you can hit the big things. Note those experiences most important to you so you can experience them, then improvise and other experiences.
I know people who use spreadsheets. One of my clients sent me her plan it was a Word document with almost every half-hour planned. That’s not how I roll. It worked for them, though. They had a wonderful trip.
Include Plans for Your Dining
Add plans to make mobile orders earlier in the day to help ensure the pick-up time that you want. For more on Disney Dining and mobile ordering, check out our top tips for planning Disney dining.
Even though I’m using the airline and My Disney Experience apps, I always have flight info and park reservation info handy in Notes.
NOTE: If you’re planning a last-minute trip, always check to ensure that the parks you want to visit have available reservations. Then make those as soon as you buy your tickets.
Make Sure You Have Plenty of Face Coverings
You probably won’t want to wear the same mask all day, much less every day.
The parks have some cool Disney masks. I say plan to buy those to take home and wear. Have plenty of masks that you’re most comfortable with to wear at the parks.
Make Sure You Have Good, Comfortable Shoes
Don’t get a new pair of shoes for the park just days before your vacation. Give yourself a few weeks to break in a pair of shoes before you start accumulating those thousands of steps at the park.
Special note: During the day, you’ll have no idea how many steps you’re walking. You’ll be too excited and focused on the fun. It will be at the end of the day when your dogs start barking. Ensure that is part of the fun by breaking in comfortable pairs of shoes for a few weeks while you…
Start Preparing Physically For Your Disney World Vacation
- You will do LOTS of walking, so start walking now.
- Make sure you have the right shoes for it.
- Make sure you’re healthy.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Take your Vitamins and eat nutritious food.
- Stay hydrated.
What You Need to Do During the 2 Weeks Before Your Disney Vacation
Consider self-quarantining.
Currently, we still don’t go out much for a couple of weeks before a trip or event. Then we do the same thing after the trip or event.
Start Packing (or at Least Planning What You’ll Pack) for Your Disney World Vacation
(What to buy, take, leave at home (how much in-depth?).
Shayne’s Big 3
- Sunscreen
- Ponchos and
- Powerade.
Also, check out Episode 20 to learn about the top items to purchase before your vacation to save money on your vacation.
Pack Extra Shoes
Don’t wear the same pair every day. You can alternate two pairs. Your feet will thank you for it. There is also the chance your shoes will get wet, either on a ride or if it rains.
Park Plan Prepping
Watch some great Disney+ programming. Let everyone in your traveling party make decisions on what you watch.
The Imagineering Story is a great way to get excited for a Disney vacation and give an appreciation for the details to be mindful of.
What do you watch and recommend, Ryan?
If you’re going to Magic Kingdom, I recommend the classics. Speaking of which, are you looking forward to the Jungle Cruise movie?
Start Thinking About Souvenirs
Which ones do you want?
How much do you want to spend?
Make a budget for how much you’ll spend on souvenirs. Help your kids start saving to buy their own souvenirs. Put some thought into which souvenirs you want to make sure you find!
Practice Using My Disney Experience (MDE) App
Also, know where to tap to try to get Rise of the Resistance boarding passes. This is a great reason why you’ll want to have everyone in your vacation connected. Start talking to your travel advisor about the current best strategies for getting boarding passes.
Start practicing mobile dining. We talked about mobile ordering during Episode 42: Tips for Planning Disney Dining.
What to Take For That First Day?
Magical Express info, magic bands, confirmation info, money for tipping.
Wear your magic bands to the airport! It’s fun seeing who else is going to Disney and talking about the trip.
What to Do The Day Before Your Disney Vacation
1. Flight check-in
Download the app for your airline. Log on to your account and add your flight information.
Resort check-in (I also suggest still checking in at the front desk!)
2. Planning for That First Day
Resort day: Swimsuits.
Park day: How to pack and what to do with your bags. (The difference in ME now with bags. Your luggage won’t magically appear in your room!)
Next episode in the series: We are at WDW! How to maximize your time and minimize stress!
What are your biggest questions about packing and prepping for a Disney World Vacation?
Please let us know in the ATT Show Facebook group!
Start Making Your Magical Memories!
Ryan and Shayne are both Travel Advisers with Creating Magic Vacations, an authorized Disney Vacation Planner. Feel free to reach out to us for a free quote and to start making magical memories.
- Contact Ryan at DisneyTravelDad.Com.
- Contact Shayne at Shayne.fun.
Get 2 extra days added to your ticket when you buy a 4-night/3-day room-and-ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for arrivals most nights through September 25, 2021.
Packages are out into 2022!
Check Out Our Complete Disney Vacation Masterclass!
- Episode 36: So you want to go to Disney?
- Episode 39: How to choose and book the best Disney World vacation options for you.
- Episode 42: Top tips for planning Disney Dining.
- Episode 44: Last-minute planning for your Disney World vacation.
- Episode 47: How to Maximize Your Time at Disney World.
- Episode 48: Best Things to do After your Disney Vacation.
Never Miss a Thing!
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Next on All Things Travel Podcast Episode 45: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Vacations.
Previously on All Things Travel Podcast Episode 43: Ultimate Gude to The Best Rides at Universal.