BY HAYLEY SPURWAY
OCT 20, 2017
The first time I went to Walt Disney World, to say I was shocked by the size and scope of the resort would be an understatement. I grew up in Orange County and quaint Disneyland Park was like my second home since I go there very often. I had been told by countless people that Walt Disney World is much bigger and very different, but I was truly blown away by just how different it was on that first visit. I had always figured that given the fact that I am a Disneylander, that my expertise would obviously also pertain to Walt Disney World. That isn’t exactly the case. With that in mind, here are five really important things you should know before planning your Walt Disney World vacation.
1. Walt Disney World isn’t just big, it’s massive.
I know you’ve heard that before. I did before I went to Walt Disney World the first time. The problem is, I just couldn’t fathom HOW big it was. So let me take a look at the data: The Walt Disney World Resort is 40 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Oceanside or Simi Valley. It is more than double the size of the town I live in.
What does that size mean to you? It tells you the parks are bigger and you will have to do a lot of walking and transportation around the resort.
2. The weather ain’t like California.
Let’s face it: Disneyland has great weather pretty much year round. If you have never visited Florida or the south, You really need to think about weather when planning a trip in Florida. There is a reason why many of the attractions have indoor, climate-controlled queues. The first week in November through March are usually the least humid. After that humidity increases but even May can have pleasant temperatures around 84 but lower humidity. Once June hits, it can get uncomfortable and that can last through October.
3. It’s not as expensive as you may think.
If you want to stay on-property at the Disneyland Resort, rooms set you back way more than $200 per night. The nice thing about Walt Disney World is that they offer different “levels” of resorts and within those resorts, different types of rooms. You can get a value room for as little as $100 a night Sunday through Thursday if you visit during the value season. And although prices go up from there, it is still possible to get rooms for less than $200 during the peak season.
The nice thing about less-expensive rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort is that you are still getting the Disney magic and commitment to quality and guest service. When you book a less expensive hotel near Disneyland at an off-property hotel or motel, you certainly don’t get Disney magic, quality and guest service levels. You can also combine those lesser-expensive rooms with vacation package that include tickets and meal packages.
4. Dining is different.
At Disneyland, most of us are used to grabbing a corndog on the go or sitting down for a quick burger at the Hungry Bear. In Walt Disney World, a lot more dining is focused around table-service restaurants. Personally, I have never made a meal reservation at the restaurants for our trips, and have been able to eat just fine. That being said, I am in the minority.
5. It’s not as easy as booking flights, room and tickets.
Before I went to Walt Disney World, I didn’t believe this statement either. Seriously. I understood the difference in resort levels, but it takes an expert to really help you understand which rooms are right for your family and your budget. Plus, an experienced travel planner can help you figure out things like which hotels have the best dining for your family situation and each hotel’s transportation situation and proximity to the different parks. This is absolutely not easy to make the decision with more than 20 resort hotels within the 40 square mile resort, even in other matters.
During my family’s last trip, my travel agent insisted that a certain room would be perfect fit for my family. Based on photos online, I disagreed and only booked one night in the said room instead of all of our nights and it turned out it was indeed our favorite and the perfect room and resort. I should have listened and I have learned my lesson. From my lesson learned, a travel agent is a must for any Disney World vacation so that you not only get the right room, but so that all of your dining reservations and special requests can be made before your visit. I am being completely serious when I tell you that there is no way I would ever book a Walt Disney World vacation without an agent.
