Favorite Resources to Plan a Disney Vacation

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  In addition to the best-selling "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World," this subscription website offers crowd calendars, completely customized day-by-day itineraries to minimize wait-times for rides, dining and hotel reviews and a mobile app that lets you view your custom itinerary with updates if crowd conditions change while you are in the parks.  
Tip:  If you purchase the book, you will get a discount on the one-year subscription rate for the website.

Tim Ponisciak said:  This site is specific to Walt Disney World. It has everything from pros and cons on all restaurants in each park, to a list of shortcut walking paths around the Magic Kingdom to help you avoid crowds! It also is easily searchable by what planning step you are at and whether you are traveling with little kids.

Erin P. said:  MouseSavers.com has the scoop on discounts for Disney and other theme parks. Tickets, hotels, vacation packages and more. Signing up for their newsletter gets you access to exclusive deals.

Tim Ponisciak said:  You'll have to visit the Disney Parks' official site when planning your trip. The site has full descriptions of all hotels, parks, rides and restaurants. You can book your whole trip on the site, or call 407-W Disney to speak with someone directly. Once you have a reservation, you can log in and see your tickets, itinerary and any dining reservations. You can also make dining reservations on the site, which is nice since the restaurants book quickly!

Tim Ponisciak said:  DIS is a great place to visit to get you excited for your trip, with blog articles that offer planning information and park updates. There are also very large and active message board forums for Disney fanatics and people who have questions and want answers from Disney experts. There is a forum specifically about traveling to a Disney park with your family and another forum for traveling on a budget. Also check out the fantastic DIS Unplugged podcast about planning a vacation, with news and updates from the parks.

Andy Wright said:  MagicGuides.com has the best Disney World transportation map I've seen online. They also have a very good up-to-date crowd calendar and a dining plan calculator to figure out if the Disney Dining Plan is worth it based on what you plan on eating.

Kelly R. said:  I enjoy this blog so much that I read it even when I'm not actively planning a Disney trip. Josh speaks my language (sarcasm) and gives his unbiased take on all things Disney World with a healthy mix of enthusiasm, practicality, and cynicism. I appreciate his detailed dining reviews (with plenty of pictures), as I think Disney food can be pretty hit or miss - and he pays proper attention to where to find the best adult beverages. He also provides handy cheat sheets that help you decide how to tackle your park days, with nice maps, touring guides, and tips.

Tim Ponisciak said:  AllEars provides loads of information that will make your Disney World or Disneyland trip planning a little less cumbersome. You'll find guest reviews of hotels, restaurants and rides, helpful restaurant menus, and a great guide to the WDW FastPass+ system.

Tim Ponisciak said:  In addition to providing authentic discount theme park tickets and helpful planning tips, Undercover Tourist has a great crowd calendar that will be helpful if you are still in the early stages of planning your trip and are trying to decide on the best time to go.

Tim Ponisciak said:  Dads out there, this site offers a slightly different perspective on the planning process! The author has his own take on the hotels, crowds, and food. His section on Christmas at WDW is a good one!

Monet Trotman said:  Breaks everything down with step by step instructions and recommendations specifically for someone planning their first visit to Disney world.

Kelly R. said:  The Orlando area is filled with plenty of kid-friendly experiences outside of the theme parks, if you're interested in adding some variety to your trip. Upparent's guide to visiting Orlando with kids collects parent recommendations for family friendly things to do within driving distance of Disney.

Erin P. said:  For those who still enjoy the feel of the pages between your fingers, go with the tried and true Birnbaum Guides to Disney World. You can find tips and recommendations about everything WDW in this book. And, hey, go nuts with the notes in the margins and the dog-eared pages!

Joseph Kelley said:  Every trip to Disney, the character meals have been our kids favorite experience. On top of the food generally being a notch (or two) above standard resort food, it's a great way to relax and get a downtime for the kids and parents, alike. Make sure to book well in advance!

Tim Ponisciak said:  This site can give you a lot of great ideas for your next Disney experience. There is a lot of information about all of the Disney parks and tips on how to save money on your next Disney trip. There is also a section on one day itineraries for Walt Disney World, which can be helpful if you are adding a Disney trip to the beginning or end of another family vacation.

Tim Ponisciak said:  There are dozens and dozens of options for eating at Disney World. The parks have quick service and table service options, and some are quite unique (the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom is a personal favorite). This unofficial Disney Dining fan site provides a lot of great insider information about the restaurants as well as many Buzzfeed style lists to help you make some quick decisions!

Tim Ponisciak said:  The Disney Parks Moms Panel is a great resource as Disney has gone out of its way to create a site that features Moms (and some Dads) who can talk about their Disney experiences from a variety of perspectives. Some of the panelists have kids in high school, others have toddlers. They are also all very responsive, answering questions from anyone looking for advice about planning a Disney trip!

Lisa R said:  Unlock a whole new dimension of Disney with this magical app full of special games that are only available while standing in specific areas of the parks! Most of the games are designed to be played while waiting in line for specific rides, and include multi-person play options that turn waiting into a fun bonding experience. Kids can also unlock special achievements and uncover hidden features in the park through the app. Not at the parks yet? Use the app to get in the mood for your trip with a curated playlist and Disney trivia. The app is very large, so be sure to download in advance.

Lisa R said:  The minute you book your ticket, be sure to create a Disney Experience account and download the corresponding app. Here you can see all of your Disney reservations in one place, book special experiences, and reserve your FastPass+ tickets (which let you skip the line for up to three rides for FREE) up to 30 days in advance. While in the park, the app includes a map with wait times for all the rides, show schedules & more. You can also use the app to view and purchase your Memory Maker photos (pics taken by Disney photographers) after your visit.