So you have decided it is time to go on that long overdue vacation with the family.  You have it narrowed down between climbing Mount Everest or going to Disney World.  After much consternation you have decided on the more challenging and adventurous vacation…Disney World!  You have plunked down your hard earned money on the tickets, hotel and airfare but all of a sudden you realize the gravity of this momentous undertaking in front of you.

Disney World?!  What am I doing?, you ask yourself. But you are one of the lucky ones.  Some people don’t know what they are walking into until it’s too late.  The poor souls!  They just stumbled blindly into the Kingdom of Chaos and it swallows them whole, never to be seen again.

There’s still time my friend!  You are not doomed, as C3PO says!  You only need one thing and you will be just fine.  What is that one thing?

Become a Disney World Expert!

“What?  Me, an expert?” you say. “I’ve seen a few Disney animated cartoons and can pick Mickey Mouse out of a lineup but I am far from an expert!”  Let me assure you – you can become an expert and it is not as hard as you might think.  To really have a magical experience at Disney World takes planning and research.  The great news for you is it’s all available for you with tons of web sites, social media and old fashioned books. These tools have information on every subject imaginable to help you navigate the treacherous waters of the Mouse’s World.

As an example, my daughters and I have a site called Disney with Dave’s Daughters with tons of content to help you. Let me offer you a word of caution:  When you first start looking at these resources: you will get overwhelmed. There is so much to think through! Let me help you become an expert with as little stress as possible.

Make a list

Here is the way I do it.  First, write down all the things you need to learn about on your Disney World trip.  Hotels, Food, Transportation, Attractions, Fastpasses, etc. You may find you will add to your list as you do some research.

Do your research

Take one at a time and become an expert in that area!   For example, you have heard the crowds can be miserable.  The last thing you want to do is have a “Stand In Line” vacation! So you start researching…  What time of the year are the crowds more tolerable than others?  Are there any calendars to quickly show me crowd sizes? Once in the parks, what are some ways to beat the crowds to attractions? We have an exclusive to us Disney World Crowd Calendar with all of my insider secrets to picking the best time to go. This is a great place to start!

Keep researching!

You will see as you become an expert in one area (how to deal with crowds at Disney World) you start to venture out to the next areas of expertise without even realizing it’s happening.  In our Disney World crowd example, you will find out that you need to manage your fastpass+ reservations in a way to zip ahead of the crowded lines in the top attractions.  So your next area of research becomes Fastpasses! You are quickly becoming an expert!

Start early!

Don’t try to do this all in one day!  Pick a topic and research it until you feel confident and then move on.  This is one reason why you need to start your vacation planning early.  8 months is a good time to shoot for but even a year is not too early to begin planning. I also recommend finding a reputable Disney Travel agent about 8 -12 months ahead of your trip. The travel agent is an expert in their field so you don’t have to be. For example, figure out what restaurants you want to eat at and they will get you the reservations. You focus on the next topic you need to research!

Can I let you in on a little secret?  As you become an expert, you will not only have the confidence you need to tackle Disney World but it will add to the excitement as you share with your crew about what they will be able to experience when they get to Disney World!  Another perk that I have experienced is having your kids/grandkids give you that smile as you pass long crowds going into a long lined attraction because you have your fast passes or you walk right into a restaurant because you made the reservations 6 months ago!

You can do this!  Do the research!  Become an expert!   You will make Mickey and your family proud!