Planning a 2023 Disney vacation or a few days at theme parks during your trip to Florida, California, or beyond? You’ve come to the right place. We have guides filled with tips and tricks, itineraries, and money-saving info for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland.
These guides will help you plan every step of your visit, from pricing out hotels and airfare to using transportation efficiently, eating at the best restaurants, and more. Spending a bit of time with these free guides will save you hours of headaches on vacation and will make your trip stress-free…or as close to stress-free as possible.
Each of the guides has links to additional posts that offer more detailed information about particular subjects. Click those links if you need to know more about anything. We hope these planning guides help make your next Disney vacation an easier, less stressful, more enjoyable, and memorable experience! 🙂
Trip Planning Guides
Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide – Disney’s largest theme park resort complex, located near Orlando, Florida. Our guide covers everything you need to know about the 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, Disney Springs dining & entertainment district, and over two-dozen hotels that make up the sprawling Walt Disney World Resort!
Disneyland Trip Planning Guide – The OG of Disney theme parks, and only one Walt Disney himself ever walked. Disneyland is now joined by Disney California Adventure, a few hotels, and Downtown Disney. Disneyland also just debuted Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, one of the most highly-anticipated theme park expansions ever, and we cover how to experience it without going mad.
Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide – Located just outside of Paris, this complex was previously known as EuroDisney. It’s the most popular tourist destination in France, and one of the most visited locations in all of Europe. Disneyland Paris has two theme parks, several hotels, and more. It’s more of an “acquired taste” than the other parks, but like a fine French wine, it’s better sipped than chugged.
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Trip Planning Guide – Japan’s two Disney parks are also the two best theme parks in the world. Tokyo DisneySea is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, whereas Tokyo Disneyland is like a “greatest” hits album of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. These are world-class destinations that every Disney fan should make a point of visiting if they can, and even non-fans will enjoy.
Shanghai Disneyland Planning Guide – Disney’s newest park in Shanghai, China opened just a few years ago but is already growing. This is the destination where culture shock is most likely, but Shanghai Disneyland has a lot going for it–and is another park worth your time.
Hong Kong Disneyland Trip Planning Guide – Now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has opened at Disneyland and forever changed that park, Hong Kong Disneyland is arguably Disney’s most charming and quaint park. Its castle is currently being enlarged (yes, that’s correct) and in recent years, several Marvel attractions have debuted–with more Marvel and Frozen on the way.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa Trip Planning Guide – More a cross between a lavish ocean-side resort and a water park than a theme park, Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii is a beautiful, relaxing, and culturally authentic experience. We highly recommend it if you’re visiting Oahu.
Disney Cruise Line Planning Guide – With its own private island and 4 ships in its fleet (plus several more coming soon), Disney Cruise Line is becoming a formidable premium product in the cruise industry. Even sailing without kids, we absolutely love Disney Cruise Line. Find out what makes DCL special in our planning guide and other resources about it!
Hope these help! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments here (or on those particular guides). We receive email notifications when a comment is left, and we try our best to respond to all questions.
In addition to our Disney trip planning resources, we have some other guides that we’ve written in response to questions received on many of our Disney Parks Trip Reports. In those, we share a ton of meticulous detail about what we do each day of our visits, share photos, and go off on random tangents about nothing in particular. We have a lot of fun in the parks, and hope that comes through in our trip reports!
We “reluctantly” concede that we do have a lot of fun when we tour the parks, and that’s because we think we enable ourselves to do that by planning and doing things right. Trips are a lot more fun when you plan properly: if you wear comfortable shoes, bring delicious and energizing snacks, read the right books to prepare for your trips, or use the right apps.
For Disney updates, discount information, a free download of our Money-Saving Tips for Walt Disney World eBook, and much more, sign up for our free monthly newsletter! If you enjoy any of our planning resources or other posts, please share them with your friends, or leave a comment below letting us know. Thanks for reading!
Your Thoughts
If you are a Walt Disney World or Disneyland veteran, what planning tips would you offer? If you’re a first-timer, is there anything else you’d like to know? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
The information itself is really strong and accurate and we can easily understand what to plan and avoid in Disney. Thanks
Please educate me on best things to do at Hollywood Studios. I cannot find it on your blog.
Especially:
1. Best time and way to get tickets to Rise of the Resistance
2. How to book lunch or dinner at Star Wars restaurant
Many Thanks
Ron
Hi! Can you please send me your email newsletter?
Hi Tom and Sarah
I have been confused on the ILL purchases. First, I have to stay at a Walt Disney Hotel to book and pay for a ILL at 7am?I need to booked 2 reservation for 1.Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom 2.Cosmic rewind at Epcot
1.What if I have a park hopper for the Animal kingdom and go to Epcot at 2pm? Could I still buy an ILL for both ride at the same time?
2.If can’t, I have to booked later at 1pm but I can hopper to second park at 2pm.
3.What do you prefer Which one should go first for 1 day between Animal kingdom Vs Epcot .I wanna ride
Animal Kingdom
1.Avatar Flight of Passage
2.Navi River Journey
3.Everest
Epcot
1.Cosmic Rewind
2.Remi Rattatouille
3.Frozen Ever After
4.Soarin Around the World
Thank you
Toey from Thailand
Hey there-
Thanks for all of your info- I always find what I’m looking for here! We’re staying at the Wilderness Lodge later this year, and I just saw on the MyDisney app that the “blue boat launch” is listed as a transportation option at the WL and FWC…do you know if this is coming back? And if so, when? Thanks!
We will arrive in Orlando Saturday, November 4, 2023 and depart Thursday, November 9, 2023. We are staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek and will utilize the early entry options. We plan to attend MVMCP on Monday, 11/6 or Tuesday, 11/7 when it opens. We will also go to Magic Kingdom that morning/afternoon with less crowds for a total of 1 day at Magic Kingdom. Would Sunday, 11/5 be our best day to attend Hollywood Studios? This is also Disneys Wine & Dine Half Marathon day. We are only visiting the 2 parks from early entry until close on 2 separate days Sunday, 11/5-Wednesday, 11/8. Any advice or suggestions is appreciated for the least crowds and wait times.
Much appreciated …Kim
Hi
If u have full disney tickets bought and paid for before June and have disney genie included how does the disney system know that please?
I am taking the family in the beginning of December 2023 I would like to purchase our tickets but my son and his family are not always good about committing and I don’t want to lose out on money. When do you suggest we purchase the tickets? 4 adults and 2 kids
We are in our 70’s and have been to Disneyland Anaheim many times in our younger years but not in the last 15-20 years
I have read that the “magic is gone”
Is that true for senior citizens who remember the good old days?
We love the music and parades
Thanks
I’m an Uber driver and I can tell you for FACT! Every person coming out of the parks these days are a bad word of mouth for Disney!!! Nobody I pick up is happy and 90% are reeling with complaints!!
Disney may be basking in there money but under their greed a monster of failure lurks in the road ahead!!!
Please add me to your email list. I couldn’t find a way to add my email address other than this. Thank you!
Honestly! I’m over working and missing my children’s faces and special events I want to take them to this beautiful place for my youngest sons 9th birthday! I need advice on how to navigate the website and what fun activities they have.
We like tot go to Disney Florida in may 2023. Plessers inform us about returning of the Diningplan
Please add me to your email distribution list. Thank you!
Hi Tom and Sarah
I have booked 2 weeks in Disney World 11th November 2023 to 25th November 2023. Im now worried about crowds as it will be over Thanksgiving week (I’m from the UK!) If i mov it to 4th November 2023 to 18th November 2023 will i avoid the worst of the crowds?
Thanks
Nic
Nic, I think 4 November to 18 November are the better choice. You will see a bump around November 11 as that is Veterans’ Day and a holiday for many. It’s generally some of the best weather in Florida during that time and crows tend to ebb for many of those days. Thanksgiving is crazy busy. At one time we went that week, but it’s become so busy we no longer do.
Email updates please