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!
Do you have a specific Christmas itinerary for Disneyland and California Adventureland or could you help with this? We will spend 1 day at each. I know it is a busy time to go so would like to move efficiently through the park, knowing which fast passes to get and when, etc. I saw your itinerary for one day visits but you also mention these are for a typical day vs. high traffic day. Any help would be appreciated!
hi tom – love the blog and I have dutifully recommended it to everyone that has even thought about a Disney holiday!
I’ve been trying to put a plan together for the day we have allowed for universal studios and I can see you were thinking of making a two park one day plan for universal – but I can’t find it 🙁
did u ever post one? am I being a fool
in not finding it?! please can you make one!! thanks 🙂
I am traveling there with my daughter from December 1-16. We are staying on the Disney resort and getting tickets for 13 days and a one day party ticket. We are using the meal plan plus dining for the character interactions. I’ve done it out several times and it just seems to make more sense for us to get annual passes as compared to buying tickets however the company we are booking through seem to be pushing for tickets over annual passes. I’m just wondering if there is something I am missing when adding it all up? What would you recommend?
ルイヴィトン 2015新作 M48813 実用性ã¨ãƒ•ァッション性をæŒã¡åˆã‚ã›ãŸã‚¢ã‚¤ãƒ†ãƒ 。丸ã¿ã‚’帯ã³ãŸãƒãƒ³ãƒ‰ãƒ«ã¨æ£é¢ã®ãƒ—リーツデザインã¯å¯æ„›ã‚‰ã—ãã€ãƒ¢ãƒŽã‚°ãƒ©ãƒ ・コーティングã®ã‚ャンãƒã‚¹ç´ æã‚’使用ã—ãŸã€Œãƒãƒ¥ãƒ¬ãƒ³PMã€ã¯ã€å¥³æ€§ã®ä¸Šå“ã•を演出ã—ã¦ãれるã§ã—ょã†ã€‚ http://www.ooobag.com/wallet/louisvuitton/index_6.html
I have been all over the blog – impressively well-done, btw – and I have yet to find some clues to my problem.
Will be in Disneyworld for the first time with 2 younger kids over Easter week (bad), as part of a conference (good), but it will limit 3 of our 5 days to begin after noon (bad).
Can anyone offer some good advice on how best to attack this?
Thanks in advance!
I’d highly recommend reading our FastPass+ Guide and making sure you get those booked: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/fastpass-plus-disney-world-guide/
Additionally, staying until the very end of the night and jumping onto popular attractions (e.g. Mine Train) right before close will help extend your day. Hope that helps!
Love the blog…I have been to WDW many times but my lady friend hasnt…we have a ONE DAY PARK HOPPER and would like a suggested itinerary…MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!!
We are planning a family trip Christmas Eve. I notice tickets are not dated. Is there any risk that we will not be able to get in?
Hey Tom, I was wondering if Sarah was still a Disney Travel Planner, and how she got started? I’ve been to Disney who knows how many times and actually plan out Disney trips for fun to see how expensive/cheap I can get them. Thanks!
The WORX GT2.0 3-in-1 Trimmer/Edger comes with an optional wheel assembly
that’s intended to provide support when the device remains in use.
There likely will be additional orders on file relating to your failure to
comply if your payments are substantially previous due.
ãã“ããˆä½¿ç”¨ã—ã¦åˆ©ç”¨ã™ã‚‹ã“ã¨ã‚ãªãŸãŒã—ã¦ã„るホスティング会社ã®ã‚¦ã‚§ãƒ–ホストã‚ãªãŸãŒæ°—ã«ãªã‚Šã¾ã™ç§ã¯ã©ã‚Œã‚’知らã›ã‚‹ï¼Ÿ ブラウザ|ç§ã¯3ç•°ãªã‚‹å®Œå…¨ã«ç•°ãªã‚‹ã§ã‚ãªãŸã®ãƒ–ãƒã‚°ã‚’ãƒãƒ¼ãƒ‰ã—ã¦ã„ã‚‹ã¨ç§ã¯ã“ã®ãƒ–ãƒã‚°ãŒå¤šãã®ã“ã¨ã‚’速ããƒãƒ¼ãƒ‰ã™ã‚‹ã¨è¨€ã‚ãªã‘れã°ãªã‚‰ãªã„ã€æœ€ã‚‚。良ã„ウェブホスティング|ã‚ãªãŸã¯ã‚’ãŠå‹§ã‚示唆ã™ã‚‹ãªä¾¡æ ¼åˆç†çš„å…¬æ£ã€æ£ç›´ã§ãƒ—ãƒãƒã‚¤ãƒ€ã«ï¼Ÿ 賛辞ã¯ã€ç§ã¯ãれを感è¬ï¼
Your website makes me feel better about my own planning practices. I will freely admit to slightly over planning (I even figure out the approximate cost of the tip for each of our dining plan meals and pre-make labeled envelopes with cash tip in them.) That being said, I get so annoyed by people who spend their snack credits on bottled water or don’t make dining reservations and complain that there was “no place to eat”. I can’t tell you the number of horror stories I hear from people about Disney and 99% of them could be avoided by a minimum amount of planning.
Hi, my family and I are planning to go from 8/28 to 9/6, we are visiting from Costa Rica. I wanted to check that in that time schools are back on track, so the parks are going to be less crowded.
Thank you
That is correct.
Btw we are going to talk to the travel agent is that a good idea?
Using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is a GREAT idea. They don’t charge a fee for their time (Disney pays them) and do a lot of the work for you. Just make sure they are actually *authorized* and specialize in Disney.
Here’s one option for an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner: http://www.beourguestvacations.com/
Hi i’m from Canada aand plan to to Disney land at the end of march our family 2 adult and 4 kids 12..11..10 and 7 we thinking going for a week what would you recommend this is our first time trip please help thxs in advance
How do I go about finding the cheapest deals on disney resot and parks vacation?
Watch deals yourself, or contact an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner: http://www.beourguestvacations.com/
HELLO!! Do you guys still give tips?!?! Im going for my Disneymoon end of march and we are going for 10 days, 8 days in the parks. I wanted to get some info on how to plan everything out right and not get overwhelmed or do to much.
Yeah! Check out our Disney World Honeymoon Tips post: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-honeymoon-tips/
We highly recommend taking it slow on your honeymoon, and not trying to do too much. Just keep your expectations on attraction-count low, and you should be off to a good start.
This may sound like a strange question but how do you go about planning your trips to Disney in China/Japan?
I’ve booked my other trips online but I’m really struggling to find information on the parks outside of Europe and America.
We have trip planning guides for the Asia parks now! See the links above.
My family.cant wait to go back in nov
Our family (2 adult-2 kids,10 yrs old) is wanting to visit mult parks from 9/26-9/30. We love rides, Sea World, and some shows. Need hotel and car (maybe). Any suggestion?
I recommend reading this: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-trip-planning-guide/