Blog Post

Planning Your Next Disney Vacation

Ashley Lusk • Jun 06, 2018

An Introduction to: How You can Best Plan Your Next Disney Vacation

Excitement bubbles across my face as I begin to choose one of my favorite images to share with the world. Do I pick the one with my friends? One featuring my favorite location? An outfit that was on-point? I press the "next" button as I fumble with the keyboard to write my message; misspelled words being autocorrected into strange combinations as I go. I add a bit of flare with some choice icons before rereading my message. Satisfied, I hit the "post" button to grab the attention of the masses. Before I know it notifications come in left and right. Approval, excitement, comments of praise, or playful jealousy flood the image. It's my first official announcement that I'm leaving once again to the most magical place on Earth -- Walt Disney World!

Soon family and friend a like begin to ask me how I do it. How can I make my way to the sunny Florida state multipule time of the year? How can I afford such a hard to budget trip? How did I even begin to know what I should do while I'm there? Before long more friends and family ask for my Disney advice. What park should they visit? What rides should they Fast Pass? Is dining at Be Our Guest really worth the price and effort of making reservations? I calmly take my time to answer them all.

I'm not a person of great monetary wealth, but I do work for an amazing company that helps me to travel to one of my favorite places often; for research purposes. I have a supportive family who helps me make payments towards owning an annual pass membership to the Walt Disney World Resorts. I am a single young woman who is very blessed to have the support of my small community and time available to travel. Aside from by budgeting, most of my travel is spent planning the perfect getaway during the coldest months of the year. I'll start my planning around either special events happening at the parks, new experience openings, or personal celebrations. This time around I'm celebrating my 27th birthday!

Picking the best travel dates can be one of the hardest parts of my trips. Being sure I can take time off work is only one small part of the equation. Who will I be traveling with? What time of the year is it? Is this a popular time at the parks? I'm an early January baby. Going before the New year will be expensive and hard to find rooms as people flood the parks for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and special New Year's events. The following few days the parks will empty just to be quickly replaced with Disney Marathon Runners taking the lead; This prime time season isn't over yet! I look at the calendar and pick some dates at the end of the month. After Martin Luther King Jr. Day and before Valentine's Day is the perfect sweet spot at the Walt Disney World resorts. This is the closest to the "off season" I will be able to attend this year. This is the time when the parks have some of their lowest crowd counts. The best time for a leisurely experience with shorter wait times for attractions.

My Favorite part? The Disney Cast Members! It's the first time in over half a year that they can breathe easy. Ever since May 27th, 2017 these unsung heros have been doing their best to service ever growing crowds at shops, rides, dining establishments, shows, and character attractions with little acknowledgement from the mass of thousands. This small reprieve between the minor holidays helps rejuvenate their smiles and love fo the parks; And I like to do everything in my power to remind them why it's all worth it. I'll be extra polite as I thank them for their well wishes, ask for their assistance, and engage them in a small conversation about themselves. How's their day going? What's their favorite ride? Who's their favorite character? This is a time when they can truly shine!

With my travel companions on board for the magical adventures and my travel dates confirmed, it's time to begin the official Walt Disney World plans. When chatting with Tiny Diva Princess Party fans, friend or family these have been some of my most commonly asked questions:

  • Where should I stay?
  • When should I plan my dining?
  • At what point should I reserve my Fast Passes?
  • What can I do to make this trip different, or new and exciting from my last visit?
  • Do I need a travel agent?
It is my belief that anyone can make a magical trip for their loved ones with smart planning. Here, today, I will give you my insiders guide to planning a trip that's right for you! In this blog series I will cover the basics of what you need to know about Walt Disney Worlds resort hotels, dining plans, Fast Pass+ selections, special event tickets, and a little about Disney Travel Agents. Be sure to keep tuned for all the latest blog posts for this series of "Planning Your Next Disney Vacation" on Tiny Diva Princess Party and The Tiny Diva Explorer's Facebook Fan Pages!

Written: January 1st, 2018 Published: June 6th, 2018 Revised: May 31st, 2019

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Begin your Once Upon a Time Disney Vacation by Planning with a Princess! You'll be invited to the Royal Treatment with Personal one-on-one Princess Training, Receive Helpful Guides, Create a Magical Itinerary, and top it off with your own Rhinestone Tiara! Your next chapter begins with the Travel Princess of Storybook Trips! 

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Holiday Magic at Walt Disney World

By Ashley Lusk • 21 Dec, 2020
I enjoyed my first trip back to the Walt Disney World parks in September 2020 so much that I could not dream of a better way to spend my holiday season! The moment I returned home I was already deep into my new travel plans! Ten weeks later I was back on a plane and meeting up with some amazing friends! When I arrived back to the magic, for my second time since their phased reopening in July, there were some noticeable changes. In September Walt Disney World parks and resorts had been operating at a low capacity rate. As of my return, the capacity levels had increased by approximately fifteen percent. This increase of guests traveling for the holidays did lead to longer wait times for the park attractions, and caused both the theme parks and Disney Springs to reach their capacity for the day with increased regularity. If you are hoping to visit the Walt Disney World properties in the new year be prepared to experience long wait time and make your reservations well in advance!

Disney Travel Agents

By Ashley Lusk • 19 Sep, 2019
Disney has many amazing travel opportunities be it to their Stateside or Overseas Theme Parks, enjoying a stay at Aulani in Hawaii, or traveling the world with Adventures by Disney! Sometimes it may seem a bit overwhelming. Do you find yourself wanting to plan your next magical vacation, but uncertain where to start? Look no further than a Disney Travel Agent! These trained travel professionals are a treasure-trove of Disney information! They can assist you with travel bookings, keep you informed of the latest experiences and offers, and create an itinerary customized to your unique travel party!

Walt Disney World MagicBands

By Ashley Lusk • 18 Sep, 2019
Walt Disney World is home to some of the most magical moments! From their resort stays, theme parks, attractions, and photo oppertunities to their website, industry leading customer service, and specialty merchandise Disney always aims for the best! Disney's MagicBand is the perfect tool to connect it all! The MagicBand is perfect for all ages, all activities, and helps to keep Disney Travels connected to their many adventures!

Special Event Tickets and Tours at Walt Disney World

By Ashley Lusk • 18 Sep, 2019
If you are looking for the best way to add a little pixie dust to your next visit to Walt Disney World you should look no further than Disney's Special Events and Tours! These magical extras will be sure to take you to a whole new world with limited experiences, specialty treats, themed parties, and VIP explorations! In this installment I will give a brief overview of some of these extra magical experiences!
Disney FastPass+ Check-in Post at Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom

Disney FastPass+ Services

By Ashley Lusk • 24 Jul, 2019
Walt Disney World's FastPAss+ selection is the best in the theme park industry! They allow Disney resort guests to plan 60 days in advance of their trip, they are accessible to reserve on your computer or mobile device when you log in to your My Disney Experience account, they are connected to your MagicBand and/or theme park ticket card, and are FREE for Everyone! Here's what you should know....

Walt Disney World Dining 

By Ashley Lusk • 31 May, 2019
Learn the basics of Walt Disney World dining from quick service and mobile ordering to full service and character experiences! This fan blog will give you helpful tips about how to plan for your next Florida Disney Vacation!

Choosing a Disney Resort

By Ashley Lusk • 07 Jun, 2018
Walt Disney World has no shortage of exciting places to stay during your vacation! Whether you're traveling as a family, a surprise anniversary trip, or with friends here's what you should know about the Disney resorts! To begin you may have already taken the time off from work and booked your tickets for a quick exit from the Minnesota tundra. If not, that's just fine! You do not need to have planned any dates at all to see what works best for you! To get started sign in or create an account on Disney's " My Disney Experience " website. This will come in handy when making your official plans.

Welcome to the Tiny Diva Explorer

By Ashley Lusk • 05 Jun, 2018
Welcome to Tiny Diva Princess Party's official Magical Guide to your favorite Fairytale Kingdom!
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