What To Do Now That Your Resort is Booked – 4 Ways to Keep the Excitement Going

Posted:  Dining Great Ideas! Tips

If you’re like me, you love the planning stage of booking a Disney Trip. Picking a resort is so much fun when staying at Disney, as there is so much variety. I love looking at the different amenities, dining options, and proximity to the parks when deciding on a resort. However, I am someone who will book their stay as far out as possible to get the resort I want, so once the decision is made and I have booked my stay, the excitement starts to fizzle as I typically have a few months to wait until I can finally go on the trip.

Front of Disney's Beach Club Resort. Bright blue building with white trim and porch. There is grass in front of the building and trees overhead.

One question we often get when guests secure their reservation with us is, “What do I do now?”.

The back of Disney's Riviera Resort with the lake in front of the building. The reflection of the resort can be seen on the water.

After you have secured your reservation, the next big step is buying your park tickets and finalizing your travel plans, but after that, it’s really up to each family about how they want to plan the rest of their trip. I thought I would include some tips and ideas of what I do to help finish the planning process and keep the magic and excitement going in the months, weeks, and days leading up to my trip.

View of the pool area and gardens at Disney's Wilderness Lodge from the balcony of a villa.

 

  1. Dining Reservations

Guests staying in a Disney resort will get access to advance dining reservations up to 60 days before their check-in date for their entire length of stay, for up to 10 days.

Entrance to Geyser Point at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Bay Lake can be seen behind the building.

Once my reservation is secured, I go to Google to help me figure out my 60-day window and put a reminder in my phone for the day before. This way, I am not thrown off guard on the day of and end up missing out on those hard-to-get dining reservations. With setting a reminder for the day before, I set my alarm for 5:45 am EST for the next day, so when the window opens at approximately 6:00 am EST, I am awake and ready to start booking those reservations. As well, I can make sure I am in bed nice and early the night before. This will be different for every person, and you may not want to book any dining reservations, which is totally okay!

A plate of steak, potatoes, and broccolini. There is a fork on one side of the plate and a knife on the other.

Now that you have a game plan of how to book your advance dining reservations, you will need to figure out what dining reservations you want to secure and what other dining options are available. I highly recommend setting aside some time, whether it be a morning, afternoon, evening, or a whole day, with your entire travel party and discussing your dining options. This is a great way to get everyone’s input and to make sure that when you finally go to sit down to eat, there is something that everyone will enjoy.

Trattoria al Forno check in desk. The restaurant's name can be seen on a plaque behind the wooden desk and the entrance mat in front of the desk.

If this is your first trip or you want to try something different, make sure to do some research about the dining options you are interested in. This is a fun way to get someone else’s opinions on what you are considering. However, please keep in mind that someone’s views may be different from your own. Disney is always changing, and the information provided online may not be accurate when you are going. Your best bet is to check the Disney website for the most up-to-date information or with a Cast Member at the dining location.

Almond croissants, chocolate chip banana bread, and blueberry muffins in a display case. The banana bread has a piece of white chocolate on top that says "Disney's Riviera Resort".

 

  1. Must-Do’s

While you have everyone gathered, or maybe you will plan another day, make sure you get everyone’s must-dos for your trip. Whether it’s park rides, shopping, shows, experiences, or snacks, make sure you make a list and add these things to your itinerary so everyone feels included and has their special bit of magic. Again, feel free to do some research about things you are interested in to see if it is the right fit for you and your group.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique sign.

Something to keep in mind is that some paid experiences, like the Lightsaber Building at Savi’s Workshop or the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Magic Kingdom, do require a reservation and, similar to dining reservations, open 60 days in advance.

 

  1. Planning Outfits

Whether you have dozens of t-shirts from previous Disney trips or small shops, you always wear matching shirts with your groups, or plan your outfits to aesthetically match the park you are heading to, planning your outfits for your Disney vacation can be so much fun! This can be done months before your trip or days before; there is no wrong way to do it.

Cinderella Castle from the side with a bit of the stage in front.

I like to plan my outfits about a month or so before my trip. That way, I can make sure everything still fits right. Also, I like to wear each of my outfits at home for a full day before my trip; this way, I can make sure the seams of my shorts don’t irritate my legs or my new t-shirt isn’t too thick and heavy for the Florida weather.

 

  1. Movie Night

As I get closer to my trip and everything is planned and packed, I am bursting with excitement that I have no clue what to do with. So, my favorite thing to do is watch all of my favorite Disney movies and shows! You can choose to make it a full event with themed snacks or just turn on your favorite movie, curl up under a blanket, and enjoy.

Muppet Vision 3D Sign on a red brick wall.

Another way to get excited with movie nights is to pick movies that tie into the parks or your must-dos. I love to watch Tangled as it reminds me of the float in Festival of Fantasy at Magic Kingdom with Rapunzel, Flynn, and the ruffians or watching the Muppet Movie as it makes me think of Muppet Vision 3D.

Entrance to the Tangled restrooms in Magic Kingdom. The building is rock with purple and yellow flowers painted on it, and lanterns and flags fly overhead.

There are so many ways to keep the excitement going in the time leading up to your Disney vacation, and there is no right or wrong way to have a Disney trip. Just remember that you are headed to the most magical place on earth, and you will create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

~Taycee

 

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