We are going this fall. I booked Ft Wilderness 499 days ahead of our first arrival, which was the very first day I could. Study the loop map. There
are benefits to being up front by check in, namely you are close to the buses to the parks, there are benefits to being in the middle, namely you are
close to the pools, movie night area, and food, and there are benefits to being way in the back, you are close to the boats to Magic Kingdom and the
Hoop Dee Doo Revue. Chose what is important to you and find the loop that fits. About 7-10 days before you go, you can request a specific site in a
loop as well.
If you aren't staying at Ft. Wilderness, ignore all of this. But if you are, book now. As a resort guest, you can book your dining reservations 6
months ahead. You WILL need to do this if you want to get into the better places to eat and the shows like Hoop Dee Doo and Spirit of Aloha. If you
are using the Disney Dining Plan, it is imperative you book your Table Seating Restaurants 6 months in advance of the first day of arrival. Otherwise
you will be using your meal plan on lesser restaurants, which is a waste of money.
Finally, if you stay at a Disney resort, like Ft. Wilderness, you can book Fastpasses for the rides 60 days in advance. You WILL need to do this as
well, especially if you want to limit the amount of time you spend in line and get the most out of your park tickets. If you don't stay at a Disney
resort, you can book 30 days ahead. The difference in what is available, especially at peak times, is incredible.
Disney is no longer one of those places you show up and walk around. It is a mountain of pre-planning. They have been very clever. People used to show
up, wait in line forever, eat in crappy restaurants, and complain that it wasn't worth the money. They have now moved as much of the frustration about
your trip as possible to before you go. So you get really annoyed at Disney while doing all the planning, but once you get there you have a plan, most
things are set, and you just go along for the ride. Not very spontaneous, but it does cut down on the frustration. Then when you leave, you remember
how well it worked, and not so much how frustrating it was to all plan!
Clever, clever Disney, but it does mean start early and plan hard...
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Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL