The first trip I planned for just the three of us overwhelmed me. Our daughter, Story, was only 2 and was in a really tough phase. If her routine was thrown off even a LITTLE, she threw a tantrum, and I really couldn’t visualize how I should plan our days.

I knew from past trips that we couldn’t “wing it” (rule number 1 with Disney planning), but even more, I knew I needed to keep it simple.

How do you keep something laid-back if there’s a schedule?

You make a really simple schedule. Here’s the formula that I use every time we go to Disney World and what I’ve been using to plan our next trip.

FIRST, CHOOSE THREE ATTRACTIONS

Prioritize three attractions you know your family wants to ride. Three is the perfect amount to feel like you didn’t miss out but you left room for wonderment. Now, you could probably ride three attractions in an hour or two, I get that.

But now there’s a mindset shift of: “We didn’t have time to do _________” to “We had so much extra time to do _________.”

When FastPasses are available to book, I would choose my three priorities for my three daily FastPasses.

NOW CHOOSE TWO EXPERIENCES

An experience is something like “see Mickey Mouse”. It’s usually free, heart-warming, and memorable. Here are some examples of an experience to have in Disney World (during normal times, of course)

• Meet your favorite princess
• Crush a penny
• Watch a parade
• Try to pull the “sword from the stone”
• Get a pair of Mickey ears personalized
• Ride the Skyliner
• Take a boat ride
• Watch the Electrical Parade Pageant
  
  

BOOK ONE KILLER DINING RESERVATION

Doesn’t matter if it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, just make a reservation somewhere you have your heart set on and that has great reviews. Be excited to eat at this spot! Not just because you know you need a meal, or it’s on a must-do list.

Check out menus beforehand, they’re all the My Disney Experience app. Have fun with your planning and it will never overwhelm you. 

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