Planning trip for July 2023 and am completely OVERWHELMED and discouraged :(

[PDXmouse]

The last time we went to Orlando was 2018 and BOY have things changed.

I researched meticulously for the last trip. I think I started planning in earnest 18-24 months before we left.

I booked during a fabulous discount time (about 40% off rack rates at Yacht club) and we added the dining plan.

I took full advantage of early access to fast passes and our trip went so smoothly!

Now that I'm back looking into returning, I barely recognize anything! I'm not even sure where to start!

I tried to look through the boards but I'm having analysis paralysis and what should be something fun is giving me major anxiety.

Here are my biggest questions:
1) In the past we went in Jan/Feb. This time we are going in July. I *know* the weather will be drastically different. How should we be prepared?
2) Is staying on property even still worth it? It used to be, and so last time I ONLY researched Disney hotels. Now I'm wondering if we should broaden our scope to non Disney properties.
3) At first I thought maybe I should just hire a travel agent to help us, but when I reached out to someone she was not that helpful, she just wanted me to tell her when and where I wanted to be booked. Well duh! If I knew that I could do it myself!
4) Are there any deals I should be watching for to drop?

What I *really* need is someone who knows the Disney experience as well as I did back in 2018, who can narrow down my options with some pros and cons so I can make a decision.

But barring that, I'm hoping you all can point me in the right direction. Where should I start? How do you all decide where you are going to stay?

Deets: Family of four - mom, dad, and two teens. We want to be in FL for probably 10-12 days. 2 days are full travel (we're flying a distance). Roughly 2/3 will be spent at Disney, and the rest at Universal and maybe the Kennedy Space Station.

 

[timff18]

do you have a travel agent? not all agents are the same - let me know if you would be interested in speaking with another one!

 

[ShannyMcB]

Dreams unlimited (who sponsor these boards) are helpful. I have used them the past two years. The big thing they helped me with is monitoring for discounts so after initial booking both years a discount was offered and they were able apply it and save a couple hundred without me having to sit on hold for Disney. Same with dining reservations.

July is hot and showers almost everyday. Invest is some moisture wicking clothes (socks and undies) and grab some ponchos before you get there. Cooling towels are also a must. The last two years we have gone in August and I have previously traveled there in July and September....plan on finding air conditioning midday and you'll be fine.

On property vs off is really preference. We like being on property for the disney transportation. Will you be having a rental car and how comfortable are you driving it in an unfamiliar area? Remember to factor in the cost of parking. Disney good neighbor hotels or those near Disney springs kind of offer the best of both worlds.

 

[loves to dive]

A lot of the perks of staying on site have gone away. What is left: for all resorts and some good neighbor resorts you get 1/2 hour early entry into the parks. If staying in a deluxe and some good neighbor resorts, you get extra hours at night at MK and Epcot. It is not every night, just one night a week for each park, I can't remember what those nights are. You do still get Disney transportation to the parks. If you want to drive to the parks and are staying in a Disney resort parking at the parks is free but all resorts now charge for parking at the resort. Discounts have slowly been coming back but who knows what or if they will be after the current one which runs through March and applies if you buy at least a 4 day package. There seem to be more for APs and Florida residents then general public right now.

The paid service that replaced FP+ is Genie+ and there are a number of UTube videos out there that are going to show you how to use it. I don't use it so can't help you there.

You need to make park reservations now. That means for each day you plan on being in the parks, you must have a reservation at a park. If you plan on park hopping, currently you can not do that until 2 pm and you have to have at least tapped into the park you have a reservation for before you can hop. Rumor has it they are going to change the time you can start hopping but that is just rumor. It's better to go ahead and book a reservation for a park as soon as you have your tickets. There is a possibility you can change it to another park later but it is better to at least lock something in. You can not get into a park without a reservation unless you are hopping and I repeat, you have to have tapped into the park you have a reservation for before you can hop to another one.

Magic Bands are no longer free to resort guests, there is usually a discount when you book your room but you can still use old ones if you have them or good old fashioned plastic park tickets.

Undercover tourist always has discounts on tickets and sometimes discounts on rooms. They are an authorized Disney reseller.

 

[JPPT1974]

Well it seems a lot of things have changed due to COVID. And that hopefully you can make the most of it there. As blame the pandemic for changing things. Good luck and hope you have a great stay.

 

[Shiriki Utundu]

The last time we went to Orlando was 2018 and BOY have things changed.

I researched meticulously for the last trip. I think I started planning in earnest 18-24 months before we left.

I booked during a fabulous discount time (about 40% off rack rates at Yacht club) and we added the dining plan.

I took full advantage of early access to fast passes and our trip went so smoothly!

Now that I'm back looking into returning, I barely recognize anything! I'm not even sure where to start!

I tried to look through the boards but I'm having analysis paralysis and what should be something fun is giving me major anxiety.

Here are my biggest questions:
1) In the past we went in Jan/Feb. This time we are going in July. I *know* the weather will be drastically different. How should we be prepared?
2) Is staying on property even still worth it? It used to be, and so last time I ONLY researched Disney hotels. Now I'm wondering if we should broaden our scope to non Disney properties.
3) At first I thought maybe I should just hire a travel agent to help us, but when I reached out to someone she was not that helpful, she just wanted me to tell her when and where I wanted to be booked. Well duh! If I knew that I could do it myself!
4) Are there any deals I should be watching for to drop?

What I *really* need is someone who knows the Disney experience as well as I did back in 2018, who can narrow down my options with some pros and cons so I can make a decision.

But barring that, I'm hoping you all can point me in the right direction. Where should I start? How do you all decide where you are going to stay?

Deets: Family of four - mom, dad, and two teens. We want to be in FL for probably 10-12 days. 2 days are full travel (we're flying a distance). Roughly 2/3 will be spent at Disney, and the rest at Universal and maybe the Kennedy Space Station.

definitely should contact a travel agent.

 

[Steffiesunshine]

There are so many helpful YouTube videos. One was called “Idiot’s Guide to WDW” which was good. You can search Disney for beginners or Disney 2023 and there will be a lot of helpful info on there.

I always stay on property. I just prefer it because I don’t want to be bothered with car rental, parking, etc.

I went last on Sept 2021, and it was HOT. I was not happy. And I’m from NYC, so I know hot, humid summers. This year, I’m going in December. I can’t imagine July there. I would get neck fans, cooling towels and plan on lots of breaks, maybe even going back to the hotel midday.

Good luck!

 

[SLThomas318]

Husband is a teacher, so we almost always do a summer trip. It is hot, but not unbearable. I would give staying on property a slight edge this time of year so you can take advantage of early entry and easily getting back to your resort for a midday rest. We do early mornings, pool/room break thru the heat of the day, and then head back to close out the park. Moisture wicking clothes, ponchos, and lots of water! Hand-held fans are nice too. A good walking sandal... we do teva or keens. Wet sneakers are a mess and you can almost always count on some showers that time of year.

Dining is only done 60 days out now and genie+ can be a day of decision. We ended up buying it for 1 day last summer just to get in a few things we hadn't been able to do at rope drop/end of day. I wouldn't study too much on genie+ now because they keep tweaking it... the rules today will most likely be different by the time your trip rolls around.

We haven't done Universal, but most people on the boards are a fan of staying at one of their deluxe properties to get the express pass. I'd probably consider some sort of split stay between Universal and Disney so you can take advantage of that.

We are DVC so we stay deluxe on property, but people really like Swan/Dolphin in order to still get the "on-site" perks and feel like you are in the bubble. With teens you'll have easy access to Epcot and Hollywood. The prices should be better vs on-property as well.

 

[PDXmouse]

Thank you everyone!

Right now I am leaning towards Swan & Dolphin for our Disney part of the stay. I don't think we want to pay deluxe prices (though we thoroughly enjoyed Yacht Club last time.) Maybe Royal Caribbean Resort is an option? Thoughts?

If we stay at the Swan & Dolphin do we just uber or walk to the parks?

We will likely stay at Portofino Bay again while at Universal. That's where we stayed last time and we enjoyed it.

 

[SLThomas318]

Thank you everyone!

Right now I am leaning towards Swan & Dolphin for our Disney part of the stay. I don't think we want to pay deluxe prices (though we thoroughly enjoyed Yacht Club last time.) Maybe Royal Caribbean Resort is an option? Thoughts?

If we stay at the Swan & Dolphin do we just uber or walk to the parks?

We will likely stay at Portofino Bay again while at Universal. That's where we stayed last time and we enjoyed it.

You can walk or boat to HS and Epcot from swan/dolphin. There is bus transportation to MK (drops at TTC though), AK, and Disney Springs. You can always uber too.

If deluxe extra hours keep going you would have access to those staying swan/dolphin, but not Caribbean.

ETA: Swan/Dolphin will be treated almost exactly like any of the other deluxe disney resorts vs Caribbean being a moderate. If they are around the same price then I think swan/dolphin is the better option since you can walk/boat to 2 parks and access to all the dining at Yacht/Beach and Boardwalk.

 

[Ohiostatefan606]

The last time we went to Orlando was 2018 and BOY have things changed.

I researched meticulously for the last trip. I think I started planning in earnest 18-24 months before we left.

I booked during a fabulous discount time (about 40% off rack rates at Yacht club) and we added the dining plan.

I took full advantage of early access to fast passes and our trip went so smoothly!

Now that I'm back looking into returning, I barely recognize anything! I'm not even sure where to start!

I tried to look through the boards but I'm having analysis paralysis and what should be something fun is giving me major anxiety.

Here are my biggest questions:
1) In the past we went in Jan/Feb. This time we are going in July. I *know* the weather will be drastically different. How should we be prepared?
2) Is staying on property even still worth it? It used to be, and so last time I ONLY researched Disney hotels. Now I'm wondering if we should broaden our scope to non Disney properties.
3) At first I thought maybe I should just hire a travel agent to help us, but when I reached out to someone she was not that helpful, she just wanted me to tell her when and where I wanted to be booked. Well duh! If I knew that I could do it myself!
4) Are there any deals I should be watching for to drop?

What I *really* need is someone who knows the Disney experience as well as I did back in 2018, who can narrow down my options with some pros and cons so I can make a decision.

But barring that, I'm hoping you all can point me in the right direction. Where should I start? How do you all decide where you are going to stay?

Deets: Family of four - mom, dad, and two teens. We want to be in FL for probably 10-12 days. 2 days are full travel (we're flying a distance). Roughly 2/3 will be spent at Disney, and the rest at Universal and maybe the Kennedy Space Station.

Just got back from our 8th Disney trip. We started going once a year in 2014. I, like you, had it all figured out, then they threw it in a blender and mixed it all up! I use WDW Prep School to read and learn about new info. I love these boards, but they can be overwhelming. The info at WDW Prep is updated as things change and they are a travel agent. But you don't have to use them to read all the info on their website.

 

[DL1WDW2]

( Quick thought for the Swan has Queen beds but the Dolphin only has double. )

I think the Swan is a great choice for a family with teens for the location. Be sure to ask about discounts . They might have AAA discount or teacher discounts for example.

Costco. Membership might have Swan / Dolphin rates that include the tax and resort fees. I’m not a member but I just remembered recent post about that.

 

[Counting Stars]

Don't want to add to your feeling overwhelmed but I thought this might be of interest given you are traveling in July. Swan and Dolphin are not included but you could compare the prices between Swan and some of the Disney Deluxe or Moderate hotels and see if this might be to your benefit. Value is determined per night, not per guest: ​

Disney Dining Promo Card Offer Available at Walt Disney World For Summer 2023​

It might not be the return of the Disney Dining Plan, but this new offer does have to do with dining at Walt Disney World.

The Disney Dining Promo Card is now available for bookings beginning January 5, 2023. Guests will be able to use the card during select dates in summer 2023.

Guests can get up to a $750 Disney Dining Promo Card that can be used to purchase food and beverage items at participating locations at Disney World.


You must book at least a 5-night, 4-day non-discounted room and ticket package (4-day ticket and 4-night minimum required). The dining promo is only available for arrivals from June 25 to September 14, 2023.

This cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. This offer excludes the following room types: campsites, 3-bedroom villas, and Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

Important: There is only one Disney Dining Promo Card distributed per reservation, with the initial balance based on the check-in date, the resort category, and the number of nights. The value is calculated per night, not per guest.

July 1-10 and August 1-September 14 arrivals:

Value Resort: $50 per night
Moderate Resort & Cabins: $100 per night
Deluxe Resort & Villas: $150 per night

June 25-30 and July 11-31 arrivals:

Value Resort: $35 per night
Moderate Resort & Cabins: $75 per night
Deluxe Resort & Villas: $125 per night

 

[JodyK]

I would also add to your list of things to potentially research would be renting DVC points for your trip.

 

[notatallmagic]

I get the analysis paralysis. We also used to go in January when the kiddos were little, and have been there in July the last 4 years.

A couple thoughts -
- I would definitely look at the new promo with the dining credit. Staying at a Deluxe or even Moderate makes sense. We enjoy the Skyliner Resorts - Yacht/Beach if it's in the budget; a preferred room at Caribbean might be a nice option. Those resorts are close to Hollywood/Epcot. Again, Deluxe might get you the evening hours too.
- With all the new Genie/LL stuff, we take full advantage of the early/late hours. We also go back to the resort mid-day (ages 16 and 20 for my kids) and then back to parks at night. It avoids the worst of the heat and crowds.
- I second the advice to stay Deluxe at Universal for your time their and get ExpressPass. You can stalk their site for discounts for summer.

So much has changed, but with a longer trip, you will still have plenty of time to do everything. We don't find July to be too terrible, but we ALWAYS carry lots of water (and do a grocery order with lots of water) and schedule our ride itinerary to include indoor/cool areas and rides. It's very doable.

And we watch dfbguide videos to get us in the happy planning mood - lots of good info there. Happy Planning!

 

[SG131]

If you're only doing disney 2-3 days, I'm not sure there is a reason to pay the premium prices to stay onsite. It sounds like you plan on having a car since you plan to go to various places, in which case, it might be worth considering a renting on VRBO or a similar site. In that case, you wouldn't be able to use a travel agent. Or, you could consider staying at a Universal Hotel. They have some very reasonably priced suites.

 

[StarCruzer]

Lot's of great advice here, not sure if I have anything too valuable to add.

Probably the most critical is making park reservations as soon as you have tickets--especially if you want to go to Hollywood Studios, as that park tends to fill up the fastest. If you have Park Hoppers, you can hop to a new park after 2 p.m. (although I think that has been the standard for a while now).

If you want the Extended Evening Hours, right now they are Monday nights at EPCOT and Wednesday nights at Magic Kingdom. My understanding is you can get A LOT done in those two extra hours. Just make sure your family is up for the late night. You also get a half hour of Early Entry into the parks. If you use those, you need to be at the park at least 45 minutes BEFORE the posted Early Entry time. This extra morning time can get you on to 1-2 extra rides (one ride if you choose an attraction that regularly has 60+ minute waits, two if you choose less popular rides).

Advance Dining Reservations are now 60 days out, and the cancellation window is down from 24 hours to 2 hours. This gives more flexibility for walk up seating. Many restaurants now also have the option to join a walk up waitlist on the app as well.

If you're going in July, the ride that is most likely to use a Virtual Queue (VQ) system is TRON, which opens in Magic Kingdom in early April. Make sure you check before your trip to see which rides use VQ and how to get your spot. Disney themselves don't explain the process well, and I've overheard some pretty exasperated people in the park asking "how can a ride be sold out?"

If you decide to use Genie+ I would recommend looking at the guide on Disney Tourist Blog. He updates the guide each time the app gets updated, so it stays pretty up to date generally. Read it once through to understand how it works on a basic level, then check back right before your trip to see if anything has changed.

 

[LMB1419]

I can empathize! Our last trip was in 2019 and its so different now. I have been watching Tik Toks to get re-introduced and that's been helpful. Little 3 minute tidbits here and there. We were struggling with on property vs off property but I think the early entry and late hours are enough to get us to pay the premium to stay on property. We probably won't be back for a few years and my kids won't be as entranced with Disney by that time so the price will be worth it!

 

[LandonDunes]

The last time we went to Orlando was 2018 and BOY have things changed.

I researched meticulously for the last trip. I think I started planning in earnest 18-24 months before we left.

I booked during a fabulous discount time (about 40% off rack rates at Yacht club) and we added the dining plan.

I took full advantage of early access to fast passes and our trip went so smoothly!

Now that I'm back looking into returning, I barely recognize anything! I'm not even sure where to start!

I tried to look through the boards but I'm having analysis paralysis and what should be something fun is giving me major anxiety.

Here are my biggest questions:
1) In the past we went in Jan/Feb. This time we are going in July. I *know* the weather will be drastically different. How should we be prepared?
2) Is staying on property even still worth it? It used to be, and so last time I ONLY researched Disney hotels. Now I'm wondering if we should broaden our scope to non Disney properties.
3) At first I thought maybe I should just hire a travel agent to help us, but when I reached out to someone she was not that helpful, she just wanted me to tell her when and where I wanted to be booked. Well duh! If I knew that I could do it myself!
4) Are there any deals I should be watching for to drop?

What I *really* need is someone who knows the Disney experience as well as I did back in 2018, who can narrow down my options with some pros and cons so I can make a decision.

But barring that, I'm hoping you all can point me in the right direction. Where should I start? How do you all decide where you are going to stay?

Deets: Family of four - mom, dad, and two teens. We want to be in FL for probably 10-12 days. 2 days are full travel (we're flying a distance). Roughly 2/3 will be spent at Disney, and the rest at Universal and maybe the Kennedy Space Station.

You are 100% correct. We are in the same boat. Went in 2018 and it was incredible. We could buy Club Level FP’ and book them 90 days out. Process was easier, prices were always high but now it’s outrageous. Our trip in Nov will be our last one. Everyone I’ve talked to, that has gone, has said they spend more time looking at their phones than they do the scenery. Value not there for what you pay anymore.

 

[midwestdee]

I can empathize! Our last trip was in 2019 and its so different now. I have been watching Tik Toks to get re-introduced and that's been helpful. Little 3 minute tidbits here and there. We were struggling with on property vs off property but I think the early entry and late hours are enough to get us to pay the premium to stay on property. We probably won't be back for a few years and my kids won't be as entranced with Disney by that time so the price will be worth it!

Keep in mind late hours are only for deluxe resorts. Early entry is now only 30 minutes. I strongly recommend u tube videos on Genie+, LL, ILL, etc… DD & I prepped for our June trip like it was the Normandy invasion. I’m proud to say we totally rocked Genie+. Her family arrived 2 days before DH & I, Genie+ is worth every penny but you need to prep.