8 Tips For Planning a Last-Minute Walt Disney World Getaway
Thanksgiving Dinner is a great time to hash out those travel plans with your friends and family. You may be discussing a spontaneous Disney visit, a last-minute destination Christmas or a get together early in the New Year. One of the questions I see surfacing a lot this time of year is whether its worth it to plan a last minute Disney getaway? With pressure put on guests these days to book dining early, lock in those Fastpasses or plan out your days with military-like precision than the idea of visiting Disney without a year of solid planning may seem like a lost cause. But, take it from this notorious last-minute planner, you CAN plan a visit to the Mouse with little notice and still have the time of your life! To show you how here are a handful of quick tips to aid you in your last-minute travel plans!
1. Ignore the Naysayers – We all have them, that co-worker that’s been to Disney 10 times and insists you should never go without months of painstaking planning or that family member that tells you won’t get any Fastpasses or dining reservations, however, remember that everyone approaches a Disney visit differently. There is no right or wrong way to organize your visit to Disney World. The parks are such a magical place that you can show up with zero notice and still have an amazing day- Trust me, I’ve done it. No, you may not get that FastPass for Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom or lock in a coveted 8 am reservation at Be Our Guest. Does that mean you should abandon your travel plans? Absolutely not. There are a ton of fantastic attractions and convenient eateries for you to enjoy. Don’t let the emphasis on planning put you off!
2. Be Flexible With Your Resort Choice – For those planning a last-minute Disney World trip, your resort choice may be limited. When going into the booking process, it pays to be flexible and keep an open mind. Though many of the popular resorts will fill up months in advance, there are over 25 incredible places to stay on Walt Disney World property. This means that there’s still bound to be options that would work for your family. When researching options, its good to compile a list of a handful of resorts that you wouldn’t mind staying it. It’s also good to be flexible with your dates. Sometimes switching your check-in date from a Sunday to a Monday may change availability significantly.
3. Still Scout for Discounts – It is true that popular Disney discounts like the Autumn FREE dining promotion usually book up within days. Yet, there are other discounts available throughout the year. For that travelling last-minute, don’t rule out the possibility of being able to nab a last-minute room discount. These offers can save you anywhere from 10 – 30% off your resort stay! When in doubt about available discounts enlist the services of a Travel Agent who will be up-to-speed on any bargains available during your stay. You can also call Disney directly and they’ll be more than happy to check on discounted options for you!
4. YES! You can still get Advanced Dining Reservations – This has to be one of the biggest concerns for people booking a last-minute Walt Disney World getaway. It is true that dining reservations open up for guests 180 days in advance. It is also true that the most popular restaurants will sell out quickly (like T-Rex, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Be Our Guest, Ohana). However, there is usually a healthy selection of dining options across the parks and resorts that will still be available with only a few weeks to spare. Reservations are also always in a constant state of flux. Incoming guests are booking and cancelling reservations all of the time. You may not see availability one day and the next day be able to nab that perfect dinner! With a bit of persistence and flexibility, you can still book in a nice mix of table service options. Also, remember the theme parks and resorts are packed with an eclectic array of Quick Service options in delightful surroundings that don’t require are reservation.
5. YES! Fastpasses Will Still Be Available During Your Stay – Disney World’s FastPass system is a great perk for guests visiting the theme parks. The system allows you to jump to the front of the queue on 3- of your favorite rides or attractions, each day you’re are visiting the parks. Onsite guests have the option of selecting FastPasses up to 60-days in advance and off-site guest can book their’s 30-days in advance. However, this DOES NOT mean that anyone booking a last minute vacation misses out on this exciting perk. Like dining, Disney’s FastPass booking system has constantly changing availability. Guests are adding and dropping FastPass selections all the time. No, you may not be able to get that FastPass for Flight of Passage, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Slinky Dog Dash. However, like with dining, with a bit of persistence, you can still fill your days with a series of fun rides and attractions your family is sure to love. Remember, you always have the option of waiting in the stand-by line for an attraction you really want to experience but couldn’t get a FastPass for. If doing so, try to arrive at the park when it opens and get in the line straight away to avoid the lengthy wait times that tend to build up come mid-day.
6. Onsite Guests Will Still Receive a Magic Band – One of the coolest perks for guests staying onsite at Walt Disney World is the complimentary MagicBands that you’ll receive for your vacation. These bands will serve as your room key, theme park admission and will also hold the details of your dining and FastPass reservations. You can even use them to make purchases at the theme parks and resorts. Guests planning a Disney World getaway have the ability to customize your bands by picking a color and having them inscribed. Many guests considering a last-minute vacation worry about missing out on this exciting perk. But, not to worry, Disney has a system in place when it comes to securing MagicBands for last minute visitors. Any MagicBands customized up to 11 days before your vacation will be shipped to your home. Customizations made after the 10-day mark will be waiting for you at your Walt Disney World resort. If book your vacation with under 5-days notice, you’ll receive a plan grey MagicBand from your resort but still have the option of purchasing a colored or customized MagicBand from any of the gift shops on property.
7. You Can Still Take Disney’s Complimentary Airport Shuttle To Your Resort and Have Your Luggage Picked Up – Magical Express is a complimentary airport shuttle service available for all guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort. This includes last-minute travellers. Though it is possible to make a reservation with Magical Express months in advance, Disney will NOT turn you away from the service if you haven’t booked as long as you have a valid Walt Disney World Resort reservation. One of the perks of Magical Express is that the service can pick up your luggage for you saving you the need to go to baggage claim. As part of this service, Disney will send you special Luggage Tags weeks in advance. This leads many guests thinking about a last minute getaway to worry that they wouldn’t be able to use this service but that is not the case! If Disney doesn’t have time to send you luggage tags or your trip is so last-minute that you haven’t pre-booked for Magical Express don’t worry! All you need to do is take your plane ticket with your baggage claim stubs attached to them with you when you check in at Magical Express. Disney will use this information to retrieve your luggage. It’s that easy!
8. Get Up To Speed on Final Payments and Cancellation Policy – For guests booking a Disney getaway, the package must be paid in full no later than 30-days before you are due to arrive at Disney. This means that those planning a last-minute Disney vacation may be expected to pay for your package in-full up front. Also, if booking under the one month mark, you may be subjected to cancellation fees and charges should you need to cancel your package. If you need to cancel your package between the 29 – 2 day mark a $200.00 non-refundable fee will be taken by Disney. You will then be refunded for the rest of your balance minus any non-refundable air transportation, special event tickets or personalized products or experiences. Guests cancelling with one day or less to go on your vacation will lose the full amount of your Disney getaway. For last-minute Disney, getaways be sure of your plans before booking to make sure that you aren’t subject to the fees outlined above. Those cancelling before the 30-day mark are eligible for a full refund minus non-refundable air, travel insurance premiums, special events or personalized products or experiences.
For guests booking a hotel stay only and not a Disney vacation package, you may cancel at least 5-days in advance and receive a full refund. Cancelling after a 5-nights means that Disney will charge you a fee of a 1-night stay as penalty.
We hope these 8 tips have made you feel like planning a last-minute Disney World getaway is a definite possibility! When planning any last-minute getaway, it pays to enlist the services of an Authorized Disney Vacation planner who can work hard to help you organize your stay including FastPasses, Dining Reservations and discounts!
Fill out our form below to receive your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels.
Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your visit truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook.
