Disney World With Kids

Months-out planning, park reservations, Lightning Lane and Genie+, rope-drop strategy, food, and what to pack for a smooth trip with young children.

Planning (3–6 Months Out)

• Book your resort and park tickets as a package through Disney directly — packages lock in park reservations and unlock early booking windows for dining
• Make dining reservations on day 60 before your first park day (they open at 6 a.m. ET) — Be Our Guest, Cinderella's Royal Table, and Space 220 book within minutes
• Decide whether to buy Genie+ ($35–$45/person/day in 2024) — it's worth it for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, less so for EPCOT
• Book individual Lightning Lane for the two or three rides your kids most want — Rise of the Resistance, Tron, and Guardians of the Galaxy open at 7 a.m. on your park day

Park Reservations & Strategy

• Make park reservations at disney.go.com immediately after booking — a ticket without a park reservation doesn't get you in
• Use a rope-drop strategy: arrive 30 minutes before park open and head immediately to the most popular ride — waits balloon quickly after 10 a.m.
• Schedule park visits to match your children's rhythm — if they nap at 1 p.m., plan to be back at the resort by noon
• Check the My Disney Experience app for posted wait times and pick Lightning Lane return times as early in the day as possible

Food

• Quick Service dining is often better than its reputation — mobile order through the app to skip the counter line entirely
• Bring your own snacks into the park — Disney allows outside food; snacks from the park ($5 for a bottle of water) add up dramatically
• Book the character dining experience at least once (Tusker House or 1900 Park Fare) — characters come to your table and kids get unlimited time with them without a queue

What to Pack

• Bring a lightweight double stroller even if your younger child 'can walk' — Disney parks average 8–12 miles of walking per day
• Pack ponchos (buy ahead — Disney's in-park ponchos are $12 each) and sunscreen; Florida afternoon thunderstorms are daily in summer
• Bring a portable phone battery pack — the My Disney Experience app and park maps drain batteries fast
• Pack a change of clothes for young kids in your day bag — wet or soiled clothes are inevitable

Logistics

• Use Disney's complimentary Skyliner, monorail, or bus transportation between resorts and parks — parking and driving within Disney is time-consuming
• Download the MagicMobile feature in My Disney Experience to use your iPhone or Apple Watch as your park ticket — eliminates carrying physical cards