Info You Should Have On Your Itinerary
Having an itinerary for your trip to Walt Disney World can be the difference between having the most magical trip ever and returning home feeling like you’ve missed out. It can also be a great way for solo travelers, those who tend to get overwhelmed easily [not that that ever happens at Walt Disney World. . . ] or even those who are just a bit forgetful to keep themselves on track.
In the future, we’ll go over everything you need to know about building the perfect itinerary and using it on your next vacation, but today we’re starting with the basics. These are some of the must have pieces of information to collect and include in your vacation plan or itinerary.
Confirmation Numbers
There is a lot of information to keep track of when traveling. The good news is that most of that information is locked and loaded on your handheld smart device. That doesn’t always mean it’s easy to access though. Not to mention how hard it will be to access if you don’t have a good internet connection or if it’s hanging onto the last bit of battery by the skin of it’s teeth! For instances like this, having those important confirmation numbers written down and easily accessible can be . . . . . well, it can be a lifesaver.
Phone Numbers
Right along with confirmation numbers, having important phone numbers included in your itinerary can also be useful when traveling. I know that we don’t think about this much anymore, with smartphones and all, but this ancient technique can be worth the minimal amount of effort it requires. Don’t forget, phones die and tend to get lost/stolen/broken. . . . . especially when on vacation. If that happens, the stress of being unable to contact someone because you don’t remember the number seems. . . . unnecessary.
What numbers I’ll include on an itinerary depends on where I’m going, if I’m traveling alone and what I might need during that trip. For example, if I’m visiting Walt Disney World with family members who have mobility issues it’s likely that you’ll find the number for a well researched wheelchair rental place listed on my itinerary. If I’m traveling alone, I’ll usually have the number for a car service and the hotel I’m staying at on there also.
Must Have Snacks, Treats & Souvenirs
You know that thing that you and/or your kids have been talking about non-stop since you started planning your Walt Disney World vacation? What if I told you that there’s a solid chance that it completely slips your mind while making your way through the parks? I know, it seems hard to believe now, but this happens all the time. [Goodness knows, it’s happened to me plenty of times!] In all the excitement of being inside the magic, it can sometimes be hard to remember all of those things you were really looking forward to leading up to your trip. This is why having them listed on your itinerary is a good idea.
When building itineraries for my Walt Disney World vacations, I like to not only include must haves, but I also like to pop any other important details in there as well. This could include where the items is located or sold, the price and when it’s available. I’ll also include any other important information like if mobile order is a good idea or whether or not there’s a virtual line that I should be aware of. This not only makes it easier to remember those must haves, but it also helps me organize my thoughts when in the parks. Rather than crisscrossing the park to get those things I wanted to try, I can check my itinerary and see what’s in my area that I may have wanted before moving on.
Hours Of Operation
It sounds simple, though everything on this list probably sounds simple to some extent, but taking note of when things are open [or when they might not be] can be hugely beneficial when you’re on vacation. This is especially the case when you’re visiting Walt Disney World, as different parts of the parks often have different hours of operation. For example, the park might open at 9:00 am, but a snack cart might not open until 11:00 am. You might also find that some locations close well before park close. Knowing this ahead of time can be useful.
Because most of this information can be found in the My Disney Experience app, I don’t go overboard listing hours of operation for every location that I’m hoping to visit during my trip. However, I will take the time to list any that are particularly important and play a role in the way I might go about a particular day in the parks. This means I’ll likely have the hours of operation for whatever park I’m hoping to visit listed on the day I plan on visiting. [Don’t forget those Park Pass Reservations!] I’ll also list anything that closes early and opens late; especially if I wouldn’t expect it to.
Of course, this is your vacation plan we’re talking about here! With that being said, be sure to keep the more specific wants and needs of your family in mind when pulling up some of this information. We just scratched the surface with some of these must haves today, but you can build up or break down the list however you see fit.