Main Street Dreamin’ - A Disney World Series: Part 1 - Planning
Photo by David Guerrero - found on Pexels
Welcome to Main Street Dreamin’ - A Disney World Series
I am so excited to welcome you to my new content series: Main Street Dreamin’ - A Disney World Series; I’m here to give you first-timer tips for your most magical trip.
Anytime I travel somewhere new I spend a lot of time combing the internet for expert tips, and must-do’s from the place that I’m going. With that being said, I have spent over a year diving into the internet to learn all things Disney and plan (what I think will be…) the perfect* first time Disney trip!
*Disclaimer: My idea of perfect is planning ahead and knowing my options, but going with the flow when i’m actually on the trip. If you’re addicted to sticking with your plan, any hiccup can ruin your trip. I like to have a plan, be prepared, expect adjustments, and enjoy the experience overall.
Before we dive into the first part of this series, you’ll also want to head over to my YouTube channel to subscribe for more Disney, lifestyle, and photography content!
What made me excited about Disney?
About a year and a half ago, my family had the bright idea to surprise my mother-in-law with a trip to Universal Studios for Christmas. She's a huge Harry Potter fan, so we knew she'd be living her best wizard life—but the rest of us? Clueless Muggles wandering into theme park chaos with no spellbook, no plan, and definitely no idea what we were doing.
If you read my Universal Studios blog series last year, you know that I met Lindsay Norris from Mouse Ear Magic Travel and she helped us book our trip and create the perfect trip for our family.
When Lindsay started giving us options for hotels I went to YouTube for a visual overview of what the hotels would look like, and what amenities were available. I stumbled upon the All Ears YouTube channel, and suddenly I was in a full-blown binge spiral—like Love is Blind meets Great British Bake Off, but with theme park ride strategies and Mickey shaped snacks.
Yes, I was watching for the Universal Studios content, but as I slowly morphed into my theme park obsession, I knew Disney was calling my name too!
I never went to Disney as a kid, and honestly, it was never on my bucket list. I figured it was all roller coasters and thrill rides—which are very much not my vibe. But as I got older, I started loving travel for the experiences: the sights, the sounds, the snacks... especially the snacks. I started seeing Disney in a new light—less about adrenaline, more about atmosphere. Still, I probably wouldn’t have seriously considered going if I hadn’t fallen down a rabbit hole of Disney content. That content completely changed how I saw the parks —one minute I was watching a hotel tour, the next I was pricing out Mickey-shaped waffles and planning my rope drop strategy.
Let’s just say our Disney trip was booked less than 2 weeks after we came back from Universal Studios. The theme park obsession is real, and I would like to know where I can send my application to become an official Disney Adult.
Do I use a travel agent or plan on my own?
Yes, I work with an authorized Disney destination planner, but I plan my itinerary myself.
As I mentioned above, we used Lindsay Norris from Mouse Ear Magic Travel for our Universal trip and she was so amazing to work with that I knew I would book with her again for Disney. Lindsay is now our go-to travel agent and specializes in fee-free travel planning, deal monitoring, reservation making, and more for Universal Studios, Disney, Sandals Resorts, and Cruises. Especially as a first timer, having a travel agent that will answer questions, help with booking reservations and experiences, and give you tips and tricks is extremely helpful. Lindsay put together our trip package based on the specifications that I asked for (which I will talk more about below), booked our requested dinner reservations, and is always providing tips/tricks/info and answering any questions we have.
With the major reservations squared away, I shift into full-on itinerary mode—because yes, I’m that person. I know some people say vacations should be spontaneous and carefree—but showing up without a plan? That’s my personal nightmare. I love doing the research because it not only eases any travel anxiety, it also helps me uncover all the must-dos and hidden gems that make the trip extra special for our family.
My motto is: research to know your options, have a plan before you go, but be prepared to adjust when you need (or want) to change course so you can focus on enjoying the trip and time with your family.
What resources do I use to plan?
When I sit down to plan any trip, I always start with the holy grail of inspiration: Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. I love browsing visual content first to see what catches my eye—whether it’s dreamy hotel rooms, must-try snacks, or rides that look like they might not scare me. Once something sparks my excitement, I dive deeper with Google searches, blog posts, and Facebook groups to get all the juicy details.
I jot down anything that feels like a must-do for us—usually scribbled into a notebook, because I’m old school like that. Once I’ve gathered all the ideas, I organize everything in a Google Sheets spreadsheet so I can access it from my phone while we’re on the go.
Now, full disclosure: I take planning and time management very seriously. Like… I’ve literally taught college workshops on it. So my process might be a bit more detailed (read: slightly extra) than most—but hey, it works for me!
When the plan is complete and it’s time to travel, I make a printable/paper version (so I’m not always relying on phone battery), and we are ready to hit the road!
Where did I start / What was my process?
I always start by picking the hotel. I know there’s some debate around staying on-property vs. off-property, but personally, I’m all about the fully immersive experience—so I’ll always lean toward staying on-property. For me, the benefits really add up: easy transportation, early park entry, and just being in the “Disney bubble”.
While I know Disney will be a totally different experience than our trip to Universal, I will say—staying on-site at Universal made everything so much easier. It was such a game-changer that I can’t imagine doing it any other way now.
Here were my top three resort options when I started planning our trip to Disney World, and why:
Caribbean Beach Resort:
Unrelated to Disney, my husband and I have wanted to go to Aruba since we started dating. While this isn’t exactly the same, the tropical vibes definitely gave me a taste of that dream. Plus, I thought it was just gorgeous—the colors, the scenery, and the overall aesthetic really stood out to me. I also appreciated the room size (important with three adults sharing a space) and loved the décor in the rooms.Port Orleans French Quarter:
I feel like French Quarter and CBR have a similar feel in terms of the layout of the resort and the rooms. I love the charming architecture and theming—it feels romantic and peaceful without being too over-the-top. And let’s be honest… Mickey Beignets were absolutely part of the decision-making process. The boat transportation to Disney Springs was another big plus!Art of Animation:
As an artist, I was completely drawn to the animation inspired decor and the visual storytelling throughout the resort. I also think that this is the most “Disney” themed resorts of my top three with the Cars, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid themed rooms.
As much as I loved all three options, I eventually had to make the tough call and pick just one. I weighed the theming, convenience, room layout, amenities, and even the insta-worthiness (which is important as a photographer and content creator). In the end, one resort checked the most boxes for our travel style and preferences.
Credit: Image Source
Drumroll, please… We chose Caribbean Beach Resort!
This resort was my top choice from the very beginning of my research. While it’s not the most budget-friendly option, I felt totally okay with the splurge for this trip. Not only is it our very first Disney vacation, but it’s also a celebration gift to myself for finishing grad school back in December (cue the confetti 🎉).
Plus, as a couple without kids, we figured now is the perfect time to enjoy a little extra luxury—before we’re planning trips around centered fun. Gotta soak up the adult-friendly magic while we can!
Disney Itinerary Spreadsheet
Once the resort has been decided, I start the exciting part —the day to day itinerary. I put in the time-based things (such as shows, parades, fireworks), then I pick the places we would like to eat our main meals at which helps me decided the direction we need to move throughout the park.
I know this spreadsheet is over planned, but to be honest our plan is still a little “in progress” because I haven’t reserved our Lightning Lanes yet. But this plan gives me a general idea of the things we would like to do in each park, then once our Lightning Lanes are secured I can refine the plan.
We are planning to spend one day in Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT, and two days in Magic Kingdom. I know it isn’t possible to do everything in each park, and we probably won’t even want to do every single thing in each park. My tip is to pick your top three “must do” things and top three rides and make those your “goals” for each day. Prioritize getting those done and then everything else after that is a bonus!
For example, these are our goals for our first day in Magic Kingdom:
Goals: Take photos on Main Street, Eat with Cinderella, and Prioritize Lightning Lane Activities (since we are only paying for Lightning Lane Multipass for MK one day).
Ride Priorities: Jungle Cruise, It’s a Small World, and Pirates of the Caribbean
Other elements that I have considered when planning:
Outfits:
I love a good outfit theme—and what better place to go all out than Disney, where there’s a pair of Mickey ears for every character, color scheme, and occasion you can dream up? You better believe I’m planning some seriously magical looks, head to toe.
I’ll be sharing a full breakdown of my Disney-inspired outfits soon—so stay tuned if you're here for the fashion, the flair, and maybe just a little bit of extra.
Transportation Options:
We were totally spoiled by how fast and simple transportation was at Universal Studios—but Disney’s system is a bit more complex. When I first started planning, I didn’t realize that not all resorts offer direct bus service to every park. For example, at Caribbean Beach Resort, the only regular transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios is the Skyliner—unless it’s down for weather or maintenance.As someone who’s not exactly a fan of heights, I wasn’t thrilled about that detail. But I’ve decided I’ll be brave and give the Skyliner a try at least once… and if it’s a no from me? I’ll happily call an Uber.
Transportation Time:
Again, at Universal Studios we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus (most of the time we didn’t wait at all) and travel time to the parks was 15 minutes or less. From my research I’ve heard that Disney transportation can be more extensive, so it’s important to leave ample travel time when planning an itinerary.Packing List:
I’ll leave you with one last tip in this planning post: start your packing list early. Throughout the planning process, little things will pop into your head that you’ll want to bring—and trust me, it’s way easier to keep a running list over time than to try and remember everything at the last minute. I like to start mine months in advance so nothing gets forgotten in the pre-trip chaos!
That’s a wrap on the first post in my Main Street Dreamin’ Disney World Series! I hope this gave you some helpful insight if you're in the early stages of planning your own magical trip. Be sure to follow along here on the blog—and subscribe on YouTube—so you don’t miss any upcoming posts and videos as I dive deeper into all things Disney prep.
Next up: outfit planning! If you’re into Disney Bounds, matching ears, or just love a good themed look, you’re going to want to stick around for that. ✨
Thanks so much for reading—and until next time, keep Main Street Dreamin’! See ya real soon! 💫
