Flexible Planning at Walt Disney World

Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by Happily Ever Park Hoppers

Flexible Planning at Walt Disney World

When traveling to Walt Disney World Resort it is important to know the difference between pre-planning and over-planning. And we all know that the weather in Florida can be a little unpredictable. This is why I always tell people to do a little bit of pre-planning & come up with a flexible plan for their Walt Disney World vacation.

How to come up with a Flexible Plan?

Create the framework for your trip

First, you want to identify what your Top 5 priorities are, for each park. I know this might seem low but again, establish reasonable expectations. This also doesn’t mean that you’re “only” going to do those 5 things, it’s just those are your priorities. You will always feel more satisfied if you accomplish more than what you expected, versus planning on doing twenty things in a day and only doing ten.

Once you’ve established what your top five priorities are, then start getting an idea for what your other interests might be. Know what your secondary interests would be. That way if you see a short wait or you’re near an attraction or show, you can easily head to that attraction. There are MANY non-ride attractions at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. These are great options when it’s super busy or maybe are looking for something to do in between reservations, Lightning Lane return times or show times.

Come up with a backup plan

One of the biggest things that you can do that will help manage the expectations for yourself and your children is to discuss all the possibilities before your trip. If your kids are old enough, explain to them that you will not be able to do everything in one trip. After you’ve created your top 5, you’ll want to either discuss with your family or plan for alternative ideas and create a backup plan.

Be mindful that many outdoor rides will close for severe weather. It’s important to have a flexible plan if one of your park priorities is closed for severe weather. And again, discuss that possibility before your trip and come up with some alternatives. I also like to tell people to not make guaranteed statements to their kids. Too many things are out of your control and assuring your kids that they will get to ride something or they will get to meet a character, just leads to disappointment. Instead, help manage their expectations by saying things like “If we get to ride…” or “Hopefully today we can meet…” I’ve found that to work much better with my kids than having them count on doing something and then being brokenhearted when we didn’t.

Have a plan for inclement weather (avoid outdoor dining & attractions)

Having a plan for inclement weather is definitely important when coming up with your flexible plan. If you’re in the parks and there are passing thunderstorms or rain showers, you’ll want to make sure you know what locations (dining & attractions) are outside and you’ll want to avoid if you want to stay dry. If it starts to rain while you’re in the parks, that is when I recommend doing some of the indoor shows & attractions.

I also recommend keeping an eye on the upcoming days of your trip. Even when it’s not hurricane season in Florida, there are often afternoon rain showers. Planning a Table Service reservation for the middle of the day can help keep you out of the rain and dry. If it looks like it’s going to rain in the upcoming forecast, I like to check what’s available for reservations. Also, it’s important to note that there are several Quick Service locations in the parks that do not have indoor seating. So if you’re planning to grab a bite to eat keep in mind that these locations only have outdoor seating.

Quick Service locations with NO indoor seating

Transportation might be impacted

I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions, drop a comment below!

Spreading magic one post at a time

Kristin