Skip to content
Book it for me

Disney World trip checklist: what to book, and when

Enter your first park day and get the date of every step, from booking dining to the morning of. It fits on one phone screenshot.

The short answer

Disney World dining reservations open 60 days before your visit; Disney Resort hotel guests can book their whole stay (up to 10 nights) 60 days before check-in. Lightning Lane passes go on sale at 7 AM Eastern Time: 7 days before check-in for Disney Resort hotel guests, and 3 days before the park day for everyone else.

Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.

Get your own dates

The timeline

  1. 90 days before

    Book your hotel and park ticketsOur tip

    Book a few months ahead, before the dining window opens. Where you stay decides your booking windows, and you need tickets in the app to buy Lightning Lane.

  2. 60 days before

    Book dining reservationsDisney rule

    Disney Resort hotel guests can book restaurants for their whole stay (up to 10 nights) starting 60 days before check-in. Everyone else books 60 days before each day.

  3. 14 days before

    Get the app readyOur tip

    In the My Disney Experience app, link everyone's tickets and reservations, check park hours, and decide each day's park and first ride.

  4. 7 days before check-in

    Buy Lightning Lane (Disney Resort hotel guests)Disney rule

    From 7 AM Eastern Time, 7 days before check-in, you can buy Lightning Lane passes for your whole stay (up to 14 days) and pick return times.

  5. 3 days before

    Buy Lightning Lane (other hotels)Disney rule

    From 7 AM Eastern Time, 3 days before your park day, you can buy Lightning Lane passes and pick return times. With date-based tickets, you can book every day of your ticket then.

  6. The night before

    The night beforeOur tip

    Check tomorrow's opening time, charge phones and a battery pack, pack the stroller bag (snacks, water, sunscreen, ponchos), and agree on your first ride.

  7. The morning of

    The morning ofOur tip

    Disney Resort hotel guests can enter 30 minutes before opening (Early Theme Park Entry). Be at the gate early, go straight to your first ride, and save Lightning Lane for the long-wait rides later.

Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.

Lightning Lane: grab these first

Our ranking by typical demand: the rides whose Lightning Lane times usually go first. It's not a prediction or a guarantee for your day.

  • Magic Kingdom Park

    Grab Peter Pan's Flight first.

    Then: Tiana's Bayou Adventure (40 in (102 cm) and up), Jungle Cruise, and Space Mountain (44 in (112 cm) and up).

    Sold separately (Single Pass): Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (38 in (97 cm) and up) and TRON Lightcycle / Run (48 in (122 cm) and up).

  • EPCOT

    Grab Frozen Ever After first.

    Then: Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track (40 in (102 cm) and up), and Soarin' Across America (40 in (102 cm) and up).

    Sold separately (Single Pass): Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (42 in (107 cm) and up).

  • Disney's Hollywood Studios

    Grab Slinky Dog Dash (38 in (97 cm) and up) first.

    Then: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (40 in (102 cm) and up), and Toy Story Mania!.

    Sold separately (Single Pass): Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (40 in (102 cm) and up).

  • Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

    Grab Na'vi River Journey first.

    Then: Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (44 in (112 cm) and up), and Kali River Rapids (38 in (97 cm) and up).

    Sold separately (Single Pass): Avatar Flight of Passage (44 in (112 cm) and up).

Heights converted to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm, rounded). The measurement at the ride is what counts.

With little kids

Strollers
Bring your own or rent one in the park. Disney allows strollers up to 31 in (79 cm) wide and 52 in (132 cm) long; wagons aren't allowed.
Baby Care Centers
Every park has one, free during park hours, with a nursing room, changing tables and a feeding area.
Rest and naps
Our tip: plan a midday break at the hotel (or a quiet indoor show) for nap-age kids, and come back for the evening.
Rider Switch
If a child is too small for a ride, one adult rides while another waits with the child, then they swap without queuing again.
Disability Access Service (DAS)
DAS is for guests whose disability makes it hard to wait in a regular queue. Disney decides who it's for, in a live video chat you can request up to 60 days before your visit; see Disney's DAS page for the details.

Disney's rules on this page

Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.

Questions families ask

When can I book Walt Disney World dining reservations?
Disney Resort hotel guests can book restaurants for their whole stay (up to 10 nights) starting 60 days before check-in. Everyone else books 60 days before each day.
When can I buy Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World?
Disney Resort hotel guests (and Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green guests) can buy Lightning Lane 7 days before check-in, for their whole stay. Everyone else can buy it 3 days before their park day. Sales open at 7 AM Eastern Time.
Which Lightning Lane should I book first at Magic Kingdom Park?
By typical demand, Peter Pan's Flight usually goes first, so grab it first. That's our ranking, not a prediction or a guarantee.
Is there a place to nurse or change a baby at Walt Disney World?
Yes. Every park has a Baby Care Center, free during park hours, with a nursing room, changing tables and a feeding area.
What is DAS at Disney?
DAS is for guests whose disability makes it hard to wait in a regular queue. Disney decides who it's for, in a live video chat you can request up to 60 days before your visit; see Disney's DAS page for the details.

Want help with the bookings?

Our free trip planner builds your day-by-day plan. Or our Disney planners can book your hotel, tickets and dining for you, at no cost.

Book it for mePlan a tripAbout our planning service →