Disney Planning Resources You Need to Check Out!

A young girl wearing a princess dress poses with Anna and Elsa of Frozen abroad a Disney Cruise.
Photo Courtesy: Marz Olda

Experienced families know Disney planning involves so many details. Our intentions to make the experience memorable can also make planning feel overwhelming. Even narrowing down the planning resources to consult can be mind-blowing! Of course, we want to make the experience magical for our kids, and that presents a challenge. Working with a certified Disney travel agent is a guaranteed way to make this process easier! They know all of the inside tips and the latest information. Still, we know even if you’re working with an agent, you want to be involved in figuring out individualized tips and hacks. That’s why we’ve gathered our community’s favorite Disney Planning Resources You Need to Check Out. These Facebook groups, online planning sites, and YouTube videos have the best insider information to help you plan your magical Disney adventure!

Disney Planning Forums & Facebook Groups

Disney Planning Forums can be a huge help to families! Here, a family of five pretends to be falling with an army parachute as part of the Toy Story area of Walt Disney World.
Photo Courtesy: Jen Solomon

DIS (Disney Information Station) Boards

The DIS Boards are the Internet’s largest unofficial online guide to all things Disney! This includes Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line. Over 400,000 Disney fans come together in this friendly community to discuss everything from dining menus and prices to specific attractions and hotels. They also have an exclusive dining search tool to help you narrow down the best restaurants suited for your family. Check out their weekly podcast that discusses all aspects of Disney with an unbiased and honest view. 

Smart Moms Plan Disney 

Smart Moms Plan Disney is a great resource for traveling families! If you’re going to turn to any group for advice in planning your next family trip, who would be better than a group filled with 180,000+ Disney smart moms? Our members love the Smart Moms Plan Disney Facebook Group, and also love that there’s an associated website where you can find even more resources with a subscription.

Disney Travel Secrets

This Disney planning group is not affiliated with Walt Disney Co. but is full of trusted Disney experts. This includes tv hosts, Imagineers, cast members, annual pass holders, and more Disney lovers who have the tips you need for planning. You will find insider information and advice from professionals who know the parks inside and out. Along with the helpful Facebook Group, the Disney Travel Secrets site has helpful videos about Disney things you need to know.

Ways to Save for Disney

Ways To Save For Disney is a Facebook group solely focused on helping you save money while planning your next Disney vacation. Ways to Save for Disney says their biggest tip is to use a travel agent who can save you money (the agents are paid by Disney so there is no cost to you when using their services.) Aside from that, the group shares ways to earn “free” money through a variety of apps and websites. Finally, they also show you how to buy Disney gift cards at a discount! 

Moms of Disney

Sometimes you just need a group of moms you can vent your vacation planning frustrations with. Luckily, Moms of Disney will be there for you! Join them for tips, tricks, and all things Disney while you focus on making the trip magical for your kids. You can read through experiences other moms had, and find out how to make your upcoming vacation the best it can be. Then, if you’re looking to purchase Disney items, check out this group where you’ll find moms who also sell their Disney gear!

Kenny the Pirate Crew

You’ll definitely want to join this Facebook Disney planning group. More than 30,000 members come together on Kenny the Pirate Crew to share a love for Disney parks, as well as help others plan vacations. You’ll want to visit the Kenny the Pirate Crew website along with their Facebook community. The site covers all of the Disney news you should be aware of as you plan your own family vacation. Members of our Families Who Love to Travel community have found this to be an extremely accurate resource. Meeting Disney characters is a huge part of a child’s Disney experience. If that’s on your agenda, you’ll want to download the Character Locator app. Along with knowing where all of the characters will be and at what times, you’ll come to love the other planning tools and insider tips it includes. Recently, Disneyland information was also added to the app!

Disney Cruising Facebook Group

When you’re planning a Disney Cruise, you need to join this Disney Cruising Facebook group! Not only does this community comprise more than 100,000 Disney Cruisers sharing insights with each other, but the group administrator is a Travel Agent who specializes in Disney cruises. Plus, he is also available to answer your individualized questions. It can’t get better than that!

Disney Planning & Discount Websites

Left Image: A family of three sits in front of one of the hedges in Magic Kingdom. Right Image: A family of three stands at a popular Magic Kindom spot.
Photo Courtesy: Amanda Batts

Touring Plans

When you want all the details and plans, you need to subscribe to Touring Plans. This is a paid subscription tool, but is worth every penny in the time and money you’ll save! The company employs statisticians to calculate the least crowded times to visit parks and ride specific rides. Based on your family’s specific Disney dreams, you can create a step-by-step guide to maximize your time at the parks. Bonus perks with the subscription include photos of room views for on-site hotels, as well as a room request function. Finally, if you desire a dining reservation not available when you first look, Touring Plans will alert you if your requested time becomes available. This alone makes it worth the subscription fee!

MouseSavers

On the 15th of every month, MouseSavers sends its newsletter listing all of the discounts. You’ll want to subscribe now if you’re in the middle of Disney planning, so you receive it early and often as you are planning. They’ll let you know where to find cheaper Disney tickets, hotel reservations, and more! Don’t worry, you don’t need to wait for a month to pass before finding updated discounts. They have additional options to gather information, beyond the newsletter. There is a website, as well as a MouseSavers Facebook page for the latest discount planning information. 

AllEars

All the Disney planning information you need is compiled on the AllEars website! You’ll find everything you need to know for your Disney adventure, no matter which Disney experience you are looking for. Visit AllEars and spend time looking over all of the details. You’ll enjoy reading the fun tips, which are sure to get you even more excited to pack your bags! Sign up for the AllEars weekly newsletter to stay up to date on all of the news and latest reviews. Our Families Who Love to Travel Facebook group especially values the Walt Disney World dining and special events news!

MouseDining

One of the best things about a Disney trip is the assurance that no detail will be overlooked. A large detail (and bonus!) of every vacation is the food experience. If you’re having trouble getting a reservation exactly when and where you’re wanting, you need to visit MouseDining. Enter your desired restaurant, time, and amount of guests to instantly see if there’s an opening. If not, create an alert, and MouseDining will let you know if your request becomes available. How’s that for easy Disney planning? 

The Mouse for Less 

If you’re looking for information on ways to save money on your Disney planning, you’ll also want to visit The Mouse for Less. This site includes all of the latest deals and discounts available for all aspects of Disney, including cruises and Adventures by Disney. When you want to consult with a Disney expert to handle the planning and arrangements for you, check out the subsidiary The Magic for Less. Whether you want to visit Disney or have another destination in mind, the licensed agents will work with you to plan your family’s dream vacation!

Disney Planning YouTube Channels

A young boy dressed as a Jedi swings a lightsaber at Disney Hollywood Studios.
Photo Courtesy: Rebecca Rotem

The Tim Tracker 

The Tim Tracker is your guide to planning a visit to Disney! This YouTube channel uploads new videos nearly every day detailing all things Disney. From insider tips to know about the theme parks to the food you do not want to miss, there’s probably a video with information you are looking for. Along with specific videos about Orlando, these vloggers also cover Disney cruises, Disneyland, and even Disney Tokyo!

Theme Park Academy

When you want a visual of what the Disney parks are like now, head to Theme Park Academy! You’ll find videos from a tour guide, Barbi, who tells you how it really is within the parks. Along with a no holds barred approach, you’ll find information about special events at Magic Kingdom like the Halloween and Christmas special celebrations. Barbi’s goal is to give viewers all they need to know to experience Disney the right way!

DFB Guide

Disney Food Blog Guide’s Youtube channel is steeped in all the foodie things you need to know about Disney. You’ll love these informative videos, which began with the channel’s theme: Food is a Theme Park. There’s no surprise that you’ll learn about all things edible from The Disney Food Blog’s Guides. In addition to finding all you want to know about the amazing food at Disney, you’ll also want to check out the other guides on the channel before you visit one of the Disney theme parks. 

Disney Planning Beyond the Theme Parks

A young firl stands with seven crew members, including the captain on a Disney cruise.
Photo Courtesy: Marz Olda

Adventures by Disney Vacations

There are times when you want the reliability of a great vacation that Disney offers, but you don’t necessarily want to visit a theme park. This is when you will want to check out Adventures by Disney! When you book a trip with Adventures by Disney, you will let the experts plan your itinerary. The guided experience will get you into special experiences you’d likely not find with other vacation planning options. Your choice of destination is immense with tours that visit more than 50 countries on six continents! While you will be touring with other traveling families, these immersive vacations will likely prove to be once in a lifetime trips!

Thank You to Our Community

A young girl and boy pose with Jessie and three arm soldiers within Toy Story Land at WDW.
Photo Courtesy: Peta Leahy

We hope this compilation of Disney planning resources is helpful for your next Disney vacation. A special thank you to the Families Who Love to Travel Facebook community who gave amazing recommendations for this article on Disney Planning Resources You Need to Check Out. Families Who Love To Travel is a group of amazing families who love adventure and exploring through travel. Join the Facebook community, find us on Instagram (@families.love.travel), and follow our Pinterest boards to connect with other families who love traveling with kids!

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Next, as you plan a trip to Disney World, be sure to check out our other Families Love Travel article Disney World Multi-Day Itinerary

We’d love to hear from you! Which Disney Planning group is your favorite? Share in the comments.

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