Yes, it can be overwhelming to begin planning. Start with answering the following:

1. When do you want to go?

2. How long are you staying?

3. What do you want to do while you’re there (which theme parks)?

4. How will you get there - drive or fly?

5. What type of ticket would be right for you, base ticket or park hopper?

This really depends on your schedule and your budget. However, there are times of the year that are, in general, better than others:

*Mid-November through Mid-December (but not Thanksgiving week)

*Second week of January through mid-February

*The first three weeks in May

*Late August and all of September

You can check the closure and refurbishment schedule on various websites, but my favorite is touringplans.com. It covers WDW, Universal Orlando, and Disneyland.

The answer to this is ever-evolving. Formerly Disney’s Genie+, now called Lightning Lane Multi Pass (or Single Pass) is a rather complicated system used through the My Disney Experience App that allows you to pay for faster access to certain rides and attractions via the Lightning Lane. The price various by day and and by park.

The short answer is: Yes! The perks and convenience that come with staying “on property”, in my opinion, outweigh the money you may save by staying “off property”. Having said that, we have stayed at the resorts, at Good Neighbor hotels, and in hotels or rented homes that had no association with the theme parks and enjoyed them all.