Start a Disney bucket – OK, so what do I mean by a Disney bucket? As soon as you book your trip, grab a small tote and start to throw in some of the things you know you will need for your trip. Things I like to put in my Disney bucket are sunscreen, ponchos, Minnie Ears, cooling towels, fans…really anything that you know you want to take that won’t go bad sitting in a bucket. Now that we go more often, I keep my Disney bucket going all the time which really cuts down on my packing time.

Make some dining reservations – You don’t want to go crazy with reservations BUT I would recommend making a few before your trip. My crew usually does sit down meals once a day during our trips and ours are always breakfast or dinner. Do some investigating into what sit down meals you want to try. There are SO MANY amazing options and there really are options that will fit any family. Currently you can book dining reservations 60 days out so keep an eye on that calendar. If you don’t get the reservation you want, don’t give up! People are always cancelling or changing plans. I have grabbed some great reservations like O’Hana and Topolinos while on our trips. Keep checking that My Disney Experience app to see if new reservations become available.

Watch those wait times – Checking wait times in advance will give you an idea of what to expect when you get to Disney. You can check wait times anytime you want by using the My Disney Experience app. You do not have to be in the parks to get this information. It is good to be mentally prepared for the wait times you will experience. Knowing what rides are must rides for your crew and watching those times specifically will help you figure out if there is an ideal time to ride those rides.

Plan your outfits – This part of planning your trip can be so much fun! I will do a separate post on what I like to wear to the parks but for the purpose of this post, I would emphasize finding a few cute Disney items to wear. You can do your Disney attire at whatever level you want. I typically will do Minnie ears and Disney shirts. I love finding unique Disney shirts on Etsy and then buying myself a pair of coordinating ears. It truly makes me so much more excited for the trip.

Purchase a few Disney items – When you are waiting for that trip to come, look for some little Disney themed items that you know you will use for your trip. You can easily find little things at the Dollar Tree, Target and Walmart that will fit into this category. Small items I have bought to add to my Disney theming are tissue packs, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, baby wipes etc… These little purchases along the way will help bring you some Disney magic while you work through that trip countdown.