In this session Mike provides you with his ten general commandments for planning a successful Walt Disney World vacation. Pay attention because Mike not only points out what you should do but also, and maybe even more importantly, what you shouldn't do.

Commandment I - Thou Shalt Plan Thy Vacation

Pretty simple. The important point here is that you, and not anyone else, should plan your vacation. This is not to say that you should not seek out help. When the final plans are laid out they should reflect your personal vacation objectives. You best know what your family and you want to do on your vacation so it makes sense that those people who will be taking the vacation should put their final stamp on the plans. Remember, if someone else plans it for you how will you learn anything?

Be prepared to stop and enjoy the entertainment in the parks

Commandment II - Thou Shalt Be Flexible

By flexible I am referring to your vacation itinerary. Don't fall into the trap of laying out a very rigid and strict schedule. The Walt Disney World crowds may not let you stick to your plan. Instead, be flexible. Place certain sites and attractions at the top of your list but allow yourself and your family the opportunity to adjust and enjoy the surprises that await you. Those who try and find difficulty sticking to a rigid schedule will find themselves frustrated and aren't we on vacation to relieve stress? Be flexible.

Commandment III - Thou Shalt Be an Early Bird

I could really make an argument for this one to be the first of our commandments. Time is precious to all of us, especially when we are on vacation. The majority of the human race sees vacation as a time to relax...and sleep in. The smart Walt Disney World guest knows the importance of rising early and beating the crowds to the parks. It is this same guest who wisely leaves the parks during the most busy hours (Noon to 4 P.M.) and relaxes by the side of their favorite pool. If you plan accordingly your vacation can be fulfilling and restful. But if you sleep in until 10 A.M. you might as well have stayed home or traveled to somewhere other than the land of talking mice.

You'll get your best deal if you're willing to haggle...

Commandment IV - Thou Shalt Look Into Discounts

For those of you independently wealthy, please go on to the next commandment. For the rest of you please pay attention. This commandment is not ordering anyone to purchase a Disney Club Card, an AAA membership, an American Express Card, or even an Orlando Magiccard. What we are saying here is think about what certain vacation line items will cost before you apply potential discounts and then research and compare the discounts available for you. For instance, do you want to pay the full rack rate for your on site hotel room or do you want to invest some time looking into the available discount rates? Invest the time because the dividends are waiting for you.

Commandment V - Thou Shalt Seek out Information

There are two main points to discuss here. The first and foremost of these points is to stress the importance of talking with as many friends and relatives who have recently visited Walt Disney World to listen to their experiences both good and bad. Learn from their vacations. The second point supplements the first one. Find a good location, like MousePlanet's trip report archive, to read up on trip reports. As noted earlier in this course, trip reports and conversations can shed light on some tips. When talking with people and reading trip reports take special note of anything that keeps recurring both good and bad. If something is mentioned quite a few times then there is some substance to it.

Commandment VI - Thou Shalt Be Wary of Packages

I realize that calling a travel agent or booking a package is convenient for many people but remember that a vacation package may require you to follow certain procedures and may have limitations. Also a Walt Disney World vacation package may be a bit more expensive than a la carte planning. These packages sometimes include features that you may never use. You can always use your travel agent to book only your room, just be sure to discuss discounts.

Commandment VII - Thou Shalt Be Comfortable

Remember our session on Dressing for Mickey? We were not kidding. The last thing you want on your vacation is sunburn, a blister on your foot, or a case of heatstroke to incapacitate you. Play it safe and make sure you bring comfortable clothes and footwear and anything that will help you deal with the heat, humidity, and rain that the state of Florida brings to you free of charge. Besides, I always thought that vacations were invented to comfort us.

Using Fastpass effectively can save valuable vacation time

Commandment VIII - Thou Shalt Use the Fastpass

Here's another plea to be aware of how precious your time is down in Orlando. Whenever possible use the Fastpass. It is one of the most revolutionary ideas in theme park history. It's a win-win solution for both the park and the guest. It saves the guest plenty of time to do other things instead of waiting in line and for the park it makes for happier guests...happy guests spend money. WDW veterans appreciate the Fastpass concept more than first time guests. That is probably why yours truly is very high on this innovative idea. It's a time saver.

Commandment IX - Thou Shalt Take Notes

This commandment falls at number nine because it really is more like an optional commandment. Why do I want you to take notes? Jotting down notes can be very helpful in many ways. First they will help you remember some of the more interesting parts of your trip, especially when telling friends and family about your trip. I don't have total recall so I know my notes come in handy when I try to remember specifics.

Notes also are very helpful as a foundation for your next trip. They will tell you what worked, what did not work, and what problems to avoid on your next trip. Again, your present trip is the best starting point for planning your next trip.

Sooner or later I'd come to this. Note taking leads to a trip report, which is the best gift you can give yourself and your friends. It helps you relive your vacation and offers help to those planning their own trip. So think about this commandment and the rewards it would bring to you and everyone else.

WDW has many great, unique attractions. Enjoy them!

Commandment X - Thou Shalt Have Fun

I am being quite serious. The prime objective for your vacation is to have fun. You should take all and any steps necessary to insure you the best chance of enjoying your trip to the fullest possible level. How do you do this?

You must realize your time limitations and not overdo it. Enjoy your favorite sights and sounds. If you try to do everything you will get frustrated. You must realize right away that WDW is so big that it's almost next to impossible to do everything you can down there in a week, ten days, or two weeks. Figure out what appeals to you and your family and plan to do just that. Anything extra is best described as a bonus.

Make sure you are comfortable with the expense of the trip. If you are going to worry about what this costs and that costs then you will suppress any pleasure that comes with this vacation. Don't overextend your budget, but instead put together a comfortable budget that will take a back seat and let you have fun.

As I talk with people who have visited Walt Disney World their comments often influence me to alter and change these commandments. They are constantly changing and in fact could probably be doubled. Most of these points are common sense. Give them a chance. It will be your best bet to give your vacation the best chance of being successful.

There are countless commandments that can be put together but these should be the staples that you live by to insure that your planning and that your trip is successful.

Next session: Walt Disney World First-Timer Mistakes

Class dismissed.

Photos on this page by Brian Bennett unless otherwise noted

Here's some helpful links to other parts of MousePlanet that may prove helpful: 

Commandment I - Thou Shalt Plan Thy Vacation: Pages throughout MousePlanet's WDW Trip Planning Guide can be of help.

Commandment II - Thou Shalt Be Flexible / Commandment III - Thou Shalt Be an Early Bird: These pages give another spin on planning your vacation and each day during the trip Developing a Daily Gameplan  |  The Morning Chunk  |  The Afternoon Break  |  The Evening Chunk.

Commandment IV - Thou Shalt Look Into Discounts: If you're planning on a tight budget, look over these tidbits Dollars and Sense  |  Sales and Hotel Tax Rates at WDW  |  The Disney Club  |  Saving on your Admission Media.

Commandment V - Thou Shalt Seek out Information Pages throughout MousePlanet's WDW Trip Planning Guide can be of help as well as MousePlanet's Trip Report Archive.

Commandment VI - Thou Shalt Be Wary of Packages: Here are some additional references on booking your vacation Travel Agent, Disney CRO (Central Reservations Office), or AAA?  |  Special Package Deals.

Commandment VII - Thou Shalt Be Comfortable: Dressing for Mickey, right here in Mike's column, covers this issue well.

Commandment VIII - Thou Shalt Use the Fastpass: Fastpass -- Disney's New "Virtual Queue" this page tells you all about Fastpass.

Commandment IX - Thou Shalt Take Notes:  MousePlanet's Trip Report Archive, in the left hand margin of the main page, provides great information on how to capture information from your trip for future reference.  Mike's piece on Recording Memories is another great reference.

Commandment X - Thou Shalt Have Fun: read through these pages... and sit back, relax, and enjoy your vacation! Avoid the Disney Commando Mentality  |  Anxiety, Complaints, and Bad Hair Days

Here's a list of the trip reports that Mike has written that are part of MousePlanet's archives!

Michael Scopa -- August 1999 -- Walt Disney World (CSR)

Michael J. Scopa -- July 1997 -- Walt Disney World (WL/CBR)

Mike Scopa -- July 1994 -- Walt Disney World (WL / CBR)

Also, don't miss Lani Teshima's column, "The Trip Planner" for more travel planning information!

Brian Bennett, author of MousePlanet's WDW Trip Planning Guide (and publisher of the Disney Trip Report Archive), writes:

The first Disney trip report that I ever read was a report by Mike Scopa that I downloaded from the America Online travel library in late 1994. The report was a detailed description of the Scopa family's trip to WDW in the summer of that year.

As soon as I was done reading it, I was hooked.

I picked my own brain and documented my own trips and the things I'd learned from my own experiences. Then, in 1995 I actually wrote a report as the trip unfolded. I took a laptop with me and spent some time in the evenings documenting what had happened that day. (I've repeated that process for my own reports ever since.)

In July 1996, I started my Disney trip planning Web site. Besides including my own reports, I asked for permission from the authors of several other reports and added them to the offering. Since then, the number of reports has expanded greatly. In 1997, I added an information summary for each report to make it easier to sort through the reports that are available.

I still 'blame' Mike for hooking me on this Disney habit.

Thanks Mike!

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