How to Get Your Child Involved in Your Disney Trip Planning

Adults will obviously take the lead in organizing a trip to Walt Disney World, but involving your children in the planning process can make your vacation more meaningful for your kids and run more smoothly for everyone. Beyond building anticipation and excitement for the trip, getting children in on the planning can also teach valuable life tools such decision-making, budgeting, and compromise.

Preschoolers

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Very young children may not yet have the skills for complex planning, but they are definitely old enough to have opinions that will influence your trip. Some children may also have fears or concerns about aspects of a Disney vacations, though they may not yet have the language to express those concerns. Discussing the trip in advance shows your kids that they are valuable as individuals and as family team members. Some ways to get them involved:

• Countdown Calendar: Create a simple visual countdown calendar with Disney-themed stickers. Let your child place a sticker each day as you get closer to the trip.
• Character Meet-and-Greets: Show your preschooler pictures of the Disney characters available in the parks and let them choose which ones they’d like to meet. Make a visual checklist with their favorites and have them mark them off as the encounter them during your trip.
• Ride Selection: Use picture books, websites, or kid-friendly videos to introduce them to age-appropriate rides. Let them point out the ones that look most exciting and also note which they find unappealing.
• Packing Helper: Give them a small backpack and let them choose a few favorite toys or comfort items to bring along. This helps them feel involved and prepares them for the trip.
• Costume Selection: If your child enjoys dress-up, let them pick out a Disney costume to wear in the parks. This can be a fun way to get them excited about the trip.

Elementary Age

Elementary-aged children can take a more active role in the planning process. They are developing the numerical, language, and sequencing tools that allow them to oversee small parts of vacation management, though most of their research and planning will be in close conjunction with an adult. Some ideas include:

• Park Research: Together with them, look through guidebooks, Disney World’s website, and planning sites like TouringPlans. Let them rank their own priority attractions and survey other family members on their priorities.
• Dining Choices: Show them menus and pictures of Disney restaurants and let them help choose a few special meals. This is a great opportunity to discuss trying new foods and proper restaurant behavior.
• Itinerary Input: While you’ll need to balance the overall schedule, let them have input on daily activities. For example, “Should we start our day at Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?” Discuss issues like crowds and logistics.
• Savings Plan: If they receive an allowance, encourage them to save a portion for souvenirs or a special experience at Disney World. This teaches budgeting and delayed gratification.
• Learning Opportunities: Tie in educational aspects of the parks to their interests or school subjects. For example, if they’re learning about animals, get them excited about the Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom. Or if they’re starting to study a language, encourage them to learn a few phrases they can use in the EPCOT World Showcase countries.
• Packing List: Have them help create a packing list for the family. This teaches organization skills and prompts them to consider the needs of others as well as their own. (We need diapers for the baby and mom needs a phone charger, for example.)
• Disney Movie Nights: In the months before your vacation, ask kids to plan weekly Disney movie nights featuring films related to attractions or themes in the parks. This builds excitement and familiarizes them with Disney stories they might encounter.

Tweens

Tweens are at an age where they can handle more complex planning tasks. Some you might delegate (with oversight) might include:

• Budget Involvement: Give them a set budget for souvenirs, extra experiences, or even something as major as dining. Let them research options and make decisions about how to allocate their funds.
• Lightning Lane Strategy: Let them research Lightning Lane Single Pass and Multipass strategies and work with you to decide whether these extras make sense for your family.
• Trip Research: Encourage them to read reviews of attractions, shows, and restaurants. Have them present their findings to the family to help inform group decisions.
• Photography Planning: If they’re interested in photography, task them with researching the best photo spots in each park. They could even be the designated family photographer for certain days.
• Park Maps: Have them study park maps and help plan efficient routes between attractions. More savvy teens can look at maps in conjunction with touring plans. This can be a fun way to apply math skills to real-world problem-solving.
• Special Events: Research special events happening during your visit (like seasonal parties or after-hours events) and let them advocate for ones they’d like to attend.
• Technology Helper: Put them in charge of downloading and learning to use apps such as My Disney Experience and Lines that can help with navigation, wait times, and reservations.

Teens

Teenagers can take on significant planning responsibilities and may appreciate having more autonomy in the process.

• Itinerary Creation: Task them with creating a draft full itinerary for one or more days of the trip. This teaches planning skills and gives them a sense of ownership.
• Restaurant Reservations: After the family agrees on dining choices, let them handle making the actual reservations online.
• Transportation Research: Have them research and present options for getting to and around Disney World, including flights, airport transfers, and park transportation.
• Cost Comparison: Involve them in comparing costs for different resorts, ticket options, or package deals. Have them present arguments for or against different budget allocation options.
• Group Coordinator: If traveling with extended family or friends, put them in charge of coordinating some group activities or communications.
• Social Media Planner: If your family uses social media, let them plan and create content to document your trip, teaching them about responsible online sharing.

Tips for All Ages

Regardless of your children’s ages, here are some general tips for involving them in the planning process:

• Family Planning Meetings: Hold regular family meetings to discuss the trip. This keeps everyone on the same page throughout the process.
• Compromise and Flexibility: Use the planning process to teach the importance of compromise. Not everyone may get to do everything they want.
• Create a Shared Planning Space: Whether it’s a physical bulletin board or a digital space like a shared online document, have a place where everyone can contribute ideas.
• Surprise Elements: While involving kids in planning, don’t forget to keep a few surprises up your sleeve. The unexpected magical moments are part of what makes a Disney trip special.
• Post-trip evaluation: An important part of planning any vacation is the post-trip debrief. Discussing what went well and what could have gone better will help develop critical thinking skills and make your next adventure even more enjoyable.

How have you gotten your kids involved in Disney trip planning? What age did you start this?