Skip to Content

All About Walt Disney World Family Vacation Packages

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be challenging because there are so many options. In addition, Walt Disney World has its own language – with various acronyms and terms that may seem very difficult for beginners to learn. Because a Disney vacation can be expensive, you definitely want to get it right.

Many families will book Disney World family vacation packages, which can include hotels, park tickets, and airfare. It can be a convenient way to make sure that you get everything that you need to book before your trip (although restaurant reservations and purchase of Genie+ are separate).

Thinking of planning a vacation to the Walt Disney World resort? Here’s everything you need to know about Walt Disney World family vacation packages.

Disclosure: I am a former member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel and have been on some complimentary press trips at Walt Disney World, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no cost to you.

When booking your Walt Disney World vacation, consider purchasing through our affiliate Get Away Today. They offer great prices on tickets and can book many hotels.

Tea cups ride at Walt Disney World

Booking a Disney Vacation Package

You are able to book a Disney vacation package to best suit your vacation needs. These packages can be booked directly through Disney (online or via phone) or through a Disney travel agent. If you aren’t entirely sure what you want or how to proceed, I’d recommend booking your Walt Disney World resort vacation package through a travel agent.

Luggage with globe and arrow
Disney Cinderella Castle

Included in Disney Vacation Package

Because Disney vacation packages are flexible, you can choose whether or not you want to include the Disney Dining Plan and/or flights. You’ll also have the option to include ground transportation.

  • A room at a Walt Disney World resort hotel
  • Tickets to the parks
  • Memory Maker
  • Ground Transportation (car rental)
  • Travel Protection (travel insurance)

These are all options, so you don’t need to include everything in your vacation package. It’s up to you.

Splash Mountain

Options in Your Walt Disney World family vacation packages

Thinking of booking a Disney vacation package? First, you’ll want to decide on the dates that you plan to go. This is the first step – everything else flows from there. As you are deciding, check out the best times to visit Walt Disney World here.

Once you have your dates chosen, you’ll find out which resorts have availability. You can find out more about choosing a Walt Disney World resort here. When you choose your preferred resort, you’ll be able to see the room types that are available.

Keep in mind that last-minute bookings can often be difficult. The Disney resort rooms do sell out, especially when there’s a special event at the parks – like the Walt Disney World marathon. It’s best to purchase your vacation package as early as possible to have the best available choices.

Every resort has a different set of room types. These vary by resort but can include preferred locations and various views. You can save money by getting a standard room with no view – so think about how much time you plan to spend at the resort. You won’t want to pay for something that you aren’t going to take advantage of.

If your preferred resort isn’t available for the dates you’ve chosen, you’ll want to pick different dates or a different hotel. If there are any Disney special offers available for your trip, you should be able to access them at this point.

After picking your resort, you’ll see ticket options. First, you’ll choose the number of days. We usually get tickets for about 5 days, although we’ll stay for 6 days. That way, we’ll have the option of going to Disney Springs one day. Hanging out at your resort is another great option, especially if you want to spend some time enjoying the resort amenities (like the pool).

After picking your days, you’ll choose the type of Disney World park tickets that you want. Base tickets include one theme park per day. Or, you could decide to get park hoppers and will be able to go to more than one park per day. Please note that until early January, you’ll need a valid park reservation in addition to a theme park ticket.

You can also add on admission to the water parks. My family prefers the four theme parks (the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom). But, if you like water slides, the two water parks are fantastic.

Our family always gets the park hopper option, because we like being able to go to dinner in a different park than the one we spend the day. Finally, you could also choose to get the park hopper plus option. With those tickets, you’ll also be able to visit the water parks (among other fun options).

At this point, you’ll receive the price of your package and will be able to add on any additional extras. You can price flights, add ground transportation, and purchase Memory Maker, before getting your final package price.

The Magic Kingdom Tangled Rest Room area

Genie+

If you want to add on Genie+ or any individual lightning lane reservations, you’ll need to do that on the day of your visit. You are able to book for just one day if you’d like to. The price will vary depending on the demand for the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to book a Disney vacation package rather than individual items?

There are sometimes specials that include a deal for a vacation package, but that isn’t always the case.

Do Disney vacation packages include MagicBands?

They no longer include MagicBands. However, you can always purchase one that can be used to open your resort room door, as admission to the parks, and to charge purchases to your room.

Is the Magical Express included in a Disney vacation package?

The Magical Express was discontinued several years ago and is no longer included in a Disney vacation package.

Tea cups ride at Walt Disney World

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.