5 Tips to Make the Most of Your DVC Rental Planning Experience

It’s a sweet sentiment from the portly resident of the Hundred Acre Wood, but truly each of my days spent with all of you is a treasure. I enjoy our interactions; as I get to know you and share your growing excitement, planning vacations is less a “job” and more like being, well, a Fairy Godmother. After planning hundreds of vacations, I’ve compiled a few tips for you so that we can make our time together as magical as possible.

1. Share Your Wish List

1. Share your wish list – It may seem silly, but I can do the best possible job for you, only if I know what you’re looking for. Whether it’s bedding configuration, proximity to the parks, décor, or budget that drives your planning, no request is silly or insignificant. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me. Knowing your needs and wants will help me to refine the available options to provide what is most relevant to you; after all you know more about how your family vacations than I do!

2. Ask Your Questions

2. Ask your questions –  As experienced Disney Vacation Planners, the team at the DVC Rental Store has answers to most any question you may have, and if we don’t we’ll find the answer. It certainly doesn’t hurt to do some of your own research if you like, but don’t be afraid to use us as a resource when it comes to the finer points of your planning. For me, “talking shop” about which Disney restaurants are best, and what each resort has to offer Guests is a highlight of each day; and I’ve found that the Guests who take the time to ask their questions usually have the best vacation experiences.

3. Keep an Open Mind

3. Keep an open mind –  Okay, so you have your wish list in hand, and perhaps one or two items aren’t attainable. I can hear your hearts breaking now – believe me, I don’t like it either, but the sad reality is that there are only so many rooms at your favorite resort; and only so many tables at your favorite restaurant. Especially if you plan to travel at peak times, or to a particularly popular resort, some flexibility can make all the difference. One of benefits of dealing with the DVC Rental Store Cast is that we are real people, working with you in real time. So, it’s okay to ask us for a little of our Vacation Planning finesse, with requests like “I can travel any time for 5 nights in the month of February,” or “we prefer a Monday-Thursday stay, some time prior to April 10.” Or, if your dates aren’t flexible, it can certainly help to consider other resorts. We can recommend options that are similar to your stated preferences or others that may be nice for a change. I’ll admit that I celebrate the entire Disney collection, even though I have my favorites too. So, if our family can’t get in at a tried and true destination, we’ve always been pleased with the results of branching out to a new resort or restaurant.

4. Take Your Time

4. Take your time –  I mean this in a couple of ways. First, give yourself plenty of time to plan your dream vacation. As Disney offers more and more to visiting Guests, there are naturally more facets to planning your trip. You’ll want to make sure you are able to plan ahead for items like dining reservations, FastPass+ attractions, and of course your resort stay. Planning in advance will give you plenty of opportunities to ask questions and learn about each available option. Second, when you do arrive in the Most Magical Place on Earth, take time to stop and smell the roses (literally and figuratively). Some of you may count this as blasphemy, but I’ll stand by my belief that not every Disney Day must be spent in a theme park. There is much, much more available to you during your stay. Take a day to enjoy the pool at your resort, followed by a leisurely dinner with a nice glass of wine and a decadent dessert. Visit Downtown Disney and its myriad of shops and restaurants to answer your every retail-oriented whim. Utilize the Disney transportation to get to a resort other than the one where you are staying. You’ll find beautiful spaces, thoughtfully appointed, ready and waiting to welcome you to a cozy chair near a fire, or an up-close view to some live music. You may find that your days spent outside the theme parks open your eyes to a brand new array of “must-do” activities for your next trip.

5. Tell Me All About It

5. Tell me all about it! –  When you do bring yourself to part with the magic and come back home, if you can take a few minutes to share your experiences (both good and bad) we can use that information to plan future vacations that are even more magical than before. Disney Vacations make up so many of my treasured memories, I do not take lightly the opportunity to help you make memories of your own. We can learn from the experiences that fell short of your expectations and use that information to improve, and we are always happy to share your joy over experiences that were even more wonderful than you had anticipated.

So there you have it, 5 tips to make the most of your Disney Vacation Planning experience. We truly appreciate the opportunity to plan a Disney Vacation that is uniquely yours. Here’s to the memories, the magic, and you!