When should I book our hotel and tickets?

Book your stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and date-based theme-park tickets as soon as September packages for your travel year become available. Make sure to confirm cancellation terms before paying a deposit.

Which table-service restaurants are included in this plan?

This plan includes dinner reservations at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom on Day 2 and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs on Day 3. You should reserve these when your Disney dining window opens.

What kind of tickets do we need for this itinerary?

This plan uses a 3-day Park Hopper Plus ticket, which covers entry to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and one visit to a Disney water park like Typhoon Lagoon.

How will we get around Walt Disney World?

Your stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort includes complimentary bus transportation to all four theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. Mears Connect is arranged for airport transfers.

Which water park will we visit?

The plan includes a visit to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. However, Disney often rotates water park operations, so confirm which water park will be open in September for your trip.

The Epcot Spaceship Earth sphere lit in blue and purple after dark

Sample itinerary · 5 days

5-Day Walt Disney World Itinerary for First-Timers

Your first Disney, so nothing assumes you already know how it works.

Going to: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Length: 5 days
Travelers: Families
Trip total: $4,755–$6,665

$4,755–$6,665

The total covers flights from Chicago, Illinois, lodging, getting around and tickets and tours for the whole party, plus food, gas and parking estimated in the breakdown below.

Things to do

The Dig Site pool afternoon (Day 1)
3-day Park Hopper Plus admission (Day 2)
TRON Lightcycle / Run (Day 2)
Space Mountain (Day 2)
Snack · Cheshire Café (Day 2)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Day 2)
Pirates of the Caribbean (Day 2)
Main Street and hub viewing setup (Day 2)
Happily Ever After (Day 2)
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park (Day 3)
Crush ’n’ Gusher (Day 3)
Miss Adventure Falls (Day 3)
Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool (Day 3)
Disney Springs waterfront walk (Day 3)
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios) (Day 4)
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Day 4)
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Day 4)
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (Day 4)
Slinky Dog Dash (Day 4)
Fantasmic! arrival buffer (Day 4)
Fantasmic! (Day 4)
Avatar Flight of Passage (Day 5)
Kilimanjaro Safaris (Day 5)
Expedition Everest (Day 5)

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Make this yours — free, no account, no card.

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Why this plan works

The first day stays intentionally light after the morning flight, with one restorative resort break and an easy dinner at the hotel. Mears transportation avoids a rental car, while Coronado Springs keeps the family inside Walt Disney World for the full stay.

Open this day in Google Maps

5:15 AM–5:35 AM
Packed breakfast en route
5:15 AM–5:35 AM
It accounts for breakfast without risking the flight schedule.
Bring breakfast from home and eat it while traveling to O’Hare; this avoids adding a departure-city restaurant stop.
7:20 AM–10:55 AM
Typical nonstop · ORD → MCO
7:20 AM–10:55 AM
A morning nonstop preserves a relaxed arrival afternoon without requiring an extremely late hotel arrival.
Book ahead · Fares typically open ~11 months out and are usually cheapest 2–4 months ahead
Operating airline: American Airlines or United Airlines. Realistic departure 7:20 AM from ORD and arrival 10:55 AM at MCO; typical nonstop duration 2 hours 35 minutes. Arrive at ORD 2 hours before departure. Confirm the operating terminal and schedule before purchase.
11:15 AM–11:55 AM
Lunch · MCO food court
11:15 AM–11:55 AM
Eating at the airport prevents hungry children from waiting through the transfer and hotel check-in process.
After collecting luggage, choose a quick counter meal in the main terminal before meeting the resort coach.
12:15 PM–1:00 PM
Mears Connect · MCO to Coronado Springs
12:15 PM–1:00 PM
It supplies the needed airport transfer without a rental car and returns the family to MCO on departure day.
Book ahead · Shared airport transfers: reserve a seat a few days to two weeks ahead
Board the shared Mears Connect coach after collecting luggage; allow approximately 45–75 minutes depending on resort stops.
1:15 PM–1:45 PM
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
1:15 PM–1:45 PM
This is a literal on-property, mid-tier Disney hotel with complimentary buses, strong pools and room configurations suitable for four.
Check in through My Disney Experience, leave bags if the room is not ready and request a room convenient to a bus stop. Reserve a room with two queen beds for two adults and two children.
2:15 PM–5:00 PM
The Dig Site pool afternoon
2:15 PM–5:00 PM
The resort’s main pool gives the children an immediate Disney activity while preserving energy for three early park mornings.
Swim at the Lost City of Cibola Pool, use the waterslide and take a genuine recovery break after traveling. Children must meet posted rules and should be supervised closely.
5:45 PM–6:45 PM
Dinner · El Mercado de Coronado
5:45 PM–6:45 PM
The hotel location keeps the arrival evening effortless and avoids spending one of the two table-service meals.
Choose tacos, rice bowls, pizza or familiar children’s options at the resort’s quick-service marketplace.
7:00 PM–8:30 PM
Your stay
7:00 PM–8:30 PM
A quiet evening makes the following active park day sustainable for both children.
Unpack, charge devices and prepare park bags for the early Magic Kingdom departure.

If you fall behind

What to cut if you fall behind: Skip the pool and go directly from check-in to dinner.

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Bookings & costs

$4,755–$6,665

0 of 6 bookable items booked

Food not included: about $1,180, listed below

0 of 6 bookable items booked

Locked in

paid or reserved

Still to book

$5,590

est. $4,720–$6,450 · 6 items

Gas & parking

$130

est. $35–$215

Booked prices are exact. Everything else is an estimate.

Know before you go

Practical notes for this trip — the things worth sorting before you leave.

Booking windows & timing

Book Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and date-based theme-park tickets as soon as September packages become available. Confirm the cancellation terms before paying a deposit.
Time-sensitiveCheck in · Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Reserve Liberty Tree Tavern and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ when your Disney dining window opens; both are deliberately the trip’s only table-service meals. Confirm Disney’s current advance-reservation window for your dates.
Time-sensitiveDinner · Liberty Tree Tavern
Disney rotates Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach operating seasons, so verify which water park will be open in September. The Park Hopper Plus entitlement can normally be used at the operating Disney water park.
Time-sensitiveDisney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Set up before you go

Create one My Disney Experience family profile, link all four tickets and the hotel reservation, and assign each child correctly. Install the app on at least two adult phones because ride availability, mobile ordering and transportation times are managed there.
3-day Park Hopper Plus admission

Crowds & timing

Reach each park entrance about 45 minutes before the published opening time, including any resort-guest early-entry period. The first 90 minutes are the best chance to ride TRON, Slinky Dog Dash and Flight of Passage with manageable waits.
Time-sensitiveTRON Lightcycle / Run
For Happily Ever After, secure a Main Street or central hub viewing position 45–60 minutes before showtime. For Fantasmic!, enter the amphitheater about 45 minutes early rather than purchasing a separate dining package.
Happily Ever After

Weather & packing

September is hot, humid and prone to short afternoon thunderstorms. Carry refillable bottles, cooling towels, ponchos and dry socks, and keep the water-park day flexible in case lightning suspends attractions.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Getting around & driving

Coronado Springs buses serve all four theme parks and Disney Springs, but the resort has multiple internal stops. Budget 45–60 minutes from room to park entrance and allow extra time before fireworks or dining reservations.
Check in · Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Health & safety

Use sunscreen before leaving the room and reapply after swimming; September heat can affect children quickly. Complimentary ice water is normally available at Disney quick-service counters, so ask rather than buying a bottle each time.

Want this trip on your dates?

Make this yours — free, no account, no card.

Plan a trip like this

Questions about this plan

When should I book our hotel and tickets?: Book your stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and date-based theme-park tickets as soon as September packages for your travel year become available. Make sure to confirm cancellation terms before paying a deposit.
Which table-service restaurants are included in this plan?: This plan includes dinner reservations at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom on Day 2 and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs on Day 3. You should reserve these when your Disney dining window opens.
What kind of tickets do we need for this itinerary?: This plan uses a 3-day Park Hopper Plus ticket, which covers entry to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and one visit to a Disney water park like Typhoon Lagoon.
How will we get around Walt Disney World?: Your stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort includes complimentary bus transportation to all four theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. Mears Connect is arranged for airport transfers.
Which water park will we visit?: The plan includes a visit to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. However, Disney often rotates water park operations, so confirm which water park will be open in September for your trip.