Prepare for your Disney trip: what to do 1 month before

 (Updated 3/20/21) How to prepare for your Disney trip one month before you leave:

I am less than a month away from my next Disney trip!  Though there’s plenty to be done to prepare for your Disney trip before you leave, and I’m already itching to try and get some other stuff done as well.  And the more you can do ahead of time, the better.  There are certainly some things that are good to check off your list a month ahead of time.  Since I’m making my own checklist I figured I would share it with you, too!

Pay your balance

If you’ve booked a Walt Disney World package (room, tickets, and/or dining), your balance is due 30 days before you travel.  Disney doesn’t mess around with this – miss your payment and your reservation will be cancelled.  If you have a room only reservation you don’t have to pay the remainder of this until check out.

Magical Express

If you haven’t sent in your flight information for Magical Express, you want to do it ASAP.  Even if you wait until the last minute to call in your Magical Express you can still use the bus – they aren’t currently doing luggage delivery so there’s nothing else that you need once the reservation is made.

Magic Bands

Magic Band orders also have to be placed 30 days ahead of time, so while you’re making that final payment make sure everything is set with your magic bands if you want them! Magic bands are now an extra fee – they cost $5-20 depending on the design. If you opt not to get Magic Bands you can use the app on your phone for the same things. You can also purchase additional magic bands from ShopDisney before your trip for even more fun designs!

Make an itinerary

If you’ve booked fastpasses, dining reservations, your flights, etc., now is a good time to put all of that information in one spot.  I have a few different ways that I create an itinerary – you can get a few simple ones that I have on Etsy, or go for the whole trip planning pack which includes an itinerary sheet. I note what time everything is scheduled for as well as confirmation numbers.  I also look up park hours and extra magic hours to add to my list.

Book fastpasses (if off-site) (currently unavailable in 2021)

For people staying off-site (at a non-Disney owned hotel), you can start booking your fastpass+ reservations 30 days ahead of time.  So if that’s the case make sure you have your park tickets purchased and linked to your My Disney Experience account and get on first thing in the morning on your 30 day mark!

Brush up on how to get on Rise of the Resistance

If riding this attraction in Hollywood Studios is a priority for you, make sure you are familiar with the current advice and procedure for joining the virtual queue. Disney tends to tinker with the process every so often – sometimes they change the time passes are available, for instance. To stay up to date with everything about Rise of the Resistance make sure to follow this post.

Check Closures

Take a look at what attractions might be closed during your visit. I recommend a website like All Ears that has all information in one place and keeps it up to date. It’s good to be aware of what might be closed so you’re not taken off guard or looking forward to something you won’t be able to do this trip.

Create a packing list

It might be a little early to start packing, but you can at least start thinking about what you should pack.  The advantage to making a packing list early on is that you may thing of other things throughout the next few weeks you forgot about and you can add that to your list.

Order groceries

I’ll be writing a full blog post soon on how to order groceries to be delivered to your Disney World hotel, but for now if it’s something you’re thinking about check out Garden Grocer.  Even if you just have some basics delivered like bottled water, bagels, etc., it can save you some money in the long run especially with a larger group.

Order memory maker

Thinking about Memory Maker?  Now’s a good time to purchase it!  If you decide to buy it in advance of your trip you can save some money.  You can always get it later too, but you’ll pay more for it.  I find the Memory Maker to be well worth it for all of the photos you get – attractions, character photos, and lots of great spots in front of the park icons and other areas.

I still love meeting characters as an adult!

Online Check-in

If you complete online check-in before you arrive you’ll be able to skip the front desk completely – Disney will send you a text with your room number and when it’s ready and you can just get in with your magic band or phone. You’re also able to make requests during online check-in.

Make sure you have your park pass reservations

As of right now park reservations are still required in addition to tickets. It’s best to book these as soon as you get your tickets, but if you haven’t finalized your plans yet now is the time to make sure you have your park reservations booked.

Leave the last week open for last minute prep

There are plenty of other things that need to be done within the last week before you go to Disney, so make sure you get these items done so you don’t have to worry about them last minute!  Then you can move on to what you should be doing the week before you leave.

Related Posts

• The essential 2021 Disney World planning guide
• What to do the month before leaving for a RunDisney trip
• What to do the month before you leave for a Disney Cruise + giveaway!
• What to do the week before you leave for Disney + giveaway
• What to do the week before you leave for a Disney Cruise

Anything that I missed?  How do you prepare for your Disney trip one month before?