Sample trip, read-only
What the paid plan looks like, start to finish
Our example family: 2 adults, children 5 and 8, December 6 to 12, 2026, the Polynesian, four park days, a $7,000 target that the hotel choice blows through, which is exactly what the budget page is for. Every figure below came out of the planner on October 12, 2026 with the same data a customer gets. Lightning Lane picks are a suggested order, not reserved times. Nothing here is a Disney quote. Pricing · Start your own, free
Planned costs so far
Every line labeled Published, Estimate or Yours. Flights, the unplanned meals and extras are blank on purpose: the total is incomplete until the family adds them, and it says so.
Sun, Dec 6 · 6 nights · 2 adults, 2 children
| HotelDisney's Polynesian Village Resort: standard room at the published minimum $839, lifted 5% for your dates' season × 6 nights + 12.5% room tax | estimate | $5,952.71 |
| Park ticketsDisney 4-day base ticket · 2 adults at $714, 2 children at $695 with tax · Disney's 4-day price range placed by your start date ($3,157 if bought as one-day tickets) | estimate | $2,818.10 |
| Special eventsNone selected | none | $0.00 |
| Dining1 meal you priced $98 + 18 not planned yet $1,392 (mix of quick and table service, menu averages), tax and tip included | estimate | $1,489.93 |
| Lightning LaneMulti Pass Mon, Dec 7; Multi Pass Tue, Dec 8 · 4 people, typical scenario, tax applied | estimate | $306.72 |
| Airport transferMears Connect Standard (shared shuttle): 2 × $33.60 + 2 × $27.30 round trip | published | $121.80 |
| Parking and ridesYour estimate | none | $0.00 |
| FlightsYour estimate | none | $0.00 |
| Rental carNo rental car | none | $0.00 |
| Trip insuranceNot budgeted | none | $0.00 |
| Souvenirs and extrasYour estimate | none | $0.00 |
| Total | $10,689.26 |
Three meals a day from the first lunch to the last lunch; each meal you price in Dining replaces one of them.
Published: taken from a named source on a stated date. Estimate: arithmetic on published figures with assumptions you control. Yours: typed by you. None of these are Disney quotes.
Last checked: tickets October 11, 2026 (Disney's calendar); hotel planning rates October 2026; Lightning Lane daily prices July 2024 to today plus Disney's posted prices for the next three weeks (Thrill Data); menus and ratings October 2026; airport fares October 12, 2026. Live waits refresh every five minutes in the park.
Lightning Lane, decided per park day
What it cost on the comparable day in a prior year, the estimate for this date, the minutes it saves this party, and the verdict. The first three picks follow Disney's rule of one ride from the park's first group; book them in My Disney Experience.
Comparable day, 2 years ago$35Mon, Dec 9, same week and weekdayOur estimate for Mon, Dec 7$412 years at 7.9% a year
Estimated Multi Pass $41 per person ($34 to $41). $35 on Mon, Dec 9 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 7.9% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Premier $462: $419 on Mon, Dec 9 (same week and weekday, AllEars), plus 5.0% a year as a planning assumption (Premier Pass has one year of posted prices), over 2 years.
Single Pass, sold separately: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train $15 pp ($13 on Mon, Dec 9); TRON Lightcycle / Run $22 pp ($21 on Mon, Dec 9). Not in Multi Pass; buy only if that ride is the trip.
Multi Pass saves about 142 minutes of standing in line across Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the next picks. Worth it at $175 for the party. These are a suggested order, not reserved times: book the first three at 7 am in My Disney Experience (one from Disney's first group), then one more each time you use one.
Comparable day, 2 years ago$27Tue, Dec 10, same week and weekdayOur estimate for Tue, Dec 8$312 years at 7.4% a year
Estimated Multi Pass $31 per person ($28 to $31). $27 on Tue, Dec 10 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 7.4% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Premier $341: $309 on Tue, Dec 10 (same week and weekday, AllEars), plus 5.0% a year as a planning assumption (Premier Pass has one year of posted prices), over 2 years.
Single Pass, sold separately: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance $25 pp ($25 on Tue, Dec 10). Not in Multi Pass; buy only if that ride is the trip.
Multi Pass saves about 161 minutes of standing in line across Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania!, Alien Swirling Saucers and the next picks. Worth it at $132 for the party. These are a suggested order, not reserved times: book the first three at 7 am in My Disney Experience (one from Disney's first group), then one more each time you use one.
Comparable day, 2 years ago$21Wed, Dec 11, same week and weekdayOur estimate for Wed, Dec 9$252 years at 8.8% a year
Estimated Multi Pass $25 per person ($25 to $28). $21 on Wed, Dec 11 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 8.8% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Premier $164: $149 on Mon, Dec 9 (AllEars), plus 5.0% a year for 2 years. Nearby days ran $164 to $264.
Single Pass, sold separately: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind $23 pp ($18 on Wed, Dec 11). Not in Multi Pass; buy only if that ride is the trip.
Multi Pass saves about 112 minutes here after rope-dropping the biggest ride. Worth it with small children who cannot stand in line or on a peak day; otherwise stand-by is fine. Premier Pass would save about 280 minutes with no return times, at $699; only for a one-shot day where you want every headliner.
Comparable day, 2 years ago$17Fri, Dec 13, same week and weekdayOur estimate for Fri, Dec 11$182 years at 1.9% a year
Estimated Multi Pass $18 per person ($17 to $18). $17 on Fri, Dec 13 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 1.9% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Premier $131: $119 on Tue, Dec 10 (AllEars), plus 5.0% a year for 2 years. Nearby days ran $131 to $175.
Single Pass, sold separately: Avatar Flight of Passage $17 pp ($16 on Fri, Dec 13). Not in Multi Pass; buy only if that ride is the trip.
Multi Pass saves about 86 minutes here after rope-dropping the biggest ride. Worth it with small children who cannot stand in line or on a peak day; otherwise stand-by is fine.
How the estimate works: we find the comparable day one year earlier (moved with Easter, Thanksgiving, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and MLK weekend; same calendar date for Christmas week and July 4; otherwise the same week and weekday), take what Multi Pass cost that day, and add the increase we have measured across 1,512 matched days: Magic Kingdom 7.9%, EPCOT 8.8%, Hollywood Studios 7.4%, Animal Kingdom 1.9% a year (all parks 6.5%). Holiday weeks have risen faster: Thanksgiving 16%, Presidents Day 16%, Memorial Day 19%. Daily prices from Thrill Data, Jul 2024 to Nov 2026.
Monday, Magic Kingdom, hour by hour
Built around a 42-inch and a 50-inch rider, rope drop, walking times, Lightning Lane windows, the saved dinner and a rest when the five-year-old needs it. Lightning Lane windows are planned, not booked.
Mon, Dec 7 · Magic Kingdom
Rope-drop day, 8:30 am to 10:00 pm
Reported hours (WDWMAGIC). Early Entry 30 minutes before opening as a Disney resort guest. Lightning Lane Multi Pass on 3 rides, $175 for the party.
- 8:30 am31 minSeven Dwarfs Mine TrainFantasyland · 28 min waitA gentle family coaster with swaying mine carts; a first coaster for many 4-year-olds.Rope dropRide
- 9:09 am13 minPeter Pan's FlightFantasyland · 3-min walk · 10 min waitGentle dark ride in flying ships. Loved by every age; waits are long for what it is.Lightning LaneRide
- 9:33 am21 minTiana's Bayou AdventureFrontierland · 6-min walk · 10 min waitLog flume with a 50-foot final drop. You will get wet.Lightning LaneRide
- 10:02 am44 minPirates of the CaribbeanAdventureland · 3-min walk · 35 min waitBoat ride with one small drop in the dark.Ride
- 10:53 am55 minJungle CruiseAdventureland · 2-min walk · 45 min waitSkipper jokes and animatronic animals. Fine for everyone.Ride
- 11:53 am45 minQuick-service lunchPick a restaurant in Dining to replace thisMeal
- 12:43 pm49 minHaunted MansionLiberty Square · 5-min walk · 40 min waitSpooky, not scary; a stretching room and ghosts. Some under-5s cry.Ride
- 1:37 pm180 minBack to the resort: pool or napDisney resort transport both ways is included in the three hours.Rest
- 4:46 pm21 minSpace MountainTomorrowland · 9-min walk · 10 min waitIndoor coaster in the dark; jerky rather than fast. Scary for kids who dislike darkness. child 1 (42 in) sits out; use Rider Switch so adults take turns.Lightning LaneRider SwitchRide
- 5:14 pm69 minTRON Lightcycle / RunTomorrowland · 2-min walk · 60 min waitFast launch coaster, lean-forward bikes. Lockers required for bags. Standby line runs most days; a virtual queue only when Disney turns it on. child 1 (42 in) sits out; use Rider Switch so adults take turns.Rider SwitchRide
- 6:31 pm26 minThe BarnstormerFantasyland · 3-min walk · 25 min waitA one-minute starter coaster. Short, tame, fast enough to count.Ride
- 7:04 pm27 minDumbo the Flying ElephantFantasyland · 2-min walk · 25 min waitIndoor play area in the queue; kids get a pager.Ride
- 7:36 pm45 minDinnerQuick service, or add a saved meal in DiningMeal
- 8:23 pm22 minMad Tea PartyFantasyland · 2-min walk · 20 min waitSpinning teacups; you control the spin. Skip right after a meal.Ride
- 8:59 pm49 minBig Thunder Mountain RailroadFrontierland · 9-min walk · 45 min waitRunaway mine train, bumpy and fast-feeling but no big drops.Ride
- 9:53 pm63 minHappily Ever AfterFireworks at park close. Hub grass fills an hour ahead.Show
Powered by ThemeParks.wiki. ThemeParks.wiki entity list (names, coordinates), pulled Oct 12 2026. Height requirements, thrill, durations and planning waits compiled by The Happiest Planner from Disney's published height list and planning norms; not independently verified. Confirm heights at the ride entrance. Official Magic Kingdom map (PDF, Disney).
The trip guide
The printable document the family takes into the parks: budget, booking windows, each day, meals, Lightning Lane plan, packing list from December's weather.
Your trip guide
Dec 6 to 12, 6 nights
2 adults, 2 children (42 and 50 inches). Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. 4 park days: MK, HS, EPCOT, AK.
Weather for your dates: highs around 73°, lows around 54°, 0 of 7 days with a real chance of rain (same dates, last three years).
Confirmations and what to bring
| Hotel reservation Disney's Polynesian Village Resort | |
| Park tickets (linked in the app) | |
| Flights | |
| Airport transfer Mears Connect Standard (shared shuttle): 2 × $33.60 + 2 × $27.30 round trip | |
| Rental car | |
| Trip insurance policy | |
| Dining reservations Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant | |
| Lightning Lane / Express purchases | |
| Anything else (stroller rental, special events, Memory Maker) |
Bring: photo ID for everyone 18+, the credit card on the reservation, MagicBands or phones with the apps signed in, each child's height written down, and this guide.
Before you go
| Wed, Oct 7 6:00 ET | Dining reservations open Disney resort guests can book every day of the stay at 6 am ET on Wed, Oct 7, 60 days before check-in (that date has passed for this sample; your own window is computed from your check-in). Popular tables (character meals, Space 220, Be Our Guest) go in minutes. |
| Sat, Nov 28 20:00 ET | Link tickets and set up My Disney Experience Tickets, hotel confirmation and every guest in the party must be linked in the app before the Lightning Lane window opens, or you cannot book. Screenshots of the ticket barcodes as backup. |
| Mon, Nov 30 7:00 ET | Lightning Lane booking opens Disney resort guests book Lightning Lane 7 days before the first park day, at 7 am ET on Mon, Nov 30, for the whole stay. |
| Thu, Dec 3 18:00 ET | Pack from your list Weather for your dates is loaded; the packing list is built for it. |
Resort: Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort: standard room at the published minimum $839, lifted 5% for your dates' season × 6 nights + 12.5% room tax. Disney resort perks: Early Entry 30 minutes before opening every day, Lightning Lane booking 7 days out, free theme-park parking.
Airport: Mears Connect Standard (shared shuttle): 2 × $33.60 + 2 × $27.30 round trip.
Day by day
Sun, Dec 6 · Arrival day
74° / 55°, 10% rain. Check-in is 3 pm (4 pm at villas); rooms are often ready earlier and the app texts you. Bags can be stored at Bell Services, so the pool or Disney Springs works for the afternoon.
| Arrive | Airport transfer Mears Connect Standard (shared shuttle): 2 × $33.60 + 2 × $27.30 round trip |
Mon, Dec 7 · Magic Kingdom
Rope-drop day, 8:30 am to 10:00 pm. 72° / 52°, 20% rain. Lightning Lane Multi Pass, est. $41 per person.
| 8:30 am | Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Fantasyland, 28 min wait Rope drop | 31 min |
| 9:09 am | Peter Pan's Flight Fantasyland, 10 min wait Lightning Lane | 13 min |
| 9:33 am | Tiana's Bayou Adventure Frontierland, 10 min wait Lightning Lane | 21 min |
| 10:02 am | Pirates of the Caribbean Adventureland, 35 min wait | 44 min |
| 10:53 am | Jungle Cruise Adventureland, 45 min wait | 55 min |
| 11:53 am | Quick-service lunch | 45 min |
| 12:43 pm | Haunted Mansion Liberty Square, 40 min wait | 49 min |
| 1:37 pm | Back to the resort: pool or nap | 180 min |
| 4:46 pm | Space Mountain Tomorrowland, 10 min wait Lightning Lane Rider Switch | 21 min |
| 5:14 pm | TRON Lightcycle / Run Tomorrowland, 60 min wait Rider Switch | 69 min |
| 6:31 pm | The Barnstormer Fantasyland, 25 min wait | 26 min |
| 7:04 pm | Dumbo the Flying Elephant Fantasyland, 25 min wait | 27 min |
| 7:36 pm | Dinner | 45 min |
| 8:23 pm | Mad Tea Party Fantasyland, 20 min wait | 22 min |
| 8:59 pm | Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Frontierland, 45 min wait | 49 min |
| 9:53 pm | Happily Ever After | 63 min |
Tue, Dec 8 · Hollywood Studios
Rope-drop day, 8:30 am to 9:00 pm. 70° / 50°, 30% rain. Lightning Lane Multi Pass, est. $31 per person.
| 8:30 am | Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Galaxy's Edge, 36 min wait Rope drop | 54 min |
| 9:34 am | Slinky Dog Dash Toy Story Land, 10 min wait Lightning Lane | 12 min |
| 9:55 am | Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway Hollywood Boulevard, 10 min wait Lightning Lane | 15 min |
| 10:18 am | Toy Story Mania! Toy Story Land, 50 min wait | 57 min |
| 11:28 am | Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Sunset Boulevard, 10 min wait Lightning Lane Rider Switch | 19 min |
| 11:52 am | Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant | 75 min |
| 1:07 pm | Back to the resort: pool or nap | 180 min |
| 4:09 pm | The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Sunset Boulevard, 55 min wait | 60 min |
| 5:27 pm | Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Galaxy's Edge, 50 min wait | 55 min |
| 6:30 pm | Alien Swirling Saucers Toy Story Land, 35 min wait | 37 min |
| 7:18 pm | For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration Echo Lake | 50 min |
| 8:13 pm | Fantasmic! | 75 min |
Wed, Dec 9 · EPCOT
Rope-drop day, 8:30 am to 9:00 pm. 73° / 54°, 15% rain. No Lightning Lane; stand-by is fine at this crowd level.
| 8:30 am | Frozen Ever After World Showcase, 26 min wait Rope drop | 31 min |
| 9:12 am | Test Track World Discovery, 60 min wait | 65 min |
| 10:28 am | Spaceship Earth World Celebration, 20 min wait | 35 min |
| 11:11 am | Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind World Discovery, 65 min wait | 68 min |
| 12:24 pm | Quick-service lunch | 45 min |
| 1:09 pm | Back to the resort: pool or nap | 180 min |
| 4:18 pm | Soarin' Across America World Nature, 45 min wait | 50 min |
| 5:15 pm | Journey Into Imagination With Figment World Celebration, 10 min wait | 16 min |
| 5:47 pm | Remy's Ratatouille Adventure World Showcase, 55 min wait | 60 min |
| 6:52 pm | Dinner | 45 min |
| 7:39 pm | Impressions de France World Showcase, 5 min wait | 23 min |
| 8:09 pm | Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along World Showcase, 5 min wait | 20 min |
| 8:34 pm | Luminous The Symphony of Us | 62 min |
Thu, Dec 10 · Rest day
75° / 57°, 10% rain. No park booked: a pool day, Disney Springs, or an unplanned park day (add it in Park days and tickets).
Fri, Dec 11 · Animal Kingdom
Rope-drop day, 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. 76° / 58°, 25% rain. No Lightning Lane; stand-by is fine at this crowd level.
| 7:30 am | Kilimanjaro Safaris Africa, 18 min wait Rope drop | 40 min |
| 8:21 am | Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Discovery Island, 20 min wait | 40 min |
| 9:10 am | Kali River Rapids Asia, 35 min wait | 40 min |
| 9:58 am | Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain Asia, 40 min wait Rider Switch | 51 min |
| 11:05 am | Na'vi River Journey Pandora, 55 min wait | 60 min |
| 12:10 pm | Quick-service lunch | 45 min |
| 12:57 pm | Avatar Flight of Passage Pandora, 90 min wait Rider Switch | 105 min |
| 2:47 pm | Afternoon reset: Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! | 60 min |
| 3:47 pm | Dinner | 45 min |
| 4:41 pm | Wildlife Express Train Africa, 10 min wait | 17 min |
| 5:05 pm | Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail Africa, 0 min wait | 25 min |
Sat, Dec 12 · Departure day
71° / 53°, 20% rain. Check-out is 11 am. Bell Services holds bags; Resort Airline Check-in is no longer offered, so plan 3 hours before a flight with the airport transfer.
| Depart | Airport transfer Mears Connect Standard (shared shuttle): 2 × $33.60 + 2 × $27.30 round trip |
Dining
| Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant Hollywood Studios · Lunch: main · 2 adults, 2 children | $97.93 |
| 1 meals, tax and tip included | $1,489.93 |
Book table service 60 days out; quick service needs no reservation.
Lightning Lane plan
| Mon, Dec 7 Magic Kingdom | Multi Pass, est. $41 per person Multi Pass saves about 142 minutes of standing in line across Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the next picks. Worth it at $175 for the party. These are a suggested order, not reserved times: book the first three at 7 am in My Disney Experience (one from Disney's first group), then one more each time you use one. Multi Pass basis: $35 on Mon, Dec 9 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 7.9% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Book first: Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. |
| Tue, Dec 8 Hollywood Studios | Multi Pass, est. $31 per person Multi Pass saves about 161 minutes of standing in line across Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania!, Alien Swirling Saucers and the next picks. Worth it at $132 for the party. These are a suggested order, not reserved times: book the first three at 7 am in My Disney Experience (one from Disney's first group), then one more each time you use one. Multi Pass basis: $27 on Tue, Dec 10 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 7.4% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. Book first: Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania!, Alien Swirling Saucers. |
| Wed, Dec 9 EPCOT | Stand-by only Multi Pass saves about 112 minutes here after rope-dropping the biggest ride. Worth it with small children who cannot stand in line or on a peak day; otherwise stand-by is fine. Premier Pass would save about 280 minutes with no return times, at $699; only for a one-shot day where you want every headliner. Multi Pass basis: $21 on Wed, Dec 11 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 8.8% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. |
| Fri, Dec 11 Animal Kingdom | Stand-by only Multi Pass saves about 86 minutes here after rope-dropping the biggest ride. Worth it with small children who cannot stand in line or on a peak day; otherwise stand-by is fine. Multi Pass basis: $17 on Fri, Dec 13 (same week and weekday, Thrill Data), plus the 1.9% a year this park has risen on comparable days, over 2 years. |
Packing
Typical weather for your dates: highs around 73°, lows around 54°, 0 of 7 days with a real chance of rain. 7 days, 2 adults and 2 children, 4 park days. No fancy dinners, no water park, pool time, a little one under 6, flying.
- Tops (8 per person)
- Pants or long bottoms (5 per person)
- Underwear and socks (9 per person)
- Pajamas (3 per person)
- Swimsuits (1 per person)
- Broken-in walking shoes (2 per person)
- Sandals or pool shoes (1 per person)
- Light jacket or hoodie (1 per person)
- Warm layer, beanie (1 per person)
- Small crossbody or sling bag (1 to 2)
- Portable charger and cable (2)
- Refillable water bottle (1 per person)
- Sunscreen stick (1 to 2)
- Waterproof phone pouch (2)
- Hand sanitizer and wipes (1)
- Snacks (daily bag)
- Lanyard for room key or pass (1 per person)
- Mickey ears (optional)
- Stroller (1)
- Sippy cups and snack cups (2)
- Change of clothes in the park bag (1 per person)
- Glow sticks for parade and fireworks nights (1 bag)
- Autograph book and thick marker (1 per child)
- Favorite comfort item for naps (1 per child)
- Park tickets linked in My Disney Experience (all guests)
- Photo ID (each adult)
- MagicBand+ or phone for room entry (1 per person)
- Mears Connect confirmation and return pickup time (1)
- Chargers for every device (all)
- Liquids in a quart bag, carry-on sizes (1 per person)
- Luggage tags and a packing cube per person (1 per person)
- Medications and a small first-aid kit (1)
Published figures come from a named source on a stated date; estimates are arithmetic on published figures with assumptions you control; yours are numbers you typed. None are Disney quotes. Lightning Lane prices are estimated from daily price history for your dates; waits are planning tiers unless marked live. Confirm everything in Disney's checkout. The Happiest Planner is independent and not affiliated with Disney. Data snapshot October 12, 2026.
Your trip