The Disney Days Planning Podcast

Alyssa

A podcast of organized information of Walt Disney World by topic. Each episode will by hyper-focused on a specific topic of Disney World from ticket types, to Epcot area resorts to dining in specific parks. There will be monthly Trip Reports and a Grouchy Dad segment. 

  1. May 18

    Dining in Epcot

    Hello there and thank you so much for joining me today!! In this episode, I discuss the permanent* dining options at Epcot. I do NOT discuss the individual booths for the festivals since they change so frequently. I discuss the snacks, quick service, table service and bars & lounges that are inside Epcot Center. For updated festival information, you can check the My Disney Experience App or Website. When you enter Epcot from either entrance, you can also pick up a Festival Passport for the current festival which will have an overview of the different food booths, merchandise and entertainment for that festival.  If you have not listened to my Epcot Overview episode or my Dining overview episodes, I do recommend listening them to those first before this one so you have a better background knowledge prior to listening.  Here is a link to the DINING PACKAGES. I do recommend checking them out if there is a band, performance or firework show that is a must-do for you. As discussed there are Festival Dining Packages where you get guaranteed and preferred seating to the concerts during the different festivals, and there are also Fireworks Dining Packages here at Epcot where you get food with a view of the fireworks.  While I do not want to be a Disney News source, in this episode I did talk about a few updates to attractions coming at the end of May 2026. If you want current news, here are some of my favorite creators and sources for that kind of Disney information:  -Living By Disney, Serena Lynn -WDW News Today -WDW Radio/Lou Mongello -The Mouselets -Disney Food Blog/ All Ears Net (same parent company)  Thank you so much for listening!  See ya real soon! Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    33 min
  2. Apr 24

    My Disneyland California Trip Report

    Hello there! Thank you so much for joining me as I dissect my recent trip out west to California! If you didn't listen to my pre-trip report, you can listen to that here.  My family and I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for three nights and did one park day at Disneyland park and one park day at California Adventure park. We did one park per day and added Lightning Lanes-both multi-pass and individual Lightning Lanes.  Again I successfully used the Stakeout App to snag a Goofy's Kitchen reservation. Apple app & Google App. We rented a double stroller from Traveling Baby Co and had great success with that company.  To prep I really liked listening to Mix in Some Magic. I also used three agents to help me. My friend Kerri (simplemagickerri@gmail.com) booked my travel, I asked my friend Amy (amy@simplyperfectvacations.com) tons of questions about dining recs and touring plans since she frequently goes to Disneyland and I asked my friend Kayla (kayla.read@amouseandabeach) for Lightning Lane strategy since she has younger kids like me! All of them would be happy to assist you in a planning a vacation.  Overall it was such a lovely trip! We had the best time! I cannot wait to go back!  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    1h 17m
  3. Apr 4

    I'm Going to Disneyland in California! My Pre-Trip Report

    Hello! My husband, kids and I are headed out to California for my husband's 40th birthday this Spring Break! We will be in Palm Springs, but before heading there, we will be at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA and will go to Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park. We are doing one park per day and we did purchase Lightning Lane Multipass with our tickets.  I am very new to Disneyland planning-I had very little background knowledge about planning trips to these parts so come along with me as I learn!  Links   Stakeout App apple   google play  Stroller Rental I used-Traveling Baby Company Prince Tee Shirts I bought for the boys!  Mix in Some Magic-love her podcast and website! I used a lot of freebies and read a bunch of her posts!  Mickey Tote I love!  Carly Wisel-host of Very Amusing Podcast. I got a lot great tips from her! https://www.carlyewisel.com/ Thanks so much for listening!!!  Stay tuned for my trip report!!  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    28 min
  4. Mar 20

    My February '26 Trip Report-Part 2

    Hello and thank you so much for listening! If you find my podcast informational and helpful (and maybe a little entertaining), please share with a friend or to your social media! My goal is to help make Disney World feel less overwhelming!  This episode is the second half to my February 2026 trip report. We were down at Orange Lake Resort for two weeks and this picks up on the Friday then spills over to the next week.  You will hear a big Magic Kingdom group trip of 14 people, a relaxing weekend, Epic Universe at Universal, a split day of Animal Kingdom and Epcot, an emergency room visit (linked here!! Wonderful experience at this emergency room!), and a final Magic Kingdom day with an awesome dinner at Storybook Dining at Artists Point!  I definitely reiterate my biggest tips for Disney: having low expectations and scheduling one sit down meal a day!  If you have any questions feel free to DM me or email me!  Enjoy!   Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    1h 9m
  5. Mar 3

    My February '26 Trip Report-Part 1

    Friends! It is good to be back! I'm so sorry it's taken so long! Life is crazy and I was locked out of my computer for a while-yikes! But I am hoping to be back and more consistent!  Here is the first part of my February Trip Report. My family of 5 went for two weeks and while we were down there, our extended family joined as well. My in-laws, my parents, my sister-in-law and her family, my brother-in-law and his family and my husband's cousin and her family. We do this big trip every year around this time.  Here my thoughts on dining, Lightning Lanes, the StakeOut App (apple & google apps available here) and park-hopping. Hopefully you can get a good sense on how our days went. There is certainly chaos with three little boys so hopefully you don't feel so alone when you hear all the noises and constant "mom! mom! mom! mom!" in the background!   Stay tuned for Part 2! We go to Epic Universe at Universal so listen to hear my honest thoughts!  I'd like to dedicate this episode to my cousin Michael. He passed away while I was on this trip and my whole family is very much still in shock. He died very young and suddenly. He loved Disney and last time I saw him he was planning out his next trip. We ran in to each other in Hollywood Studios last year spontaneously! Rest in peace, Michael. I love you so much and am so devastated you are no longer with us.  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    1h 40m
  6. 10/14/2025

    My October '25 Trip Report

    Hello! In this episode I give my trip report from my family's October trip to Disney World. I did updates throughout the trip so you'll hear park noises, my kids chatting, fireworks etc. I hope you enjoy!  We stayed at the Grand Floridian Resort (a total dream!) and went to Magic Kingdom & Epcot for two days. We did do Multipass and Lightning Lanes for one day and I bought an Individual Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot for the second day. Food and Wine Festival was going on at Epcot.  We flew down, took Mears Connect to the resort and rented a stroller through Kingdom Strollers.  At the end of the episode I mention I will be cruising on the Disney Wish with a dear friend Amy and I promised to link her podcast here.  I also always like to link my friend Kerri who books my resort stays for me. Feel free to reach out to her for help on your next trip!  I hope you learned something new!  See ya real soon!!!  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    56 min
  7. 10/06/2025

    My Upcoming Trip! Pre-Trip Report October 2025

    Hello Friends! Thank you for your patience! I moved then my kids were home for the summer and with unpacking and adjusting keeping up with the Podcast got a little too much for me. I am happy to be back!!!  I am headed to Disney Wednesday, October 8th- Sunday, October 12th so listen to my planning and advanced dining reservations, lightning lanes and loose plans.  I used my good friend Kerri to book my hotel. Reach out to her here: simplemagickerri@gmail.com or at 973-978-9826. Follow her on Instagram at MagicbyKerri I have an Owner's Locker to store all of our bulky Disney stuff so we don't need to haul it back and forth. It will be delivered and picked up from our resort.  We are using Mears Connect to get to and from the airport this time. Since we are staying on property for the entire trip we really wanted to be minimal and use Disney transportation rather than rent a car.  I am also using Kingdom Strollers for the first time this trip. We are traveling with a comfortable portable stroller (not quite an umbrella stroller) and renting a double stroller through Kingdom. They will deliver the stroller and pick it up from our resort.  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    19 min
  8. 03/24/2025 ·  Bonus

    Kayla's Disney Cruise Trip Report

    In this special episode I chat with Kayla Read who recently sailed on the Disney Fantasy! Kayla is from Tennessee and is a an authorized Disney Travel Planner and a Certified Autism Travel Specialist with five years of experience. She is also a kind friend (we've been instagram friends for years now), a devoted wife and a fantastic mom of three beautiful children-two of whom are on the Autism Spectrum.  In this episode, You will hear about Kayla's one rainy Epcot day and then her amazing cruise on the Disney Cruise Line! She traveled with other agent friends on an adult-only trip and had such a great time! On her special cruise, she had the privilege to go to both islands Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay. She even rented a cabana at one of the islands. Kayla is a travel planner with A Mouse and A Beach so is an expert in travel.  Please follow Kayla on Instagram here.  If you're interested in booking a vacation with Kayla, you can email her at Kayla.Read@amouseandabeach.com. You can also call her at 865-385-9621. Her website is www.TravelingRedBalloon.com.  To learn more about the Disney Cruise Line, click here.  Kayla used Mears to get to and from the airport. Here is more information.  If you have an upcoming trip and would like to be a guest on my podcast, see below to leave me a voicemail message!  Disney World can be very overwhelming, but it my mission to compartmentalize and break each aspect down into manageable parts making planning and understanding Walt Disney World a breeze.  Follow me on Instagram! Email me @DisneyDaysPlanningPodcast@gmail.com If you want to be a guest on the Podcast and share your Trip Report, please leave me a message here!  Share with a friend who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World or someone who loved Disney and can't get enough information!  Thank you so much for being here!  See ya real soon!

    1h 12m

Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
5 Ratings

About

A podcast of organized information of Walt Disney World by topic. Each episode will by hyper-focused on a specific topic of Disney World from ticket types, to Epcot area resorts to dining in specific parks. There will be monthly Trip Reports and a Grouchy Dad segment.