For the second time in 12 months, I was faced with the fun, yet terrifying task of planning a trip to Walt Disney World. We strategically planned a visit in 2017 before my twins turned 3 to maximize their free tickets and free character meals (details here). When my husband signed up for the 2018 Dopey Challenge as part of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, I knew I would need to plan this year a bit differently. There are a few ways to prep for Disney - you can put yourself in the hands of a Disney Vacation Planner and let them take care of your hotel, meals and in-park plans (and checkbook), or you can grab a tour book and start a spreadsheet for a bit of number crunching and itinerary planning. I planned day-by-day Disney itineraries as a young girl, so scheduling our days and maximizing our savings was definitely more my speed. Having gone through the motions twice now, I have a few tips for a smooth and affordable trip.