Yes, Dad is going to show you how to use Disneyworld.com, the enemy, the source of all that is evil, the bad guys, the competition (in my dreams).

The home page for Disney World is the best place for a couple of freebies and is actually helpful with keeping track of your dining reservations and more on your vacation.

Great pictures like these on Disneyworld.com

Photo by Don Sullivan

Go ahead get an account

Everyone who is even thinking about going to Disney World should have an account at Disneyworld.com. Even Dad does. Dad uses it when he’s planning a trip. It comes in handy. So, bop on over and set up your account. It’s not hard. They don’t even ask for a credit card, just an email address and a password. Go ahead, we’ll wait …

Disneyworld.com home page

Welcome back.

What does that get me?

There are two main reasons to register at Disney’s web site. The reasons are – keeping up with your dining reservations and the cool customizable park maps.

Dining Reservations

Disney will keep track of your Disney World reservations so you can look at them anytime. You can even add your package reservation to the list even if you book your trip with Dad. (No, it won’t melt.) This is real handy when it comes time to leave on your trip. Just print out the page called “Your Reservations” and take it with you. That way you’ll have a list of all your dining reservations and the times.

Free Cool Customizable Park Maps

In the right hand column there should be a link that says something like “Free Customized Park Maps”. Click that and create a set of maps to the parks for your trip. (You probably won’t actually use these during your trip, but they look really nice. Getting the maps in the mail gives you a great opportunity to get the whole family together and get excited all over again about your upcoming Disney World trip.

How to make Dining Reservations

Starting about 2 years ago, you can make dining reservations on Disney’s web site which is a beautiful thing. To make a dining reservation, make sure you are signed in. (In the upper left hand corner right under the Disney World logo it should say “Welcome ‘your name'”. If it says something about logging in, then log in.)

There will be a box where you can make your dining reservations, just click on dining and away you go. (Don’t click on Packages or Tickets, or Hotels or Dad will send his evil henchmen out to get you. Just kidding, sorta.) You can make dining reservations up to 180 days prior to your arrival at Disney World. If you try to make them more than 180 days, you’ll get an error.

Dad’s Disney World Restaurants page

The Cool Customizable Park Maps

Disney has some really cool customizable park maps. When you click on the link, it takes you to a page where you can “customize” your maps. What customize means is that you can pick the rides you are interested in and they will be identified on the map.

You’ll be able to print the maps right now, or have Disney print them (on nice paper) and send them to you. The maps have the same picture you see on the maps you get at the parks. I’d print them once before you have Disney send them to you just to make sure you have everything you need on the map.