Episode Details

Matt is literally packing as this episode goes live. So who better to walk you through the last-minute Disney prep checklist than someone who is actively living it? We share the real things families forget before a Walt Disney World trip, including a few gems you only learn the hard way.

In this episode, Matt and Chip go through their full pre-trip routine: checking dining reservations and canceling what you won't use before the fees kick in, verifying park hours that may have changed since you booked, checking the refurbishment calendar for any surprise closures, making sure Magic Bands are charged and linked, putting air tags on everything (yes, including the kids), and ordering groceries a few days in advance so they actually arrive before you do.

They also cover the stuff nobody thinks to mention, like bringing your own straws, checking the weather close to departure, making sure all your devices are charged and updated, and the one room request tip that can genuinely improve your stay at any Disney resort

Matt also explains how Animal Kingdom's extended hours completely shifted his strategy for this trip, and why checking park hours closer to your departure date can open up lightning lane options you didn't know you had.

He walks through a specific example of how park hopping to Animal Kingdom in the evening could unlock rides that are totally tapped out at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom by midday during spring break.

**Chapters**

00:15 Why last-minute prep matters, especially for first-timers

00:46 Chip's number one thing he always forgets: the dog

02:36 Tip 1: Bring your own straws (paper straws at Disney are the worst)

03:44 Tip 2: Sunscreen and sunglasses (and why Matt buys both at Disney every time)

05:14 Chip's tip: car seat travel bags and how they double as an overflow bag

06:12 Stroller bags, travel logistics, and giving credit to the wives

07:10 Tip 3: Review your dining reservations and cancel what you won't use

07:37 How park hours changed Matt's entire trip strategy

08:18 Deluxe Evening Hours and after-hours events that sneak up on you

09:08 Set an alarm to cancel dining reservations or you will forget

09:36 Tip 4: Check what dining has opened up from recent cancellations

11:01 Why not having dining reservations can land you at Paradiso 37

14:14 Why park hours, Disney Springs hours, and show times matter more than you think

15:00 Lightning lane strategy when Hollywood Studios is tapped out at midday

16:39 Tip 5: Air tags on bags, car keys, and yes, the kids

19:31 Tip 6: Check the weather a few days out, not weeks out

20:27 Tip 7: Check the refurbishment calendar for last-minute closures

22:29 Tip 8: Order groceries a few days in advance, not the day of

23:32 What happens when groceries arrive while you're at Magic Kingdom

24:30 Tip 9: Cords, devices, and making sure everything is charged and updated

25:35 Headphones for the kids: wireless, charged, and not left at school

26:32 Same team, different roles: how Matt and Chip divide trip prep with their wives

27:54 Tip 10: Always make a room request before your trip

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