The internet can be incredibly overwhelming when you’re planning a Disney World vacation. (And that’s coming from us, the people who are talking to you right now about Disney World…through the internet.)

What do we mean? Well, there are TONS of planning sources out there — websites, YouTube channels, social media accounts, your mom’s friend’s neighbor who went one time five years ago — and it creates a TON of noise when you’re trying to decide how to plan your trip. Everyone will give you their list of must-do things, and then you’ll get so overwhelmed that you can’t even enjoy yourself when the trip actually comes. That, my friends, is called Disney World FOMO, and we’re here to help you cure it!

If you aren’t familiar, FOMO is an acronym that stands for “fear of missing out,” and it’s pretty popular on the internet these days. When all we do is consume beautifully curated pictures of our friends doing fun things on social media, it’s no wonder that we all have FOMO out the wazoo! And with all that Disney World advice seeping in from different sources, you’ll likely head into your vacation stressed with a VERY long and nearly impossible to-do list.

We’ll be the first to admit that there has been a time or two in the past where we showed up at a Disney World park full of freshly-acquired caffeine just to drag our families and friends to endless attractions, snacks, and restaurants, just because we read online that it was a can’t-skip during our trip. And ultimately, those vacations left us exhausted, cranky, and feeling rather unfulfilled. So how do we stop that from happening? Here are our top 5 tips!

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Realize That You Likely Won’t Get to Do EVERYTHING

Say it with us out loud: “I do not need to do EVERYTHING in Disney World to have a successful vacation.” Good. Now, just repeat that in the mirror four times a day until you leave for your trip!

Okay, we’re kidding, but it’s honestly a very good sentiment to keep in mind. Disney World is made up of dozens of attractions, hundreds of restaurants, countless activities, and there are only so many hours in a day. It’s pretty much impossible to do it all in one trip (unless you go for a month, have an incredibly meticulous schedule, and a very, very generous budget), and that’s completely alright. You can SKIP a bunch of things in the parks and still have the best vacation of your life.

If you go into your trip with the expectation that you won’t be able to do everything, then you’re less likely to be disappointed at the end of it all. Remember, you’re paying for this trip, and the way to have a great experience is not by making everyone miserable with to-do lists, rigid schedules, and overwhelming expectations. Believe it or not, you can still have an amazing vacation and lifelong memories without matching shirts, 10+ hour days in the parks, eating every snack on a huge must-do list, and checking off every attraction in all the parks!

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Make a List of the Things That Are Most Important

After you’ve come to grips with not doing EVERYTHING during your trip, then you need to sit down and make a list. Add to the list the preferences of each member of your travel party and what things are most important for them to accomplish during your time in the parks. Each guest can pick a few different things for each park, and hopefully, there will be some overlap so that your list doesn’t get too long.

Make sure to keep the length of the list realistic, so that it’s easily accomplished within your park day. Prioritize the things on that list and once you’ve accomplished them all, you can use the remaining time to check out other things that were recommended to you (or just grab a Dole Whip and relax, it’s your vacation after all!). This way, your expectations will be clearly set before the day even begins! The best part? Planning this way includes everyone, so the whole family/group gets buy-in and understands the process long before you enter the parks, which means less confusion, fewer arguments, and happier campers!

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Know Your Likes and Dislikes

Okay friends, this one is really important. Remember that list we mentioned? Well, don’t stress about adding things to that list just because someone else told you that they needed to be there. Don’t like getting wet? Well, don’t make the person who told you Splash Mountain was a must-do compel you into riding something you don’t enjoy. Hot dogs not your jam? Don’t feel like you have to go to Casey’s Corner just because it’s a Magic Kingdom classic.

If you spend your day doing things for other people (ones who aren’t on the vacation with you!), you won’t be able to enjoy yourself nearly as much because you’re doing it all to appease someone else.

Your Disney World vacation should be about…well, YOU! It doesn’t matter what “Susie on Facebook” said that you need to do if you aren’t actually interested in doing that thing. Go into the trip knowing your family’s preferences, and then if you’re comfortable, try new things along the way. (Note: this also means that you shouldn’t force people in your party to go on rides they don’t want to do — don’t be that guy!)

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Step Back and Enjoy the Day

When you’re on vacation, one of the most important pieces of advice we can give you is to step back and just enjoy it! You’re on VACATION, so make sure to actually soak in the fact that you’re taking a break from everyday life. If you’re constantly running from ride to ride, you won’t be able to take in the little magical moments along the way.

When most people imagine vacations, they think of sleeping in and lounging by the pool. If your plans have you up at 6AM every day and never even getting a chance to look at the pool, let alone swim in it, then at the end of your trip, you might even question if this was a “vacation” at all!

Some of our best Disney World memories are from the times when we were just sitting back and relaxing with our loved ones, simply enjoying being in the parks. Snap those pictures throughout the trip, but also remember to live in the moment. (Will you ever really watch that recorded video of the Magic Kingdom fireworks again?)

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Don’t Be Afraid to Take Breaks

And last but not least, let’s talk about taking breaks! To the do-it-all person, this can be a scandalizing topic, but we promise you that it’s necessary when you’re going to Disney World. You’ll walk 20,000+ steps in one day, and if you don’t stop and chill throughout the day, you’re going to be seriously miserable by the end of your trip.

If you take the time to sit down (maybe enjoy a long show or a table service meal) and just catch your breath, you’ll be able to keep everyone in better spirits. Adult meltdowns are real, y’all, and they mostly happen when everyone is exhausted, overheated, and hungry!

Don’t forget to plan for those bathroom breaks, snack breaks (and hydration breaks — that Orlando heat is serious!), and even air conditioning breaks so that everyone can stay healthy and happy. Your trip will be better that way, and your family will thank you for it!

So those are the best pieces of advice we have to offer to someone who gets restless and antsy in Disney World. Don’t let that FOMO overtake you! We promise that if you have a healthy mindset going into your trip, you’ll be able to enjoy it…no matter what you cross off the to-do list.

And if there’s anything still on your list that you didn’t get to, that makes a great reason to return for another trip! Remember, your trip is for YOU. Don’t let the noise and chatter of the internet determine the priorities of your trip, only you know what’s special and magical for your family, so do YOU!

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How do you prepare for your Disney World trip? Tell us in the comments!