Disney World, the most magical place on Earth, has changed significantly since I was last there nearly 20 years ago. This month, I took a trip with my partner’s family to visit Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. These days, the parks are busier, technology is at the forefront of operations, and you need more than a few days of PTO and a good attitude to get the most out of a trip to Disney. You need a plan.

Several months before the trip, questions and information from the family flooded group chats as they worked to develop a meticulous, yet flexible plan to make the most out of our time at each park. Reservations were made, Lightning Lanes were purchased to skip lengthy wait times and digital passes were added to our phones and watches to make scanning into parks and rides a breeze.

At first, I was skeptical. How could a trip to Disney World required so much forethought? But from day one, I saw how a thoughtful, intentional plan truly maximized our financial investment and experience. The same is true in public relations. Businesses invest time, money and resources into building their reputations and communicating their value. Without a strategic public relations plan guiding such efforts, it can be easy to adopt an ad hoc approach that fails to move the needle.

While public relations does not often involve roller coasters or run-ins with Mickey Mouse, there are a few parallels I noticed from my trip to Disney World to developing an effective communications strategy:

• Establish priorities: There are hundreds of attractions, restaurants, shows and more throughout Disney property. Barring unlimited time and money, it is impossible to do it all in one trip. Establishing our priorities ahead of time allowed us to check most of the popular rides off our lists, catch a couple of the parades at Magic Kingdom, do some shopping and enjoy the Food and Wine Festival in Epcot without feeling rushed.

From media relations and social media, to awards and industry events, there are countless ways for businesses to expand their reach through public relations. However, not every avenue is going to benefit a business’s goals. Before establishing an actionable strategy, businesses must understand who they are trying to reach and what they want to accomplish to determine which tactics are worth the time and resources.

• Do the legwork: So much of the planning work that was done for the Disney trip happened long before we stepped foot in a park. In public relations, the preparation that goes into successful PR efforts is often just as important, if not more important than the execution. Target audience research, messaging development, media training and more create a foundation that allows communications professionals to respond quickly to media inquiries, seize timely opportunities and extend the life span of a potential story when appropriate.

Be flexible: Even the most carefully curated Disney World travel plan cannot account for everything. Wait times linger, Florida weather shifts quickly, rides break down and sometimes you just need to rest. The same goes for a public relations plan. News cycles and reporter appetites change, and unexpected challenges and pressing opportunities arise without notice. The most effective communications plans are agile – they can be adapted to address changing circumstances. Plans should provide just enough structure to establish accountability and provide a roadmap that will contribute to the overall goal, while leaving room to address changing circumstances.

Whether planning a trip to Disney World or developing a communications strategy, having a plan is about more than knowing what to do or where to go next. A thoughtful, comprehensive communications plan helps businesses make more intentional decisions about the audiences they want to reach and where to focus their time and resources for the biggest impact.

While Disney planning is best left to the experienced parkgoers, visit www.kimballpr.com or contact info@kimballpr.comto learn how Kimball Hughes PR can help your business develop an effective communications plan.