A Disney Vacation Should Be a Dream Come True, Not a True Disaster

5 Tips For a Successful Walt Disney World Vacation

Walt Disney World is expecting over forty million visitors this year, and for good reason: Disney has great rides, dining and entertainment that rivals New York's or Las Vegas', attractions that range from gorgeous gardens to gorilla encounters (at Disney's Animal Kingdom), and, of course, a chance to mingle with Nemo, Goofy, Mickey and every other Disney character imaginable.

With so much to choose from, you and your family will need to do some serious planning in order to make your Walt Disney World trip a dream vacation, and not a meltdown disaster.

Use the following tips to help you save money, time and your sanity while you're on your Walt Disney World vacation.

1. Make good use of Disney's extensive website and free planning DVD. At Disney's website, you can learn about all of Disney's rides, shows and attractions, create customized park maps (Disney will mail you a free souvenir-quality copy of the map you create on-line), buy park admission tickets, see restaurant menus, and have hours of fun planning your trip.

2. Consider Staying at a Disney Resort Hotel. No doubt about it, Disney's Resort Hotels are more expensive than their counterparts outside the park. However, if Walt Disney World is the main or single focus of your vacation, Disney's on site hotels are an excellent option because they provide complimentary transportation from the airport to your hotel, as well as free transportation within Walt Disney World. This will allow you to enjoy Walt Disney World without the hassle of renting a car, saving you both money, and the stress of navigating busy, disorienting Orlando with a car full of hungry, tired, kids and relatives.
   
   In addition, Disney Resort Hotel guests can take advantage of the exclusive extended theme park hours known as "Extra Magic Hours."

3. Explore all of Disney's theme park ticket options. The "Magic Your Way" ticket is the base park ticket (although at $71 for a one day ticket, it's hardly basic) which allows you to visit only one of Walt Disney World's four theme parks per day. Adding the "Park Hopper" feature (an additional $45 for a one day ticket) allows you to visit as many of the four parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios, or Animal Kingdom) as you would like each day.
   
   Additional ticket options include the Water Park Fun and More option, a No Expiration option and multiple day tickets. Amazingly enough, after three days, the daily ticket price per additional day drops down to almost nothing: for example, a three day Magic Your Way Ticket is currently $203 while a four day ticket is $212 and a five day is $215.

4. Planning Mealtimes is a Must. Although a lucky minority of vacationers can beat the crowds by visiting Disney during off-peak times, most people have to visit during school breaks, which are the most crowded times in the park. Since meltdowns are often prompted by heat, hunger and tired legs, and long waits, it really pays to have a good mealtime plan of action so that you won't have to fight the crowds in order to get a good meal and a comfy seat in an air-conditioned restaurant.
   
   Most of the Disney restaurants accept reservations up to 180 days in advance, yet still often have some same-day reservation slots available. Reservations can be made by phone from both within or outside of the park.
   
   Many satisfied Disney visitors highly recommend purchasing Disney meal plans which, start at about $40/day and allow each visitor to eat three meals a day, plus one or two snacks at almost any Disney restaurant. It that doesn't suit you, keep in mind that the portions at most Disney restaurants are huge, and can easily feed two people, so splitting a meal is a viable option for frugal Disney travelers.

5. Take Advantage of Disney's "More Magic" Attractions. Disney has way more to offer than rides, shows, dining and shopping. It also boasts golf courses (5 of them), spas (3 of them), a marina with watercraft rental, a dude ranch, a motor speedway and ball park that hosts Atlanta Braves Spring Training. You can even charter a fishing excursion out into Walt Disney World's vast lakes, where (gasp!) Mickey is probably very rarely, if ever, sighted.
   
   These attractions are all within the park, and can even be priced into your vacation package by purchasing Magic Your Way Vacation Packages. _______________________________

If you think of Walt Disney World as a small country, rather than a theme park, you will come to terms with the scope and amount of planning that you should do when you're preparing to visit it. With the interactive website and DVD planning options that are available, the whole family can get in on the planning fun, which will help keep everyone's Disney Dreams from turning into Disney disasters.

~Tammy Biondi Staff Writer