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What's at the Walt Disney World Resort?
A lot of people still think of it as just the Magic Kingdom Park,
but there's so much more than that. Walt Disney World Resort, located
near Orlando, Florida, is 47 square miles. In it you'll discover
four entire theme parks, three water parks,
two night-time entertainment areas, over 20
hotels, six golf courses and much,
much more.
What are the best ages to take children on a Walt Disney World
holiday?
That's hard to answer. Repeat guests have told them that each time
they've visited has been a unique and priceless experience. Older
children can't wait to ride the rides or splash through a Water
Park. While younger ones delight in the distinctly Disney activities
designed especially for them, not to mention magical meetings with
the Disney Characters. (Remember, children under three are granted
complimentary admission to the Theme Parks.) Each time you visit,
you enjoy different things.
They also offer a variety of services for
children of all ages. All of the Theme Parks offer stroller
hire and baby changing facilities. All of Disney's Hotels offer
baby-sitting service and select Hotels
even provide supervised children's activities.
I don't have children. What is there for adults to see and do?
The Walt Disney World Resort offers entertainment, attractions,
shopping and cuisine from around the world designed to appeal to
the child in everyone. But they do offer a variety of activities
just for adults. The Resort hotels feature
complete full-service health facilities,
plus a variety of recreation that
includes tennis, water
sports, fishing, horse riding --
even six golf courses. Of course, in the evening, adults love to
stay up late at either of the two night-time entertainment areas.
How long can I expect to queue for a ride?
There can be quite a wait for popular rides, but there are also
many ways to cut your waiting time. Check out Disney's
FASTPASS guest service, an exclusive guest service that lets
you spend less time queuing and more time enjoying the Parks. You
just check in at some of your favourite Disney attractions and receive
a designated ride time and on your return board quickly.
See the parks section for links to touring
tips for each park.
If I'm planning to visit several places in Florida, how many
days should I plan for my Walt Disney World stay?
The Walt Disney World Resort is conveniently located in the middle
of the state of Florida, only 1-2 hours by car from the beaches
and 4 hours by car from Miami.
You should ideally allow at least 7 days to experience the best
of Walt Disney World.
About how much will a Walt Disney World holiday cost?
Considering the exceptional service and quality that Disney is known
for, you may be surprised to learn that a Walt Disney World holiday
is really no more expensive than most other holidays. The Resort
offers Disney Hotels to suit every taste
and budget. You may also want to consider one of the package
holidays. They're the best way to get the most value out of
your holiday.
What's the weather like in Florida?
Florida weather is generally sunny, but can be unpredictable. See
the when to go page for weather details.
How safe is the Walt Disney World Resort?
At the Walt Disney World Resort, they value the safety of their
guests as their number-one priority. All measures are taken to ensure
that guests have a safe and magical holiday.
I want to get the most out of my stay at Walt Disney World.
Any tips?
In our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section,
you'll find a lot of useful tips to help get you started.
This site has over 800 pages of information to help you get the
most out of your trip to WDW. You can navigate the site by using
the menu on the left. Each link will take you to a new menu. You
can also use the search facility &
sitemap.
If you have any questions or want advice from a Disney World expert,
visit our message
boards.
Here are a few links to pages on this site to get you started -
Disney Resorts
Magic Kingdom Park
Epcot Park
Animal Kingdom Park
Disney's Hollywood Studios Park
Tickets
Events
Dining
Character Meals
Park Hours
Other Orlando Attractions
Tips
For Disney World First-Timers
by Cara Goldsbury, Author of
The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World
So you’ve finally decided to head to Walt Disney World. With
so much to see and do, it’s important to come prepared. Here
are some excellent tips to make your trip one that will be remembered
for a lifetime.
• Plan ahead. Decide ahead of time what your priorities are
and make a plan of action.
• Get to the parks early! It’s amazing, particularly
in busy season, how many of the popular rides you can knock off
before half the "World" gets out of bed.
• Take the time to rest in the middle of the day. Stay at
one of the Magic Kingdom or Epcot resorts, allowing a return in
the middle of the day for a nap or dip in the pool.
• Call exactly 90 days prior at 7 AM Orlando time for priority
seating if breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic
Kingdom is tops on your child’s list. The only way you might
get away with sleeping in and booking a bit later for this highly
coveted character breakfast is if you are traveling in extremely
slow season.
• Come prepared for an afternoon shower during the rainy
summer months even if the sky looks perfectly clear in the morning.
Rent a locker to store your raingear and circle back if skies start
to look threatening. However, if you’re caught unprepared,
just about every store in the parks sells inexpensive rain ponchos.
• Use Fastpass, Disney’s free, nifty timesaving device.
It’s offered at all four theme parks and is a great way to
save hours of waiting in line. Just insert your park pass in one
of the machines located at each individual Fastpass attraction and
receive a ticket printed with a designated one-hour window in which
you may return and enter a special line with little or no waiting.
•Pre-arrange priority seating, Disney’s answer to dining
reservations, by calling 407-WDW-DINE. On arrival you’ll receive
the next table available for your party size, thus saving hours
of frustration and waiting.
• Allow plenty of time to reach the theme parks each morning.
It’s easy to miss your breakfast priority seating is you don’t
allocate enough time.
• Be spontaneous. If something catches your eye, even if
it’s not on your daily list of things to do, stop and explore.
If not, you could miss something wonderful.
• Realize the limitations of your children. If they’re
tired, take a break. If their feet hurt, get them a stroller (forget
that they outgrew one years ago). If a ride scares them don’t
force the issue. Such precautions will make your day and the day
of other park visitors a lot less stressful.
• Bring pagers, 2-way radios, or cell phones. If your party
plans on splitting up, they are a perfect way to keep in touch.
• Wear broken-in, comfortable footwear. Better yet, bring
two pairs and rotate them. Nothing is worse than blisters on your
first day and then nursing them for the remainder of your vacation.
• Most importantly, slow down and enjoy the magic. Resist
the urge to see everything at breakneck speed. You can’t possibly
cover it all, so think of this as your first trip to Disney, not
your last. There will be time to pick up all the things you missed
on the next go-round.
Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney
World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available
at 800-247-6553, www.luxurydisneyguide.com,
Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
or your local bookstore. For more information visit her online at
www.luxurydisneyguide.com.
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