Walt Disney World!

When you think of Orlando you automatically think of Walt Disney World. I had the pleasure of visiting the World for the second time recently. I enjoyed it just as much as the first, and I have no doubt that I will enjoy future trips even more.

It is hard to give a thorough summary of the many highlights we encountered on our trip. One thing I enjoyed most was our character breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. I had read that it was an extremely hard reservation to secure, and I was so pleased when I successfully made it. We, along with the other diners of the meal, were allowed in the Magic Kingdom before it officially opened. We were escorted to Cinderella's Castle and were greeted by the Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, and Belle. The meal was great and one by one each princess came by to visit our table. It was a truly magical experience and I certainly recommend it to everyone.

Another big highlight for me was riding all of the attractions that had been added to Disney World since my last visit several years earlier. At Epcot I enjoyed Mission Space and the Soarin ride. Expedition Everest and the Finding Nemo show at Animal Kingdom were excellent. Finally, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show in MGM.

On my previous visits I was obsessed with going on all the rides, so I feel I missed a lot. I got a chance to see the Share a Dream Come True Parade at Magic Kingdom which was good, but rather short. I really enjoyed the Stars and Motor Cars Parade and the amazing Fantasmic show at MGM. Probably the greatest highlight of the trip was eating at the California Grill in the Contemporary Resort. The food was excellent and if you make your reservation at the right time, you can step outside onto the elevated balcony and have a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. It was stunning and I highly recommend it.

Quick Tips:

I have so many tips and so little space. When it comes to eating, most of the restaurants at Disney World are delicious, but they are also very expensive. If you want to eat at them, try to do lunch since the lunch menus are often the same as dinner, but the prices are significantly cheaper. Also, do your best to eat at off times. Eat lunch and dinner really early or really late so that you are not met with crowds.

My next tip is to make sure you pack what you need for the parks. I know they are a huge fashion faux pas, but I highly recommend fanny packs. It is much better than slinging around a bag or straining you back with a back pack. Pack a digital camera, a small tube of sunscreen, and whatever credit cards or cash you need. Also, it is much cheaper if you bring your own bottle of water. You will get extremely thirsty, especially in the summer, and the prices for water and small fans in the parks are astronomical. Another high priced item is umbrellas and ponchos. Be sure to bring your own with you.

My best tip for navigating the parks is this: get there early. It gets very hot in the summer very early so try to get a lot done before the heat becomes unbearable. For Disney resort guests, Disney often opens the parks early on certain days, so be sure to utilize that. When you get to the parks hit the biggest two or three attractions first. This way, when the parks are extremely crowded later in the day, you will only have minor attractions left to hit.

For Disney resort guests, a big tip is to purchase your resorts thermos. It is usually about and it allows you to fill up with whatever beverage you want during the entire duration of your trip. You really get your money's worth if you use it a lot.

Best Way To Get Around:

At twice the size of Manhattan, Disney World is huge and getting around can be a daunting task. Luckily, however, the Disney transportation system is fairly quick and efficient. Every time I have visited the parks I have always stayed on Disney property, so I can only speak about my experiences with the Disney transportation.

First, you must figure out how you are going to get there. Both times I have driven to Orlando. Most Disney guidebooks feature maps and detailed descriptions of how to get there. In addition, I must say that Disney World does a great job with its signs. The signs are colorful and clear and allow you to easily find the park or hotel you are searching for. If you opt to fly instead, Disney does offer shuttle service from the airport to their resorts.

While there, Disney buses are a great way to get around. Each resort has a bust stop. Buses pass by frequently and can take guests to any of the parks. In my experience the wait for the bus is never too long. The only exception is at night when the parks are closing and the last of the fireworks have ended.

Of course Disney has other forms of transportation as well. I stayed at the Contemporary Resort and I absolutely loved riding the monorail. It was much quicker than the buses and it runs more frequently, plus it is like a ride itself. You can experience the monorail if you stay at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or the Contemporary. It takes you directly to the Magic Kingdom. In addition, it can also take you to the Ticket and Transportation Center, at which point you board a second monorail to take you to Epcot.

Overall, I felt that with Disney transportation was fairly easy. However, I certainly enjoyed having a car with us so that we could drive to other Orlando attractions such as Universal Studios.

When you think of Disney World, the first thing you think of is the Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom was the first Disney World park, and for many park goers it remains the favorite. I find that with proper planning, the Magic Kingdom can be done easily in day. The Magic Kingdom offers mostly short ride, as opposed to the often lengthy shows and exhibits in MGM and Epcot.

Your first stop in the morning should be Cinderella's Castle for a character breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. If you want to visit this you must make reservations over the phone very early. However, it is worth the effort. The experience is a great one. You get to enter the park before any other guests, have a delicious meal, and mingle with some of the most famous Disney princesses.

After breakfast, begin hitting the rides. I always like to do the E ticket attractions first thing in the morning. First, hit Space Mountain once, twice, or even three times. Then, head over to Frontierland doing Splash Mountain followed by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If you want to do any of the Fantasyland attractions, visit them earlier. The lines often get very long and many of the rides do not offer fast pass. I recommend It's a small world, Mickey's Philharmagic, and Peter Pan's Flight. The rest aren't really worth the wait.

Head to Liberty Square during the heat of the day. Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents are good air-conditioned spots that rarely have long waits. Then visit Pirates of the Caribbean and the Enchanted Tiki Room, but first get a fast pass for the Jungle Cruise. It's a decent attraction, but not worth waiting in the heat for. Go to Tomorrowland for the Carousel of Progress and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and hop on Space Mountain again if you get the chance.

In addition, pay attention to when the parade passes. If you want to get a good spot head to Main Street well in advance of the start time. Also, look for great eating opportunities throughout the park. I particularly enjoy Disney's famous turkey legs in Frontierland. Finally, if you are still in the park at the end of the day, be sure to catch the fireworks. They are truly stunning.

Epcot, Walt Disney's Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, has become much more exciting over the last couple of years. All the major attractions can be covered in one day, but there is so much to see that one could easily spend two or more days wandering around.

Line up at the park gates before official opening time. As soon as you are let in, head straight to Soarin in the Land pavilion. This ride simulates hand gliding and is a fun, relaxing, and not at all intense experience. Next, cross Future World and hit Mission Space and Test Track. Often times visitors stop at Spaceship Earth, the ride located inside the giant Epcot ball, first. This is a huge mistake! Lines are very, very long in the morning; however, if you wait until the afternoon lines are almost unheard of.

After hitting those major attractions, visit the Imagination Pavilion to catch Honey I Shrunk the Audience. There is also a new Finding Nemo attraction in the Living Seas. It loads fairly quickly, so it is not usually a big problem. Ellen's Energy Adventure is a good, long ride that rarely ever has a wait. Do it during the afternoon to escape the heat.

World Showcase opens at 11, several hours after Future World. As soon as it opens, head over to Mexico and Norway first to do the two boat rides. After that, take some time to leisurely stroll around the other countries. Also, try to catch the American Adventure. I certainly recommend dining at one of the countries. I have eaten at Teppanyaki in Japan and Marrakesh in Morocco. Both are unique dining experiences. The Moroccan food was very good, although I must warn that it has a very distinct taste that not all diners enjoy. I certainly suggest eating out for lunch, since the prices are often much cheaper, and grabbing some form of quick service food for dinner.

After you finish strolling around World Showcase, head back to Future World to catch anything you have missed. Innovations is great fun and you can spend hours exploring all the different areas. Also, though the Test Track lines often get long, if you don't mind splitting your party up, hop in the single line for a very short wait. If you make it until park closing, be sure to grab a good spot for the amazing Illuminations firework display.

Animal Kingdom is Disney's newest theme park, and for many, it is considered to be the least impressive. It's true that Animal Kingdom still needs some work, but steps in the right direction have been taken. While the park almost certainly will not occupy you for an entire day, there are several truly worthwhile attractions.

Animal Kingdom typically opens at 8am, earlier than all the other parks. Be sure to arrive at the gates before park opening. The animals are out and easily spotted in the early morning hours. In addition, if you get there early you can get everything done before the afternoon heat becomes unbearable.

Once you are in the park, head straight to the new coaster Expedition Everest. It is a great coaster and is one of my favorite attractions in all of Disney World. Next, I always like to grab fast passes for Kilimanjaro Safaris. While you are waiting for you fast pass time to come up, do Dinosaur and Kali River Rapids. Also, be sure to catch a viewing of the new Finding Nemo Musical. It is a very cute show and a huge upgrade from the previous Tarzan Rocks show. Since it is still fairly new, lines can be long. Try to catch the first show in the morning if possible.

After you hit all the major rides, enjoy yourself. Visit the shops, meet the characters, and listen to musicians from around the world. Roam around the Tree of Life and be sure to catch Its Tough to be a Bug inside the tree. This show is great fun and there is rarely a wait. It is a great thing to do to escape the heat. Also, when you have a bit of time, you get a great view of many animals on the two walking trails. The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Africa boasts gorillas, naked mole rats, and hippos. In Asia, the Maharajah Jungle Trek has numerous animals including: bats, tigers, komodo dragons, and gibbons. Both trails are great for viewing animals. You can wander at your own pace so take as little or as much time as you need.

When it comes to eating, the Rainforest Cafe is the only full service restaurant. I don't suggest going since the wait is almost always extremely lengthy. For quick service, I recommend Pizzafari, Flame Tree BBQ, or Tusker House for lunch. Then, since Animal Kingdom closes early, make reservations to have dinner elsewhere.

Disney's MGM Studios is my favorite of the Disney World parks. I love the atmosphere of it, the exciting shows, and the fact that my two favorite rides, Tower of Terror and Rock'n'Roller Coaster, are there. The park isn't nearly as big as Animal Kingdom or Epcot, so the walking isn't overwhelming. There are several indoor attractions at the park, so you're not constantly battling the heat as you are at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.

The park really is great and I would recommend spending a full day there. Get there early so when the park opens you can hit the major attractions. Dash to Tower of Terror and Rock'n'Roller Coaster first. Luckily, they are right next to each other. I believe Tower of Terror has five different ride possibilities, so if you ride it multiple times you will undoubtedly get a unique ride experience each time. Ride Tower of Terror and Rock'n'Roller Coaster several times in the morning. If you want to visit Voyage of the Little Mermaid go early because lines for this get surprisingly long. Hit Star Tours and Muppet Vision early too.

Once you've got the major rides done, visit the shows. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is great and I highly recommend it. Get in line a good bit before the show starts because often crowds are so large that guests in the back of the line do not make it in. The Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show is very entertaining. The theater that houses this show is huge so guests usually have no trouble getting in. The problem with this show, however, is that it is only put on a couple of times a day, so you have to check out the show times in advance and plan which showing you will attend.

Part of what makes MGM so exciting is its movie magic. The Great Movie Ride, housed in a replica of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, is a trip through many of your favorite classic films. The length of the line fluctuates greatly and fastpass is not offered at this attraction. In my experience, I have found that late afternoon and early evening is a good time to ride. Also, to see more movie magic ride the Backlot Tour and check out the Magic of Disney Animation.

When it comes to eating in MGM, there aren't as many choices as there's in Epcot or even in Magic Kingdom. However, all the restaurants I have visited in this park have been great. 50's Prime Time Cafe has a great atmosphere. Waitresses pretend to be your mother and the menu boasts classic comfort foods. Sci-Fi-Dine-In Theater allows you to eat while watching old movie clips in a drive-in setting. For a less relaxed, more upscale atmosphere, try Hollywood Brown Derby.