A Disney World veteran’s family vacation guide

Having lived in Orlando for nearly a decade, I had the opportunity to visit every Disney World  park and almost everything Disney on numerous occasions. The first couple of years we visited Mouse’s House were pre-kids — so, pre-stress, pre-diapers and pre-incessant whining for every souvenir under the Disney sun. I believe I also had more money back then. But our Disney World vacations went quickly from “Beers around the world” at Epcot to learning that monorails, parking shuttles and slow-moving park trains are among the most fun rides. And you can’t beat the lines.

There are a lot of things that being a local and a frequent park visitor taught me about navigating the Disney landscape, keeping the kids from meltdowns and even saving money on what can become an expensive family vacation if you’re not careful.

Where to stay

First, if you’re spending your entire Orlando vacation at Disney parks and attractions and not venturing to any other local favorites like Universal Orlando, stay on Disney property. It makes life a lot easier than at off-site Orlando hotels,  with free transportation to anywhere you want to go between the boats and the buses, and really does add to the experience. All of the Disney World hotels are great, some better than others depending on the price point. Animal Kingdom Lodge was our favorite — very unique atmosphere and close to Animal Kingdom Park.

What to do

It’s wise to map out some sort of strategy when planning your days at Disney. And if your kids like the water and time permits, try to squeeze in a day at Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon — especially if you’re there during the summer. A word of caution: Disney in the summer is very hot and humid. From June through September, you can count on 93 degrees pretty much every day and will need to take multiple showers. Be prepared to sweat. The water parks are a great way to beat the heat, and the kids love them.

We enjoyed the Magic Kingdom (a must for the little ones) and Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM) has a Playhouse Disney — Live on Stage! featuring some of the kids’ favorite characters. Hollywood Studios also is planning to introduce a new Toy Story attraction this summer. Keep in mind, my kids are young, 5 and 3, so if yours are older you’ll definitely want to make Epcot a part of your plan — it’s the most older kids-oriented.

Food plans

No matter what your accommodations (with kitchenette or without), pack some non-perishable foods for breakfast, such as cereal bars, juice boxes, instant oatmeal, or stop at a store nearby. You’ll learn quickly that eating out on Disney property adds up fast, and at least being able to grab breakfast in your room will save on your dining out costs. Rainforest Café is a popular dinner spot for families at Downtown Disney. If you want to eat there, as well as many other places on resort grounds, arrive early (unless reservations are accepted, which, they aren’t at Rainforest). We would always go straight to the restaurant when we arrived to put our name in because one- to two-hour waits are not at all uncommon.

This enabled us to go have fun while waiting for our table. Otherwise, you could show up at 6 thinking you’re going to eat by 6:30 and having to wait 90 minutes. And I don’t have to tell you the end result of a hungry, waiting and over-tired toddler.

Freebies

After a while, you’ll start to wonder if everything at Disney costs money. The answer is no. Downtown Disney, for example, is one of the places where there is a lot to do and it doesn’t cost anything. There’s a Lego store with a big play area out front, shops, restaurants and plenty of room for kids to run around. Of course, you’re on your own going into shops as far as whether you spend money.

If you have young ones, around ages 4-7, they might also have fun just riding the monorail, which is also free and winds through hotel lobbies, the parks, etc. My son would have ridden it all day if we let him. Instead, we made him stand in a few lines and for the rest of the trip he cried about wanting to ride the monorail again. Boat rides are also free.

Side trips

If you do have a car and want to take a drive to the beach, yourbest options are Cocoa Beach or New Smyrna Beach. Cocoa is closest, about a 45-minute drive, but New Smyrna is nicer. From Disney it’s probably about 75 to 85 minutes off Highway 44, just south of Daytona Beach. Finally, if you happen to be in town when there’s a space shuttle launch, do yourself a favor and make the short drive to the Cape Canaveral (45 minutes).

Seeing a shuttle launch live is spectacular and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. This, by the way, is also free. The only downside — traffic getting out after the launch can be heavy.

Related Orbitz resources:

• Disney World vacations
• Orlando hotels
• Family vacations
  
• Disneyland and Disney World discount tickets

Before Orbitz, Jim had a previous life as a broadcast sports journalist, covering the Super Bowl, the Final Four, the Masters, the Daytona 500 and other events that would make any sports junkie jealous. Now, he uses his expertise and travel experience to help others find the best and most cost-effective waysto travel to top sporting events.

Tagged: Disney, Family time, Florida