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The Survivalist’s Guide to Walt Disney World

You’ve talked to your travel agent, read the guide books, and now you believe that you are ready to experience a family vacation to Disney World with your family. However, for many tourists, this vacation taken the first, second, and even the third time, can lead to an intense sensory overload, not to mention too many dehydrating days in the sun, leading one to believe that they missed a lot of what this wonderful area had to offer. As a Floridian, whose family has worked at Disney throughout the years, maps of all four of Disney’s theme parks are forever burned into my memory as are some great survival tips that you and your family might be interested in. Planning the vacation First and foremost, decide as a family what is most important for you all to see. This will vary with the age of your children and your different interests. However, when everyone can decide on a plan, it’s time to plot out your day. For example, if a trip to the Magic Kingdom is agreed upon, decide which rides you MUST go on. Hopefully, you have obtained maps of the theme parks from your travel agent, your travel package, etc. so you know which rides are at what park and where they are. If you haven’t already checked…
First Time Disney Vacations

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…
How to Dine with Disneyland Characters

If you really want to delight your child - or yourself - you should arrange to have a Disneyland Character meal. This will allow you and your whole family to have quality time with one or more of the Disneyland characters. In fact, this is the best way to really get to interact with them for any length of time. Start by making a reservation. This can be done through the Disneyland Vacation Planning Services Department. Reservations can be made up to sixty days in advance, so don't leave this to the last minute. Make these reservations while your Disneyland vacation is being planned. Character breakfasts take place each morning at the park. You do not need a reservation for these meals. These breakfasts take place in many of the parks restaurants, but Goofy's Kitchen is a great place to start. It is located in the Disneyland Hotel, and there are dishes to please everyone. Children under three years of age get to eat free, which should be considered when you are planning the budget for your trip. Goofy is always there, with Pluto, but other characters come and go all throughout the day. You should definitely make reservations for Goofy's kitchen, as it is quite popular, and the wait can be very long. If dining with Princesses is important,…

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