WHERE SHOULD WE GO FIRST? The Walt Disney World resort covers 46 square miles including 18 resorts, 4 major Theme Parks, 3 Water Parks, a Sports Complex, Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. Depending on how much time you have there, read about each individual park and decide which ones you will visit. Allow at least one day per park.

WHAT KIND OF HELPFUL HINTS SHOULD I KEEP IN MIND?

• Plan some breaks from the parks. At midday, enjoy a relaxing lunch, whether at a Park or a nearby Walt Disney World® Resort. Explore discovery island. Relax or work out at a Disney Spa and health club. Or return to your own Disney resort for a swim. Or visit a disney water park.
• Pick Up Guidemaps.  Guidemaps list attractions, dining locations, shops and schedules for live entertainment, including parades and opportunities to meet the Disney Characters. Guidemaps are free at all Resort Guest Services locations.
• Tips for the Magic Kingdom. Think of the Lands of the Magic Kingdom like spokes on a wheel. Begin in Tomorrowland and go counterclock wise around the park. Allow time to meet Mickey and the gang.
• Visit the most popular Disney-MGM attractions early in the morning or late in the day. These are the best times for "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror", the "Aerosmith Rockin Roller Coaster", "Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D", "The Great Epic Movie Ride, "Star Tours", "Indian Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular", and the Studios Backlot Tour.
• Have your hand stamped and your ticket ready for same day admission. You can leave any Walt Disney World® Theme Park and return the same day provided you receive a hand stamp at the exit gate before leaving. For re-entry you must show your hand stamp and a valid ticket.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

Shorts and comfortable sneakers or walking shoes are a must! The entire area is extremely casual, day and night, so men will need a jacket and tie in only a handful of restaurants if you are planning a night on the town, all other restaurants are casual attire. For sightseeing and theme-park visits, pack shorts, sundresses, cotton slacks or jeans, T-shirts. Rather than a purse, we recommend a hip pack to hold things such as your camera, sunscreen, hotel card - keys, money, park maps, rain ponchos, and any other items you require. If you wear sunglasses it is a good idea to have a neck strap for them so they don't fall off during some rides.

What are the advantages of staying at an "onsite Disney resort"?

When you stay at selected Disney Resorts, you're special! You can enter the Parks early. As a Guest at a Disney Resort hotel on selected days, you may visit selected attractions at Disney Theme Parks 90 minutes before they open to everyone else!! 

Enjoy convenient monorail, motorcoach, ferryboat and water taxi transportation. Your parking is free too with a valid resort ID!

You can enjoy a nice midday break. Your staying so close to the Parks, you can return to your resort for a quick nap, lunch or a swim, then go to the Parks refreshed and ready for more fun.

What are the busiest and least busy times of the year?

Walt Disney World offers packages and special events year round. Summer is an extremely busy time as families travel when kids are out of school. The Disney Specialists can indicate which months are considered "peak times" and which are not. There is a price difference on your package during these times as well, and should be considered if you are flexible to travel in the off-season.

Although special events and promotions may influence the Theme Park attendance levels, the following list highlights historic attendance trends throughout the year:

Lowest Attendance:
January (except New Year's Day) until just prior to Presidents' week in February
The week following Labor Day until just prior to Thanksgiving week
The week following Thanksgiving until the week prior to Christmas

Moderate Attendance:
After Presidents' week in February through early March
Late April through early June (except Memorial Day weekend)
The first part of Thanksgiving week

Highest Attendance:
Presidents' week in February
Mid-March through Late April ("Spring Break")
Memorial Day weekend
Mid-June through Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and weekend
Christmas week through New Year's Day

Also, during regular attendance periods, our Parks tend to be the busiest on the following days:

Magic Kingdom® Park: Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
Epcot®: Tuesday and Friday
Disney-MGM Studios: Sunday and Wednesday
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
 

What transportation is available within the Walt Disney World® Resort?

No matter where you're off to around the Resort, we've got a ride. Disney has worked hard to make transportation to and around the Walt Disney World® Resort hassle free. Zip around by monorail. Sail leisurely by boat. Or hop aboard a bus. We'll get you to where ever the magic is calling. All charges for transportation are included in the price of your multi-day passport. Monorail, launches, buses, and trams all operate from early in the morning until at least midnight, although hours are shorter during early closing periods. Check on the operating hours of the service you need if you plan to be out, especially late at night.

1. By Bus: The Magic Kingdom Park is accessible by bus from all parts 
   of the Walt Disney World Resort, including the Disney Resorts and 
   other Theme Parks.
2. By Ferry Boat: The Magic Kingdom Park is accessible by water taxi from Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort or Campground, and Disney's Wilderness Lodge. The Disney ferryboat connects the Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center (adjacent to Magic Kingdom parking).
3. By Monorail: Disney's monorail runs among Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, and the Transportation and Ticket Center (adjacent to the Magic Kingdom parking lot). A connecting monorail takes Guests from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot.
4. By Boat: Motor launches connect Walt Disney World parks and resorts located on waterways. Specifically, they operate between the Epcot Center resorts (except the Caribbean Beach,) and Disney's MGM Studio, as well as between Discovery Island in Bay Lake and the Magic Kingdom, Fort Wilderness, the Wilderness Lodge, and the Polynesian, Contemporary and the Grand Floridian resorts.
5. By Car: Every theme park has a parking lot, so don't worry about there not being enough parking. Always write down where you park and take the number with you. Trams will take you from the parking lot to the front gate. For each lot, admission is $5 for cars, $6 for RV and campers and free for Walt Disney World resort guests with ID. Save your receipt; if you want to visit another park the same day, you won't have to pay to park twice. Parking is always free at Typhoon Lagoon, River Country and Blizzard Beach, as well as for the Marketplace/Downtown Disney area.

What are the Theme Park's operating hours?

Operating hours vary greatly from Park to Park at different times of the year.

Disney's Magic Kingdom Park normally opens at 9 a.m. The closing time varies from 
6 p.m. to midnight. The later closing times occur near the winter holidays, the Easter holiday, and during the summer, generally from mid June through late August.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Park normally opens at 8 a.m. The closing time varies from 
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The later closing times occur near the winter holidays, the Easter holiday, and during the summer, generally from mid June through late August.

The Disney-MGM Studios normally opens at 9 a.m. The closing time varies from
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The later closing times occur near the winter holidays, the Easter holiday, and during the summer, generally from mid June through late August.

Epcot Future World normally opens at 9 a.m. And the World Showcase does not open till 11am. The closing time varies from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. The later closing times occur near the winter holidays, the Easter holiday, and during the summer, generally from mid June through late August.

What is the weather like?
Florida weather is unpredictable, you should probably obtain an up-to-the-minute weather report prior to your visit. But here is an idea of the average temperatures.

January Weather: Average High: 72 (°F) 22 (C) Average Low: 49 (°F) 9 (C)
February Weather: Average High: 73 (°F) 23 (C) Average Low: 50 (°F) 10 (C)
March Weather: Average High: 78 (°F) 26 (C) Average Low: 55 (°F) 13 (C)
April Weather: Average High: 84 (°F) 29 (C) Average Low: 60 (°F) 16 (C)
May Weather: Average High: 88 (°F) 31 (C) Average Low: 66 (°F) 19 (C)
June Weather: Average High: 91 (°F) 33 (C) Average Low: 71 (°F) 22 (C)
July Weather: Average High: 92 (°F) 33 (C) Average Low: 73 (°F) 23 (C)
August Weather: Average High: 93 (°F) 33 (C) Average Low: 73 (°F) 23 (C)
September Weather: Average High: 90 (°F) 32 (C) Average Low: 73 (°F) 23 (C)
October Weather: Average High: 84 (°F) 29 (C) Average Low: 65 (°F) 18 (C)
November Weather: Average High: 78 (°F) 26 (C) Average Low: 57 (°F) 14 (C)
December Weather: Average High: 73 (°F) 23 (C) Average Low: 57 (°F) 14 (C)

Which resort should I stay in?

If at all possible, stay on site where you are in the center of the action. Walt Disney World offers more than just accommodations. While enjoying the theme parks, the water parks, Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island and more are all situated outside your door. Disney's own unique transportation system links all of these great resorts to all of the exciting attractions. This makes it great to come in and take a break (especially when traveling with children,) and then returning to the parks in the evenings for the spectacular fireworks, laser shows and parades. If your on a budget, Disney has the perfect solution with it's value All Star resorts. Disney resort guests also receive early park admission and services for children such as in-room babysitting, learning programs and dinner clubs. The other alternative is staying in the Downtown Disney or the main-gate area. Ask an agent for details.

What time is Check-in and Check-out?

Check in is after 4pm at almost all of the resorts. Check-out time is 11am at all Walt Disney World Resorts. If you arrive prior to check-in time, you may pre-register, receive your Disney Resort I.D. cards and return later when your accommodations are prepared.

You're arriving by: You're arriving by plane? Good choice. Mears Airport Shuttle is available from Orlando International Airport right to your Walt Disney World® Resort Hotel. Shuttle tickets may be purchased at the time of boarding. To return to the airport, you can board the shuttle at the entrance to every Walt Disney World® Resort hotel. Make reservations 24 hours in advance and allow a minimum of two hours before flight time. 

Explore these other great activities offered at the Walt Disney World® Resort:

Water Parks: Dive into any of our three sun-splashed Water Parks. At Blizzard Beach, Florida sun meets alpine snow. River Country is slipin', slidin' all American fun. And for an exotic, tropical paradise, splash into Typhoon Lagoon. Whichever you choose, you'll enjoy a day of wonderful watery fun complete with thrills for every member of the family and distinctly Disney touches all around.

Downtown Disney: Check this out when you're ready for cutting-edge dining, one-of-a-kind shops, a music superstore, 24 movie screens, and Pleasure Island, a nonstop street party with eight outrageous clubs.

Cirque du Soleil®: A stunning blend of circus art and street entertainment, Cirque du Soleil® presents La Nouba™. This dazzling array of outrageous costumes, magical lighting, and fantastically original acts is presented in a state-of-the-art venue. For ticket reservations and information, call (407) 939-7600.

Disney Quest®: Interactive Adventures: Experience the first-ever indoor interactive theme park. Shoot rapids in a virtual prehistoric world. Hop into a motion simulator and ride a roller coaster that you design. Fly a magic carpet through an ancient city. All in one afternoon. It's a breakthrough concept in family fun.

Is there anything special I can plan for a birthday or special occasion?

A variety of activities are available at our Resort to help make birthdays more special and memorable. For instance, your family may wish to dine with the Disney characters at one of our many character breakfasts, lunches, or dinners.

Where can we meet Disney Characters?

There are several places around the Walt Disney World® Resort where you can catch a little quality time with the Disney Characters. Character dining is available all around the Walt Disney World® Resort. Call 407-WDW-DINE to make reservations.