First time visiting? Hard to choose how much to see and do. Been a dozen times? There’s always something new.

Visit Walt Disney World  It’s still king of the hill: or rather, of the very, very flat land. Spread over an area the size of Boston are: 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, best place with little kids; EPCOT; Disney’s Hollywood Studios; and Animal Kingdom); two water-parks (see below); and more. Make sure you have a game plan, before you enter the World!

Top Tips for Walt Disney World Vacations

With four major theme parks — Magic Kingdom (bigger in itself than California’s Disneyland), Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom– a Walt Disney World vacation can be complex and costly: all the more reason to plan carefully to make sure you have the best possible time.

Below are tips to help you have a great Disney World Vacation, once you’re in the parks.

But first, before you get there…

Tips for Disney World Vacations - planning stages

• Be sure to understand ticket purchase. park admissions are sold as a base ticket plus options.
• Consider which itineraries suit your kids’ ages. The Disney World site helps you find fun for Preschoolers, Big Kids, Teens, etc.
• check out age and height requirements for attractions: you don’t want your child to look forward to a ride he/she can’t go on!
• Check ride refurbishments: if your child has a favorite attraction, make sure it isn’t closed for maintenance.
• Study the park calendars for parades, live entertainment, and fireworks, so that you get the most from each day. Remember, distances between the parks are considerable, so if you want to end up in a particular park for fireworks, plan accordingly!
• Pick your time of year with care. You need to balance four main factors: crowds, heat, park hours, and special events. During busy times, parks stay open late and you may find extra parades and fireworks.

Tips for Disney World Vacations - in the theme parks

1. For parents with kids too small to ride a ride: Use the "baby swap" (which is really an "adult swap".) First, parents and kid(s) all line-up together; Parent A rides first with any older kids, while Parent B stays to one side with baby or under-height kids; once the ride is over, the parents change places, and again one parent rides while the other one waits.

2. Pick your park according to "Extra Magic Hour". Which park will you go to today? Keep in mind that, every day, one of the four theme parks opens early for Disney World resort guests only. Either rush to the early opening yourself, (if you’re staying "in the World"), or avoid that park for most of the day.

3. Get to the theme parks early. This advice is especially important for Disney’s water parks (which are packed by noon) and Animal Kingdom (which closes early.)

5. Use Fastpass. Fastpass compares favorably to sliced bread as a great invention. It’s free, it’s simple, and it saves you from standing in line for the most popular rides. Get the most out of Fastpasses– and your whole Disney World vacation– by using them strategically.

6. Bring snacks and drinks. These tips can save you money on hot and humid Florida days when your kids need to drink liquids all day long.

7. Eat for value and fun Food is expensive in the theme parks, no question. You can scout some bargains, but sometimes spending more on a full buffet is a better option– and more fun, if Pooh Bear or Cinderella is in attendance. A giant late breakfast buffet can serve as lunch; a giant late lunch can fuel the family right through dinner hour. Also: some a la carte restaurants specialize in fun theming, and these can be good choices, too.

8.Use Advanced Reservations for restaurant meals. It’s easy, it’s free, and usually entails no commitment — yet you get seated quickly instead of waiting in line.

9. Use the Disney Transportation System . Every hour of the day, and well into the night, blessedly cool Disney buses ferry people free from one park to another and to and from the Disney resorts. Monorail and boats are other cool ways to get around.

10. Keep Cool. How, on a hot and humid day? By using cool clothes, cool shoes, and cool-down gadgets… and by visiting the water parks. 

More Walt Disney World Vacations Advice

The well-known Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, is worth its weight in gold…. Its weight is considerable but still worth lugging around the theme parks because of the details about every attraction, including evaluations for five different age groups. Another great feature is the one- and two-day park touring plans. This book is re-issued and updated every year.