"The World" consists of four major theme parks, two water parks and multiple areas for shopping and dining. All together the site is 47 square miles, which can be a little intimidating.
Every vacationer should have a list of things to check out before heading out.
Crowd calendars are especially important for planning. These show when crowds are at their peak and when is the perfect time to see a little bit of everything.
A relatively new option to investigate is the Disney Dining Plan, which allows vacationers to prepay for meals with their reservations. There are a variety of options to fit every budget and appetite. The disadvantage is that Disney recommends making reservations 180 days in advance. This puts a timetable on every day and doesn’t allow much wiggle room.
As for the theme parks there are main attractions to see at each:
Epcot
Epcot, or the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, focuses on technology, the future and different cultures from around the world.
Don’t miss Test Track, a ride that goes through the testing procedures of new GM vehicles including uphill climbs, sharp turns and a crash test that reaches up to 64 mph.
For the kids, make sure to visit The Seas with Nemo & Friends for some spectacular 3D imaging and an amazing attraction called Turtle Talk with Crush, which features an animated Crush from the film Finding Nemo that interacts directly with the audience.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
The Animal Kingdom is no ordinary zoo. Although they do have exhibits with animals, the biggest thrill here is going on an African safari without leaving the park.
Kilimanjaro Safaris shows a working African ecosystem including lions, elephants, giraffes and a wide variety of other animals all living together in a natural setting.
On the other side of the park is the newest attraction to hit the Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest. The first roller coaster inside the park takes riders on a trip up Mount Everest in search of the elusive Yeti.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Studios, called Disney-MGM Studios until 2008, is a Hollywood backlot complete with rides and attractions to showcase the best the movies have to offer.
Thrill rides for the park include Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. These two attractions are the most popular in the park, so expect a wait time. This is a good time to use the Fast Pass option where riders get a ticket that saves their place in line and designates a time to return later and enter a shorter and quicker moving line.
While Magic Kingdom and Epcot offer firework shows, the Studios has Fantasmic! an extravaganza of water, fire, music and fireworks as Mickey takes on an assortment of Disney villains in a world of his own imagination.
Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom is still the largest park with Cinderella’s castle, the main icon of the whole Disney world, at the epicenter.
This is where to find many of the classic rides such as Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, but new additions are being added all the time.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic is one of many 3D shows available throughout the theme parks. The show takes the audience on a trip while Donald Duck chases Mickey’s sorcerer hat through a variety of Disney movies.
Nightlife
With restaurant and shopping areas like Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk along with the 21 and older clubs on Pleasure Island, Disney doesn’t stop when the sun goes down.
The parks generally close by 9 p.m. but sometimes offer extra magic hours to patrons staying on Disney property. This will allow guests to stay up to three extra hours after the park closes. Crowds quickly diminish, and some of the longer lines during the day are reduced to nothing.