Travel plan idea blog

I would recommend Universal Studios rather than Islands of Adventure. The whole family will be able to enjoy it better. Universal Islands is more of a teen-age park, with the roller coasters. The 9 year-old may not be able to enjoy those with the height restriction. If anyone in your party is plus-sized, they also will miss out on those rides. If it an absolute must see, check into the 1 day 2 park pass from Universal, so you can hop between both parks. If it is in the budget, try doing the down day as a 2nd Magic Kingdom day - you really need 2 days to see it all. If you don't want to pay for the parks, then go to Downtown Disney - and check out Disney Quest. And check into the outlet malls for your souveniers!

There are some really great websites out there that have all of this information for you.
Try www.allearsnet.com first. You can find Disney ticket package comparisons there. wdwinfo.com has a huge amount of info about Universal and Orlando in general. Their podcast has reviews of the new Seaworld water park as well. If your kids don't do roller coasters you might want to rethink Islands of Adventure. I would question the no Disney Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) plan and substitute in DHS instead of IofA. Also, you can actually do a morning at Animal Kingdom very easily (not that much there) and then head to DHS for the afternoon if you must include Universal in some way. This would only work if you had purchased park hopper tickets though. Also, if you are staying on Disney property you would have access to extra magic hours which would give you some more time in the parks. I guess it really depends on where you are staying and what your kids like to do... Good luck!

your iteniary looks good, however, I suggest you take in Epcot on day three, do the main rides then relax the afternoon in the world showcase, possibly a late lunch or early dinner in the showcase, canada, france, mexico etc.

For the best Disney itineraries, get "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World." They will tell you the most efficient way to tour each park.

I have a different itinerary.
Day one: Do not go to Islands of Adventure or Magic Kingdom. They are high impact fun parks and if you start with them, anything else may be a let down. My advice begin with Seaworld. It is a very efficiently run park. You can ride its two rides and see its amazing shows all in one day, without being overtired.

Day Two: Animal Kingdom. The children get introduced to Disney but not the MAIN Disney park - Magic Kingdom. It is a little educational with animals and enough rides and shows to have a real good time. The park closes early. My advice: after you leave go to an area dinner show: Arabian Nights, Medieval Times or Dixie Stampede (my favorite).

Day Three: Islands of Adventure. Now it's time to have some BIG FUN. Islands of Adventure is packed with that.

Day Four: A Day of rest. Spend the morning at the swimming pool relaxing. But around 1pm go to Gatorland in Kissimmee. It is a minor park, very different, but very interesting.

Day 5: The MAGIC KINGDOM. Nuff Said.

Hmmm ! Is it even really possible to cover so much ground in so little time ? 5 days in Disney alone is not enough time - not to mention you are throwing one day out the window to relax . If this is the first time trip there for the kids - maybe it is a better idea to choose between Disney or Universal but not both . I would not do both without having seven days .

If you think you could squeeze so much into so little time , you will not have time to relax for a day . The Magic Kingdom lines are slower than the other parks - IMO . You will need a whole day if you want to cover some ground there . The lines have also gotten longer at Animal Kingdom . It can no longer be treated like just a zoo .

Downtown Disney could be covered in one evening after dinner . After all , the stores are all repeats of what you will already find at the parks anyway - w/ a few exceptions .

I say do all Disney now , come back later to do the rest . Also - will the party be traveling to and from on the first and last days ? Because that could cut into some of the time spent at the parks . And where are you staying ? In Disney or out ? That could make a big difference . Car or bus ? Hey that could save you time also . If your staying in a Disney resort and choose just their parks - go for the dining plan . We did it last year and it worked well for us . Actually real well !
Just my opinion...........

Four or five days is definitely a challenge. The last time we went to Disneyland we found 5 days was not enough. Walt Disney World is a whole different experience. I shall assume that you are not staying on site at Disney. That eliminates the Dining Plan and Extra Magic Hours (morning and evening)which evolved from the old E-Ride Night and now is open to those staying on site for no additional charge. Since you've not been to Disney in 10 years you've missed out on all the changes in the past 3 years, i.e.the 100 Years of Magic celebration, many of the special additions have become permanent. Epcot now has Mission Space and Soarin which are well worth the visit. There are several additions to the Hollywood Studios (the old MGM) that will captivate the 9 and 11 year olds. Animal Kingdom is a favorite for our family. Expedition Everest is a welcome addition and our kids (ages 14 to 35) never tire of this park. What then, are the must do's.

Magic Kingdom:
The Haunted Mansion has been reimagined and now has effects that really blew my mind. It still has the old standby's but the new effects are awesome.

If you are a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise then the ride is a must see. It has also been reimagined to include components of the film. My teenage daughters can't get enough of the audioanimatronic Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

Mickey's PhilharMagic takes 3-D to a new level.

Visit Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland.

My children (and teens) really enjoy Tom Sawyer's Island.

Buss Lightyear's Spaceranger Spin is great for both the kids and adults.

Hollywood Studios: The old stand byes of Hollywood Tower of Terror and Rock n' Rollercoaster are on the top of my kid's list. The High School Musical extravaganza is a must see if your kids are caught up the movies. With the new Indiana Jones movie being release soon they will enjoy the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.

Check the official & unofficial Disney websites to see what special activities are scheduled and what may be closed for refurbishment.

I would recommend reviewing Fodor's, Birnbaum's, or The Cheapskate's Guide to Walt Disney World for inspiration.

We started visiting the WDW more often and found the Annual pass to be a bargain for us. We schedule our trips so that we can get multiple visits out of them plus the Passholder discounts have been a positive benefit.

If you have never been to Disney before, you really shouldn't skip Epcot. Fav of Everyone I know for all Disney parks. Friend who lives there with annual pass goes monthly with her kids.If you are staying close, you can go home in late afternoon and return for world showcase fireworks. Disney Studios has great stuff for kids, my 10 and 12 year old neices say its the best park, lots of neat things beside rides, great for a shorter day. I agree with others, that is you haven't done Disney before, only do Disney. You can do Animal Kingdon in a day, they close early and hit something else at night. Kids will hit meltdown/overload point after 5 hours or so anywhere, especially if you are going when it's very hot and come from a cooler clime. Someone else suggested it, but definitely get The Unofficial Guide to Disney, awesome planner w/suggestions for all ages. It also recommends Disney restaurants with Characters etc. Have a great trip!

As an annual passholder for 20 years for WDW, a recent passholder for Universal, and a 20 year passholder for Busch/Seaworld, here's my two cents...I would boot Seaworld altogether. After the rollercoaster, which I doubt your kids would ride, the Shamu show and touching the dolphins, Seaworld is one more aquarium after another. Their characters are contrived and unrecognized, as compared to Universal and WDW. I guess I'd spend more time at WDW parks. A day at Epcot and perhaps a half at Hollywood Studios (MGM).

If you're doing Animal Kingdom, make sure you get there when it opens. Be parked and at the gates within 10 minutes of opening, so that you can first go get Fastpasses to either Expedition Everest (if you like rollercoasters) or Kali River Rapids (if you like water rides). Then head straight over to the Kilimanjaro Safaris. If you don't get on to the safari ride early in the morning, you won't see nearly as many animals. At that time of morning, they are still out feeding before the heat of the day sets in. Then you can go enjoy the other ride without a wait.

Definitely don't go to the Magic Kingdom without some sort of plan about what is a must-see for this visit. It's huge, you won't see it all in one day, and the lines can be much longer than in other parks. I like the suggested plans for each park in the Walt Disney World Passporter guidebook.

I have been to WDW several times and I think it would be a crime to miss Epcot. Yes, you do need more than a day there, but you could come back one night, perhaps after Animal Kingdom, to do the world showcase for dinner and wandering in the world showcase.

SKIP Seaworld! It cannot compare to the rest of the parks you are looking at. If your kids are into rollercoasters, as mine are at that age, Islands of Adventure is a must see. It has some of the most inovative coasters and rides you will find.

One down day at a water park is a great idea. That way, you can sit or ride as much as your energy allows.

Last bit of advice, don't overestimate the ease of park hopping. It is a HUGE property, and can take an hour or so to get from the gate of one park to the other. Choose your parks, and enjoy all that each one has to offer. I'm jealous I'm not going!

I used to work at Disney. Don't go to the Magic Kingdom on the weekend or Monday - most crowded. Go to Animal Kingdom 1st thing in the am and go on the Kilimanjaro Safari 1st - you will see the most animals. Must sees - (AK) Safari and Festival of the Lion King show, (Studios) Fantasmic and the Little mermaid adventure, Beauty and the Beast show, (Epcot)fireworks, (Magic Kingdom) go do fantasy land during the 3:00 parade when all the little kids are watching the parade. The parade is forgettable. The electric light parade and fireworks are good though.

When planning our Disney vacation, we got the Fodor's guide and made a Must Do/Must Ride list for each of us. These lists were what we "had to do or else the vacation is ruined!" Then, we planned our time so that we covered all of the listed items. My mom went on the teacup ride for me. I went on Small World for her.