Suggested Itineraries

Our suggested itineraries will allow you to cover most of the ground in each park in as efficient a manner as possible. Do note, though, that using FASTPASS may require you to double back to a land you've already covered.

There are a ton of ways to see the parks, and we feel, time and budget permitting, it's often better to do it in limited doses -- where you spend 2 or more days in a park at a casual pace. We're offering suggested itineraries as options for those on a tighter schedule. The following itineraries are organized to get the most out of the least amount of time. Where appropriate, we break things into one game plan for families with kids and another for teenagers and adults. With few exceptions (I note them later), Disney World doesn't have enough true stomach-turning thrill rides to warrant a special itinerary for teens or take-no-prisoners adults. Frankly, the only Orlando park in that class is Universal's Islands of Adventure.

A Day in the Magic Kingdom with Kids

Consider making Advance Reservations for dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table (tel. 407/939-3463), located inside Cinderella Castle.

If you have preschoolers, go right to the Walt Disney World Railroad station on Main Street and take the next train. Get off at Mickey's Toontown Fair, where tots are wowed by Mickey, Minnie, and the gang. They can ride the Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm, a mini-roller coaster, and explore Mickey's & Minnie's Country Houses.

If your kids are 6 or older, start the day at Tomorrowland and brave Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (younger kids will love this one too), and Space Mountain. Then cool off a bit and catch the show at the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. (Littler tykes like the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway, but there's not much else for them here, so skip it if you don't have a lot of time.)

Most kids younger than 8 will find something that's fun in Fantasyland, including Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mickey's PhilharMagic, it's a small world, Peter Pan's Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Cinderella's Golden Carrousel. Toddlers will have fun crawling, climbing, sliding, and getting wet at Pooh's Playful Spot.

Grab lunch at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café in Tomorrowland or the Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square.

Next, head west to Liberty Square. Most kids 10 and older will like the animatronic history lesson in the Hall of Presidents show. Before leaving, visit the and then move to Frontierland. Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are best suited for those 8 and older, while the Country Bear Jamboree and Tom Sawyer Island are fun for the younger set and parents looking to get off their feet.

Go to Adventureland next. Ride The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean (and check the schedule for Captain Jack's Pirate Tutorial -- a must for pintsized pirates), and Jungle Cruise, and then let the kids burn some energy in the Swiss Family Treehouse. Younger kids (ages 4-8) will appreciate the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Check the board on Main Street for show times -- Dream Along with Mickey (Fantasyland) and Woody's Cowboy Camp (Frontierland) are entertaining -- then consult the daily Times Guide. If the Wishes fireworks display and SpectroMagic are scheduled, be sure to stick around to watch them too.

A Day in the Magic Kingdom for Teenagers & Adults

Consider making Advance Reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table (tel. 407/939-3463) if you want a sit-down dinner.

From Main Street, cut through the center of the park to Frontierland and challenge Splash Mountain, then ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If you need to rest your feet or escape the heat, the Country Bear Jamboree is the place for it.

Next, go to Liberty Square and visit the Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents, then have lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern.

Now cut diagonally through the park, past Cinderella Castle, and into Tomorrowland to Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

If time permits, head to Adventureland for the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean, then, if it's scheduled, end the day with the Wishes fireworks display.

If You Can Spend Only 1 Day at Epcot

Epcot deserves at least 2 days, so this is a barnstorming highlight tour. Remember to make Advance Reservations if you want to eat in the park (call tel. 407/939-3463 before you arrive). I suggest the Coral Reef restaurant in The Seas With Nemo & Friends or the San Angel Inn in the World Showcase's Mexico exhibit for lunch, and Marrakech in Morocco or Akershus in Norway for dinner.

While recent additions and refurbishments have improved the kid-friendliness of this park, it remains the least desirable of the parks for tinier tots. Even some tweens and teens may not enjoy the heavy educational and technology themes, but there are more fun rides and attractions to entertain the younger set than ever before.

As you enter, go to any of your favorite rides that have FASTPASS (they're noted in the handout guide map). If the lines are short, don't bother with the pass. If the fast track isn't in your itinerary, take the other strategic approach:

Future World, near the front of the park, is the first of Epcot's two areas to open, so start there. Skip Spaceship Earth, at least for now. It's nearest the entrance, and that big golf ball and its ho-hum show attract most guests as they enter. Go straight to Mission: Space, where you can train as the astronauts do. Follow up with next-door-neighbor Test Track. Then cut to the west to Imagination! and its two great shows: Journey into Imagination with Figment and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Next up is The Seas with Nemo & Friends, for a quick conversation with Crush and a "clamobile" ride under the sea, before heading on to The Land where Soarin' takes riders on a high-flying adventure over California.

If time permits before a late lunch, visit Innoventions. On its East Side, all but the smallest kids will like seeing some of today's and tomorrow's high-tech gadgets. Over on the West Side, kids and adults find it hard to leave Video Games of Tomorrow.

Unless you're eager for the Spaceship Earth snoozer, proceed to the World Showcase in midafternoon. For me, this is the best part of Epcot -- the pavilions of 11 nations surround a big lagoon that you can cross by boat. But, again, kids (especially small ones) and teens may get the itch to leave.

Norway delivers a history lesson and boat ride called Maelstrom, China and Canada have fabulous 360-degree movies, and France has a magnificent large-screen production. Don't leave without taking in the show and concerts at U.S.A. -- The American Adventure. And don't miss the Taiko drum show at Japan.

After dinner, be sure to watch IllumiNations.

If You Can Spend 2 Days at Epcot

Ignore the 1-day itinerary, but consider my earlier advice about Advance Reservations and choice of restaurants.

The basic plan of attack here is to hit Future World and all of its rides and exhibits on your first day, and then cruise the World Showcase the next day. (Because the showcase opens later, you can hit any missed areas or go back for seconds in Future World early on Day 2.) Remember to go straight to FASTPASS rides that appeal to you (check your guide map).

Day 1 If you want to eat in the park, book Advance Reservations for lunch and dinner if you haven't already. Skip Spaceship Earth because that's where a lot of the park's visitors go first. Instead, take a spin on Test Track, in the southeast corner of Future World; if it's crowded, use FASTPASS and come back later. Blast off as the astronauts do on Mission: Space, then double back to Ellen's Energy Adventure in the Universe of Energy before grabbing lunch.

Next, spend time in Innoventions East, where most older kids and adults will love the household gizmos in the House of Innoventions and a look at tomorrow in Future Cars. At Innoventions West, try your luck at the Video Games of Tomorrow exhibit. Before you call it a day, enjoy the peaceful exhibits in The Seas with Nemo & Friends (including Turtle Talk with Crush, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and Bruce's Sharkworld) and The Land (be sure to check out the new Soarin' attraction), then cut to Imagination! for the Journey into Imagination with Figment and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience shows. Younger kids will appreciate the dancing fountains (next to Imagination! and between Innoventions East and West) -- parents will appreciate the break from walking.

Day 2 If you arrive when the park opens, go to any Future World rides or shows that you missed or want to repeat. Or sleep a little later and arrive for the opening of World Showcase.

Start in Canada, to the far right of the entrance. The movie there is uplifting and entertaining. Then continue counterclockwise to the United Kingdom for street shows, people-watching, and a real pub. France has a captivating film and a wonderful pastry shop; Morocco has a colorful casbah with merchants, Moorish tile and art, and little passages that put you in Bogartville. (For some, this is better than the real Casablanca, which is actually dirty and run-down.)

Japan has a store packed with enticements and grand architecture, but move quickly to U.S.A. -- The American Adventure, a patriotic triumph of audio-animated characters. This is a large theater, so waits are rarely long. Next, head to Italy and St. Mark's Square, which comes complete with a 105-foot bell tower.

Germany's Biergarten has oompah bands, beer, and wursts. Don't miss the model railway and the Bavarian-looking shops. Then steer yourself to China, which offers food, bargain buys, gardens and ponds, and a 360-degree movie. Continuing counterclockwise, Norway features the Maelstrom ride. Mexico completes the World Showcase semicircle with a boat ride through the country that features a new animated element including Donald Duck and the Three Caballeros.

End things with the IllumiNations fireworks display.

A Day at Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park

Here's a park that's easier to manage in 1 day.

Remember my advice on making Advance Reservations (tel. 407/939-3463) if you want to eat in the park. The Hollywood Brown Derby is a decent sit-down option.

Head directly to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The high-voltage ride is not for the young or faint of heart. The same goes for the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which blends incredible takeoff speed with three inversions.

The park is small, so backtracking isn't as much of a concern here. Consider passing up attractions that have long lines, or use FASTPASS where you can. Lines also can be long at Star Tours, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and the new Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a must for the young (in years or yearnings); the same goes for Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D, a truly fun show for all ages.

With luck, you'll make it through most of the above before a late lunch at the 50's Prime Time Café, where the food is so-so, but the experience is . . . well, surreal.

Afterward, take the ton-of-fun Backlot Tour and try your luck at Toy Story Mania, the park's newest ride (set to open in 2008).

Check your show schedule for favorites such as Playhouse Disney -- Live on Stage! (which is great for little kids) and Beauty and the Beast, and, at night, don't miss Fantasmic!

A Day at Animal Kingdom

Be here when the gates open, usually around 8 or 9am. (Call Disney information at tel. 407/824-4321 to check the time.) This will give you the best chance of seeing animals because they're most active in the morning air (the next best is late in the afternoon, although some can be seen throughout the day in cooler months). If you want to eat at the Rainforest Cafe, make Advance Reservations by calling tel. 407/939-3463.

The size of the park (500 acres) means a lot of travel once you pass through the gates. Don't linger in the Oasis area or around the Tree of Life; instead, head directly to the back of the park, grab a FASTPASS for Expedition Everest (in Asia), then head immediately back to Africa to be first in line for Kilimanjaro Safaris. This will allow you to see animals before it gets hot and the lines become monstrous.

Work your way back through Africa, visiting Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and its lowland gorillas, and then head to the Flame Tree Barbecue for a bite to eat, though kids may prefer the Restaurantosaurus just inside Dinoland. After lunch, head to the Tree of Life on Discovery Island for It's Tough to Be a Bug. If you want a bird-show fix, see Flights of Wonder, then go on the Maharajah Jungle Trek, both in Asia. Expedition Everest will thrill older kids and teens (adults too), then it's off to tackle Kali River Rapids, a great way to cool off in the midday heat (some of you might even get soaked).

Older kids, teens, and adults can also ride Dinosaur and Primeval Whirl in Dinoland U.S.A.; both are good choices if you get there before lines form or if you use FASTPASS. Younger kids deserve some time at the Boneyard and on TriceraTop Spin in Dinoland. Visitors of all ages will be entranced by Finding Nemo-The Musical -- be sure to check the Times Guide for show times.

And make time in your day for The Festival of the Lion King over in Camp Minnie-Mickey; it's a must see (again, check the Times Guide to see which showing fits in best with your schedule).