Over the last two years, I have gotten quite a number of emails about Disney. The following tips are meant to point you in the right direction and pertain to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

1- Buy a copy of Steven Birnbaums' Official Guide to Walt Disney World.

2- Read it COVER TO COVER.

3- Plan on following his suggestions to the letter. We did so on his itineraries and NEVER waited more than 20 mins for any ride . Most waits were only a few mins. We traveled at the height of summer and people were waiting an hour or more for many rides. The key is to be at the park entrance at least 30-40 mins before the announced opening. (Key word: "announced.") They actually open the gates prior to opening and then you can get inside and be ready to sprint when they open the ropes to the attractions. Follow all his suggestions about traveling clockwise, etc.

4- After reading the book, sit down with your kids and write down all the attractions that are a must and then write down some optionals. Type up an itinerary (Don't laugh, it works!) Figure on 6 to 8 major rides each day plus several optionals; more ambitious itineraries for older kids, less ambitious for younger kids. Plan on a dinner attraction in late afternoon or very early evening to rest your tired feet. Or else shop mid afternoon, have a cool drink, do indoor A/C cooled attractions with short lines.

One fun thing to do during a crowded afternoon is to visit Tom Sawyer's Island. It is a chance for the adults to sit down under a shady tree while the kids run around the fort. There are usually no long lines at this attraction.

5- After 2 days of doing attractions, do an all day excursion to one of the Disney water parks. If you start early in the morning, there are NO LINES. You can always leave early afternoon and return to one of the major parks for some rides or do Pleasure Island.

6- Decide ahead where you will eat if you plan on some special meals. Some require reservations many weeks in advance , some must be made early the day you plan to dine. Put all this in your itinerary. Do not spend time discussing what you will do during your trip. Do that beforehand, put it all in writing and then when you are at Disney you can change things on the spot if you wish.

7- Lastly - stay at a Disney Hotel. If you cannot afford the expensive ones, stay at one of the moderate or budget properties. Rooms may be spartan but the fact that they are Disney properties means you are entitled to use all the Disney transportation and avail yourself of all Disney services. As such, you can reserve special dinner attractions sooner than people staying outside Disney.

Staying Cheaply at Disney

The cheapest way to go is not necessarily the best. One way is to buy a package which includes a stay at one of the off-site budget motels. You will DEFINITELY need to rent a car if you go this way. Hotels are located all around Disney. There are tons of cheap ones, along "Motel Mile" which is about 15 mins from WDW. Lake Buena Vista is closer and motels tend to be nicer and a bit pricier. Plus the area is lovely and has a number of inexpensive restaurants nearby.

Check with your local travel agent or check your local Sunday papers for the best package deals. (The Single Parent Travel Handbook has a list of 75 travel agents that focus on single parents.)

Dealing with Disney Crowds

Don't let big crowds at Disney dissuade you from going at Christmas or Thanksgiving, if that is what you want to do. Bigger crowds mean longer hours of operation so you can squeeze in what you want to do. We always traveled at the height of summer season, busier even than Xmas, and we followed Birnbaum's advice, mapped out an hour by hour itinerary of rides and never waited more than 20 minutes and that was unusual.

Requests for Itineraries

Unfortunately our last typed up itinerary that we can find was when my son was seven and is therefore quite outdated, by Disney standards, since it changes every seven hours, or so it seems.

Large Families at Disney

As far as Disney goes, it is much nicer if you can stay within the park and there are several budget properties that offer suite rooms that accommodate 5 people. Another possibility is the 2 Bedroom trailers located in the Wilderness area. Talk it over with your travel agent or Disney sales person to see what is best for you.

Restaurant Recommendations

If you want a really exceptional meal and if you like fish, I suggest Arkhaus in the Norwegian Pavilion. Do lunch, dinner is expensive.

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