A Disney World Vacation is a family vacation like no other. To get the most fun and value out of your vacation, it takes a bit extra insight and understanding.
Before we a started…a quick reality check
If you were planning a family visit to Manhattan, Do you think your family could possibly see and experience everything NYC has to offer in just one week?
Of course not, the answer would be a resounding “NO”
Yet many parents don’t realize Walt Disney World encompasses over 40 square miles, making it about twice the size of the island of Manhattan!...with a lot more for kids to do!
Here are a few more Disney facts to consider as you start to plan your vacation…
•Walt Disney World in Orlando is made up of 4 Theme parks, 2 Water parks, Entertainment and sports facilities and 5 championship golf courses
•There are over 20 hotel choices for families looking to stay in the park
•If you wanted to stay every night in a different hotel room in Disney World Resort, it would take you 68 years .
•There are over 300 restaurant choices located in Disneyworld
•During peak holiday weeks, Disney World Parks are visited by over 100,000 people every day
•Over 62,000 people known as cast members are employed in Disney World making it the biggest single employer in the United States.
•Animal Kingdom is the largest park covering 403 acres, Epcot totals 305 acres, The Magic Kingdom is 142 acres and Disney World Hollywood Studios comes in at 135 acres….Your family WILL need to cover a LOT of ground!
•Visitors walk an average of 7 to 10 miles per day touring Disney World Parks
If this is your first time heading to Disneyworld, hopefully some of these facts will give you a bit more perspective and understanding. Once you've been initiated you'll appreciate how exhaustion and sore feet can quickly set in. It's important to plan your Disney World Vacation with the right expectations in mind.
To get the most out of your Walt Disney World visit you really need to prioritize your daily itinerary. Make a list of the attractions and experiences that are most important for your family at this stage of their life. Focus on those priorities first. Be sure to give yourself permission and time to experience all the rest of the magic that the parks have to offer. Often it's these serendipitous moments that are the ones most cherished.
Just surrender!...there is no way that you'll get to see and do everything in a week. Why would you want to? The great thing about Disneyworld is that not everything is made for everybody. Space mountain isn't made for toddlers and while teens will certainly roll their eyes at the Country Bears. That's the awesome part about a Disneyworld vacation. It changes and grows right along with the needs and wishes of every member of your family.
Sure, we all have our favorite attractions that are MUST sees. Still Walt Disney World is constantly evolving. With every new movie and new characters come new sights and attractions imagineered for us to love. Even if you vacation at Disneyworld year after year, you're guaranteed to experience something new and innovative with each visit.
So don't make your family's Disney vacation a test of extreme physical endurance. Like we said, you will NOT see everything nor should you want to.
Prioritize your daily schedule to insure that you see the sites, attractions and experiences that are most important to your family. Remember to take the time to relax and enjoy the moments that your family will live to remember.
