If
You Go
by
Cara Goldsbury
Getting
There
Major
airlines servicing Orlando are Delta, United, American, Continental,
Southwest, Northwest, America West, Air Canada, and US Airways.
What
To Do
Walt
Disney World is comprised of four main theme parks: The Magic Kingdom,
Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and the Animal Kingdom. Additional offerings
include two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, as well as
Disney’s Wide World of Sports, six golf courses, and miles of
waterways for boating and fishing. Head to Downtown Disney where
you’ll find over 70 scene-setting restaurants, shops, and nightclubs
as well as Cirque du Soleil, Disney Quest, and an AMC 24-screen movie
theatre.
When
To Go
Each
season at Walt Disney World has its pros and its cons. Busy season
brings congested parks, long lines, and higher resort rates but also
greatly extended park hours and nightly fireworks and parades at the
Magic Kingdom. The slower seasons offer half-filled parks, little
waiting in line, and lower hotel rates along with later opening times,
earlier closing times, attractions that are closed for rehab, and often
the elimination of the nighttime parade and fireworks at the Magic
Kingdom. Here is a guideline to avoiding the parks at their worst:
Busiest:
President’s
Day week ´
the last three weeks of March until the week after Easter ´
the second week of June until the third week of August
´
Thanksgiving weekend ´
the week of Christmas until just after New Years
Busy:
the
last two weeks of February until early March ´
the month of October ´
the week after Easter until the second week of June
Least
Busy: the
second week of January through the first week of February (avoiding the
Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January) ´
the third week of August until early October ´
the month of November excluding Thanksgiving weekend ´
the week after Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas, a special time
when the parks and resorts are festively decorated for the holidays
The
Weather
Summer
brings uncomfortably muggy and warm days with almost daily afternoon
showers while winter offers many days of beautiful sunshine along with
the occasional cold snap. Peak hurricane season begins in August and
runs through October, so be prepared for a washout. The best months of
the year with delightfully mild and humid-free weather,
relatively small amounts of rainfall, and no danger of hurricanes
are November, April, and most of the time in early May.
Getting
Around
Disney’s
complimentary transportation system of buses, ferries, and monorails is
in most cases extremely efficient. Taxis can be found at every resort
and theme park. If you prefer to rent a car, the convenient Central
Florida Greeneway toll road from the airport makes for an easy 25-minute
drive to the parks. Once inside the Disney World grounds, excellent
signage will direct you to all destinations.
Information
