Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando with Kids (Frommer's With Kids)

No other city on the planet caters to kids like Orlando does; it’s the number one family vacation destination in the country. This brand new title helps you navigate through the maze of theme parks, family activities and other attractions in the Land that Mickey Built, so you can spend more time having fun and less time standing in line. Whether you're toting along toddlers or restless teenagers, you’ll find candid ratings and opinions—including several from a child’s point of view—as well as detailed itineraries for all age groups, and suggestions to make your Walt Disney Vacation a success. Walt Disney World & Orlando with Kids is full of incredibly detailed tips—right down to which hotels offer cribs and rollaway beds and which restaurants offer high chairs, kids' menus, and the opportunity to dine with Disney and other cartoon characters. You'll also get complete and up-to-date details on all the Universal Parks and Sea World, in addition to our comprehensive coverage of all the Disney attractions. The authors also provide a wealth of information about where to find hands-on, interactive museums and attractions (with suggested age ranges for each activity); child-appropriate entertainment; kid-oriented shopping; places to play outside the theme parks—all perfect for families with kids of any age (and any budget). Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando with Kids, 2nd Edition 3 Contents 5 List of Maps 8 Chapter 1: How to Feel Like an Orlando Family 13 1 Frommer’s Favorite Orlando Family Experiences 16 2 The Best Hotel Bets 18 3 The Best Dining Bets 21 Chapter 2: Planning a Family Trip to Walt Disney World & Orlando 24 1 Visitor Information 24 2 Money 28 3 When to Go 30 4 What to Pack 37 5 Insurance, Health & Safety 39 6 Words of Wisdom & Helpful Resources 42 7 Planning Your Trip Online 51 8 Getting There 54 9 Tips on Flying with Children 58 10 Package Deals for Families 63 11 Disney Cruise Packages 64 12 Show & Tell: Getting the Kids Interested in Orlando 66 Chapter 3: Getting to Know Walt Disney World & Orlando 67 1 Orientation 68 2 Getting Around 72 Chapter 4: Family-Friendly Accommodations 81 1 Choosing Your Orlando Hotel 81 2 Places to Stay in Walt Disney World 88 3 “Official” Hotels in Lake Buena Vista 107 4 Other Lake Buena Vista– Area Hotels 110 5 Places to Stay in the Kissimmee Area 117 6 Places to Stay in the International Drive Area 122 Chapter 5: Family-Friendly Dining 131 1 Restaurants by Cuisine 133 2 Places to Dine in Walt Disney World 135 3 Places to Dine in Lake Buena Vista 156 4 Places to Dine in Universal Orlando 160 5 Places to Dine in the International Drive Area 163 6 Places to Dine Elsewhere in Orlando 167 7 Only in Orlando: Dining with Disney Characters 172 Chapter 6: What Kids Like to See & Do in Walt Disney World 176 1 Essentials 176 2 Making Your Visit More Enjoyable 180 3 The Magic Kingdom 189 4 Epcot 208 5 Disney–MGM Studios 227 6 Animal Kingdom 237 7 Disney Water Parks 246 8 Other WDW Attractions 250 Chapter 7: What Kids Like to See & Do Beyond Disney 253 1 Universal Studios Florida 254 2 Islands of Adventure 269 3 SeaWorld 282 4 Other Area Attractions 293 5 Attractions Outside Orlando 298 Chapter 8: Orlando for Active Families 300 1 Sports 300 2 Spectator Sports 306 3 Playing on the Green: Orlando’s Parks & Playgrounds 306 4 Kids’ Camps & Classes 307 Chapter 9: Shopping for the Whole Family 309 1 The Shopping Scene 309 2 Shopping A to Z 317 Chapter 10: Entertainment for the Whole Family 321 1 Dinner Shows 321 2 Arcades & Fun Centers 326 3 Movies 326 4 Theater 327 5 Concert Venues 327 6 Dance 328 7 Night Out for Mom & Dad 328 Chapter 11: Side Trips from Orlando 338 1 Tampa 338 2 Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral & Kennedy Space Center 348 Appendix A: For International Visitors 356 1 Preparing for Your Trip 356 2 Getting to the U.S. 364 3 Getting Around the U.S. 365 Appendix B: Useful Toll-Free Numbers & Websites 371 Index 375 In my house, and undoubtedly in many others, the mere mention of Walt Disney World and Orlando can cause little eyes to sparkle and smiles to appear, a phenomenon often accompanied by the spontaneous outbreak of jumping and dancing about the room.