Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida: visitor guide, advice, ticket prices and packages

Mickey Mouse has been a Central Florida resident for almost 44 years and Walt Disney’s most beloved character has grown up a lot since then. Back in October 1971, this was a one-park, three-resort holiday entirely for families. Today, there are four theme parks, 22 hotels, two water parks, golf courses, and myriad other attractions, including a rapidly expanding shopping and dining “town centre” called Disney Springs.

It has changed significantly from “the place to take your kids and put up with theme-park food”, to a grand, multi-purpose resort with plenty of appeal for grown-ups.

Walt Disney World covers 47 square miles of lush Florida landscape, with woodland, lakes, swamps, wildlife and thousands of acres of unspoilt wilderness, but the growth of the House of Mouse in terms of attractions and amenities has been extraordinary, its appeal carefully moulded to lure the widest possible demographic.

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Families remain its primary audience, but there are increasingly large numbers of singles, young couples, honeymooners, empty-nesters and seniors, all revelling in an adult side to Disney that was almost unthinkable even 15 years ago. It remains without equal anywhere in the world for the depth and range of its attractions, both inside the parks and out, and it does things with an eye for detail and originality that comes straight out of its film world.

Universal might currently beat it for cutting-edge drama with its Harry Potter developments, but the scale of Disney’s vast Orlando destination is impressive. From Star Wars to Cinderella and cute rides to five-star dining, it’s hard not to be impressed at the variety – and quality – on offer.

However, all of this does come at a price, especially in peak season. Consider, too, that Florida can be ferociously hot and wet, and the crowds are fairly constant.

Disney – which parts to visit

Disney’s four parks start with the original Magic Kingdom, home to the essential charm of the classic films and with most child appeal (although it does also have several high-energy coasters and a flume ride). Epcot offers a more adult style, with future technology and a World Showcase that serves up some of Florida’s best dining, notably Monsieur Paul in the France pavilion and Teppan Edo in Japan. The nightly IllumiNations pyrotechnic extravaganza is one of the most eye-catching anywhere in the world.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a wide-ranging romp into the film realm, with fabulous rides – like the awe-inspiring Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith – and captivating shows. Finally, Disney’s Animal Kingdom features an impressive array of wildlife interspersed with rides and attractions, of which the highlights are the adrenalin-fuelled coaster Expedition Everest and the Broadway-quality shows Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo – The Musical. The park will also debut an elaborate new night-time show, Rivers of Light, later in 2016, while the extensive Pandora – The World of Avatar opens in 2017.

For relaxing outdoor fun, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are imaginative water parks, with all manner of flumes and slides, plus splash areas for children, while Disney Springs features a growing array of shopping, dining and nightlife, plus the dazzling Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba.

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Sprinkled throughout are 22 themed resorts, many of which are worth visiting in their own right for their creativity and dining options – and all of which are open to non-hotel guests. Especially enjoyable are the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort, with a rooftop view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks each night; Narcoossee’s for fine seafood at the Grand Floridian; and the African-themed Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Yet, while children will be enchanted by everything on offer, the real value these days is in the adult component. High-quality restaurants and bars are almost everywhere, and there are spas, golf, fishing, boating and even parasailing, and several nightclubs.

When to go

The ideal times for manageable crowds and the most enjoyable weather are in spring – avoiding the two weeks leading up to Easter – and autumn, notably from late September to early November. For the quietest times, choose January to February, September or the first half of December. Be aware that queues for the best rides can top two hours at peak periods.

Summer is hot – and humid. From June to September the thermometer tops 33C and tropical downpours are common, although they rarely last more than an hour. If you can go only during the summer holidays, the last two weeks of August are the least crowded.

Florida is also the Lightning Capital of the World, so the weather can be challenging. However, the shoulder seasons are usually blissfully warm and relatively dry, while even the winter can be sunbathing territory, with temperatures from 16-26C.

Where to stay

Decide first if you want to stay at a Disney hotel (which is more expensive, but close to the attractions and offers free transport) or at a hotel off-site in an area such as International Drive or Lake Buena Vista, or in a holiday villa in the Kissimmee area.

• The best family hotels in Orlando

Disney’s hotels vary from the budget All Stars, Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts (from $98/£67 per room, per night) to the elaborate Grand Floridian ($569/£392). Or try the sumptuous Four Seasons on Disney property, where the rooms, service and dining live up to the price tag ($549/£378).

Best tour operators

Many tour operators feature Walt Disney World holidays. Virgin Holidays (0844 557 4321; virginholidays.co.uk), is currently offering two weeks in August, flying from Gatwick and staying at Disney’s Pop Century resort with basic car hire from £1,936 per person. Thomson (020 3451 2688; thomson.co.uk) offers two weeks in August, flying from Manchester and staying at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando with basic car hire from £1,513 per person.

• Read more: why do people propose at Disney World?

Booking independently

Booking independently can save money, notably at off-peak times, but only British Airways (0844 493 0787; britishairways.com), Virgin Atlantic (0344 209 7777; virgin-atlantic.com) and Norwegian (0330 828 0854; norwegian.com/uk/) of the scheduled services fly direct to Orlando International Airport. You can sometimes save on indirect flights, though, with American Airlines (via Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York or Raleigh-Durham; 0844 3699 899; americanairlines.co.uk) and Delta/KLM (via Atlanta, Minneapolis, Detroit or New York; 020 7660 0293; klm.com).

Unless staying at a Disney hotel, a hire car is essential; try Alamo (0800 028 2390; alamo.co.uk) or Dollar (020 3468 7685; dollar.co.uk).

Tickets

Park tickets are another major expense. Tour operators offer all-inclusive packages but specialist brokers such as Attraction Tickets Direct (0800 691 1152; attraction-tickets-direct.co.uk) often have great deals. A 14-Day Ultimate Ticket (only sold in Britain) covers all the Disney parks for a full fortnight and is currently being offered by Attraction Tickets Direct for the price of a Seven-Day Ticket at £329 for adults and £309 for children aged three to nine.

Tactics

You need a plan of campaign before you arrive as, during main holiday periods, the parks fill up quickly and stay busy well into the evening – they can be open as late as midnight.

Disney hotel guests benefit from the Extra Magic Hours perk, allowing entry to the four main parks either an hour early in the morning or two hours after park closing.

Also essential is signing up for My Magic+, Disney’s advance booking system for a range of online features, including FastPass+, which allows you to pre-book three rides a day. Disney hotel guests can book FastPasses up to 60 days in advance (and popular rides book up quickly), while others can do so up to 30 days ahead. All these features are then linked to a MagicBand (a radio tracking and identification wristband for Disney hotel guests), or your park ticket. It’s a complex system but worth mastering.

Arriving 30 minutes before park opening is advisable at busy times, as you can do more of the main rides in the first two hours. Taking an afternoon break and returning in the evening is another valuable tactic, especially in the summer.

The Magic Kingdom is the most popular park, hence busiest early in the week and on Saturdays. Epcot is a good choice when things are busy, as it absorbs big crowds best.

Before you go

Advance homework is vital to getting the best out of your trip. Bringing a lightweight rain poncho or umbrella is sensible, and don’t forget a refillable water bottle,  to save money on bottled water and stay hydrated. Sunstroke and sunburn are among Florida’s biggest dangers.

Expert tips

You really can’t do it all in one visit, so focus on what appeals most and avoid making too many reservations and dashing from park to park: that is a recipe for exhaustion and confusion. The heat and the vast scale of the place always take first-timers by surprise.

Restaurants are busiest from 12pm-1.30pm and 5.30pm-7.30pm, so try to avoid those for more relaxed (queue-free) dining, and use the MyMagic+ app for on-the-go reservations (all of Walt Disney World has free Wi-Fi). You’ll especially need a break in the air-conditioned cool in summer.

Slow down by taking in some of the free options, such as the boat ride from Disney Springs, evening entertainment at the BoardWalk Resort and a trip to the Fort Wilderness resort (accessible from Magic Kingdom by boat), which has walking trails, bike rentals, a petting zoo and open-air evening films.

Oh, and be sure to have plenty of space in your suitcase – this is a great shopping destination!

Simon and Susan Veness are the authors of the Brit Guide to Orlando & Walt Disney World (Foulsham, £14.99).