If you haven't been to Disney World lately, you haven't been to Disney World. The enormous Florida playground is constantly adding attractions and resorts, so that every time you visit, there's something new to see. The numbers alone are staggering: Walt Disney World now has 24,617 hotel rooms, 100 major attractions and hosts as many as 120,000 guests per day. What began in 1971 as the Magic Kingdom now includes the high-tech, educational Epcot, movie-mad Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. Each time the park expands, so do your options--and your odds of feeling overwhelmed. With so many things to do, how does a family best spend its precious days of vacation?

It's a tough question, but one I'm prepared to answer. As the author of a family guide to Disney World, I've been to the park more than 25 times with my kids. In the name of research, I've made 13 consecutive trips down the Tower of Terror, raced a group of nuns to Space Mountain and surveyed more than 150 families to get their best tips on seeing the park. And I've developed a strategy to make a trip over four days--the most common length of visit--manageable and fun.

There's no way that even the most fleet-footed family could see everything in four days--or even 40. If you follow the plan we've provided, however, I promise you'll see the best of the best. Read on for a four-day Walt Disney World itinerary.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated June 2005.