We're taking our kids (ages 4 & 6) to DisneyWorld's Magic Kingdom for the day on Saturday before we go on a week-long cruise and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how we can optimize our day? We haven't been to Orlando before and we'll be staying at a hotel close to the airport. I've done lots of internet searching but sometimes it's nice to get some "real" information rather than all the sites that are trying to sell their services.

We are also wondering what is the best (and most economical) transporation for going to Disney.

Thanks for any ideas/suggestions!!

Are you flying into orlando??
How tall are your kids??
I ask about the height because they may or may not be able to get onto the big popular rides- splash mountain, space mountain and big thunder mountain.

I would say get online and look at the rides and as a family and make a priority list of which rides are most important that you "HAVE" to do.
Just so you know you can bring your own food- juice boxes, sandwiches, snacks etc into the park. Thats what we do to keep the cost down. The park explicitly allows this, they will just take a quicky look into your bag when you walk into the park.
while you are online check what time magic kingdom opens that day- some days it opens earlier and closes later than others.
Try to get to the park as soon as it opens- it will mean less crowds, cooler temperatures and you will get to do more rides and stand in less lines.

From personal experience I say skip the swiss family robinson tree house- its just a fake replica of the house in the movie- you literally walk through it and thats it- no stopping, no rides, no characters.

Do you have boys or girls??

Thanks so much for your help Auryn! We are flying into Orlando and staying close to the airport. So, we're going to need to get to Disney - does anyone know if children ages 4 and 6 need car seats in taxis in Florida? Apparently here in Manitoba our kids wouldn't need them.

We probably won't even go to those big rides because our kids would be too scared!! Thanks for the heads up about swiss family robinson!

Our 6 year old is a boy (he'll be 7 on the 26th) and our 4 year old (5 in Sept) is a girl.

Thanks too about the snacks - I'll definitely be bringing some from home!

Check and see if your hotel runs a shuttle to the Magic Kingdom. If they are on a shuttle, you won't have to have their car seats.

We LOVE Disney World. They have character dining which is a lot of fun. The meal with the princesses in the castle is pretty pricey (although super fun) and they also have a buffet that you can do at Crystal Palace with the Pooh characters. That is a lot of fun as well.

Learn how to use the fast passes!! We always grab a fast pass for one ride and then get in line for another. Usually, when we are done with our ride, it is time to use the fast pass on the first ride. That will help save time.

Please feel free to PM me with any specific questions. I love to share!!

Definititely do fantasyland: dumbo, philharmonic, the tea party ride (teacups). If your kids are into the characters then you should do Mickey's toontown fair and get into a loooong line to meet mickey/minnie, the princesses, mickey's friends and Disney villains.
If they're into history then the hall of presidents would be cool to do and it has set times for the presentations so you don't have to wait in line. And of course, don't miss the main street parade.

Try to get there early to get into the rides earlier. have an earlier lunch (that way you don't have to make a long line to get lunch) and get back on the rides.

Good luck and have lots of fun!!

I am a cast member at Disney and this is how I do it when my grandkids visit. Get there as soon as the park opens. Go straight back to Fantasyland and get a fast pass for Peter Pan. Then, do the Dumbo ride right away bacause that line gets long fast and moves very slowly. Then you can do Small World before you use your fast pass for Peter Pan. Then you can move through the rest of Fantasy land pretty quickly. Then we get a fast pass for Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland and while we are waiting, we go to the raceway and do the cars there. After that we go to Adventureland and do Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, although some of the little ones are a little scared of going in those rides. They are not really too scary, it just depends on your kids.