I am like Skypup and avoid the tourist areas like the plague too. People drive like idiots in those areas. The British forget to drive on the right, and some of the people from East Asia have never been behind the wheel of a car until they came to Disney. Be alert when driving in those areas!
I worked at Disney World, and my close friend still works there! He has over 20 years at the Rat House. The pixie dust is gone for me!
Although, I will give my 2 cents and opinion.
Universal Studios:
Great place for kids 10 and up. There wasn't much to do for my little ones who are under 7. They weren't tall enough for many of the rides. There is one small section of the park for the tikes, but the rest seemed to be geared for kids a little older.
Sea World:
Wonderful for all ages, and my kids loved the large playground. So much to do, and the pace is easy on the adults. You can see almost every attraction in one day. At the end of the day, I was tired but not exhausted.
Medieval Times:
Fun dinner show, with lots of action. I usually play miniature golf next door, then go and watch the show.
Wet and Wild:
I hate sunburn, so I spend no more than 3 to 4 hours there. Great water rides, and I think it is better than Disney's Blizzard Beach. My wife likes to go to the outlet mall down the road after playing in the water. There is a Bass Pro shop across from the outlet mall. So, I get to play too.
Epcot:
I think Epcot is more adult oriented. Slow rides, history, science, and some flight simulator style rides. World showcase is fun, but my kids were just not into all the walking to see it. I like Living Seas exhibit. When you exit, Coca Cola has a taste testing area of soft drinks from around the world. Watch out for the bitter tasting stuff from Italy. It tasted like carbonated water with powdered aspirin. I had an after taste for about 2 hours!
Animal Kingdom:
My kids loved it. Although, the park is not as big as Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. Rides were fun for the kids, and it kept their interest. Not too many places to cool off there either. Not a fun area in the hot humid summer. There is a Rainforest Cafe in the Animal Kingdom, and the kids would love it. Food is very good too. There is another Rainforest Cafe in the Disney Village aka Downtown Disney.
MGM Studios:
Home to the Tower of Terror. I rode it once, and never again. I am a big fan of Rod Serling and Twilight Zone, but that elevator is too much for me. You never know when you are going to fall, and the anticipation is overwhelming. Bring a change of underwear. I found that 4 hours was all I needed to see everything I wanted in this park. Last time I was there, they had Sponge Bob live on stage, and the kids were into it. Took about an hour to get through the line. I like going to MGM studios during Christmas when they have a huge light Display.
Magic Kingdom:
Fun place for all. It would take about three days to hit most of the rides. Lots of walking, but lots to do for everyone. Best time to hit Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Buzz Light year, etc... is either first thing in the morning or during the 3 O'clock parade. Speaking of that, I remember when I was working in the Magic Kingdom, I had a person ask me, "What time is the 3 O'clock parade." Anyway, most people crowd Main Street, so that leaves lots of the rides open. Fast Pass is great. You enter you ticket into the machine at the ride you want, and it gives you a scheduled time to return with about a 15-30 minute window. Buzz Light Year is usually 1 to 2 hours out from the time you get your Fast Pass ticket. Of course, this depends on park attendance. You end up hanging around one area, so we always get the Fast Passes right before we eat lunch. By the time we are done with lunch, it is time for the Fast Passes, when we finish those, we are usually into the 2:30PM timeframe, and everyone is heading to Main Street for the parade. This leaves other rides open with about a 15-minute wait time. Magic Kingdom fireworks are best viewed from the front of the castle right near the end of Main Street. Another hot location is from the Contemporary Hotel.
Contemporary Hotel:
Great location to stay, but I think the rooms are a little small unless you pay a little more. You can eat at Chef Mickey's in the hotel. It is great for the kids since all the characters come around during dinner! It is a buffet, food is good, and you are guaranteed a picture with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck, etc... We like to eat dinner there around 7PM, and the cost is near $25 per person. We end up finishing dinner and then it is time for Fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. You can walk to the end of the building and go out onto the balcony overlooking the Magic Kingdom. You get an awesome view of the fireworks and less crowds!!!! The other hotels which are really close to the them parks are the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian. The Monorail runs through all these hotels.
There are other hotels located in the Downtown Disney area, and this area has busses that run from the parks to the hotels. You are still on Disney Property, but not on top of the parks. The Downtown Disney area has lots of shops to buy shirts, gifts, toys, etc... There are movie theaters there too. Cirque du Soleil is also there, and last check it was $75 per adult to see the show. Depends on where you sit. Some tickets are over $100.
Good luck!
Joe
