Given the vast scale and complexity of Walt Disney World and its rival Central Florida theme parks, it’s easy for visitors to feel overwhelmed or to waste time traveling or waiting in line for meals and activities that could have been reserved in advance. To make the most of your Orlando-area vacation, set some priorities about what you want to see and do, make reservations for anything that can reasonably be booked ahead of time, and arrive with a rough plan for each day’s activities. Don’t feel obligated to stick too closely to a schedule, but an overly serendipitous approach to Orlando is likely to lead to frustration.

All of the theme parks have informative Web sites, and you can also find useful information on the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site as well (www.orlandoinfo.com). Central Florida’s phenomenal success as a vacation destination has spawned a wealth of highly opinionated information sources that cut through much of the hype surrounding Orlando-area attractions. The Internet has become a particularly rich resource, including the following independent Web sites:

• www.AllEarsNet.com, a comprehensive and opinionated alternative guide to Walt Disney World.
  
• www.MousePlanet.com, a general guide to Disney attractions, with news, reviews and travel tips.
  
• www.MouseSavers.com, an aid to searching for deals and discounts on Disney attractions and resorts.

Some excellent guidebooks are also helpful, notably The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, by Bob Sehlinger (with a companion website, www.touringplans.com, and the more general Hidden Walt Disney World, Orlando & Beyond by Lisa Oppenheimer.