WALT DISNEY WORLD- The Fun Never Ends

Building memories is what family vacations are all about. The folks at Walt Disney World, just 20 minutes southwest of Orlando, Florida, know how true that is. Thousands of guests from all over the world will flock to Walt Disney World this year. Making the visit memorable for all of them is the job for 45,000 "cast members" who work at the park.

It's not a small world, after all, with a park that consists of 47 square miles and is about the size of San Francisco or two Manhattan islands.

If you're visiting for the first time, consider a five-day package. You can spend two days in the Magic Kingdom, a day in Epcot, a day in the Disney-MGM Studios, and a day at the new Animal Kingdom (scheduled to open in May.)

Downtown Disney Entertainment-The place for night owls is the expanded House of Blues. New restaurants include the Wolfgang Puck Cafe and Bongos Cuban Cafe, a hip restaurant/nightclub created by Latin superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio (The famous owners sometimes stop in.).

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain-To sate a sweet tooth, you need not visit San Francisco's famous chocolate factory. The folks at Disney have brought it to Downtown Disney Marketplace. Wall-to-wall chocolates, this is a scrumptious place that does America's oldest chocolate company proud.

Goosebumps Fright Show-Based on the Goosebumps kids books, this is already a hit. Performed at Disney-MGM Studios on New York Street, characters from the R. L. Stine mysteries perform the show five times daily.

Disney's Wide World of Sports-Here's a 7,500-seat baseball stadium and a 5,500-seat field house. The Atlanta Braves will occupy the complex for spring training. The Harlem Globetrotters will use it for training. And, the complex will accommodate big competitions and training for more than 25 individual teams and sports.

Richard Petty Driving Experience-Imagine slipping into the driver's seat of an authentic stock car for high-speed action at Walt Disney World Speedway. If you're more comfortable in the passenger's seat, RPDE will zip you around the one-mile, tri-oval track at speeds up to 145 mph.

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort-With Spanish-style roofs and adobe walls, the Coronado Springs adds a southwestern dimension to Disney's outstanding array of accommodations. Featuring more than 1,900 rooms and suites, the facility also includes a 95,000-sq. ft. convention center. Swimming has never been better than it is at the family fun pool, where the centerpiece is a five-story Mayan pyramid.

ABC Sound Studio-A great attraction for techno types who want to fool around with Disney's gadgets that produce weird sound effects-head bonks and face splats-to the likes of "Disney's 101 Dalmatians: The Series."

Disney's Animal Kingdom-Opening in May, this will include Safari Village, DinoLand U.S.A., and Africa, and will celebrate animals of every kind. It will be big enough to hold five Magic Kingdoms or two Epcots. Opportunities include a safari, dinosaur dig and up-close-and-personal visits with over 1,000 animals.

Fantasmic-Lighting up the nighttime sky will be a choreographed spectacle of dancing waters, dazzling lasers, Disney villains, animation, and a cast of 50 performers. Starring Mickey Mouse, the 25-minute show will be held at Disney-MGM Studios.

DisneyQuest-This will combine the magic of Disney with the latest interactive technologies for guests of all ages.

For more information about complete family vacations, check out our KidSmart Vacation section, and contact your travel professionals at Carlson Wagonlit Travel.