A guide to Walt Disney World Resort

Best for: Magic Kingdom Park is where Walt Disney World Resort began and is still full of timeless fairy tale magic. Fireworks cascade over Cinderella Castle at the Disney Enchantment nighttime spectacular, the Haunted Mansion is ghoulishly good, and Main Street, U.S.A. swells with music, and even smells of fresh cookies.

The lowdown: In this pocket of childhood memories, you’ll float, rather than walk towards your first view of Cinderella Castle. Mickey’s PhilharmMagic and “it’s a small world”, both beloved attractions, are practically run on a mix of nostalgia and children’s smiles. Book into the Be Our Guest Restaurant and make sure you try their Chocolate Tart, topped with curiously-named ‘grey stuff’; just like they say in the Disney song, ‘it’s delicious’! Ths does have a habit of getting booked up fast, so plan 60 days ahead.

Tips for little visitors: Are there excited children jumping on your bed at the crack of dawn? Take them to the Magic Kingdom Park and see the Opening Show on Main Street, U.S.A. Watch their little face beam as Mickey and the gang welcomes you in.

Tips for bigger visitors: Plenty of adults flock to Magic Kingdom Park to relive cherished childhood memories. Embark on Disney’s version of the three-peak challenge: ride Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – one after the other. Oh, and don’t miss a chance to take a photo in front of the purple wall in Tomorrowland for your Instagram.

Best for: A world in miniature, EPCOT is for explorers. There are 11 country ‘pavilions’ to explore – great for anyone who wants to channel Phileas Fogg and circumnavigate the world at pace – and you can experiment with space and speed on impressive attractions – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the one everyone is talking about here.

The lowdown: The park fans out around a lake with the famous Spaceship Earth monument right in the middle. Split your time between 11 'countries' along the shore, meeting Mulan in China, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs in Germany and Aladdin in Morocco. Go tourin' around the four neighbourhoods and Soarin’ Around The World – with the help of a big screen and piped-in scents it takes you flying over the wonders of earth. Mission: SPACE is for more intrepid explorers – but do it before lunch, not after.

Tips for little visitors: Little tiddlers will love meeting their favourite Finding Nemo friends in Turtle Talk with Crush, where they can discuss current affairs with the wise turtle himself through an ocean window. While Frozen fever has taken over the Norway Pavilion. Have a laff with Olaf the optimistic snowman and take the family river boat ride, where you’ll be buoyed along with hit songs from the film. Singing Let it Go isn’t mandatory, but if you break out your best Elsa impression you certainly won’t be doing it solo.

Tips for bigger visitors: Stay late and watch the evening nighttime spectacular, Harmonious, on EPCOT’s lake: it’s possibly the best fireworks display at Disney.

Best for: Bringing film to life in a blaze of attractions, shows and state-of-the art sound, Disney's Hollywood Studios is for movie lovers.

The lowdown: Despite exciting new openings at Disney's Hollywood Studios, classic favourites like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ isn't going anywhere. The riotous Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is always ready for an encore, whilst colourful Toy Story Land will enchant little fans. If you want to stop for lunch, enjoy home-style cooking at the 50s Prime Time Café, where ‘Mom’ will make sure your children eat their greens.

Tips for little visitors: Playtime hits the big time in Toy Story Land. Prepare to get your springs in a twist on the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and spin into space on the Alien Swirling Saucers.

Tips for bigger visitors: It’s all about Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge®. Even diehard fans will be impressed by the level of detail and love that’s gone into creating the galaxy far, far away. Feel the force on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, form your rebel alliance for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and find yourself surrounded by Stormtroopers as the score swells.

Best for: A tropical-themed day at a water park. Waves lap at your feet, calypso music comes drifting on the breeze, and ice cream comes served in a bucket.

The lowdown: Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is dominated by a seismically stupendous wave pool and a long lazy river. The Crush ‘n’ Gusher attraction will do you no harm… unless you’re a banana. Based on an abandoned fruit processing plant this ride is a fruity blend of water slide and roller coaster. Pick a buddy to ride with you on your double float. You might be happier sprawled on a lounger with a picnic, though, in which case the sandy beaches are all yours. Little ones will love their special play areas.

Tips for little visitors: There’s a special play area just for little ones, Ketchakiddee Creek, where there are special miniature slides. Tell tales to the all imitating, never intimidating, crocodiles, seals and elephants, as they splash around in shallow pools.

Tips for bigger visitors: Why not sign up to purchase early morning surf lessons (payable locally) at the wave pool before the park opens?

In this digital frontier circuits are like freeways and Lightcycles race on ribbons of light, transporting you across the Grid on this high-speed adventure that knows no bounds. So, join the virtual queue and buckle up for one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind brings a whole new stardom to EPCOT. If you’ve got your eyes on the next intergalactic flight, racing through time and space, take on this next exploration and be spun through your paces.

Step straight into the film and follow Chef Remy on a wild adventure through Gusteau’s Restaurant… What could possibly go wrong? This dark ride uses exciting ‘3-D’ effects to bring Disney’s film Ratatouille to life.

Stay for: This cheerful hotel is lovingly loyal to Disney theming. Little fans of Finding Nemo, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Cars will be delighted with the colourful on-site décor here – the poolside pops with colourful guppies and coral centrepieces, plus it’s the largest resort pool in Walt Disney World Resort. Take the state-of-the-art Disney Skyliner and glide across to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Know this: The rooms’ mini kitchens – complete with cutlery, including Ariel's favourite utensil, the dinglehopper – are very useful for meal times.

Stay for: Disney’s All Star Resorts are great value for groups to use as a base. The All Star Music Resort is no more than 20 minutes from the parks by the regular shuttle, and kids will love the family rooms, decorated Disney-style, and the pizza room service. You can use both the resort pools and dip your toes in the big Disney's Art of Animation Resort pool, too, where underwater speakers warble Disney hits while you swim.

Know this: Each building is themed around a different musical genre, so you could end up sleeping next to a pair of giant cowboy boots.

Stay for: This big resort is heaped high with Southern hospitality. You can even toast marshmallows on an outdoor fire pit. With multiple pools, there are plenty of places to swim, including a waterslide. You’re just 15 minutes from the rest of the world at EPCOT and you can take an atmospheric river boat ride to get there.

Know this: Rent a bike to help you travel around the resort with breezy ease.

Disney Resort Hotels aren’t the only place you can stay within Walt Disney World Resort: step forward, Disney’s Good Neighbor^® Hotels. Book the Four Seasons Resort or the Waldorf Astoria Orlando for five-star comfort or the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace to be close to Disney Springs. You can also choose to stay at the vast Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort complex, which boasts a heap of restaurants and facilities.

Can you feel the love tonight? Yes, yes you can at Disney Springs. When the parks close for the evening, there’s no better place to go for a date, have a family evening or a meal with friends. Prepare to be consumed with entertainment, from DJs with your steak at STK Orlando, to pagodas made of sushi at Morimoto Asia, to taking a vintage Amphicar for a dip in the lake. You can bag designer brands in Disney Springs town centre and haul the world's largest collection of Disney merchandise at the World of Disney shop. Buy a squillion variations on the Mickey Mouse ears and wear them proudly for dancing at the House of Blues.