Disney World 101

Mention that you're thinking of taking the kids to Orlando—especially if you're first-timers—and you'll hear how your mother-in-law's sister's cousin scored discount tickets to Walt Disney World. Your son's first-grade teacher will fill you in on which character breakfasts her aunt raved about (never mind that your preschooler will be terrified of the giant fuzzy creatures).

Your next-door neighbor insists he has the skinny on finding bargain lodging (you can find rooms, especially in winter for well under $100 a night). One friend says she wouldn't leave home without Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007, the official guide to Walt Disney World, while a coworker says her bible is the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Then there are the countless Disney-centered websites, with many offering exclusive discounts, insider secrets, and more.

So where do you start? There's so much information, so much to see (Walt Disney World covers 40 square miles, about the size of two Manhattans!), so many people (more than 34 million vacationers a year), and the temptation to spend way more than you planned. (Why shouldn't your preschooler bring home a Minnie Mouse that's bigger than she is?)

The folks at Disney feel your pain and frustration. That's why they recently launched a contest seeking candidates for the first-ever Disney World Moms Panel. (Dads weren't excluded, it's just that moms typically are the family vacation planners.) "The goal was to establish a forum for vacation planners where they can get insights from parents just like them on what might be considered vacation challenges, as well as insider tips," explained Walt Disney World spokesperson Michelle Baumann.

The prize: A free Walt Disney World vacation for the family. There were 10,000 entries in just one week. Disney officials ultimately chose 12 panel members (including one dad) and this month you will be able to pick their brains at disneyworldmoms.com.

They're a pretty varied group: An Omaha middle-school librarian with three kids who has been to Disney World so many times she's lost count. A stay-at-home Pennsylvania mom who has been hooked on the Mouse since she was 11. The only dad on the panel, a partner in a suburban Chicago consulting firm with three kids. A home-schooling mom from Kentucky, and a freelance writer from Arizona. In short, the group looks a lot like those families you see every day pushing strollers and following tweens down Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom.

They re-use water bottles to save money, visit when the park is less crowded (January and fall are particularly good times, with plenty of bargain hotel rates), and budget carefully to get the most bang for their buck.

Panel member Heather Roberts-Naul says all-you-can-eat character meals give you a lot of value. "The personal interaction with the kids and grown-ups without waiting in line is priceless," she says. Just make sure you choose the one that features the characters your kids most want to see.

Massachusetts-based Laura Spencer has been to Disney World more than 30 times, and adds it's also important to research exactly what kind of entry tickets you'll need. Don't buy more days than you think you'll use or add-ons like water parks that you won't have time for, she says.

Kara Bacon, the librarian from Omaha, says old-fashioned games like I-Spy have "saved us over and over again," while waiting in line. Play I-Spy for the hidden Mickeys that are everywhere in the parks.

No matter what anyone tells you, there's really no one right way to do Disney. The only real mistake you can make is to overload the schedule to the point where you and the kids are exhausted and cranky. No matter how long you spend in the park each day, you can't see it all—not with all the new attractions and shows constantly being added.

"Figure out your absolute must-do's for everyone in your group and try your best to fit those things into your plans," says Bret Caldwell, the lone dad on the Moms Panel.