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Meeting Tigger at Disney's Animal Kingdom (Scarborough photo)

You'll have to excuse my terminology -- I'm at the great geek and "digital creatives" party conference called South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive in Austin, Texas, and to "rawk" something is apparently a positive experience.

Here's how to rawk Walt Disney World Orlando without losing your mind, in 8 not-so-easy-but-worth-it-anyway steps:

1)  There aren't going to be as many "magical experiences" unless you plan ahead.  There's too much to see, too many rides to do and too many people all there with you trying to do the same things. Order the free vacation planning DVD and have the whole family watch it and talk about their preferences.  Read carefully through each park's homepage on the Disney Web site.  Just about everything you'd ever want to know (and all of those "secrets") are right there for anyone to explore.

There is more than one park at WDW, and certain park activities may appeal more to adults and older kids than young ones (although you never know....my whole family, for example, loved Jim Henson's Muppet 3D  at Disney-MGM Studios because there was plenty of humor at all age levels.)  

Have a plan.  Knowledge is power, plus some mathematical increase in Fun Factor.  :)

2)  Decide if your hotel is central to your visit experience, or just a place to lay your head, and budget accordingly.  I recommend staying at resorts on Disney property, for the proximity to transportation and the Extra Magic Hours option, but that can mean big bucks luxury at the Grand Floridian all the way down to basic-but-comfy at the Value Resorts like All-Star Movies.

3)  Try not to visit at peak times -- during the hot, humid Orlando summer and the week between Christmas and New Year.  Homeschoolers, with their more flexible schedules, have a huge advantage here. 

This begs the obvious question of when DO you go?  Consider a four-day weekend over President's Day, Easter or Thanksgiving.  You can't see it all in one visit, so go for the enjoyable shorter stay rather than a huge slog when the parks are their absolute busiest.

4)  Make reservations early for your main meals.  Call (407) WDW-DINE and speak to a helpful Disney cast member about making lunch and dinner reservations ahead of time. The sit-down restaurants get huge lines at mealtimes, and that's particularly frustrating when you have hungry kids.

You'll get a specific time to show up and will be seated at that time as quickly as possible.  I can't tell you how great this was for for my family for getting a good lunch after a busy morning that started early and had been full of hanging upside down on roller coasters and walking long distances.

5)  Understand and use  the FASTPASS Service.

"Simply slip your Park Pass into the FASTPASS machine to receive an assigned return time and enjoy the rest of the park while Disney's FASTPASS saves your place in line."

Top tip -- head to your most-wanted rides as soon as you arrive in a park, and get FASTPASS times lined up.  If you wait too long, your first chance at the ride will either require a lot of standing in line or won't be available until very late in the day.

6)  Control the "Gimmes!"

Have a firm souvenir budget and stick to it.  You can't imagine the many clever ways that marketers can part you and your cash; I'm a big-time shopper myself, but set limits.  There is plenty of reasonably-priced Disney merchandise and a lot of repetition among the park shops, so guide your kids to look for items that are unique to WDW or to one of the specific parks.  There's no sense blowing hoarded allowance money on something that's easily found at your local mall's Disney store.

One of my favorite souvenirs is just a Mickey Mouse-shaped keychain with the Norwegian flag that I bought at Epcot.  It reminds me of both a family trip to Norway and our trip to WDW, and I get to enjoy it every time I use my keys.

7)  Don't forget hotel pools and the two Disney water parks for warm-weather visits.  The water parks are amazing destinations all by themselves, and your kids will probably have just as much fun leaping into the pool and splashing as they will on a roller coaster.

Many parents recommend hitting the parks early in the day, having lunch, then spending the afternoon back at the hotel either taking a nap or enjoying the pool.  You can return to the parks in the evening, refreshed and ready to have fun (and watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom or at Epcot.)

8)  Look for the "special deals" and behind-the-scenes tours listed on the individual park homepages.  Many of these are only suitable for somewhat older kids, and they cost extra, but they can add a unique dimension to your visit.  For some incredible examples, take a look at the Epcot tours page.  Wow, I'll go on any of those!

In sum, the Walt Disney World parks are world-famous for a reason, but they are so much more enjoyable (rawk-able?) for kids and parents with just a little upfront planning, so you can really relax and play when you get there.

Have a magical time!

Update 22 March 2007:  From About.com's extensive Travel with Kids site, Guide Teresa Plowright gives us her Top 10 Things to do in Orlando, Florida.  Just in case you aren't pooped out yet....

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