Prepare in advance: Before you head to the theme parks, talk to your child about what to do if you are separated. Choose a place to meet that he can easily find, and review this spot when you reach the park. The car, monorail or bus ride that you take to the park is a great spot to review this information.

Examine the area: Make note of exits and entrances from rides and attractions. Many of the rides in Disney World and Universal have exits that are far from the entrances; make sure you are looking in the right spot.

Snap a photo: Snap a quick picture of the kids each morning. You’ll have an instant record of what your child looks like and what he is wearing. Show this to the park employees who are helping you; it will make him easier to spot.

Ask for help: Each of the theme parks has a set “lost child” protocol in place, so ask for help as soon as you determine that your child is missing. In Disney World, the cast member that finds your child (0r one that your child approaches) will be released from regular duty so that he or she can help reunite your family.

Lost children are taken to a designated lost child station, and will be kept safe and happily entertained until you are reunited.If you have a meetup location, you can relay this information to the nearest cast member, and they can call for additional help. Universal and Sea World have similar lost child protocols in place.

Don’t panic: Losing track of a child is scary, but kids go missing (and are promptly reunited with their parents) every day in the Orlando theme parks. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner you will be reunited.

What do these big crowds mean to you? During Christmas week 2011, the Magic Kingdom park in Disney World actually closed due to capacity several times–leaving plenty of vacationers on the wrong side of the admission gates. Make sure you are on the right side of the fence–and that you can actually see and do some of the rides your favorite park has to offer–by using these tips:

1. Show up early. No matter what park you are heading to, get there before the park opens, even if it means getting up extra early. You’ll be one of the first into the park; and you’ll probably ride more attractions during your first hour than you will the rest of the day.

2. Make reservations: If you have any interest in dining in a regular, table service restaurant, you’ll need to make reservations well in advance. Otherwise, you will not get a seat. If you are planning on using one of the walk-up, fast food locations that are scattered throughout all of the theme parks, plan on waiting in line for a bit–or dine at “off” times to beat the crowds.

3. Go VIP: If you are going to one of Universal’s parks, spring for the VIP, front of the line pass option; you’ll be assured a seat on the most popular rides, though you’ll have to pay for the privilege.

4. Stay late: If early mornings aren’t your thing, or you are traveling without kids (and don’t want to encounter many of them), sleep in and head to the theme parks late–very late. Show up at 9 or 10pm on a night your chosen park is open late; you’ll have a few hours of low crowds–which will continue to thin out as the hours go by.

Some of the most popular events include:

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Disney World’s headlining holiday event takes place in the Magic Kingdom on select nights this month. Expect a festive evening, with holiday carols, hot chocolate and your favorite Disney characters. You’ll also be treated to a parade that only Disney could put on — and even an unusual Orlando snowfall.
• Grinchmas at Universal Orlando: The grumpy Grinch himself is the host of this event, which features a musical performance of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, Grinchy meet and greets and a character breakfast. All Grinchmas events take place in the Islands of Adventure section of Universal, and are performed on select dates in December.
• Sea World’s Christmas: Sea World offers a variety of Christmas events and experiences, including a special holiday reworking of the Wild Arctic ride– this simulator gets a Polar Express themed makeover for the holiday season. You can also catch Sesame Street themed Christmas shows and events, and a special holiday killer whale show in Shamu Stadium.
• ICE! at the Gaylord Palms: This holiday spectacular brings snow and ice direct to Orlando. This year, ICE features a “Shrek the Halls” theme, with your favorite Dreamworks characters on hand to celebrate the season. Head to ICE for plenty of indoor snow and winter effects, character meet and greets, shows and hands on activities this holiday season.

No matter which event you choose, plan on spending some extra time getting around the Orlando theme parks in December. Holiday crowds will begin to arrive in droves mid-month, peaking Christmas week, so give yourself plenty of time to get around and to see all that Orlando has to offer in the holiday season.

1. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Disney’s Hollywood Studios): Take the plunge down a dark elevator shaft in this fully themed adventure. The Tower of Terror incorporates all the little touches Disney is known for–and you’ll get a different experience each time, thanks to some innovative ride programming.
2. Hulk (Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure): From the green track that dominates the Islands of Adventure skyline to the load roar emitted  by the ride vehicles, the Hulk is one of Universal’s most thrilling experiences. Expect surprises and extreme G-Forces from the stunning launch through the inversions and corkscrews offered by the Hulk. You won’t catch your breath until you are back on the ground.
3. Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom): Disney’s latest coaster is one of its greatest thrill rides ever. Expect to experience high speed twists and turns, a full ride reversal and an encounter with the resident Yeti himself.
4. Kraken (Sea World): Billed as Orlando’s tallest, fastest coaster, the Kraken is one of Sea World’s most thrilling attractions, with huge drops and multiple inversions. The ride car is floor less, so riders feel as though they are whipping through space. This ride is visually intimidating–so the line may be shorter than you would expect. You can board Kraken without a huge wait time almost any time of year–if you dare.
5. Dragon Challenge (Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter): While the Dragon Challenge lost a little of its bite earlier this year, the coaster still offers plenty of thrills for riders, offering side by side tracks, plenty of high speed inversions, twists and turns. A bonus for young riders is the Harry Potter-inspired theming. Arrive at the Wizarding World early if you want to ride Dragon Challenge–the line can be as scary as the ride itself if you show up later in the day!

As of October 26, 2011, you’ll need to provide Disney with a credit card number when you book your reservation at select dining locations. Your card won’t be charged until you dine, unless you don’t show up or cancel in time.

You’ll be charged a $10 no-show fee for each member of your party if you skip out on your reservation, unless you cancel it in advance. According to the Disney Dining reservations specialists, you’ll need to contact Disney and cancel your dining reservation at least 24 hours in advance; so show up on time or pay a hefty fine.

Not all Disney restaurants are affected by this change, but most of the popular dining locations are. Disney World restaurants covered by the new rules include character dining spots like Hollywood & Vine and Chef Mickey’s,  resort headliners like Artist Point and the California Grill and Epcot’s popular Le Cellier.

Some signature Disney dining locations, including Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom and the Hoop de Doo Revue already charge the entire dining fee for no shows. These locations will continue to do so and are not affected by the current changes.

So what do you do if you change your mind? Instead of simply not showing up, you’ll need to cancel your dining reservation. You can cancel by calling the dining reservation line, visiting your resort concierge, stopping by theme park guest services or going to the check in podium of any table service dining location. Cancel your reservation 24 hours in advance to avoid the new dining fees.

The new Art of Animation will open next spring. Photo © The Walt Disney Company

The Art of Animation Resort at Disney World is considered an Disney World Hotel Value Resort, and joins the existing value priced properties, the All-Star Movies, Music and Sports resorts and Pop Century. The Art of Animation builds on the popularity of the family suite rooms at the current resorts. Family suites are designed to be spacious and offer room for larger families; regular value resort rooms are restricted to only four guests.

The new resort will feature themed swimming areas and room decor, along with a larger assortment of dining options than previous value priced properties. The first phase of the Art of Animation draws inspiration from the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo; with room, pool and exterior decor featuring the film’s settings and characters. The remaining three phases will follow the Finding Nemo section, and feature characters from the Little Mermaid, Cars and the Lion King.

While the resort doesn’t open until the end of May, you can book your room well in advance and be one of the first to check out Disney’s newest property. Guests staying at the Art of Animation will receive all of the benefits of staying on Disney property, including free parking, package delivery, bus transportation and daily Extra Magic Hours in the theme parks.

Do you have a favorite on site Disney World resort? We’d love to hear which property you like best!

Weather: If an Orlando vacation is in your forecast for October or November, plan on enjoying comfortable temperatures, but pack a lightweight jacket just in case. You may want to keep an eye on the tropics as well. Though it may feel like summer has passed, hurricane season is still in effect in fall.

Events: The Orlando theme parks are bursting with fall events, from the fun and festive Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney’s Magic Kingdom to a special Harry Potter film celebration at Universal. If you are in town during the fall, check out the event schedules for each park you plan on visiting so you won’t miss out on the fun.

Crowds: Expect the theme parks to be less crowded than usual, meaning you should be able to enjoy more rides and attractions per day. It is still a good idea to arrive when the park opens; or arrive late in the day to take advantage of evening hours, but even the middle parts of the day will be manageable at Sea World, Universal and Disney World.

Itinerary Tips: Plan to visit the Disney theme parks on days with Extra Magic Hours if you are staying on Disney property. Avoid the Extra Magic Hours park of the day if you are staying offsite; the park will be packed with onsite guests by the time you are allowed in.

Consider these tips as you pack and plan for your fall trip and you’ll be able to add plenty of seasonal fun onto your Orlando vacation.

Cheerful Jack-O-Lanterns adorn the Magic Kingdom for the Halloween party.

This sweet and not very scary event is ideal for all members of the family, with trick or treating, rare character sightings and a special Halloween parade. This kid-friendly event requires special tickets, and takes place after hours in the Magic Kingdom. Most rides and attractions are open for the party, making it an ideal time to ride favorites like Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight without waiting in long lines.

You’ll need to secure your tickets in advance, then show up on the day of the party to get your trick or treat bag and wristband. Guests without wristbands will be asked to leave the park prior to the party kickoff time.  Once you check in, you’ll also receive a special party park map, which details trick or treating stations, dance party locations and the night’s schedule.

Kids and adults are encouraged to wear costumes for the party, and should expect to see plenty of Disney characters roaming the park. The 2010 event featured plenty of strolling Disney villains, from Lady Tremaine (Cinderella’s wicked stepmother) to the Queen of Hearts. The longest line of the night was to greet Snow White and all Seven Dwarfs.

Bring your camera to capture all of the special decorations Disney puts out for the evening; from live performances outside the Haunted Mansion to an interactive play area (complete with prizes) outside Pirates of the Caribbean.

Finish off your night by viewing the “Boo to You” parade, complete with Haunted Mansion-themed floats and the Headless Horseman, who kicks off the parade with a daring ride down Main Street USA. The dazzling “Hallowishes” fireworks spectacular finishes off the evening; hosted by your favorite Disney villains.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is available on select nights in September and October, and advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended.

The timing of the new Disney World land lines up with the planned releases of two Avatar sequels, currently in planning or production. “With two new Avatar films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore,” filmmaker James Cameron explained during the press briefing.

Disney fans may recall the original Animal Kingdom concept art included a land based on fantasy creatures, the Beastly Kingdom. Few signs remain of the Beastly Kingdom concept — sharp-eyed visitors will note that one parking lot is labeled “Unicorn” and a beast-themed boat landing can be found near the Winnie the Pooh greeting area.

The arrival of Avatar land may signal an embrace of the fantasy elements that gave the original Beastly Kingdom so much fan appeal. Guests can expect Avatar land to resemble Pandora, the lush landscape highlighted in the film; the Animal Kingdom’s strong conservation message goes well with Avatar’s eco-consious stance as well.

While there is no news yet on the actual rides or attractions planned for Avatar in Disney World, the success of the recently revamped Star Tours shows Disney’s expertise in combining movies and ride technology. Expect to hear more about Avatar and Disney World as plans progress; curious park visitors can start looking for signs of construction in early 2013.

You know with the economy not getting any better, we are hearing about these types of scams more and more every day. Here are a few tips to protect yourself when you are here in Orlando:

1. Ask the hotel front desk if you receive a flyer advertising a good or service. If it is a reputable company the hotel employees should know something about them.

2. Use your debit card sparingly. It is much easier for you to dispute a charge and have the disputed amount added to your available funds. To have money returned to your checking account through a debit card can take up to 7 business days (more than likely by the time you have your money back in your checking account your vacation is already over with).

3. Use the safes in the hotel rooms to your advantage. Don’t go to the theme parks with all your money in your wallet. If you happen to lose your wallet or you get pick pocketed it could spell disaster. Carry only enough cash to cover the souvenirs and food you will need for that day, and also leave at least one major credit card in the safe along with your spare cash.