Since the Walt Disney World Resort is not your ordinary theme park, you need to take a different approach when planning to visit. Even if you are not a planner by nature, you can greatly enhance your visit by planning some key elements of your trip.


One helpful planning tip is to plan your trip during one of the special festivals held each year. Each of these are held within a Disney park and have many special activities that you can see or participate in with your normal admission ticket.

Here are three of my favorites that you should consider planning your next trip around:

• Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival :
  when:runs from Mid April to beginning of June.
  what is it:The park is turned into an oasis of topiaries and flower gardens. You don’t need to have a green thumb to be impressed and enjoy these magnificent displays. There are numerous gardening seminars held each weekend with special guests. During the evenings, musical acts such as: The Guess Who, Starship, & Davy Jones perform free concerts nightly in the American Gardens Theater.
  


• Star Wars Weekends :
  when: Weekends (Fri. – Sun.) in June at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
  what is it: The world of George Lucas’ Stars Wars invades the Studios with the Good and Evil represented. Opportunities to have your picture taken with your favorite Star Wars character. Special Star Wars parade and talk show format sessions held each day with Celebrity Guests. This year’s events included a sneak peak at the new Star Wars – Clone Wars movie and representatives from Lucas Films to talk about how it was made. A great time for any Star Wars fan, young or old!
  


• Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival :
  when: End of September – Mid November.
  what is it: A celebration of Food and Wine that includes over 25 special booths in the World Showcase that have $2.50 - $5.00 appetizer sized portions of regional specialties. Numerous daily free seminars for wine tasting and cooking demonstrations. Nightly free concerts in the America Gardens Theater from acts such as: Sheena Easton, Kool & the Gang, & Night Ranger.