Long before "It's a Small World" echoed through the palmetto scrub, other theme parks tempted visitors away from the beaches into the heart of central Florida. Interstate 4 hadn't even been built when Dick and Julie Pope created Cypress Gardens, one of the region's oldest attractions. But when Walt Disney World (WDW) opened on October 1, 1971, and was immediately successful, the central Florida theme-park scene became big business. Since then, Disney has bolstered its flagship theme park, the Magic Kingdom, with three others -- Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom -- which, together with the company's two water parks, myriad hotels, retail establishments, sports facility, nighttime entertainment centers, and restaurants, form what is today known collectively as the Walt Disney World Resort. Disney's success has spurred major competition to town, namely SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Smaller attractions such as the Orlando Science Center and WonderWorks, among others, also bid for your business.

The problem if you have tight schedules or slim wallets is that each park is worth a visit. The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and SeaWorld are not to be missed. Of the two movie parks, Universal Studios and Disney-MGM Studios, the former is larger and rooted more in contemporary film; the latter projects the ambience of Hollywood in its heyday while incorporating modern movie and television themes. Islands of Adventure has more thrills for big kids and adults, and will bring out the child in everyone. Two dining, shopping, and entertainment centers stand out: CityWalk at Universal and Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort. If there's time, you shouldn't miss Cirque du Soleil's acrobats, theatrics, and stunning choreography of "La Nouba," a show created for Cirque's Downtown Disney theater. DisneyQuest at Downtown Disney is an indoor theme park with several hours' worth of virtual-reality attractions. At CityWalk, sports bars and establishments with musical themes -- such as Jimmy Buffet and Motown -- lend lots of dining fun to its eateries. Your best bet is to poll family or group members on their theme-park wishes, then develop a strategy to enjoy the top picks.

It's easy to forget that this ever-expanding fantasy world grew up around a sleepy farming town founded as a military outpost, Fort Gatlin, in 1838. Although not on any major waterway, Orlando is surrounded by small spring-fed lakes, and transplanted northerners planted sprawling oak trees to vary the landscape of palmetto scrub and citrus groves. Most development is in southwest Orlando, along the Interstate 4 corridor south of Florida's Turnpike. Orlando itself has become a center of international business, and north of downtown are several handsome, prosperous cities, most notably Winter Park, which retains its Old Florida charm.

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