Situated in central Florida, Walt Disney World is the premiere family vacation destination in the United States, and possibly the world. Located in Kissimmee (near Orlando), the weather is almost always perfect for a day at an outdoor theme park. The managers at Disney World work hard to make the six main attractions appealing and enjoyable to people of all ages.

Likely the most popular of the six Disney parks is the Magic Kingdom. The common themes are fairy tales and fantasy as is evidenced by the presence of many famous princesses and imaginary creatures, including elephants that can fly, mice that can talk, and one of the silliest dogs you'll ever have the privilege to talk to. The park is divided into seven magical lands, giving visitors plenty of exploring and adventure, where they can ride rides, meet famous characters from Disney movies and books, and much more.

The second most famous Walt Disney World park is Epcot. Most people don't realize that it's actually larger in acreage than the Magic Kingdom. Epcot's major themes are technology and the future and countries of the world. Children love the interactive activities that allow them to get up close and personal with technology and innovations of the future. Parents love that while fun, these activities are educational. The World Showcase features sights and cuisine from eleven countries throughout the globe. The park path takes you through one "world" after another, each of which offers typical food from that nation, merchandise, and there are even rides and shows incorporated within each "land."

Another educational park of Disney's is Animal Kingdom, featuring over 1700 animals. It's actually the largest animal-themed park in the entire world. The resounding themes of Animal Kingdom are nature and conservation.  Similar to the Magic Kingdom, this park has seven "lands" to explore. Each boasts unique experiences and adventures and lots of opportunities to be near animals. You can even pet some of the animals. It wouldn't be Disney without exciting rides and shows, so rest assured, you will find those in Animal Kingdom as well.

Disney's Hollywood Studios, formerly known as MGM Studios, features a movie theme. This park takes you behind the scenes of movie sets and allows you to ride through and participate in some of your favorite Hollywood scenes. The entire park is designed to feel like you are walking through a giant movie set. Movie buffs enjoy seeing how some of their favorite action scenes are created and those who dream of becoming Hollywood stars love being able to participate in live shows and parades.

As I mentioned, Walt Disney World is located in central Florida, which means it can get very hot for a good portion of the year. The folks at Disney thought of everything by offering two separate water parks where you can cool off and enjoy thrilling rides at the same time. Blizzard Beach is themed after, you guessed it- snow. There is a snow castle fountain play zone for kids where they can enjoy appropriately sized water rides while the larger "kids" can really go for it on faster, heart-pumping versions. This park has one of the world's tallest free-falling water slides. Did I mention it's also one of the fastest in the world? So once again, Disney has created a park that everyone in the whole family can enjoy.

The second water park at Disney is Typhoon Lagoon. This water park also offers rides and slides for young and old, but there are some additional activities that make it truly special. Have you ever dreamed of swimming with sharks? Well, don your snorkel and you can do it here! The wave pool is also a hit, especially with teens. The waves reach to 6 feet! The notable theme of Typhoon Lagoon is, as the name suggests, a large storm that ripped through the area hurling surfboards and boats through the air at super high velocities. You can still see trees impaled by them throughout the park.

So, it's clear that whatever your passion- animals, technology, fairy tales, or just plain fun and entertainment, it can be found at the Walt Disney World parks. If you get the chance, try to visit each of them, as they each have their own flare and adventure.