Do more than dream, in the Magical Kingdom

Edited by Sarah Wilman

New Year Resolutions to get in shape, indulge in personal pampering or spend more time with the family might benefit from a dreamy twist. Disney’s Vacation Kingdom, Florida. has a wide variety of amenities and activities which have been designed to appeal to the whole family. So why not dream a little dream, or ten…

Is Your Child A Little Pirate Or A Princess?

Captain Jack Sparrow and his mate Mack are waiting to lead guests through a series of pirate skill tests in a hunt for new recruits. Faster than you can say "Yo, Ho, Yo, Ho, the Pirate's Life for Me," young buccaneers will be repeating the official Pirate's Oath to become honorary members of Captain Jack's famous Pirate Crew.

Elsewhere, Fairy-Godmothers-in-Training are on hand to transform little girls aged three and up into their favorite Disney princesses. Hair styling, shimmering makeup and princess costumes with all the royal accessories, make the transformation complete.

To celebrate their new appointments, pirates, princess and their families can embark on a quest for colorful beads and chocolate doubloons. Pirate coves and princess courts are brimming with specially themed entertainment including meet-and-greets with favorite Disney princesses Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Ariel and Jasmine.

Launching Jan. 22, 2007, and offered on a total of 13 select nights through March 8.

Family Fun To A Different Beat

For the very first time, guests are able to parade down Main Street, U.S.A. alongside favorite Disney characters in the "Main Street Family Fun Day Parade." It's a pennant-waving, drum-beating march beside parade floats, a marching band and a fire truck with a flag-waving patriotic finale in the Town Square.

The magic of music continues with a Broadway style production of "Finding Nemo-The Musical". This is the first time that Disney has taken a non-musical animated feature and transformed it into a musical production. The new 30-minute show combines puppets, dancers, aerialists and animated backdrops on the stage.

Take The Family For A Ride

Intrepid families are beckoned to take part in Expedition Everest, a runaway train through the Himalayan Mountains, pushing deep into the lair of the feared yeti, the guardian of the forbidden mountain. En route, explorers will encounter torn tracks, spiral backwards through fog into an ice cavern and then dart into and out of the mountain as the adventure continues.

If out of control engines seem a bit much, there are gentler alternatives. The "Around the World at Epcot" is a guided tour which allows guests to operate the two-wheeled, one-person transportation device throughout World Showcase, before the area opens for other park guests. The Simply Segway experience gives guests indoor riding time at Epcot's Innoventions area.

Adventure over land and sea

Adventurous guests can catch a wave and feel like they're sitting on top of the world with surfing lessons. On select mornings, surfer wannabes receive 2½ hours of land and water training with certified instructors from Craig Carroll's Cocoa Beach Surfing School. Guests can then test their skills in a 2.75-million-gallon wave pool that provides consistent waves up to six feet high every 90 seconds.

The Richard Petty Driving Experience offers road race fans and adventure-seekers the ultimate thrill of riding in, or driving, a race car around a one-mile tri-oval speedway. Several ride and drive programs are offered including the "Rookie Experience," a 3-hour course that includes eight laps of driving thrills.

Don’t forget to make time for yourself!

There's no excuse not to fight the flab with more than 10 fitness centers and a gaggle of recreational activities. Many resorts feature traditional gyms with weights and state-of-the-art aerobics equipment, and many offer amenities such as water skiing, tennis, boating and volleyball.

As a reward for all that hard work, in the gym or out of it, guests can choose from a wide variety of spa services at either The Spa at Saratoga Springs Resort or the Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club. Tiny tots will love Disney's My First Manicure and My First Facial packages whereas adults will love the maple sugar body polish (Saratoga Springs) or citrus zest massage (Grand Floridian).

For more information visit disneyworld.com

Learn more about educational opportunities at Disney: http://www.travellady.com/Issues/December03/Orlando.htm