A vacation in the world's theme park capital might be a dream come true, but the dreams of different aged children and their parents might not be exactly the same! Make sure everybody's dreams are covered by researching ahead on the best bets for younger kids, older kids, and the entire family. In the process, you'll discover the best of what these theme parks have to offer.

Fun For the Kids

(Toddler to Age 8)

Magic Kingdom

We all know that everyone from grandparents to college spring breakers love Disney World, but let's face it--the Magic Kingdom is the stuff of dreams for the park's youngest visitors especially. A chance to meet beloved characters alone could make the trip, which is why a stop at Mickey's Toontown Fair is imperative. Here, just in case you didn't bump into them around the park, your kids can meet famous Disney characters in the Toontown Hall of Fame before exploring Mickey and Minnie's country houses, Donald's boat, or Goofy's Barnstormer kiddie coaster. Fantasyland is another area for little ones, with classic rides like It's a Small World and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland involves a steamboat ride to an interactive playground. And of course, just walking around the Magic Kingdom with your kids will reveal more surprises and little gasps of joy.

Epcot

Traditionally, Epcot isn't the strongest park on activities especially for very young children, but there are some fun attractions that will entertain little ones while older family members get their cultural fix. The most exciting new addition is Turtle Talk with Crush, an interactive attraction on the Living Seas Pavilion that features the sea turtle from "Finding Nemo" chatting with his visitors. The Imagination Institute, starring Figment the purple dragon, is another sensory experience appropriate for young children. Braver kids will have fun on the Maelstrom, a popular and somewhat random boat ride through Norway's history and culture, complete with pirates, trolls, and polar bears. The model train display on the Germany Pavilion has also been known to captivate kids.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Formerly known as Disney--MGM Studios, Disney's Hollywood Studios still offers great cinematic based entertainment. Even if they haven't seen Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, children will enjoy the large playground based on this imaginative live-action movie from the 1980s. It's all a matter of perspective as kids slide down blades of grass and ride on giant ants like the speck-sized characters in the film. Disney's Hollywood Studios also features shows based on some of television's most beloved puppet characters. Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3-D creates a tour through Muppet Labs with 3-D film and animatronic appearances. At Playhouse Disney Live, kids can watch their favorite morning TV friends from shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, and Disney's Little Einsteins as they sing and tell stories.

Animal Kingdom

Few things capture children's imaginations more than dinosaurs. Children too young to go on the DINOSAUR ride can head instead for Animal Kingdom's The Boneyard, an area where budding paleontologists can play at digging up dinosaur and ancient mammal skeleton fossils. Kids Discovery Clubs are interactive learning stations located throughout Animal Kingdom that complement the areas in which they appear. The TriceraTop Spin creates a prehistoric version of the Dumbo ride, while the Wildlife Express Train offers a fun ride behind-the-scenes in the animal care areas.

Universal Studios

Favorite cartoon stars from different generations, but with "universal" appeal, contribute to some of the best attractions for younger children at Universal Studios. Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast rockets families through a journey featuring not only Jimmy, but also Spongebob, the Rugrats, and characters from The Fairly OddParents and Hey Arnold! Those who meet the height requirement of 40" will enjoy the ride. The best bet for the littlest of tykes at Universal is Woody Woodpecker's KidZone, where Woody's Nuthouse Coaster offers a pint-sized thrill. Barney, Curious George, and An American Tail's Fievel also make an appearance in this area--each has a colorful and interactive playground, while Barney also performs a sing-a-long with Baby Bop and BJ.

Islands of Adventure

Although Islands of Adventure are marketed for "serious" thrills (as if those at the original Universal park weren't enough!), they also contain plenty of rides and attractions for little ones. The entire island of Suess Landing is a great place to start and to meet some of the world's most beloved literary characters. This island includes the non-height-restricted Cat in the Hat ride, the Caro-Seuss-el with Suess creatures instead of horses, the One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish water play ride, and an interactive playground area. Over on Jurassic Park Island, the Jurassic Park Discovery Center offers games and educational displays, while Camp Jurassic is yet another themed playground to take the kids to while your teens brave facing T-Rex.

Fun For Older Children

(Up to Age 18)

Magic Kingdom

Which Pirates of the Caribbean came first, the movies or the ride? Disney "old-timers" know the answer: the ride. The swashbuckling animatronics have been entertaining visitors for years, but it wasn't until recently that the movies turned back around to influence the ride. Now, Captain Jack Sparrow and other new special effects add to the adventurous atmosphere of the ride. The big thrills of Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, the legendary indoor roller coaster and log flume ride, also demonstrate the irony that some of the hippest rides for older kids in the Magic Kingdom are also some of the old mainstays.

Epcot

The best attractions for older kids at Epcot transcend our everyday experiences of speed and perspective. Mission: SPACE is a technologically awesome flight simulator that puts participants in the driver's seat of their NASA fantasies. Kids reported a heart-sinking feeling when their spacecraft "takes off," but this ride was redone in 2006 to include a more rigorous and a more sedate version that guests can choose from. Test Track recreates another high-speed, but very much on-the-ground, situation: automobile testing. Six passengers ride in each car as it faces a variety of obstacles: hill climbing, harsh road surfaces, skid recovery, high speed, and even the barrier (don't worry, you won't come out looking like those crash test dummies in the commercials). The ride, designed in partnership with General Motors Engineering, is meant to be educational about automotive technology and safety--teens may want to see if they can get extra credit in driver's ed! Honey, I Shrunk the Audience is a 3-D film experience designed to make audience members feel tiny. Viewers wear their magic "safety goggles" for an experiment gone awry, complete with suddenly gigantic family pets.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

If we had to pick just one Disney ride that older kids rave about, jump up and down for, and want to go on again and again, it would have to be MGM's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. After a short pre-show that evokes the old television series, visitors board and ride an "old" elevator to the top of the tower, only to have the elevator cables "snap" and cause a freefall of several stories. At one point, the doors even open slightly to show you how fast you're falling. A simple concept, really, but the drop sequences are not always the same and the atmosphere is fun and creepy at the same time, inspiring repeat visits. The Rock n Roller Coaster also doesn't disappoint, with its unexpected drops, sudden high speed, and Aerosmith soundtrack.

Animal Kingdom

Kali River Rapids is Animal Kingdom's answer to the whitewater rafting ride. Go on a hot day, and prepare to get soaked. The DINOSAUR ride offers thrills of a different kind--there's a T-Rex on the loose in this ride, and he's anything but fossilized. The newest and most exciting attraction in Animal Kingdom is Expedition Everest, a journey to the base camp of the mountain to end all mountains. Along the way, visitors depart from a recreated Himalayan village on a roller coaster with many surprises. Those who don't know what a yeti is will soon find out.

Whatever you decide on in any of the four Disney parks, don't forget that Downtown Disney is a great teen hang-out, especially in the evening. Whether they attend the Cirque Du Soleil with the rest of the family or head off to peruse the music in the Virgin Megastore, they'll be sure to feel like this is one of the happening places to be.

Universal Studios

Of course, Universal Orlando's CityWalk is another fun teen hang-out, but then again, many of the major attractions throughout Universal are best suited to older kids who want to ride the movies. Revenge of the Mummy plummets riders through the mummy's tomb and creates a psychological thrill with ghouls galore. The Men in Black Alien Attack allows you to play the MIB agent by zapping aliens and possibly saving the planet Earth. Terminator 2 features a combination of 3-D film, live action stunts, and special effects; and Twister...Ride It Out is a live-action tornado simulation; the list goes on to Jaws and Disaster.

Islands of Adventure

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is one of the newer additions at Islands of Adventure, and this 3D, Spidey's eye view attraction is a big hit with older kids that love the hip superhero series. Superhero Island also offers the Incredible Hulk Coaster and Dr. Doom's Freefall. There's an entire Jurassic Park island with a thrilling river raft ride, starring T-Rex and velociraptors, as its centerpiece. The Lost Continent, yet another themed island, features the popular racing coaster Dueling Dragons as well as the Poseidon's Fury show.

Fun For the Whole Family

Now that we've covered what appeals to little ones and older kids, what's left? The truth is, since the Disney and Universal parks are by nature kid-friendly, many of the attractions listed above would be great for the whole family--it's just up to your individual family to decide what you're going to prioritize. In the meantime, here's a brief listing of some other attractions to consider for "family together time" in each park

Magic Kingdom

It may be a little creepy, but the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion is really designed with all ages in mind--most of the ghosts are quite good-natured, after all. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin tends to bring out the competitive streak in just about anyone (in a fun way, of course), while whatever parade or nighttime spectacular is running at the time of your visit will be a must-see. More good old-fashioned, educational attractions like the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress provide a quick history lesson amidst a busy day at the park. Take a Jungle Cruise or play together in the Swiss Family Treehouse for more classic family adventures.

Epcot

Just stroll around Epcot's World Showcase, and you'll be sure to find something, whether it's in China, Italy, Canada, Norway, the UK, Mexico, France, Morocco, Japan, or the USA. Music, dance, interactive activities, movies, rides, displays, and interesting food are scattered throughout the colorful pavilions devoted to different countries of the world. International family travelers might choose a destination here for their next big trip! If you're thinking of eating dinner at one of Epcot's international restaurants, make reservations early in the day. And be sure to stick around in the evening so you can catch IllumiNations, the fireworks show that enlivens Epcot's central lagoon.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

The Great Movie Ride is a classic, just like the Hollywood films that it travels through, but keep in mind that the scene from "Alien" may be too scary for very little ones. Overall, this is one of MGM's signature rides and a dream-come-true for movie buffs of any age. The Magic of Disney Animation and the Studios Backlot Tour are low-key but interesting ways to get behind-the-scenes of popular Disney animated films and some television shows. MGM is also home to the Beauty and the Beast stage show, which you might want to hit if you never got to see the Broadway production.

Animal Kingdom

At the core of Animal Kingdom are the Kilimanjaro Safaris, which take passengers on a ride through herds of real African animals, including lions, elephants, hippos, and giraffes. Animal Kingdom is also home to the Festival of the Lion King, an in-the-round stage show with song, dance, and audience participation in its tribal celebration and the new, universally acclaimed "Finding Nemo" musical show.

Universal Studios

Shrek 4-D picks up where the first Shrek movie left off, on Shrek and Fiona's honeymoon, and involves the film’s original cast and creative team. For a classic family movie ride experience, try the E.T. Adventure, which offers a journey to the mild-mannered alien's planet on flying bicycles. The Blues Brothers show bodes well for multi-age appeal and fun entertainment.

Islands of Adventure

Remember Popeye the Sailor Man and his girlfriend Olive Oyl? You'll find rides themed after these characters on the Toon Lagoon island, where visitors are sure to get splashed, one way or another. Littler kids will enjoy playing on Popeye's ship, while the family can try out Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges (whitewater rafting ride) or Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls (log flume ride).

For more information contact Walt Disney World Resort at 407/939-6244, or Universal Orlando Resort at 407/224-4233.