The last time I was at WDW especially the Magic Kingdom was really crowded so we had to wait quite a lot…while I agree EPCOT isn’t that spectacular, it’s kind of relaxing to just be able to walk around without being jostled the whole time. (But I used to work there, too, and I’m always feeling a little nostalgic there)
Now on to the tips:
Magic Kingdom
My favourite ride is Splash Mountain…best on a hot day when you want to get wet. Also gets you in a good mood because you’ll be singing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah all day long while you wait in lines.
Haunted Mansion is good, too, because the line is outside and you don’t have to wait inside a stuffy attraction for too long. I’m a little bit wary of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride because of that. Seen too many kids get cranky inside. But hey, it’s a classic.
If you’re not too keen on parades you might want to try the more popular rides during parade time. Or just choose one parade you’ll see one day (they’re all rather similar) and skip the others. I’d also recommend the Electrical Light Parade.
EPCOT
Rides to miss (!!!) are: Spaceship Earth and the Norwegian Water Ride. Spaceship Earth looks spectacular from the outside but is boring as heck (if there’s NO line at all, maybe do it but otherwise nononono). And the Norwegian ride is just not worth the wait.
I’d do the Honey I shrunk the audience and then saunter through the countries, sample some food etc. It’s mostly grossly overpriced, though. The best value for money as far as I remember is the buffet at the Norwegian Pavilion. Restaurants to definitely miss are the Italian one and the French one.
I always really enjoy the Living Seas as well, but then I really like dolphins and manatees.
MGM
My favourite here is the Tower of Terror. Might be a bit scary for little kids, though. Just like the Aerosmith Rollercoaster. Both rides tend to be emptier just before closing time.
Don’t do the Great Movie Ride, too long of a wait for really nothing.
I always did the Animation Tour, just because I think, well, that’s the whole point of Disney and I like being given information about upcoming movies. Maybe not for smaller kids.
Animal Kingdom
Definitely the Safari Ride.
Also the Bug’s Life Movie (maybe a little bit scary)
And I was happy as a little kid when I won a whack-o-saurus at the amusement park thingy. But that’s just me maybe.
Eating around Disney
If you want a quick snack and haven’t packed anything, the Fruit Stands usually are your best bet. There’s one at EPCOT right next to Germany, one at MGM on the road that leads to the Tower of Terror and one at Magic Kingdom on Liberty Square.
I’d also recommend the Vegetarian Chili / Clam Chowder at the Harbour House (I think)…the one opposite of Haunted Mansion anyway.
You’ll definitely need reservations for any sitdown restaurants. (It can’t hurt to make some anyway.)
For the character breakfast, ask your kids what characters they prefer and choose accordingly (not all characters will be at all breakfasts). Kids usually like the one at the Contemporary Resort where they get to sing songs and wave their napkins over their head.
That’s just what I remember off the top of my head…
Oh, one more thing: The best food I’ve had in a long time over there was not at Disney but at a restaurant called Bahama Breeze. There’s actually two, one at I-Drive, one at Lake Buenavista. They serve Caribbean type food…weird but an experience. It’s always really crowded, though, so call ahead and plan on a bit of a wait time.