Welcome to the Wonderful World of Disney. Wow, that's a lot of W's. Hmm, that was two more. I suppose I could waste 40 pages on that, but that would probably get boring after a while. But you know what isn't boring? A trip to a Disney park is certainly many things, but it is not boring. Even if you're a season pass holder and are there so often that the cast members know you by name, there's enough going on that even those die-hard fans or even cast members won't get bored.

Disney resorts are an international destination for tourists, travelers and people who want to go somewhere and enjoy. The oldest, Disneyland, in Anahiem, California, is the first park that started the Disney destinations. Walt Disney World Resort, across the country in Florida, is statistically the number one destination resort in the entire world. As Walt Disney World has expanded, so has the number of visitors annually. With California Adventure Park opening next to Disneyland, it gave Disney more entertainment offerings to those visiting the Los Angeles area. While Disney also has resorts in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, it is still Walt Disney World Resort that pulls in the big numbers.

In this document, we'll mostly be referring to Walt Disney World, but the same applies true to Disneyland and California Adventure Park, just to a lesser extent. This is because that while Disneyland is the original, more people seem to plan for a trip to Walt Disney World, as well as longer visits. This document is intended mostly for international travelers to better prepare them for their trips to WDW and Disneyland Resort.

People come from all over to Disney parks, especially Walt Disney World. Where else can one run into entire families from all over the world in one relatively compact place? Personally speaking, I find cultural diversity rather enlightening. In many cases, some people choose to retain their regular or traditional attire instead of trying to blend in with the rest of us Americans. It is nice to see the different cultures mix and mingle. Disney itself also celebrates cultural diversity by being an equal opportunity employer. Looking at the nametags of any cast member, you'll notice quite a few are not originally from the United States. While you may not notice as much of this outside the World Pavilions in Epcot where it is more obvious, it's neat being able to talk to some of the cast members and hear their impressions of Disney. It is not unusual to go onto a ride and have your family be in between families from different countries on each side of you. Despite all the different languages, cultures, traditions and attire, it seems all these people have one thing in common: Mickey Mouse, or at least an appreciation and enjoyment of things Disney. While it would be nice if the Mouse could bring us world peace, unfortunately it's not that simple.

Getting to WDW isn't always simple, especially for international travelers. Citizens in the United States have it relatively easy because we're traveling within our own borders. Since everything around us is for lack of a better term, native to our country, we as Americans don't have to deal with a lot of problems.

For international travelers, planning a trip to WDW may involve a lot of extra things to deal with. One of the first things international travelers have to deal with is a passport or other documentation showing citizenship and residency that is suitable for international travel. Depending o what country you're from, you may also need a travel VISA. I'm not sure exactly what a VISA is, but traveling between certain countries requires a travel VISA in addition to having a passport. The costs of acquiring the appropriate documents are up to the traveler and/or family of travelers. Because of all the details involved, it might be advisable to book at least your airline travel through a knowledgeable travel agent. Not being prepared can either prevent you from leaving the country, or entering the United States.

One thing to take into consideration right about now is money. You're going to need to convert some of your cash money into American dollars and cents. You can do this before or after you leave from your home country. Another option might be to have a credit card that will work in the United States. Generally speaking, VISA and MasterCard will work globally, with VISA being more widely accepted. Still, you're going to need some cash as well. You can let your credit card company handle currency conversions, which they typically do free of charge. Also, you do want to take into consideration what the general exchange rate is between your national currency and United States currency. While these values can change on an hourly basis, having a rough estimate will help you keep your finances in check. It is easy to spend too much, or be paranoid and spend too little and not enjoy yourselves.

Now, assuming you get to the Orlando International Airport, your next step is to get to WDW. This can be easy or it can be difficult, depending on what's going on. Those staying at one of the many hotels on Disney property will be able to take advantage of the Disney Magical Express. The Disney Magical Express is a free bus service that will take you from the airport to your hotel to start your Disney vacation, and will return you back to the airport after your vacation. International travelers will have to claim their own bags and take them to the check-in desk at the airport. Domestic travelers do not have to claim their bags; Disney cast members will do that for them. I recommend staying on property because traveling to a strange country can be very disorienting. The Disney Magical Express helps take some of the stress off of weary travelers.

Similarly, for those not staying on WDW property, some hotels offer complimentary or low cost van/shuttle service between their hotel and the airport. Some also offer complimentary or low cost busses or shuttles between their hotel and the various parks. Your travel agent should be able to answer these questions for you.

Another method of getting to your hotel would be to hire a taxi, limousine, van or bus. While this is extra cost, it is another less stressful method of getting from the airport and to the parks and back again. Do keep in mind that the airport is about 20 miles from WDW, and depending on where you are staying, could be a bit further.

Lastly, you could drive yourself. I could talk about the many ways to get a car, but we'll stick to legal methods so you don't get yourself deported shortly after arriving in the United States. For those of you who wish to drive yourselves, then you would probably want to rent a car. You can arrange this ahead of time with a car rental company, or do this at the airport after you arrive. My recommendation is to have this taken care of before you arrive because any issues that might prevent you from renting a vehicle would most likely have been taken care of in advance. The last thing you want is to show up at the airport, try to rent a car and then be unable to for what might amount to a very silly reasons. Because of the costs of renting a car, combined with what will be readily available, it may not be a great idea to rent a car. Still, don't let me discourage you, as you may have a very good reason to need to rent a car, especially if you want to travel off-property and check out the surrounding areas.

Now, let's assume that you've gotten all the way from your country and to your hotel. I'm sure it's been quite a trip. I bet you, like millions of others, brought some electronics along. Electronics usually would include such items as a laptop computer, a camera, a video camera and maybe some personal grooming items like hair dryers and shavers. Well, just a heads up, most hotels have hair dryers in rooms these days, so that's one less thing to lug around the globe. Still, chances are those other items can be quite expensive, and no doubt you brought them to use them. So, let's go into a quick checklist so you can be prepared for your electronics.

(Coming soon: Picture of outlets)

Electricity isn't the same everywhere in the world. The United States, Canada and I believe Mexico have Alternating Current at 60Hz(cycles) and 120-volts. Most of the rest of the world is at 50Hz and 240-Volts. Not only is the electrical possibly different, but the plugs can vary as well. In the United States, we use a 3-prong Edison plug, as well as a polarized 2-prong version that is compatible with the 3-prong Edison outlet. Ensuring electrical compatibility isn't always straightforward or easy. It is here that paying attention to your equipment and maybe reading your manuals can make the difference between you being killed, something becoming damaged or destroyed, and working just fine.

My international travels are very limited, but my experience was sufficient to become wiser in regards to international electronics. To me, the most obvious first thing to know is "what is the power for where I am going", which refers back to what I said about the 60Hz/120Volts and 50Hz/240Volts. The next thing may seem a little bit easier, because sometimes ensuring your equipment will work can be quite literally as simple as buying a relatively inexpensive adaptor plug that will match your native plugs with what the plug type is where you will be traveling. How do you know if this is all you need to do? The best way is to look at the equipment you intend to bring. In the case of laptop computers and video cameras, these items typically have a power transformer, and printed on the transformer is power information. You may have to interpret this information a little. In a nutshell, if you see things like the markings of both "100-240V" and "50-60Hz", chances are, you're in good shape. Another marking might be "international power supply". Without seeing those first numbers though, I would contact the maker of the equipment and get an answer from them. In some cases, you may have to flip a switch or rotate a breaker block to work with the different power. Adaptor plugs are usually fairly inexpensive and are often sold in sets that contain multiple adaptors. In my case, to get an adaptor plug to use equipment in Vietnam, I had to pay around $25 for a set of 6 adaptor plugs, which it turned out I never used. In some other research, it seems the average price for a decent quality plug converter seems to sell for around $4.

In the instances where your equipment was intended for use only in your country, then you have a small problem. All you need is a little bit of technology to resolve your problem. What you need is a power transformer. Chances are, you live in a region that is 50Hz/220V, and as I've said before, the United State is 60Hz/120V(theoretically, don't even get me started). If this is the case, then you need what is known as a "step up transformer". This will plug into an American Edison outlet and convert that power to your native voltage. I would suggest you do some research as not all of these devices are created equally. Some are meant for small appliances only, such a hair drier or something like that. Make sure the one you purchase is for any usage, up to a certain amperage. A typical Edison plug us 1800-watts at 120V, which equates to 15 amps in our power. It is not likely you're going to need that much current to power a laptop computer and some battery chargers for your cameras. Typically, 5-7 amps is more than sufficient for most travelers. I also suggest that if you're going to spend the money, you get one with a metal case, as it will stand up to travel a bit better and last you longer. It seems that these items run around $35 or so for a reasonably priced and capable unit.

I left out digital cameras because typically speaking, those use readily available batteries, such as AA batteries(LR6). Regardless, you should check anything that is going to plug into an outlet.

Back to "international power supplies". Many laptops have universal or international power transformer power supply. It is a known fact that all Apple Macintosh computers have international power supplies, you simply plug them in, they auto-detect, switch as necessary and you're up and running. The only thing a Macintosh needs is a plug adaptor. Likewise, I have 4 laptop computers, and one of those is a Macbook, the other three are PC laptops. In my case, the MacBook and two of the laptops use 3-prong power cables, while the oldest one uses a 2-prong power cable. All use international power supplies. In case you're wondering, the PC's are 2 Dell machines and 1 older Toshiba laptop. Sony makes my digital video camera and it includes an international power supply. I use an electric shaver, and as luck would have it, has an international power supply to charge up its internal battery. In the case of Macintosh and some laptops, they sell "specialty" cables that will adapt the power cable to one that is adapted for where you're traveling. It's really less expensive to just purchase a plug adaptor or adaptors as needed.

But power isn't the only thing different, especially when it comes to video. There are two major formats, NTSC and PAL. There is a third, SECAM, but it is a broadcast only format, and not in as wide of use and is compatible with PAL. The main thing to keep in mind is that these formats are generally not compatible with each other. For most travelers, these are their home videos so this isn't really something that is super important. But, let's say for example, you live in the UK and you bring your video camera over here. The first question may be, "Will it work?", and the answer is yes. Your equipment, provided is otherwise functioning normal, will record and playback with no problem. The issue would show up if you tried to connect it to your hotel's TV and tried to view your tapes, that will not work. Why is that? This is because in the United States, we use the NTSC standard. In Europe, the video format is PAL. Chances are, you can playback your video and watch it just fine in either your viewfinder or the attached LCD display. Where this really becomes an issue is when you want to send videos or share videos with other people in other nations. Unless you're sending lots of videos to family and/or friends in a region using a broadcast standard different than what is native to you, I would suggest not bothering to invest in the equipment to handle these PAL to NTSC conversions or vice versa. Just keep in mind that just because you have, say, MiniDV in the UK, and here in the United States, we also have MiniDV, doesn't mean what format that tape is in will be compatible. I know for a fact I can take my MiniDV NTSC video camera, walk into an electronics store in the UK, buy a blank MiniDV videotape, record all I want, and it will work just fine at home. Don't confuse the tape format with the format of what is on the tape. However, as I indicated, this is more for informational purposes. Should you need conversions done, I can do that at Studio42, where I am going to be buying the proper equipment to facilitate such transfers.

Electronics can be boring or exciting. Something fun to do is destroying American currency. I'm sure any terrorists reading this are getting all hot and sweaty with excitement knowing they can destroy American money. But, they need to turn on a fan or maybe eat some ice cream and cool off a bit because it's not that kind of destruction and they're not going to ruin the American economy doing this. What I am referring to are the coin presses located all over the various parks. This is how they work: you put in the coins that are the "fee" for doing this, such as say, 2 quarters(25-cent pieces), and then the coin to be pressed, typically a penny. Depending on the machine, this may happen automatically via electronics or you may have to manually run the press. What has happened is you turned the coin to be pressed into a keepsake souvenir. There are many kiosks all around the park and hotels offering many different designs, so you should be able to find something you like. Usually, the kiosks contain designs symbolic to where they are. For example, in the All Star Sports resort lobby, they offered a design for the hotel. In the "Country Bear Jamboree" waiting area, they offer pressings of characters and Adventureland. In the Living Seas, they offered Crush. I'd have to check the rest to see what I ended up getting, but I got plenty! I save coins just for these coin presses.

Now, all coins are not created equal. Outside of the obvious "Well, DUH! A Penny is worth one cent and a quarter is worth 25 cents", what am I talking about? Without getting into all the intricate details of making coins, it should be sufficient to say that some coins are not made the same way that they used to be. Yes, coins are still pressed, or minted, that hasn't changed. What has changed is the coin itself. For example, pennies made after 1982 have a zinc core and are copper clad. While these coins generally make a better pressing, the copper jacket can sometimes be a bit too thin for the design and "streak" through. For example, I chose a Tinkerbell design to be pressed into a penny and it looks like she's crying because the zinc shows through around the eyes. While visually interesting, it's not exactly what I had in mind. The recommendations are pennies dated from 1959-1982 are ideal for pressing because they are almost entirely copper.

I have also heard there are quarter presses, which may explain why I didn't press anything that cost me $1.25 to do it. From trustable sources, it appears there is nickel and dime presses available as well. So, it might be a good idea to save some of your spare change from various park purchases to bring home some pressed coins.

You'll probably end up with some leftover coins when buying food and snacks around the park. Because of various cultural, religious and personal reasons, people will want to stick with foods that do not violate their beliefs. If you're not sure what is in the food you're going to be eating, then please do ask someone. There are enough restaurants in and around the parks to accommodate nearly any preferences. Should you desire something better than the typical park fare, I suggest you head over to the Downtown Disney District and some of the better hotels. Often, these locations will offer a better variety as well s better quality of food. In some cases, you may find a restaurant that caters more to your tastes and needs. Of course, you're never stuck on the property. You can always hire a cab or taxi or drive your rented car off property in search of other food. My recommendations are to do as much research as you can before you travel so you have a good idea of what's available.

The weather is something you must prepare for. In general, the weather is fairly predictable. During the summer, there are often some brief mid-day rains, so you need to be aware of that. Other than that, it is generally recommended to bring clothing that is good for any type of weather, ranging from colder to warmer, but not necessarily extreme cold. Personal comfort is the main thing. I've been to Magic Kingdom once during the summer, and it was very hot during the day. The last time I went, it was the middle of November, and while the mornings and evenings were cool, the days were warm but pleasant. You should wear clothing that you can remove parts of, such as a sweater or jacket, in case it gets too warm, for example. The other clothing tip is comfortable shoes meant for walking around. You need to keep in mind that you will be walking primarily over concrete, cement and asphalt surfaces. I find it amazing how many women are wearing stiletto heals and complaining 2 hours into their visit and having to stop by a store and buying a pair of Croks to wear instead. Women may be the worse offenders, but I've seen men wearing more business-type shoes having similar complaints. My wife and I wore athletic shoes and socks and were just fine after walking all day. Sure, our feet were a little sore, but we'd been walking all day on cement! Many people do wear sandals, which as long as they support and cushion your feet, are actually quite ideal for walking around the parks. As I said earlier, personal comfort is important, but so is proper attire. While there isn't a dress code per say, some items are not allowed, and that's ripped or torn clothing and clothing with language on it considered to be "obscene", which typically isn't an issue. But wearing leather pants might not be the greatest of ideas for men, even if they are in a famous heavy metal band. Likewise, miniskirts and revealing clothing on women are simply not a good idea. As long as you use some common sense, you'll be fine.

A final thing to consider is your language, or at least what language you speak natively and any other languages you do speak. For the most part, if you can read and understand this document, then you should have absolutely no problems. The rides, attractions and shows are in English, although a few rides have safety briefings in English and Spanish. Nearly all signs are in English only. For the most part, cast members are English speaking only, but that is only because they don't speak another language. To me, how to get on and off rides is fairly obvious. Most cast members do use exaggerated hand gestures to help instruct guests entering and exiting vehicles to help get the message across, not for show. If you need help, it can often be done without the usage of spoken language. A simple wave at a cast member should get their attention and over to assist you. Many meals have numbers associated with them, so if you can't speak but you can read Latin-type numbers and can show that many fingers, you can do well. Disney does try to use international-type symbols for where restrooms are. Don't let not being able to speak English stop you from enjoying yourself. If you get lost, confused or need assistance, don't hesitate to ask a cast member. Disney is very client-services oriented, so chances are they will do what they can to help you or try to find someone who can help you. Another idea might be to contact another guest for assistance. I know I helped many people while I was walking around the park. Most questions seemed to be along the lines of where is a particular attraction or when is a show, all being questions I could answer because I had my park map and weekly schedule with me.

So, being ready for international travel isn't too hard to do. With just a little preparation, you should have very few worries. The only hard part should be the long plane flight. If you can sleep on the plane, I recommend you do so if at all possible. Otherwise, perhaps you should arrive a day early so you can get a good night's sleep and start your first day in the parks bright and early.