Many Epcot rides are suitable for all ages. Photo courtesy the Walt Disney Company

Rides: While you won’t want to take your baby on a roller coaster, there are plenty of rides and attractions that are baby friendly. Sea World, Epcot and the Magic Kingdom offer plenty of baby friendly shows, attractions and rides, and may be the best bets for your first visit.

Baby swap: If you want to ride a coaster like Space Mountain, you can still do so, provided you have another adult along for the trip. Disney offers a child switch program, allowing one parent to ride while the other stays with the baby. Once mom waits in line and rides, dad can use the child switch pass to go right to the front of the line. Ask for the cast member at the ride entrance for this pass at any Disney theme park ride.

In your room: Most Orlando hotel and resort rooms offer pack and play baby cribs for sleeping and playtime. Even the smallest resort room will fit one, and these are usually provided free of charge. Select a villa, condo or rental home if you need a lot of room, or if you want a kitchen to prepare meals for your little one–and the rest of the family.

Getting around: You can rent strollers in any theme park, from a service or bring your own from home.

Skip the rental car when you stay at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside. Photo Courtesy the Walt Disney Company

Get a rental car if:
You plan on visiting a lot of different Orlando destinations. If you want to go to a Disney theme park in the morning, then go off-site to miniature golf in the afternoon, then head to the outlets to shop, then a rental car is the fastest and easiest way to get around the city.
You choose a private luxury home or condo. One of the nicest perks of renting an executive or luxury home is private, free parking. Since you can park right at your door you won’t have any difficulty locating a parking spot, and you won’t have to trek a mile with a grumpy toddler when you get home each evening.

Skip the rental car if:
You are staying on Disney property, and plan to go to mostly Disney owned properties. Disney has an excellent transportation system, and while a rental car may be a convenience, it is not a necessity. Skip the car and take the monorail, bus or boat instead.

You are staying in a large resort and plan on heading to major destinations. Most hotels offer shuttles to the major theme parks and water parks. You can get a ride–free–to Disney, Universal, Sea World and more if you stay in one of Orlando’s big resorts.

See turtles in a whole new way at Sea World Orlando. Photo courtesy Sea World Orlando.

The 3D screens extend all around the domed theater, and onto the domed ceiling itself to create the feeling of total immersion. You’ll see water and marine scenery no matter where you look, and the film is shown from the point of view of a sea turtle.

The movie experience is accompanied by two marine life exhibits. One, a salt water tank, includes sea turtles, fish and other marine life. The other will be home to huge but gentle manatees and an assortment of freshwater species.

Visitors to Sea World can begin enjoying Turtle Trek this Friday.

• Privacy: If having a quiet place to retire to at the end of each day is important to you, a luxury rental home may be a nice choice. You won’t have to worry about fighting for a parking place, looking for a pool-side chair or hearing crowds thundering down the hallway at 2am.
• Convenience: If access to the Disney or Universal theme parks is important to you, then an onsite hotel or resort is a great idea; you’ll be a very short walk or ride away from the theme park gates when you stay at an onsite hotel. You’ll also get a lot more space in a rental home; making it a convenient choice for larger families.
• Flexibility: If you want to visit a variety of places during your vacation, from Sea World to Disney World without being tied down to one theme park area, a centrally located home is a good option.
• Perks: If bonus features like Front of the Line access (Universal Orlando) and Extra Magic Hours (Disney World) are important to you, choose an on-site resort. Each location has specific perks that are only offered to resort guests.
• Kitchen Access: Whether you prefer a full kitchen to save money, or you have family members with special dietary needs, renting a luxury house with a full equipped kitchen will help you vacation without worrying about your dining and dietary needs. If you simply want to be able to refridgerate and re-heat items,  many Orlando vacation hotels offer these basic options at the point of reservation.

Choosing between a hotel or home for your next Orlando vacation is largely a matter of personal preference; if you have always stayed in one type of accommodation, it may be time to take a fresh look at the other.

Plan some activities the whole family can enjoy together. Photo courtesy the Walt Disney Company.

Communicate ahead of time: Even if some family members are Disney experts, and others have never been to the parks, get together ahead of time to talk about the trip. Create a quick blog, email list or other way of keeping in touch, and agree on the big stuff in advance. Even something as simple as deciding which park to go to on which day can be done ahead of time, and will save you plenty of time and possible frustration once you arrive.
Make reservations: Make dining reservations in advance. This is a good idea for any size group, but absolutely essential for large gatherings of 6 or more. The restaurant will be better equipped to accommodate you if you let them know your group size well in advance. Include everyone in your group count, even infants who won’t be dining – they’ll still take up space at the table.
Rent a house: Consider bypassing a hotel in favor of a large executive home. You can keep everyone in one central location, share the work at mealtimes and have your own private pool. From a practical standpoint, you’ll cut your accommodations cost, since a single home rental is likely less expensive than several hotel rooms.
Split up: You may want to all head to the same park at the same time, but Grandma may not want to join you on Splash Mountain…don’t be afraid to split your group up so you can all enjoy different attractions. You can always meet up again for a meal or show later. You don’t have to break into age groups. If all the thrill riders want to head to Space Mountain while the little kids – and kids at heart—ride Dumbo, you can meet back up again later.

Hit the trails on horseback for a fun change of pace one afternoon.

Swim at your resort: Head back to your resort and hit the pool. Even if you just splash around a bit, then relax in the sunshine, you’ll have fun and not have to worry about waiting in line. If you are staying at an onsite resort or a monorail resort, you can head to the parks in the morning, then quickly return to the resort when things get crowded.
Choose an activity: Disney offers plenty of fun recreation activities throughout the day. From rent a bike at the Wilderness Lodge, go fishing at the Port Orleans or go horseback ridning at Fort Wilderness. You do not have to be staying at a specific resort to enjoy some of the recreation options (though pool hopping is not allowed).
Get a massage or spa treatment: Head to the Grand Floridian for an afternoon of relaxation and enjoy a massage and treatment or two while everyone else battles for a spot in line a the Magic Kingdom. You can book a massage, manicure, pedicure or facial—or a combination of treatments—at the Grand Floridian Spa, and then head ac to the parks refreshed for the evening.
Visit a resort for a meal: If the lines are unbearably long, then the theme park restaurants will likely be crowded as well. Bypass them entirely by booking a table at a resort restaurant. You can book a lunch or even a very early dinner—some begin seating at 4pm. Consider the Whispering Canyon, Grand Floridian Café or Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a great meal in a fun setting.