When our daughter, Chris, was 1, we barnstormed to the Magic Kingdom's 1971 grand opening. Six years earlier, no Floridian could have imagined such a place. But Walter Elias Disney did. Where others saw little more than cow pastures and orange groves, where the day's tourism maestros couldn't conceive beyond water-skiing shows and alligator wrestling, Uncle Walt dreamed of utopia: A Main Street community that would become his "Disneyland East."

In a covert operation that would have made the CIA proud, Disney started buying central Florida land under names that gave no clue that Mickey was his backer. And by the time the Orlando Sentinel, the local newspaper, caught wind of it, the Wizard of Diz had options on a parcel twice the size of Manhattan.

Sadly, though, Walt Disney never saw the dream come true. He died of lung cancer in 1966, and when he died, so did his vision of EPCOT--the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Had he lived, Disney probably wouldn't have allowed his World to become what it has: a mega-commercial vacation version of New Year's Eve in Times Square. To the newer generations, including our grandsons, Jake and Andy, that means utopia, and we'd be lying if we didn't admit it touches us when we see the magic in their eyes. We also look at it as an enigma: Someday, it will run out of gas. (Won't it?)

Maybe not. To the millions who make the pilgrimage every year, it is, as one British journalist calls it, one of our national shrines. That we concede--a very crowded, national shrine.

Disney's Florida legacy is still growing. As the new millennium takes root, it includes four theme parks, a dozen smaller attractions, two nightclub districts, thousands of hotel rooms, time-share holdings, scores of eateries, and two cruise ships. Universal Orlando and SeaWorld add four theme parks, and, with the help of smaller fry, 80 or so lesser attractions, an avalanche of restaurants, and enough hotel rooms to boost central Florida's total to more than 101,000.

When does Orlando cry "uncle?"

Well, Disney might not, but small fish frequently do. Peripheral motels, restaurants, and attractions (such as Blazing Pianos and Ben Hur: The Musical) are here one week and gone the next. Even the theme-park players see attendance rise one year and fall the next. Fact is, attendance lapses in 2000 were the reason the Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld parks hiked their 1-day ticket prices $2 for the second time in 2 years. (Sorry, they don't cut their prices when their numbers are up.) Still, overall, central Florida tourist numbers are climbing 5% or so each year (there were 42 million visitors in 2000). The reason is simple: There's so much to do in one compact destination--enough that a 2-week stay and deep pockets won't allow you the time to hit all of the theme parks and attractions.

That's why we're here. Over the years, the two of us have explored the parks, dined at Orlando's restaurants, and snooped in area hotels and motels so that we can give you an inside track on America's no. 1 young and young-at-heart landing zone. With this book, you'll have the necessary tools to plan ahead. There's more than enough information to make you a savvy shopper. Our job: to make your vacation easy to arrange and as enjoyable as possible so you'll be able to relax before you go home to your job. At the same time, we're going to give you options to make your vacation affordable. We've noted some of the best deals in this corner of the planet and ways for you to keep expenses to a minimum while having the maximum fun. At the same time, Orlando tourism gurus will make sure you have a steady stream of new things to see.

For visitors, all that growth means more money-saving, multiday ticket options at the theme parks. And, if you have some energy left after touring the usual daytime venues, there's still an Orlando that most tourists never see--one far from fairy-tale castles and whale shows--a place where singles and seniors find plenty of R- and PG-rated as well as laid-back entertainment.

Still, Orlando is the kid-friendliest place in the universe. Many hotels, some with whimsical themes, have video arcades and other kid-pleasing features, and just about every restaurant in town has a children's menu.

In this city, visitors big or small are the real VIPs. The major players are vying for your business, as they engage in an ongoing high-stakes game of do-unto-others. The innovative Disney-MGM Studios theme park, with its movie-magic motif, was countered a year after it opened by Universal Studios Florida, which brought in Steven Spielberg as a creative consultant. Church Street Station, a single-admission entertainment complex, was followed closely by Disney's Pleasure Island and now CityWalk at Universal. What's Wet 'n Wild in town? In addition to that same-name Universal attraction, Disney has three water parks of its own and provides free transportation to them for its vast numbers of resort guests. Busch Gardens in nearby Tampa has an animal park. So, voilà! Disney came back with an entire Animal Kingdom.

Make no mistake: In this war, you are the prize, and the stakes, like roller coasters, will continue to rise.