One of the most spectacular holiday gifts you could give your family is a vacation at Walt Disney World. This magical place, adored by kids of all ages, brings families together in a way that creates lifelong memories. What better time to bring out that special sparkle in your children’s eyes than during the holidays?

Now that the 2008 holiday season is officially underway, each of the Walt Disney World theme parks has begun a stunning celebration that will delight each and every member of your family in true Disney fashion. You won’t want to miss a thing, so get out your calendar and create a plan of action before you travel!

The Magic Kingdom, the original and most beloved of the Disney parks, is hosting Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Throughout the year, the majesty of Cinderella’s Castle is an awesome sight at night, but during this celebration the 200,000 lights that transform this Disney World icon into a glistening ice castle will dazzle you. The customary fireworks over the castle are enhanced with holiday music, bringing tidings of great joy to all.

Of course, holiday parades, shows, and characters are a part of the Magic Kingdom party. There are even snowflakes, complimentary cookies, and hot cocoa for guests!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is going on from 7:00PM until midnight, on select nights only during November and December. The 2008 dates include November 10, 11, 14, 16, 20, 21, and 30, and December 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19.

From November 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009 Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World presents The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. This is a nightly extravaganza like nothing you’ve ever seen. Disney’s Main Street America comes alive, as its buildings, strung with millions of holiday lights, seem to dance to holiday classics. The sheer beauty of the lights is impossible to describe and the music synchronization is fascinating! The show begins at dusk, and is repeated every 10 minutes.

Your vacation won’t be complete without experiencing the Holidays Around the World event at Epcot. This is a nightly event that is being featured from November 28, 2008 through December 30, 2008. Prepare to be awed by the Candlelight Processional, an exhilarating reading of the Christmas Story set against an amazing orchestra and angelic choir. You can catch this inspiring storytelling every evening at 5:00, 6:45, and 8:15.

While at Epcot you’ll want to relish the season with an international flair. Holiday storytellers will be featured throughout the season, offering heartwarming stories from around the world.

Make sure you stick around for Epcot’s Illuminations Reflections on earth. This incredible fireworks spectacular, complete with lights, lasers, and water fountains, is set to a holiday theme. The ultimate holiday message is delivered through the grand finale which features the song Let There Be Peace On Earth, followed by a touching holiday message from Walter Cronkite.

From November 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009, Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World becomes a holiday playground. Festive music, holiday decorations, and Disney characters decked out in seasonal costumes will fascinate and delight all who visit. Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade is a must see!

In order to make the most of your time and money, be sure to research the various Walt Disney World ticket options available.

If you’ll be visiting the parks for 4 or more days you’ll most likely benefit from purchasing Magic Your Way tickets. These are base tickets that can be customized to add options such as water park entry, no expiration date, and park hopper.

My advice is to carefully consider the cost of these options and to realistically weigh their value.

While the water parks offer an incredible experience, this option can add significantly to your total cost. You’ll want to keep a few things in mind, such as the possibility that it may not be hot enough during this season to spend a day at a water park, and that each of the 4 theme parks can easily fill more than 1 entire day.

If you plan your vacation well, you should be able to determine the total number of days that you’ll want to spend in the parks. This will alleviate the need and extra cost of the no expiration option.

As far as the park hopper option goes, my advice is to pass on this as well, unless you only have a couple of days to spend and want to see all of the parks. The base ticket will enable you to visit any 1 of the 4 theme parks each day, and you will easily fill an entire day in any of them. In my opinion, park hopping is a time consuming and unnecessary option.

With all that Walt Disney World has to offer, your family will have the adventure of a lifetime. I wish you and yours a very merry holiday season and a healthy, happy new year!