Building in a couple of “days off” from the parks is a great idea (especially if you’re visiting for a week or more). Luckily, Disney has lots of on-property options for how to fill those days, and some of them are even low-cost or free!

Sometimes there’s nothing worse than waiting! When you know you have a Disney trip just around the corner, that month-long (or year-long!) waiting period is pretty horrible.

But cheer up — there are a lot of ways to make counting down the days to your upcoming Disney trip just as fun as the trip itself (well, almost!).

You might be surprised to learn you actually have two options for miniature golf at Disney World. The first is Fantasia Gardens, which is inspired by the Disney classic film Fantasia. Winter Summerland is the second option and is designed around a Holiday theme and is located near the Blizzard Beach water park. Both of these parks offer 36 holes for those craving an expansive mini-golf experience.

One of the things that I enjoy most about my family’s Disney vacations is the anticipation, the planning, and the countdown – how many days until we check in?

Now Disney has released a great tool leading up to your vacation – the Disney Vacation Connection desktop widget for your PC or Mac.

Pluto and his Mickey ears suitcase welcome you to the Vacation Connection widget.

One of the first things a Disney World newbie should learn about when planning a trip is Disney’s FASTPASS system. Utilizing the FASTPASS service can dramatically lessen the amount of time spend waiting in lines at the most popular attractions in the four theme parks.

Disney’s FASTPASS is a way to “reserve” a 60-minute window of time during which you can return to the attraction and experience it with a minimal wait time

At Disney World, the dining options are vast. Where to start? If you have a family or a large group of friends, consider heading to one of Disney World’s interactive restaurants.

The holidays are a magical time at Disney World. The planning that goes into decorating the parks for the season is beyond compare, but did you know that all of the Disney World resorts dress themselves up for Christmas, too? It’s worth it to spend an afternoon — or even a whole day — touring the resorts to see their holiday displays. Best of all, it’s free! Here are a few resorts that we think are worth a visit.

A lot of families traveling to Disney World do so by car, but not all do. With lowered costs for plane travel and the advent of Disney’s Magical Express, not every family opts to drive, or to rent a car after arriving. So what is the travel landscape like at Disney World without a car?