Hi Susan:
I'm a parent of two boys, ages 5 and 4, and I would love to share some of my family's must-dos for our Disney World vacations. Your family may have different tastes, but hopefully these recommendations will be a good start to planning your trip.
First, I strongly urge you to check out
Disney's In-Depth planning page for first time visitors. Order a vacation DVD and click on the various page links for some great planning information. Make sure you click on the dining link as eating is an important part of any Disney vacation.
Among many other things: at the Magic Kingdom, we always ride the Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan's Flight, Mickey's PhilharMagic, The Haunted Mansion, and it's a small world. At Epcot, we take in Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Soarin', and tour the countries of World Showcase. Our must-dos at Hollywood Studios include Toy Story Mania and Muppet Vision 3-D. At Animal Kingdom, our family always rides the Kilimanjaro Safari and visits Conservation Station.
Since it's a first visit, remember to check in at City Hall at the Magic Kingdom, or at guest relations at other parks, and pick up "first-visit" buttons. Many Cast Members will go out of their way to greet your family to make the visit more memorable.
When you get to the parks, pick up a complimentary Times Guide. Along with providing information regarding show times, parades, and special events, the Times Guides generally include character greeting times and locations. If you want a sense of the events and shows, Disney World also provides a calendar online. Just search for "Magic Kingdom calendar," "Animal Kingdom calendar," "Epcot calendar," and "Hollywood Studios calendar."
Return to the panel if your research leads you to more specific questions.