The only way to guarantee a seat is to book well in advance.The height restrictions on some of the snazzier – and frankly more exciting – rides are the real tantrum-trigger. After hearing for years from their friends how “awesome” Space Mountain is, it can be heartbreaking to get to the front of a queue only to discover your child is two inches short of the magic mark. Check the restrictions in advance to avoid tears later.Dining with Disney can be a dismal experience, as you jostle in long lines for a soggy plate of expensive but mediocre pizza. However, there are a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, some of which are worth taking a detour for.

The Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney’s Animal Kingdom features a divine assortment of wood-roasted meats, served in an outdoor African setting, and there’s a funky bar serving interesting and refreshing cocktails. Just don’t forget your passport, as you won’t get served alcohol without ID, even if you look old enough to be the bartender’s grandmother.Disney’s great strength is that it is always changing and improving. Just when you think there couldn’t be a better ride than Space Mountain, along comes another which blows it out of the stratosphere. The latest star attraction is Epcot’s Mission: SPACE, which is about as close as you can get to Space Shuttle launch without actually donning a space suit. Based on NASA’s astronaut training techniques, the heart-stopping simulated take off gives riders the sensation of g-force and weightlessness.The evening parades and firework displays round off the day neatly. Gone are the days of elbowing your way along Main Street in the hope of getting a good spot.

The display is now so large and so spectacular that the colorful blasts and explosions can be seen from almost anywhere in the resort.Come six o’clock, most kids are in full melt down mode. But that, my husband surmised, is the sound of kids who have had such a good time that they can’t take any more good times for the moment. So in essence, a Disney tantrum should be cherished as the mark of a highly successful, not wasted a minute, trip of a lifetime. FURTHER INFORMATIONRooms at Disney’s Value Resorts start at £22 a night. Five-day Park Hopper ticket prices start at £130 for children under 10 and £164 for adults. Tickets allow unlimited access to the parks plus two visits to a water park or one of the other attractions. Once inside a park all rides and “Fastpass” tickets are free.Budget and suit hotels are plentiful, most within five minutes of the Disney resort and most provide a shuttle service.