Disney Parks to Stay Open 24 Hours in a Row on February 29

We waited and waited, my son and I, to get into The Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World. Eli, now 24 but then about 6, "really really, really" wanted to do it — until we got to the front of the line. At that point there was a look of terror in eyes, which were promptly welling with tears. We headed to the exit. Later, he reconsidered, and we stood in line again. There is emotion involved in the theme park experience that goes beyond screaming on a rollercoaster. And there are questions parents find themselves asking, such as: What rides are appropriate for my child? How do I deal with changes of mind and, conversely, "but I want to…" tantrums? Are there ways to assure we all actually have fun? Then of course there are the practical things that come along with a theme park visit. Did we park in Pluto or Goofy? (Yes, I have been known to mix them up.) Should we set a budget for souvenirs? Can we pack a picnic or do we need to indulge in park snacks? Are mobile apps practical in navigating the park experience? There are more than 400 amusement parks in the U.S., according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. In 2008, 300 million people visited the parks — going on some 1.7 billion rides. Chances are if you have kids and even if you don't, you'll find yourself at one of the parks at some point — whether it's a Disney, a Six Flags, a SeaWorld, a Legoland or a local favorite. We want to hear your tips, stories and especially questions about theme parks. We'll be discussing as many as we can in Trip Coach in an upcoming issue of Budget Travel. More from Budget Travel: 8 Record-Breaking Theme Park Thrills 5 U.S. Theme Parks Under $50 Rollercoasters Get Super-Sized for Overweight Guests

With new theme park Legoland Florida charging admission rates of $75 plus tax for adults and $65 plus tax for children, is the new theme park really worth the money? Opened on Oct. 15, Legoland Florida appeared on the site of the old Cypress Gardens park in Winter Haven. It's a nearly hour-long drive from the Orlando theme parks, but Legoland's strong line-up of kid-friendly attractions ought to encourage many families to make the trip to check it out. But add in parking ($15 a day) and lunch, and a family of four could easily spend $350 in a single day—plus lodging (starting at about $60 locally) and airfare. Some parents may want to paraphrase Johnny Paycheck and say, you can take all that and shove it. Is Legoland Florida worth the cost? It depends on whether you've ever been to a Legoland before. Fans have consistently rated Legoland's California park as the best in the nation for children, even ahead of the Disney parks, according to Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider. Says Niles: "I know many East Coast and Midwestern families who've been waiting for a Legoland on their side of the country." How does Legoland compare in price to other Florida theme parks? It depends. Disney's larger complex with greater hours of operation (in other words, Legoland closes at 5 p.m.) offers better value for the money, according to the math done by The Ledger. The newspaper found that, on a per hour basis of daily operations, Legoland costs twice as much as Disneyland's Magic Kingdom. Are there any tricks to saving on Legoland Florida? You should avoid paying the up-front admission fee. Plenty of discounts can be found online at "promo code sites," such as the always reliable Mouse Savers. If you don't have time for online research, know that Legoland sells a two-day upgrade ticket, which gives visitors a second day in the park for an additional $15. Any other money-saving advice? Resist cries from your kids to buy souvenirs. The Lego sets sold at the park can be bought elsewhere at cheaper prices. Bottom line Vacations are about their value, not just the dollar amount—that's the Budget Travel philosophy. Families will happily splurge if they know they're going to get memories of a lifetime and that they're not going to overpay—relative to what they could find elsewhere. Legoland Florida can be a good value if you've never been to it before and if you approach it as a savvy consumer looking for discount offers. Video and early reviews are up, including a five-minute full tour on YouTube. Check it: SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVELThe Completely Obsessive Absolutely Indispensable Guide to Disney World Orlando Sting: $1 Million Worth of Black Market Theme Park Tickets Confiscated Disney Is Bringing Avatar to Life in Its Parks 12 Things You Didn't Know About Orlando

Are some theme park guests too big to ride rollercoasters safely? For obvious reasons, rollercoaster seat harnesses and straps must fit snugly over riders. That's a problem for riders who are too tall, too broad, or just plain too large to squeeze into the seats and safety equipment. Increasingly, though, adjustments are being made to rollercoasters so that riders of all size can enjoy the thrills. The UK's Daily Mail reports that Thorpe Park, in Surrey, is adding larger seats to its Nemesis Inferno ride, and it plans to introduce seats and harnesses specially designed to accommodate larger guests on other rides as well. Thorpe Park's Mike Vallis told the newspaper: "The reality is that we are super-sizing - and that's a fact we're embracing. Why shouldn't people be comfortable when they are enjoying a day out with their friends or family?" The supersizing of coasters may have made news, but it's not necessarily new. Many rollercoasters in the U.S., in fact, already make special accommodations so that the obese and oversized can ride. Robert Niles, who edits Theme Park Insider and wrote "Confessions of a Disney Cast Member" for Budget Travel, tells USA Today that most roller coasters built in recent years have been designed to somehow allow overweight guests to ride safely and comfortably: "Every new coaster I've seen in the past several years either has special seats or rows for larger riders, or extension options so that the restraints can hold larger riders." This is only smart business: If a large portion of the public is banned from many of a theme park's best rides, fewer people will bother paying the price of admission. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: 10 Must-Ride Theme Park Attractions 8 Record-Breaking Theme Park Thrills 5 U.S. Theme Parks Under $50

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is teaming up with James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to create theme park attractions based on the blockbuster film Avatar, a move seen by many as Disney's answer to Universal Orlando's popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opened last summer. Disney is partnering with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create Avatar-themed lands, with the construction of the first such land expected to begin by 2013 within the Animal Kingdom park at Walt Disney World in Florida. Robb Alvey of Themeparkreview.com noted that the Avatar land could give a much-needed boost to the Animal Kingdom park — the sci-fi action film generated $2.8 billion at the worldwide box office when it was released in 2009 and it has two sequels that will bow in 2014 and 2015. But, he said, "Harry Potter was a proven reliable film franchise. Avatar's had one film…What if the next two films come out and they just don't do well? That would be my biggest concern." That said, "If those next two movies do just as good as the first one, then Disney made their best decision since Star Wars and Indiana Jones," said Alvey. "But it's definitely more of a gamble." Indeed, aside from those two previous exceptions, Disney doesn't generally create attractions based on films it doesn't fully own. The agreement with Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment gives Disney exclusive global theme park rights to the Avatar franchise and allows Disney to build additional Avatar themed lands at other Disney parks. Alvey said he expects the new land to feature at least one major attraction, "something that will blow people away," in addition to one or two more minor attractions and a themed restaurant. "The images and visuals in that film are stunning. The land will have to match those visuals … I would definitely expect something cutting edge," said Alvey. Cameron, Landau and the Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects, partnering with the Walt Disney Imagineering team in the design and development of the Avatar lands. "Avatar created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we'll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before," Cameron said in a statement. "Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of Avatar with an unprecedented sense of reality." More from Budget Travel: Walt Disney World's 'largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history' is in the works Reserve Disney rides before ever leaving home? Photos: The Indispensable Guide to Disney World