If you are visiting WDW during a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary, etc., you will be happy to know that there are some extra-special things you can do to fit all budgets. Certain ideas will apply to children more than adults and visa versa.

• While at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Disney-MGM Studios, stop by guest services and tell them that it's your birthday, and they will give you a birthday button to wear.

• While visiting any restaurant on WDW property, always tell the server about a special occasion and the restaurant will do something special for you. If nothing seems to happen, ask to speak to a manager. If it's a popular restaurant, they will need to know about the special occasion when you make the reservation.

• Winter Summerland Miniature Golf offers two-hour birthday parties for around $20 per person, which includes up to ten guests, cake, pizza, goodie bags, beverages, and golf.

• If you would like to have a full-size specialty cake made, the closest grocery store to WDW is Goodings. Call them at (407) 827-1200. They will deliver your cake to the front desk of your WDW resort.

• Arrange a horse-and-carriage ride and bring a goody basket.

• Take a sunset boat ride on any of the water taxis on WDW property.

• Blizzard Beach Water Park charges $15 per person with a maximum of thirty people for a party that includes pizza, cake, and beverages.

• Choose any of the cruises found in this chapter.

• Take a breathtaking sunrise hot-air balloon ride over WDW. What better way is there to wake up the birthday person and whisk them off to a surprise? Disney does not provide this service, but Orange Blossom Balloons does and has since 1983. Call them at (407) 239-7677 or visit their Web site at www.orangeblossomballoons.com. You'll need to make reservations at least two weeks in advance.

• Anyone celebrating a birthday would enjoy dinner at Downtown Disney before or after the Cirque du Soleil show. There's also a water taxi that very few people know about at Downtown Disney. It sails back and forth from one end of the island to the other (Cirque du Soleil to/from Rainforest Café) until 11:00 P.M. (weather permitting). The searchlights crisscrossing high in the sky is all very exciting.

• If it's Wednesday through Saturday go to the Port Orleans Resort to see free live entertainment at the French Quarter and the Riverside Resort.

• For a price, divers will dive into a tank at the Living Seas, while you are dining at the Coral Reef, and hold up a sign with a message of your choice. Simply prearrange this.

• Dial “0” on any WDW phone and ask for the special “Happy Birthday” message.

For a price, basically anything your imagination can come up with can happen on WDW property. For more ideas, sit at a lounge or bar at WDW, tip the bartender well, and he or she will provide you with an enormous amount of information about celebrations and surprises.