For Foreign Visitors

Whether it's your first visit or your tenth, a trip to the United States may require an additional degree of planning. This section will provide you with essential information, helpful tips, and advice for the more common problems that some international visitors encounter.

Walt Disney World Services for International Visitors -- Walt Disney World welcomes millions of international guests every year and to help make guests' experience better, Disney offer a language assistance program that provides information from a WDW operator and a telephone interpreter. This service is offered in several languages (tel. 407/824-2222).

Other special services designed for international travelers include the following:

Ears to the World are personal translator units that translate over 25 of Disney's shows and attractions into French, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Spanish languages. You can pick up a unit at no charge at the Guest Relations desk located just inside each of Disney's major parks.

Detailed guidebooks and maps to the four major parks are available in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Japanese at the five International Information Centers (marked by an "i" on park guide maps) located in the theme parks and at Downtown Disney. Staffed by multilingual cast members, the information centers can also help with tickets, dining arrangements, and a variety of other services.

Currency exchange of up to $100 is available at the Guest Relations desk at each major park and at all of the WDW resorts.

Menus written in French, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Japanese are available at most table-service restaurants inside the theme parks and resorts.

Cast members who speak foreign languages sport a gold badge with the flag of that country on their name-tags.

World Key Terminals at Epcot offer basic information about the park and assistance with dining reservations in Spanish.

Phoning home is easier with telephones that have been equipped with software to expedite international calls by allowing guests to dial direct to international destinations. All public telephones located throughout Walt Disney World also provide instructions in French, German, Portuguese, Japanese, and Spanish. International calling cards can be found in vending machines located just inside the main entrances to each of the four main parks.

There's also online help at www.disneyworld.com. Once you're on the website, go to the bottom of the screen and click "International Sites."