DISNEY’S always been the best in the world when it comes to the perfect family holiday.

But just when you think the magical people in Orlando can’t come up with anything better, they do.

This time they’ve truly excelled themselves with a Free Dine offer, which means you can arrange a Disney Dining Plan to include all your meals before you step on the plane.

Think how much that will help your holiday budget.

And a current offer from Virgin Holidays and Travel City Direct means all those travelling get a free dining plan and $100 Disney Dollars to spend in the resort.

With 475 places to dine, ranging from fullservice, fine dining establishments, to quickservice restaurants and portable food carts, there can’t be a family on the planet that won’t enjoy the resort food. More than 100 are featured in the Free Dine offer.

And the range of food on offer is certain to surprise anyone with top chefs from around the world, 300 sommeliers and 6,000 different food items available.

While your children may be looking forward to world-class desserts, ice creams and some of the best children’s menus they’ve ever seen, you may be looking forward to the finest seafood, mouth-watering steaks or a top-notch romantic dinner for two .

It may be that another family member fancies sampling some of the breath-taking 200 different varieties of Tequila on offer in Mexico at Epcot or perhaps Mediterranean cuisine at Citricos.

They might be looking forward to perusing the most extensive collection of South African wines in North America during dinner at Jiko – The Cooking Place at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Or perhaps a front-row seat for Epcot’s breathtaking IllumiNations at the oddly-familiar Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room in the United Kingdom at Epcot.

Someone might just want a burger and fries.

My daughter, Carmen, and I spent four days sampling the delights of the food at Disney and, of course, all the thrills and delights of the worldfamous parks.

We enjoyed a stress-free, luxurious flight with Virgin, arriving refreshed, entertained, well-fed and raring to go.

Our base at the Animal Kingdom Lodge was the icing on the cake with an ever-changing landscape from our balcony.

As we watched zebras and giraffes stroll past our window we seemed a world away from thrilling rides: Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, Space Mountain and Test Track.

Equally, while at the parks and amazing Disney waterparks, it was easy to forget the tranquil surroundings of the luxury hotel we were staying in.

When staying at a Disney hotel, it’s like being transported to another world. An efficient transport system whisks you from one amazing location to another without the worry of driving, getting lost or having to plan meals and entertainment.

And the new MyMagic+ bands make life easy and mean you can cast aside tickets, keys, handbags and itineraries.

A little advance planning means everything you need is loaded on to your customised bracelets giving entry to parks and hotel rooms and fast passes to popular attractions. You can charge items to your account and even order pictures just by scanning the clever little device.

Magic Kingdom: If you’ve never been to Disney before, you absolutely must start here. With wellloved characters everywhere you look, the iconic castle, the Festival of Fantasy parade and an impressive collections of rides for all the family, this is the ultimate day out. We enjoyed lunch at Tony’s Town Square before being whisked off to Citricos for a high-quality dinner.

Epcot: The attention to detail in the park’s World Showcase is simply stunning with mini versions of 11 nations surrounding the lagoon. Restaurants, shops and entertainment in each “country” are more than enough to keep everyone amused but don’t miss the fabulous rides including the highspeed Test Track and the enthralling Soarin’ride. I would highly recommend the full-service restaurant in China.

Animal Kingdom: This park is the biggest surprise of them all for new visitors. The 403-acre site boasts a huge array of exotic animals from African elephants, lions and hippos to giraffes, gorillas and rhinos, all seen from authentic safari transport. The park’s also home to Expedition Everest, a hilarious, thrilling rollercoaster which plays tricks with the mind when it switches direction and sends you hurtling through the darkness backwards. A character breakfast with “Safari Donald” was a brilliant start to the day.

Hollywood Studios: Home of the suspensefilled Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the speedy Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania (certain to bring out the competitor in you) and the hilarious Muppet Vision 3D. This is a working studio which makes you feel like a film star.

Dinner at the Hollywood Brown Derby is a must, as is a visit to the Extreme Stunt Show.

Factfile

• The Free Dine offer applies to selected Walt Disney World holidays booked before November 4 this year, for arrivals between January 1 and March 24, 2015 or April 12 and November 30, 2015. There must be a minimum stay of five nights and the plan must be selected for all travellers over the age of three. At Disney Deluxe hotels and villas the plan includes one table service meal, one quick service meal, a snack and a refillable mug per person per day. At Moderate Hotels it is two quick service meals, one snack and a refillable mug. A Deluxe option is also available. The offer is not available at budget resorts.

• Seven nights in Orlando from £1,119pp n Seven nights in Orlando with Travel City Direct, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick direct to Orlando, accommodation at the five-star Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on a room only basis and car hire included starts from £1,119pp.

Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing a standard room and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Price is based on a departure on 15 January 2015. To book: travelcitydirect.com or call 0844 557 6965.