The first of a series of articles dedicated to helping you survive your next trip to the theme parks.

Pack And Save ... Money AND Trouble
It’s usually a good idea to bring along a fully stocked backpack. (Bring two if you want--most parks provide conveniently located, reasonably priced lockers where you can store those extra necessities.) Packing your own drinks and food saves both time and quite a bit of money. (Having snacks will also help you keep the littler ones under control.) Additionally, you can store any special medications, money and much needed sunscreen.

Honey, Where's the Car?
A simple, but often overlooked, trouble saver will be to write down exactly where you left the car. Generally the parks divide their lots into sections, all with easily recognizable names. (Disney, for instance, names them after their famous animated characters.) Disney World’s Magic Kingdom parking lot has over 11,000 spaces by itself, so don’t underestimate the amount of frustration keeping track of your vehicle can save.

Tickets Can Be More Useful Than They Appear
A lot of theme park entrance tickets will provide you with discounts on parking, food and souvenirs outside the park. It’s always a good idea to check out what benefits they may provide. Many parks (the Six Flags chain is especially known for this) will provide Family Passes, a group of tickets bought at a discounted price. (You can usually buy them for groups of people without the same last names.) Why not split the cost with your friends and save?

Over And Out
Two-way radios aren’t just for cops and soldiers anymore. Many families are finding they are great way to split up those with different interests, while still keeping track of everyone in the group. Their popularity is growing and you can pick up a set at your local electronics store for great prices. Radios selling for as little as $50 can provide up to a mile or so range.

Why Wait?
Park owners are increasingly coming to the realization that attraction lines don't benefit anyone. (They would much rather keep you browsing their shops and restaurants, instead standing stagnate all day.) Both Disney and Universal have started implementing new systems to nip the long lines. Disney's "Fast Pass" puts electronic turnstiles near the entrances to some of the more popular attractions. (Really nothing more than themed "ticket-takers" found in parking garages.) Insert your regular park ticket, and a receipt is spit out detailing a specific window of time in which you can board with little or no wait. For these selected attractions, you’ll find two lines: one for standby and another for Fast Pass holders. Universal's "Express" works a little differently. Guests staying in one of their Orlando resort hotels are given instant access to the most popular attractions, early admission, and a host of other privledges. So far the parks are seeming mixed results from their new systems, but they should still cut down on the amount of time you wait.