'Lean on Me' Star Jermaine Hopkins -- I'm Going to DISNEY WORLD!!! Before Prison

Just days before being sentenced to the crappiest place on earth, "Lean On Me" actor Jermaine Hopkins paid a visit to the most MAGICAL place on earth -- Disney World -- and it was all in an effort to spend some last-minute time with his family.

As we previously reported, Hopkins -- who starred as troubled youth Thomas Sams in the 1989 classic -- was arrested in Arizona back in December for buying 200 pounds of weed from an undercover cop.

Jermaine tells us, he was nervous about spending time in the clink ... so he consulted a pastor in Newark, New Jersey -- coincidentally, Whitney Houston's old pastor -- who advised Jermaine to spend quality time with his family while he still could.

Jermaine took the pastor's advice -- and immediately flew his family down to Orlando to Disney World this week.

Jermaine tells us, it was the first time he and his kids had ever been there -- adding, "We had a great time!"