Tips about Air Travel, Food & Beverage and Planning

My 10-year-old son had scout camp this summer. I wanted to include a few essentials in his backpack, but I knew they would end up lost at the bottom. I got a plastic coupon organizer (the accordion wallet type) and put bandages in one section, bug repellant in another, along with hand wipes, sunscreen, etc. It worked so well that I have added the coupon organizer to my "Disney supplies." I think it will keep our trip backpack organized as well! I plan to add in individual packs of over-the-counter medicines. - Beth Spellman

With the necessity of ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) and keeping track of all those reservation numbers, I decided this year to type a list of our reservations. I included the date, time, and name/location. Then I shrunk the text, printed it and laminated it. It was smaller than a credit card! I put a hole in it, placed it on a carabiner and hung it on my backpack. It was always handy and ready for use and easier to make any needed changes! - Marie from Long Island

In response to the recommendation to wear Crocs at the parks, after seeing everyone in Crocs on our trip to Disney in 2006, I decided to wear them on our trip this April. (My kids are quite fans of them as well.) By Day Two, I had blisters on the tops of both feet. At a visit to the nurse for much needed bandages at the Magic Kingdom, she confirmed that quite a few people stop in due to blisters from their Crocs. By the end of the week, my one son had blisters as well. We still love our Crocs, but definitely suggest taking bandages and a backup pair of shoes! - Kelly P.

I purchased an all-inclusive 12-day package for Disney World in November 2010 for travel in March 2011. The total cost of the package including airfare was approximately $9,000. In addition, I purchased the Travel Insurance for $134. We had an extreme family medical emergency five days into our trip and had to fly home. Not only were Disney cast members helpful and understanding, right down to providing us with a voucher for cab fare to the airport, the Disney Travel Company made all the arrangements for our travel home. Disney Travel Company also called me a few days later to help me file a claim for trip interruption reimbursement and for the reimbursement of airfare and medical expenses. I was reimbursed approximately $7,000 in expenses that I would have spent additionally if I had not purchased the travel insurance. The $134 I spent on the travel insurance was the wisest investment I have ever made. I highly recommend purchasing Disney's Travel Insurance when purchasing a Disney package. - deAnna Hellstrom

I wanted to make our family reunion trip special for all involved. Six months before we were to go to Disney World I bought everyone matching T-shirts. I figured we could all wear them one day in the parks. I had buttons made and also a refrigerator magnet that was inscribed with "Our Trip to Disney World 2007." Each family also received a Disney guidebook so everyone could be a part of the planning. Some of our family had never been before. But... the tip I really want to share is to keep the magic alive even after the trip. I decided to make up a 25-question trivia contest and send it to everyone in our party after we returned home. The questions consisted of different aspects of our trip... for example: "What was the name of the director who performed as a street performer in Disney's Hollywood Studios?"; "What ride did we go on first after we entered Magic Kingdom?"; "Where did we all eat for lunch in Animal Kingdom?"; "What section did we sit in when we watched Fantasmic?", etc.

I had a great time making the questions up. I also bought a 2007 Disney magnet before I left. That was the prize for the person who got the most answers correct. My whole family had a lot of fun receiving this in the mail a couple of weeks later (we're spread out between the U.S. and Canada). Not only did they enjoy answering the questions to see if they would win but it also brought back all the wonderful memories of our trip! This certainly made the magic last a little longer. - Heather Willis

We discovered this year a wonderful solution to the problem of shoes and socks getting soaked during trips to WDW during "rainy season." Instead of tennis shoes, wear "Crocs." Don't buy the knock offs you see at Target, etc., because they are not comfortable for walking so much. The original Crocs (although expensive, they are less expensive than good tennis shoes) are rubbery and extremely comfortable. The more you wear them the more comfortable they become because they seem to "mold" to your feet. Rain water washes off of them and your feet remain dry and comfortable. Disney even offers their own Crocs with Mickey holes instead of round ones. They are about $5.00 more than the Crocs in the stores, but we think they are worth it! LOL! - Laura Lester

If you do decide to go in summer (we went in August), take an extra pair of shoes. Afternoon showers can be mini flash floods. We put on ponchos, but streets flooded and our shoes were soaked. I held the dryer door shut for an hour at the Wilderness Lodge because the tumbling sneakers kept popping it open. The Disney magic was that I wasn't the only one. There were several of us having a good time laughing about the situation and comparing days and experiences. - CassyDix EDITOR'S NOTE: It's always a good idea to bring an extra pair of walking shoes/sneakers to Disney. If it looks like it might rain, put on your older or more waterproof shoes leaving the better/drier pair in the room. Sneakers DO take a while to dry but you can stuff them with newspaper and use the room hair dryer to help speed things up.

When you are leaving Disney and you have airline check-in at your hotel, make sure your flight information is accurate. We were leaving Disney, checked in at the resort airline check-in area, and were given boarding passes and a gate number at 10 a.m. At 9:53 a.m., we received a message on our home phone (in New Jersey) that our 2:35 flight had been canceled, but the airlines didn't notify anyone in the Disney resort check-in areas. Needless to say, we weren't checking messages (because we thought we would be home soon) and after sitting at the gate for an hour, they finally posted on the board that the flight was canceled. We were literally stranded at the airport until we managed to find a flight in Ft. Lauderdale, rented a car, drove down, and took the flight home the next day. - Dawn Schwartz

I especially like the calendar creator at www.disney.go.com/magicartist/index_main.html! It was great to mark our Disney trip and count down the days! - Jacqueline

Two tips when eating at El Pirata Y el Perico (especially on hot days): 1) Ask for extra sour cream when you get your entrees (none at the topping bar), the packets are a little small; 2) when on the dining plan, ask them to hold the ice cream bars until after you've eaten. It was 90 degrees when we ate, and the cast member at the window was kind enough to hold ours so we could enjoy them as ice cream rather than soup! - NOTE: El Pirata Y el Perico is only open seasonally - tusportsfan

Though we pack a suitcase within a suitcase for souvenirs, I'm always nervous of going over the 50-pound weight limit for checking a suitcase onto an airline. Suitcases weighing over 50 pounds are typically charged an additional fee. This trip, we purchased a 50-pound fish scale for $5.00 at a local department store prior to packing. The scale has a small hook that can connect to the handle of a suitcase and it has another handle for you to lift the suitcase and scale. We were able to pack and redistribute items where needed to insure that we did not exceed the 50-pound limit. - Denny Shealer

If you are going to Disney to celebrate a wedding, I have some suggestions of what to bring from home. I was told to bring white chalk just in case the bride's dress gets [dirtied] by the seagulls. (It happened to my niece at a beach wedding.) My daughter-in-law used the chalk when something spilled on her dress, but other options include Wite-Out or a Tide to Go pen. Another good idea is to pack a needle and thread in case buttons are loose on tuxes, etc. - Jean

For character breakfasts, I would recommend letting girls wear their princess dresses to the princess meals because it helps with the magical aspect of it. However, on extremely hot Florida days, try putting it on over their clothes a few minutes before your reservation or once you are seated. It will only take a moment and it will save the headache of your child whining about being hot. I put my daughter's dress on her after we sat down because I watched a slew of little girls crying outside while waiting in their hot and heavy dresses. - Mendy776

Here is my new favorite tip for air travel. I hate to pay a fortune for mediocre food at the airport. So I pack a "soup cup" in my carry-on bag, along with a plastic spoon and a few crackers or snack bar. These single-serving cups of dried soup mix are available at most grocery stores and are very affordable. They take up a lot of room, but they are much easier to transport than a sandwich. On the plane, I ask for two cups of hot water, stir it into the cup of soup, and then I have a hot meal, generally much cheaper than the airport fare! I often pack a cup for the return trip as well. It's especially good if you have allergies. Warning: the quality does vary among different brands, so try several. - Audress D. Johnson

While at WDW last week I found out that most of the Swan and Dolphin restaurants give a 20 percent discount when you show your AAA card. Exceptions are Il Mulino, bluezoo, Shula's, and Kimono's. - Michelle Buchecker

EDITOR'S NOTE: We double-checked this and found out it's true! Be sure to bring those AAA cards with you. Also, Disney Vacation Club Members get a similar 20 percent discount at the Swan and Dolphin restaurants. Kimono's does participate in the discount program, however.