Tips about Air Travel, Kids, Magic Kingdom, Mousecellaneous and Souvenirs

In a past newsletter you mentioned a product called Who's Shoes ID. I went to their website and ordered the ID tags that you place under the shoelaces in a child's shoes. I can't tell you how much better I felt knowing that if my 7-year-old got separated from us, our cell phone number was on his shoes along with all the pertinent identification information. They were $7.99 each and worth every penny! They come in blue and pink, and velcro together. What a great idea! - Dawn Burger

EDITOR'S NOTE: The website for Who's Shoes ID is: http://www.whosshoesid.com/

EDITOR'S NOTE: Last week we printed a tip about bringing along a pair of nail clippers in your carry-on luggage to cut electrical ties used to "lock" your luggage. Several readers wrote that nail clippers were prohibited in carry-on luggage and would be confiscated when you went through airport security. We thought we'd heard that this rule had changed, so we went to the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) website which has a list of prohibited and permitted carry-on and checked items for air travelers. According to this list, which is apparently current as of April 2011, nail clippers ARE permitted in carry-on luggage:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Things do change, though, so we suggest that you keep current and check the TSA website every time you travel.

Velcro makes a 3/4-inch x 10-foot roll with the hooks on one side and the loops on the other so it sticks to itself. I bought mine in Walmart but I've also seen it in Home Depot. I cut it off in one-foot lengths to attach a mug or folded windbreaker to my belt loop. It has a hundred uses, and rolls up to fit in a pocket or backpack. - Brian Phillips

Do not assume that all ride reviews apply to your child. Our 10-year-old son, who will ride any thrill ride again and again, got off the Haunted Mansion (one of my favorites) and was very upset. - Beth

Did you forget to purchase that special souvenir? Although Walt Disney World does NOT have an Internet shopping site, nor do they have a catalog of park items, they do have a Mail Order Merchandise Department that can get most items for you. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) and may be reached by phone, fax or e-mail.
Telephone: 407-363-6200
Fax: 407-352-6369
Email: [email protected]

Shipping charges are $8.95 to $13.95 for UPS, and $13.95, $18.95, $22.95 and $27.95 for Federal Express charges, depending on the value of the order and the service requested. - Glo from Miami

Epcot - If your kids aren't big enough to ride Test Track go into the gift shop/exit. I thought it was just a gift shop, and I was wrong. My 3-year-old was thrilled to be able to sit in a Hummer and a Saab. All he talks about are the cool cars he played in at Test Track. I am so glad I didn't walk by this attraction. - Robin from Deltona, FL

Epcot - If your kids aren't big enough to ride Test Track go into the gift shop/exit. I thought it was just a gift shop, and I was wrong. My 3-year-old was thrilled to be able to sit in a Hummer and a Saab. All he talks about are the cool cars he played in at Test Track. I am so glad I didn't walk by this attraction. - Robin from Deltona, FL

Our 3-year-old is very scared of fireworks, but she loved Wishes. This year we took the Wishes soundtrack and she listened to it on headphones while we watched our local fireworks. It worked like a charm and made the 4th of July fireworks enjoyable for all. This also works with the Fantasmic! soundtrack. - Konni Liechty

Our trips to Disney are always by plane. I usually check bags because there is too much to fit in a carry-on. I got this tip from my sister: If more than one person is checking baggage, divide your clothes, etc. between the bags. That way if one suitcase is "lost," each of you will have something to wear. (I also make sure to take toiletries, PJs and such in my carry-on.) - Debe Leafe

We took them all home, also, but what we used them for was to "wrap" our everyday photo album with our pictures in it from our vacation! This lets us know exactly which album is our "Disney" album among our other ones. - CapeGoofy5

I also use the Disney plastic bags that I bring home to carry my lunch to work. It helps me have a little bit of the magic here in the frozen tundra of Indiana. - Jude Wood

Another benefit of shipping purchases home is that Florida sales tax won't be applied to the purchase if shipped outside of the state. I'm pretty sure the cash registers take care of it automatically now, as long as the shipping is processed on the same transaction. - Kenn C.

Don't forget that the gift shops will also ship directly to your home. I usually buy water globes and my husband buys steins from Epcot. It's much easier and safer to have them shipped directly to the house, and if I remember correctly it wasn't that expensive. - luvmy2girls

Although lots of people ship home their souvenirs, I usually UPS home most of our clothes. I go to the laundromat, wash them and pack them up in a sturdy box (usually provided by the store from whichever Disney Resort we are staying in). They help tape it up and it goes UPS Ground. That way the kids can play with the souvenirs and/or bring them to school, and our vacation clothes arrive 3-5 days after we do! - Brenda Hawk

Someone mentioned using all those Disney plastic bags to wrap packages. We brought them all home (seemed like thousands!) and the kids use them to bring snacks to school/daycare, transport gym clothes, or anything else needing a quick bag. Not only are they much cuter than grocery store bags, they are a fun reminder of a magical trip. - Amanda