Tips about Characters, Kids, Magic Kingdom, Planning and Souvenirs

Here's a tip for traveling with a young child. We recently returned from Disney World with our grandson who turned 3 while we were there. I had taken his own toddler fork and spoon with us and it made mealtimes so much easier for him. The adult size cutlery is so big and cumbersome for such small hands. - Audrey G.

Getting out of the hotel room door can be a challenge if you have a child who takes about an hour trying to figure what she wants to wear and then another half-hour getting ready. I solved this problem for my daughter on a surprise trip with a friend. I wasn't going with her so I didn't want my friend to have to experience the same problem I did when we wanted to leave for early entry to the park but could never get out the door on time. I purchased gallon zipper bags with the white area for labeling. I assembled each day's outfit right down to the "unmentionables" in the bags with a happy note written on it. This included what accessories went with the outfit, including the shoes. Since this was a surprise, I wrote a separate letter that included detailed instructions for each outfit ensemble. Not only did my friend have a worry-free time, but my daughter really appreciated the time I put into it. I had such fun doing it, too. - Christine M.

I'm always looking for a way to relive the magic of the parks, so this last trip my family and I purchased a bunch of little inexpensive souvenirs like keychains, magnets, coffee mugs, etc. (A great place to find these is in Disney Springs at Mickey's Mart: Everything $10 and Under.) I left them in the bags, sealed them shut with a Disney sticker, took them home and put them in a box in an out-of-the-way spot. Now every time I need a little Disney Magic I just go to the goodie box, pull out a bag, and it takes me right back to my favorite place in the world. I also made one for my son -- he loves to go to the magic box (as he calls it) and get a Mickey Mouse sucker, a small toy, or a Disney book. You could also decorate the box you put the goodies in. It's a fun craft for you and your child to do together. - Linda Wooden

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

I am adding to a tip in the October 17 newsletter regarding shipping of merchandise from your resort. We just returned from a weeklong stay at the Wilderness Lodge and had a large box (weighing 29 pounds) shipped home on the morning of our departure from the WL. When we first inquired about shipping rates, we also were rather stunned to find out the outrageous cost. The gift shop (going strictly by dollar amount of items shipped) would have cost us $76. We were instructed (for comparison) to see what the cost would be to ship through the front desk instead. Going through the front desk was much cheaper -- $23 UPS -- and our merchandise arrived at our home about three days after we did. We chose UPS, but they also ship FedEx and DHL. - Debbie

ALL PARKS - The last time we went to Disney World, we took along the cards from Trivial Pursuit Junior. My wife kept some in a zipper-type bag in her purse and when we had a long wait in line or were waiting for the buses to take us back to the hotel, she would get them out and we would have an informal trivia game. Many times we would involve other kids in line or on the bus and it was a great way to pass the time. Of course, Disney trivia cards would be a natural alternative. - Dave Ference

By the sixth day of our WDW vacation, our 6-year-old daughter had lost her stamina, and was walking very slowly and lagging behind the rest of the family. We were at Epcot that day and had stopped by Guest Relations when we first arrived to make a dining reservation. They had given our daughter a long, thin balloon (the kind that are normally twisted into shapes, though this one was not). The balloon temporarily lifted her spirits, but soon afterwards she was back to walking slow and falling behind. My husband came up with the idea that the balloon holder was the "line leader." This turned out to be a great idea! My daughter loved playing the role of "leader," marching ahead and holding her balloon high in the air for us to follow. This simple game kept its appeal for most of the morning, upon which time her energy had returned and she was back to her usual, energetic self for the rest of the day! - Mindi S.

Be forewarned that shipping charges at the resorts have skyrocketed. The manager and cashier could not figure out why my items, which were $15.95 to ship previously, rang up at $112.95! It took about 30 minutes before they found out about the new rate charts. The shipping is based on retail price, not weight. Mailing home souvenirs is no longer cost-effective. We bought a new suitcase instead. - Sandy Schneider

ALL PARKS - While standing in lines for rides that might have a long wait, my children bring along a deck of cards and take turns playing magician and guessing which card the other one picked. They also have a note pad each to write on and I get them to write down their favorite part of the day so far. Having some small snacks on hand also helps to keep them from getting bored. We bring animal cookies, crackers etc. -- nothing that is too messy. - Jackie Pluim

ALL PARKS - While standing in lines for rides that might have a long wait, my children bring along a deck of cards and take turns playing magician and guessing which card the other one picked. They also have a note pad each to write on and I get them to write down their favorite part of the day so far. Having some small snacks on hand also helps to keep them from getting bored. We bring animal cookies, crackers etc. -- nothing that is too messy. - Jackie Pluim

ALL PARKS - While standing in lines for rides that might have a long wait, my children bring along a deck of cards and take turns playing magician and guessing which card the other one picked. They also have a note pad each to write on and I get them to write down their favorite part of the day so far. Having some small snacks on hand also helps to keep them from getting bored. We bring animal cookies, crackers etc. -- nothing that is too messy. - Jackie Pluim

My daughter, Kathleen, had a wiggly tooth on our recent trip to Disney World and the Tooth Fairy normally leaves her a gold dollar in return for her tooth. However, the Tooth Fairy had a momentary lapse about Kathleen going to Disney World and left the gold dollars at home. After searching high and low for a gold dollar, the Tooth Fairy was about to give up when a Cast Member suggested a Disney Dollar. Lo and behold, here was the answer! The Tooth Fairy went searching and found a wonderfully crisp Cinderella Disney Dollar to place under the pillow. Not only was my daughter thrilled to get a Cinderella Disney Dollar, but it also has this year's imprint on the dollar. Additionally because she was at WDW, the Tooth Fairy obviously thought that losing the tooth there meant an even more special reward. My daughter is still talking about her Disney tooth. - Roxanne

For everyone taking souvenirs home, be careful what you choose when flying. We decided to purchase a princess cup that had the floating glitter and water inside the glass and packed it in our carry-on with the rest of the things we purchased. Well, the airlines considered that a liquid and it couldn't be in our carry-on. It was too late to put it in with our luggage because it had already been checked in, so we had to consider it as a loss. So, when buying this kind of souvenir remember to pack it in with your luggage or go with one of the many other cute cups they have! - Lisa P., and several other readers