Tips about Characters, Magic Kingdom, Planning and Resorts

MAGIC KINGDOM - When two showings of a parade are offered at the Magic Kingdom in an evening, the second is almost always much less crowded and just as nice! - Timeless Tip o' the Week brought to you by www.themouseforless.com and Mike Boyer

ALL RESORTS - If you are staying at a Disney resort, dial '0' from your room phone and ask the operator to connect you to Mears or any local Disney number. It'll save $0.75 per call. - Timeless Tip o' the Week brought to you by www.themouseforless.com and Laura B.

Instead of an autograph book, have the characters sign a T-shirt with a Sharpie marker. The shirt must either be a Disney shirt or plain, and it cannot be signed while it is being worn. To stabilize the shirt so characters can sign, place a folded rain poncho in a zip-top bag for use as a writing board. A hat can also be used for autographs. - Loma

Before buying the guidebooks, try your local public library. Most libraries have extensive sections of travel books. If your local library doesn't have the book you want, they might be able borrow it from another library. If you decide to buy a guidebook anyway, borrowing from the library first can give you a good idea which book or books are best for your needs. - Becky

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE - Each night at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, a Cast Member speaks about his or her own country in one of the lounges. They have storytelling each night outside around the Arusha fire pit, too (unless it's raining). - Jennifer

My favorite autograph book idea is to buy one of those small-sized, single photo per page photo albums (available in Disney designs at various locations throughout Walt Disney World). Buy some large-sized index cards. Have each character sign the unlined side of one index card. Be sure to take the child's photo with the character. Each evening, have your child write what he/or she liked best about meeting the character or even what they did that day at the park or ate at the restaurants. When you get home from your trip, you might even consider letting your child decorate borders around the character signatures or add stickers. Now assemble the photo album by inserting the index card on one side of a page and the photo with the character on the other. Binnie Betten

ALL RESORTS - Some of the resorts have life vests (child size) that you can use for free at the resort pools during your entire stay. One year we stayed at Beach Club (prior to my daughter learning how to swim), and were told she couldn't go down the slide with the vest on. So she worked really hard and learned how to swim that summer. I just wanted to let you know that there may be some things your child won't be able to do if they are unable to swim "unassisted." Mary W

Mini M&M's tubes are great for storing quarters (and pennies)! I buy the candy for my daughter and when she's done, I "steal" the tubes. Every few days, I fill one up with quarters, and put it in my WDW luggage. When we get to WDW, I'll put one of each (pennies and quarters) in my waist pack each morning, and I don't have to dig through my pockets for change. I also put change tubes in the car so we'll be ready to pay those pesky tolls. I'm ready to press some pennies, y'all! -Ksumn1

There are character greeting spots in every park -- just check the guide maps for locations. You can purchase the autograph books in any gift shop. Here are tips I recommend for autograph seekers:

1. Have the page ready for the character to sign before your turn.
1a. That goes for cameras, too! Have the flash charged and camera ready to go!
2. Some characters have a hard time holding thin pens, so have a thick pen or marker handy.
3. You can combine the photos with the signatures by leaving the left side of every page blank. You can leave the first page blank to commemorate the trip date. Decorate with stickers or color.
4. Prime locations to see characters: MK - Town Expo Hall (right next to Tony's Restaurant on Main Street). Epcot - World Showcase. AK - Camp Minnie-Mickey or even right outside the park's entrance plaza. Disney's Hollywood Studios - Mickey Avenue, near Pizza Planet, and at the Backlot Theater.

Locations may change, so verify the greeting spots on the park maps! - Lori

I have an important tip for all of you taking a trip during the fall rainy season. My husband and I went last fall and found that one pair of tennis shoes is not enough. If you get caught in a rainstorm, you might be fine in wet shoes the rest of the day, but when you put them back on later that night, it makes for uncomfortable dancing! Buy and break in that second pair of shoes so you have something to wear around while your wet shoes dry.Christie

I will not travel without Ziploc bags, scissors, thread, first aid supplies, a list of everyone's phone numbers, medical cards, an old pair of prescription glasses (in case I break the ones I wear), clothes pins for the hotel room curtains, earplugs (to block out the snoring husband!) and two small flashlights. One other thing I must take is extra instant coffee, creamer and one of those gizmos that will heat just one cup of coffee rapidly. Lynette

ALL PARKS - In regards to having bags and whatnots inspected at the parks, the best thing is to have all pockets and pouches opened. Also, if you have a dayplanner or something similar, have that unzipped, too. When we went to Disneyland recently (to see the new Haunted Mansion Holiday), my husband was asked to open his dayplanner for them to inspect. When we park-hopped over to DCA, he was ready for the inspection process and dutifully had everything unzipped and ready to be looked at. - Milady

FORT WILDERNESS - If you're staying at Fort Wilderness or any of the resorts on Bay Lake and plan on staying to the Magic Kingdom until closing, take the ferry back to the buses, rather than trying to take the resort launches or monorail. We found this to be a much faster and less crowded method. - Jennifer Smith

Characters from Chef Mickey's signed postcards for our little friends back home. The characters were more than happy to sign autographs for my nephew and other small friends on postcards. We purchased the postcards with a specific character on them. The postcards were a hit back home because they got mail from Mickey and Minnie! - Diane Parker

We've been to Disney World almost every year since my son was 4 years old and have gone to a character meal that has Tigger each time. Of course, pictures with the characters have been taken. Not only do they help record the great times we've had, but I've put together a collage showing my son going from barely waist-high on his orange-striped friend to being a bit past Tigger's shoulder. We're going this year in December and even though he'll be 15, my son's still game for that "Hey, Mom!" picture! - Liz Myrato