Tips about ChildId and Food & Beverage

We just returned from a week at the World. I had read more than once that the refillable mugs were a must purchase at the resort so we picked up a couple on our first day. Between the drinks included with meals and using snack options to purchase water at the parks, we did not make use of them at all. We did spend a few partial days at the resort pools, but did not have them with us to fill up at the right times. The tip here is: unless you plan to spend a lot of time in your resort, the drink options offered with the meal plans may be sufficient. - Jennifer

At the Liberty Tree Tavern, the mugs that you drink from are also for sale. They cost $5 and they are boxed and bagged for you when you leave. Just ask your server when paying for your meal. It is a cheap souvenir that lasts a lot longer than toys and t-shirts. They are very sturdy and can easily withstand several washes in the dishwasher. - Victoria Tester

Before buying milk in a container at your resort's counter service restaurant, check the price of milk in your resort's gift shop. We found the gift shop price of milk to be less expensive at the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge. - Wendy

As a followup to the information about soy milk availability in Walt Disney World: All four of my children are lactose-intolerant, so I have discovered that most grocery stores carry soy milk in cartons that don't require refrigeration. Some wholesale clubs (BJs, Costco) carry single serving soy milk (like juice boxes), which again do not require refrigeration. We have often brought this with us for our children. - Jeanne Sacks

My 20-month-old son is lactose-intolerant and I wanted to share the places that we went that offered Silk soy milk: Port Orleans (French Quarter and Riverside); Chef Mickey's; 50's Prime Time Cafe. Here is a list of other sit-down restaurants we ate at that didn't have any soy milk options: the Crystal Palace; Biergarten; Mama Melrose's; All Star Cafe; Planet Hollywood. Also, no counter service restaurants we visited had soy milk. I hope this helps anyone with a soy milk kid! - Tammy Rother

Disney's Hollywood Studios - We discovered the delicious blue crab wonton appetizer at the Hollywood Brown Derby recently. It's a generous portion of crab, bundled along with cucumber, tomato and a slightly hot wasabi aioli in a deep-fried wonton wrapper. It was the perfect start to a wonderful meal. - Linda

We just rented a cabin at Fort Wilderness and thought we would pass on some tips. We ordered water and drinks, along with eggs and cold cuts from an Orlando grocery delivery service. We also had room in our checked luggage for some groceries, condiment packs and little pouches of basic spices (sea salt, fresh pepper, garlic powder). The cabin's kitchen has about everything you need, but you might want to pack a small sharp kitchen knife, and if you plan to fry anything, know that the pan is stainless steel and not nonstick (VERY non-nonstick!). Stop at your local sub shop and pick up some oil packets (canola or extra virgin olive) and throw them in a zipper-top bag in your checked luggage. Being able to throw together breakfast in the morning is a great time- and money-saver, and having a late-night turkey sandwich and chips on the couch is a bonus. - Brian Phillips

After doing Disney for years and years we decided to do a photo scrapbook of Disney Dining... We started doing just the desserts everywhere we ate; now we've added other edible items of interest and fun. We're hoping to add some Happiest Celebration desserts to the album in May! - Betsy Vancura

I have a 2-year-old who doesn't eat much. The kids' meals at the counter service restaurants are always too much for her, and we feel like we're wasting our money. One day we discovered that we could order a SIDE order of macaroni and cheese for only $1.79 (at Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom). It wasn't on the printed menu, but when we asked, they had no problem ringing it up. I am sure we could do this at most other counter service restaurants as well. This saves us from wasting money and food! - Renee Lunsford

The nametag idea for lost children/parents is a good idea; however, it might be good to let people know that they also sell a similar nametag at several stores in the parks that are personalized with names. They are a little different than the Cast Member tags, but a child could get confused. - Jody Wickett

EDITOR'S NOTE: Good point, Jody. A Cast Member friend of ours concurs: "Parents come up to us all the time to point out our nametags to their kids. Invariably they say something like, "If you are lost, look for someone with a Disney nametag." I like to point out to them that children with lost parents should look for someone with a WHITE Disney nametag, as Disney does offer personalized nametags in our merchandise locations that are similar to the real ones, and these can be purchased by anyone. It's the white ones (with the current celebration, like "Happiest Celebration on Earth") that will be worn only by a Cast Member."

After reading your information about "lost parents", it made me think of our last trip to Disney. My then 2-1/2 year-old daughter got separated from us -- she just walked quietly away, while we were looking at our map. This happened as we were exiting the Magic Kingdom and immediate panic struck me, because she could have been headed toward a bus, a boat or the monorail. I immediately alerted any Cast Member I could find and then a "tourist" walked over to me and offered to go back into the park to look for her, while my husband searched outside the gate. I thought to myself, "How nice of this man to take time out of his vacation to help a stranger." Sure enough, our daughter was standing right inside with a crowd around her. I thanked the man for taking the time to help me and then he explained to me that he was an undercover security guard. He told me that there are many people like him all through the parks, just looking for cases like this. That made me feel relieved to know that there are people looking out for our kids! - Cindy Boyer

We printed dog tags at Wal-Mart for about $5, then laced them through the kids' shoelaces near the toe so they wouldn't come off if their shoe was untied. The tags had names and cell numbers on them and the children were told to show the numbers to a Cast Member. My children were both old enough to know our numbers but the tags gave us both a little extra sense of peace. This is a cheap and easy way to make your little ones safe. - Heather Pitts

EDITOR'S NOTE: Now with Magic Bands you can write your cell number inside of the band.

As a former Disney College Program Cast Member, I had a family approach me one day while I was standing on Main Street, and the mother asked if she could borrow me for a second. I said yes, and she proceeded to point out my name tag and costume to her young daughter saying, "OK, sweetheart -- if you ever become separated from Mommy and Daddy, look for someone with one of these, OK? They will help you." I thought this was a very good idea because it lets kids know that there are people throughout the park who they can trust to get them back to their parents.

Also, along the missing parents subject, I had a young girl come up to me one day whose father had become lost. As I was talking with her, she pulled out a laminated card from her lanyard, and handed it to me. The card had her name, her parents' names, and also her father's cell phone number. She had been told by her parents to give the card to a Cast Member should she become separated from the rest of the group. This card helped us find her parents very quickly. I know it may be a bit of a hassle to write that information down and figure out how to attach it to your child, but believe me, if you are ever separated from your child, you will be SO glad that you took the time. It makes reuniting families so much easier and quicker! - Ann

EDITOR'S NOTE: We wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion to familiarize young children with what Cast Member nametags look like. Just last weekend, ALL EARS(R) Researcher Kenny says he saw two separate "lost parent" incidents in Disney's Animal Kingdom, and adds that it might also be helpful to point out certain Cast Member costumes. "Guest Relations, Custodial, Outdoor Vending and Security tend to have similar costumes parkwide," he notes. "All Cast Members with nametags can help (and can at least make sure the child gets to an appropriate Cast Member). And all Cast Members with radios should be able to transmit a lost child bulletin parkwide to all other Cast Members with radios."

After having almost missed dinner because we did not have our confirmation number and they could not find us in the computer, I now keep all of our confirmation numbers, dining places, and times in the calendar on my cell phone. That way when I am in the park I have dining reservations literally a fingertip away -- no more forgetting them in the room. - pigget74

As a vegetarian I was very concerned when my family wanted to go to the German pavilion in Epcot to have supper. Germans are known for their love of meat! I went in and asked the man at the front about vegetarian choices. He turned out to be the chef, who asked me what I liked to eat and then told me to get anything I would like from the buffet and he would be back. Oh my gosh, he came back with the best pasta dish I have ever eaten in my life! (I tried to coax him home with me, but to no avail.) If you don't see anything that you prefer on the buffet line, just ask. We now stop here every year when we come. - Lori Beros