Tips about Disney Dining Plan, Epcot, Kids, Magic Kingdom and Resorts

Stroller rental prices have become outrageous at WDW, and they are way too small for bigger kids! Our solution was to purchase a new stroller that fit our family here at home and sell it when we returned. Our actual spending was only around $25 rather than almost $200 for our 6 night stay. - Joy Clevenger

There is stuff that you can do at Disney that costs no money such as viewing the Electric Water parade, participating in Chip N' Dale's campfire sing-along at Fort Wilderness and watching the movie afterwards and going to Disney Springs just for the atmosphere (fun fountains, entertainment). - Michele Munoz

We went to the Chip and Dale's Campfire Singalong. The event is free. There is singing and dancing for the kids. A gentleman comes out and plays his guitar with Disney type songs. They build 2 fires at each end of the little theater area. You can bring your own marshmallows/smore ingredients. Or you can purchase the makings onsite. If I remember, the S'mores kits were about $12.00. Chip and Dale come around so you can take pictures with your family or get autographs. We missed this the first time we came to Disney but got a chance to participate this last trip. We would recommend this to a family with younger children. My daughter was 12 and still enjoyed it. - Carol Kuhar

I try to go by a craft store before a WDW trip. You can usually pick up a whole tube of glow necklaces or bracelets for a few dollars. I bring it into the park in a diaper bag. Then, when we are waiting for the parade, there is less temptation to by something from those very appealing carts full of light-up merchandise. Last week, while we were waiting for SpectroMagic, we opened up our tube and enjoyed playing with them. Since we had so many, my daughter (age 4) actually passed out a bunch to the kids sitting around us. It was a nice way to spread some magic without spending $8 on a toy. - Valerie Riley

An alternative to face-painting are the temporary tattoos sold at stands throughout the parks. There are a ton of designs and characters to choose from and at a cost of $5-$7 dollars they are a cheaper alternative to the face painting and other experiences like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and hair wraps. Plus, with care, the tattoos can last well over a week instead of washing off in one day. - Kelly R.

We discovered by accident that it's a good idea to take your little one to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique early in your trip. They really work hard to slick back the hair into a sleek, fabulous pony tail. Even after the "do" was done -- the next day or so -- our daughter still had that slicked back pony tail, which saved us tons of time the next several mornings getting ready for the parks. We just left her pony tail alone after taking out all the pins and doo-dads from the boutique. - Rachel Bruce

We saved over $400 by using the Deluxe Dining Plan. We scoured AllEars.Net menus to find which restaurants had food our children would eat and how much each meal would cost with tax and tip. Then we figured out the cost of the plan for two adults and two children, and it was definitely worth it, knowing approximately how much to allot for tips. This can be done with any of the plans, and then meals are paid for ahead of time. When booking with Disney reservationists, it also allows you to make payments over an extended period of time so it isn't so hard on the pocketbook. - Jennifer Keller

As an avid visitor to the world, we have found a few ways to save a buck or two. We have found the dining plan is a money-saver and we do not travel to Disney without it. We just returned from a trip and tried the counter service dining plan and enjoyed it just as much, if not more than, the sit-down dinners. Also, trade in those left-over snacks for some take-home magic! - Jodi from Louisiana

We are going on our next trip in June and are taking advantage of the quick service dining plan. We did our math and it seems like a pretty good deal. We've done the regular dining plan before, but this time around our pocketbooks (and our time... we're only there for five days) couldn't afford it. We'll have to see how we like this dining plan! - Laura Amlung

I have found that over the past several years that it's great to go during the "Free Dining Plan." The schedule works out very well for us. We have not changed our eating habits, only the amount of money we spend. We use the counter service credit for lunch time and then have a nice sit-down dinner (with the table service credit). I still find that paying for the meal plan is still a good savings. - Dianne Spawn

We used the basic Disney Dining Plan this trip. After having a quick-service lunch the first day, we decided we didn't need the dessert that came with our meal. If we were in a place such as Starring Rolls Cafe or Sunshine Seasons, we chose a muffin for our dessert, bagged it up with napkins, forks, and knives and saved it to have for our next morning's breakfast along with a cup of tea we could get with our resort mug. Voila -- free breakfast. - Fran

We just returned from a short trip to Walt Disney World. We had purchased the dining plan and on the last day, each person had two counter-service meals remaining. We found out that last morning that each adult counter service can be "exchanged" for four snacks. Wish we had known this earlier because we ran out of snacks and ended up paying for numerous bottles of water on the last full day. - Nancy

I just finished reading my newsletter, and was especially interested in the letters from families with infants concerning diapers. It reminded me of a lesson that I learned the hard way a few years ago. We were traveling to WDW with our two children, the youngest of whom was 6 months old at the time. In order to save space in our luggage, I decided to only carry with me enough diapers and formula to get us through the day. Whenever we arrive in Orlando, our first stop is always at a local grocery store, where we stock up on bottled water, fruit, snacks, etc. I figured that I would just pick up a large bag of diapers and more formula when I was doing my shopping. I wasn't concerned about finding our particular brand of formula, because it is a very commonly used formula. I didn't have any trouble getting the diapers, but I couldn't find the formula anywhere. I asked a manager for help, and she had never even heard of the brand that was so common at home. I had to read the labels, and pick out another formula that appeared to be similar to what the baby was used to. Luckily, our daughter adjusted well to the new formula, and we all had a great trip. If she had not adjusted well, it could have ruined our trip. Tip for parents: Never assume that the baby items you need will be readily available at WDW or in the Orlando area. This may especially be important if your child must use a specific formula, or needs a certain type of diapers. If your child has sensitive skin, or allergies, you may also want to pack a specific sunscreen, soap or detergent. It's much safer to bring these items from home, or mail them ahead of you to your hotel. - Shannon Barrett

Please share with your readers that they will only find diapers in size 3 and 4 on Disney property. We were staying for 8 days and I decided that bringing all of the diapers I would need would waste valuable luggage space. I figured I would pay a premium price but would just resupply at the gift shop in the hotel. When I realized they only had size 3 or 4 I went on an exhaustive phone search to find something bigger (my 2-1/2 year-old is in size 6, or size 5 in an emergency). I was finally told by the woman at the child care center in Magic Kingdom that I would not find them anywhere - Disney properties only stock sizes 3 and 4. I finally had to take a taxi to Walgreens where they were nearly out of size 5 and 6 as well! I had to buy a brand I wasn't familiar with -- although they worked just fine. - Holly

I have a tip for anyone traveling with a child in diapers. I didn't want to take up space and weight in our suitcases, so I sent a box of diapers and wipes to Pop Century three days before we traveled to Walt Disney World. I called Pop Century and I was told to address the box to my attention with our reservation confirmation number and arrival date and they would make sure it was waiting for me when I checked-in. When I checked-in, I told the Cast Member that I sent a box via UPS, she retrieved the box and told me it would be delivered to our room when the room became available. I plan on doing the same thing when we travel to Walt Disney World in September 2009. - Dan Szczepaniak