Tips about Disney Dining Plan, Epcot, Kids, Planning and Resorts

We will be going to WDW for our 19th trip in two weeks -- can't wait! One of the best tips we can offer is to definitely go to the parks at night -- they all look so different as the sun goes down. The sun setting and the darkness coming -- it really brings out the beautiful lighting and colors of the parks. Animal Kingdom will be open in the evenings when the Rivers of Light show debuts in 2016. I just wish Walt Disney could come back for one day and see the beauty and magic that he created! - Trudy

I just read through your Tips database and didn't see the one thing we use for keeping our kids safe -- temporary tattoos that you can order with a variety of messages. We have my cell phone number on ours, but you can also have them blank (so you can fill in your resort number) or with a specific allergy. I say "temporary" because we have to use maybe two per child for our entire trip -- they DO NOT come off easily, even when wet. - Kim P.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Do an internet search on "child safety tattoos" to find the various companies that manufacture these temporary tattoos -- there are several!

Pop Century - If staying at the Pop Century Resort, you might want to bring along a noise maker or a fan. The rooms are very quiet, not a lot of background air conditioner noise like you get at many hotels. To muffle the sound of people outside, we always bring a fan. - Jenifer Markham

I noticed in last week's AllEars Hears that someone mentioned the removal of the a la carte menu from the Grand Floridian Garden View Lounge's afternoon tea. Be sure if you see something like that to ask about it. We noticed the same thing, but asked and were still able to get everything we wanted a la carte, including the cheese plate (which had disappeared from the menu entirely). They have been changing the tea process and the strawberries and cream are now pre-made and are no longer gluten-free, so always be sure to ask questions every time you go somewhere! - Melissa Barlett

If you feel the cold easily, consider bringing a sweater or sweatshirt! The air conditioning on the buses, and in the restaurants, hotel rooms and indoor attractions can be quite cold. - Kristy

One of the best things I found to buy with the Disney Dining Plan Snack Credits are single serving items at the resort's quick service dining area. We go down to the quick service dining on the first morning and buy a couple bagels, some yogurt, single-serve cereals boxes, single-serve milk, bananas, and muffins. We bring them back to the room and use them for our breakfasts in the room each morning. We never have leftover credits that way and don't have to use a meal credit for breakfast. If you don't have a refrigerator in your room, bring a soft collapsible cooler bag, fill it with ice and put your cold stuff inside, replenishing the ice each morning. - Linda Brantner

When we were at Disney World, we ordered self-contained cereal bowls and other fruit snacks from an online service. They arrived at Pop Century a day or so before us. Pop Century held the packages and delivered them to our room when we arrived. We then picked up milk every morning. It was quick and easy and saved some money. I did not use them all, so Pop Century helped me send the remainder back home. - Brenda Fitzsimmons

We have gone to Walt Disney World every year for the last five years with our two kids (now ages 5 and 10) and I have one "must purchase" item prior to a summertime Disney trip: a personal size water fan -- and extra batteries. The water fans in the parks are around $20, but you can buy your own at home for $5 to $7. If you have a stroller, a clip-on stroller fan is great, too. - Ingrid

We packed small boxes of cereal in our suitcase when we flew to the World. We stayed on WDW property. We got styrofoam cups from the resort food court, and bought milk from the resort convenience store. The kids were able to eat breakfast in our room as soon as they got up. We did not have to use a dining plan for the meal. It allowed us to get to the parks sooner by having things organized this way. As long as the children were fed, we were good to go. It also freed up some space in our suitcase on the way home for some souvenirs. - Dana from Nova Scotia, Canada

If a member of your party likes to wear certain types of pants with fairly loose pockets (i.e., athletic or cargo pants), and carries a wallet, it would be a very good idea before your trip to purchase those small Velcro closures and sew them inside the top edge of the pocket. These are just small round bits of Velcro with adhesive on the back so you can place them where you want them. Then just a couple of stitches to secure the front of the pocket to the back, and you are good to go. The Velcro will come apart easily with just a finger tug. We learned the hard way that wallets tend to pop right out of some pants, especially the very loose and comfortable exercise pants my husband favors for park-wear. Luckily, the wonderful people at Cosmic Ray's were able to find his wallet and return it, but we know next time to add a little security! - Joyce A. Deen

We started planning trips around events so that even if we could only go for a weekend, it was still possible. Just last October, we took in Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. That was our only visit to a park during our three-day stay, but not our only Disney adventure. We visited the Winter Summerland miniature golf for the first time -- what a blast! We also visited a few resorts, eating in some of our favorite locations like the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. Although we enjoy spending four, five, or more days in the park, these shorter trips have meant just as much, and we have plenty of memories! - Shawna

Boardwalk Villas - I have a money-saving tip for all of the BoardWalk hotel guests staying without cars. As DVC members we almost always stay at our home resort, the Boardwalk. We also use Magical Express and never bother to rent a car while there. (Gotta love that free Disney transportation!) Luckily there is a Hess station across the street from our resort entrance. On our first day there my husband and I will unpack one of our large suitcases and wheel it on over to that Hess station where we fill up on gallons of water, bottles of soda, orange juice and beer, plus some snacks and simple breakfast foods to stock our hotel fridge. We may look a little strange loading all that up into a suitcase and walking back to our hotel but we are able to stock up on drinks for a whole week at less than half the cost of the resort. - Erin

Epcot - When your group is tired and thirsty, head to Club Cool in Epcot. You can sample Coco-Cola flavors from all over the world -- for free! - Natalie

Epcot - When your group is tired and thirsty, head to Club Cool in Epcot. You can sample Coco-Cola flavors from all over the world -- for free! - Natalie

We love the Disney dining plan, but have learned that three meals a day, even counter service, can be a bit much, and if one of the meals is a buffet -- calorie overload! We discovered that by having a late breakfast (often snack credits) on a buffet day, we could save that counter-service credit. Then, on our last day, we could use it, plus any leftover snack credits, to get food to take on the plane ride home that afternoon. Earl of Sandwich makes sandwiches that are wrapped well enough to be carried around, and Goofy's Candy company has lots of bags of candy that are one snack credit each. By taking an extra-large tote purse with me, I could carry two sandwiches, two cookies, and whatever candies we got and not have to rely on buying airline food. Next time, we may try combining two of our table-service credits and eating an upscale meal! - Joyce A. Deen