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

Only purchase things once. We repack the light-up toys we bought a few years ago. Same with the water bottle lanyards, pin lanyards, etc. Anything that you will repeatedly need each year, SAVE IT. We have a small container that is decorated as the "Disney Box." Since we drive to WDW, it goes with us every year. As soon as we get home, the autograph books, lanyards, light-up toys, etc. go in the box for the next trip. Taped to the underside of the lid is a list that I start replenishing with the very next grocery trip. I choose one or two things each trip, that way it doesn't eat into our budget (extra batteries, rain ponchos, refills for the first aid kit, and snacks closer to the trip). - DShealer

Wilderness Lodge - Select resorts now have a Resort Photo Session that can be booked up to 30 days in advance of your stay. I just called and spoke to Sheri at the Wilderness Lodge Photo Pass Desk (it's in the lobby by the Mercantile) and was quoted the following: 20 minute private photo session at your resort. 2 Packages available: $49.95 includes sitting fee and 7 - 5x7's $99.95 includes above PLUS all the photos they took on a CD/ROM and the rights to the photo's so you can print them up later. I was told that they take no less than 50 pictures, so if this is a special occassion it might just be worth it to get the $99.95 package! - Elizabeth Kozdron

Even if you're not counting calories, skip dessert with your quick service on the Disney Dining Plan and opt for a second beverage. You will greatly appreciate it and it leaves you with a nice ice cream or treat or beverage later in the day. - Rose Ann Nelson

Birthday souvenir idea for Epcot: When we recently went to Epcot for my husband's birthday, I made him a birthday tag (4x6 size) which I laminated and attached to a lanyard (you can find those at a craft store or make your own). On one side, it had his picture superimposed over a picture we had taken from an earlier trip at Epcot, and it said "I'm Celebrating My Birthday at Epcot!" On the back, I listed all the countries in order on the left side, leaving a space between. Then on our visit, as we traveled to every country, he asked a Disney Cast Member to wish him Happy Birthday in their native language! It is one of our favorite keepsakes ever, and we've prominently displayed it in our vacation scrapbook. - Beth Adams

We learned a helpful hint regarding the Standard Disney Dining Plan (counter and table service meals) from one of the wonderful servers at the Port Orleans Riverside Mill Food Court while purchasing dinner on our last evening. Though we had made priority seating arrangements long in advance of our trip, we had canceled a couple of table service meals during our week's stay. This left us with zero counter service meals and four table service meals remaining on our plan on our last day of vacation. We had intended to pay for our counter service meal that evening, but the helpful cast member told us that you can always use a table service credit for a quick service meal (just not the other way around). So we saved $24 that we would have otherwise spent, thinking we had used up our counter service credits. So if you have table service meals left toward the end of your stay with no plans to use them at one of the table service eateries, you can use them at any of the counter service restaurants. Just tell the server you'd like to use table service credits to pay for your meal. We will likely use the Counter Service Dining Plan next trip (the older I get, the less inclined I am to be held to the "tyranny of the spreadsheet" to coin an AllEars® phrase!), but it's comforting to know there is a way to use leftover credits if needed. Thanks again for all that you do to bring us a bit of Disney magic every week! - Laura Lee Mildon

When we leave Disney with all of our souvenirs, they seem to go by the wayside once we get home, so I have started putting all of the "Disney stuff" away in a bag. When we go back to the magical land, it's ready to pack and take back with us. My kids have usually forgotten about everything, so it seems like new and I don't have to repurchase all the stuff. This also works well with Disney plush toys, hats and light-up gadgets. I also like to purchase Disney-related things throughout the year as I see them and add them to the bag. - Deb Gorman

To save on impulse souvenir purchases-shop online and at your local Disney Store ahead of time. I pack a new Mickey item for each child in our luggage and they wake up to a gift left by... Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse, etc. Throw on some glitter and they'll definitely believe the fairies were there. Trading pin sets can also be purchased this way and save you a ton of money. - Angela Manzi

Since your best souvenirs will be your memories anyway, go cheap on the ones you buy. You can collect postcards or pressed pennies for a fraction of the cost of most souvenirs for sale in the gift shops. - Josh

Come up with a souvenir budget and stick to it. On my last solo trip to the World, I gave myself a $50 souvenir budget -- it was a fun challenge to stick to the budget and find great stuff. In fact, I had souvenir money left over! (If you've been several times, you might consider a trip taken without purchasing souvenirs.) Or, skip the extras, like Photopass photos, spa treatments, special tours, etc. I would always prefer to go all-out, but I find a trip to Disney on a budget is better than no trip to Disney at all! - Hilary Sommer

Everyone knows that when you arrive at Disney you want to see everything. It is extremely difficult to predict what the crowds will be like and how fast or slow lines will be moving, though. No one wants to be disappointed by missing out on the one thing they wanted to do the most. We traveled to Disney with my sister's family (at the time they had a 2-year-old) and my family (three children ages 5, 7 and 9). Each night we would sit down and look at the map for the park we were going to the next day. Everyone got to pick one thing that was tops on their list to see (usually there would be duplication) and then everyone got to make two other suggestions. We then ranked them, so everyone's top priority was on the list and then other suggestions, depending on their number of votes, got put on the list after that. Therefore, everyone got to do at least the one thing they were looking forward to doing the most and usually one or two more things that were high on their list. It did take some advanced planning but was well worth it. It also made the kids feel like they were making a significant contribution to the vacation planning. - Heidi Koll-Pio

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