Tips about Disney Dining Plan, Kids, Magic Kingdom, Mousecellaneous and Souvenirs

On a recent trip I discovered that the new "Touch and Go" Key to the World cards (RFID) will work while in a lanyard pouch. However, if you have more than one of the new types of cards together in a pouch or hold them together, the sensors pick up both chips and cannot tell which is which. The cards work if you hold them up to the sensors one at a time, they just cannot be stacked together. - Mark

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!

My new husband and I debated wearing Wedding Ears at Disney. We finally decided against them because of costs, weather, rides, etc., but we wanted people to know were on our honeymoon. No worries. The buttons we received at check-in were enough! Seriously, when going to Disney wear a button! And wear them with pride! Be honest, of course, but the mere symbol that we were celebrating our wedding was enough to have Disney making us feel even more special than we already did! The minute we put on the button, while leaving the Polynesian's Great Ceremonial House, we immediately had well-wishers congratulating us! - Emily Ebersole

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

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

Ever since my son was small, I have purchased Disney plush characters at home, at either a drug store or when The Disney Store has sales. I bring them hidden in our luggage and surprise him with one every day we're at WDW. He believes it's Disney magic that he gets a fun, new toy every day! He doesn't ask for as many toys from the parks and I save a ton of money not having to pay retail prices! - Nancy Cohan

A great way to save money is pre-purchase Disney souvenirs for your kids before you leave for your trip. You can then surprise them every morning with something new. Whether it just be a dollar store Mickey sticker book or a new t-shirt, your child will love it and you will save money! My mother did this on our 1998 trip and to this day I can remember receiving something every morning from a character. - Jessica Stahl

The $1 section of Target and Michaels craft stores always have Disney items. Check out your local Disney Store and Disneystore.com to buy items for the kids before you get there and present them as a gift. I am not going to lie, we still buy stuff at the parks, but give the kids a limit. Also if you drive like we do, check out the Disney outlets in St. Augustine and Orlando. - Michelle G.

I didn't buy our goodies to take home with us until the last day. I know it is tempting to buy everything right away, but if you wait, then when you do buy them, you don't spend more than the budget. - Heather

For someone who wants to visit the parks often and have a souvenir each time without spending a ton of money, postcards are the key! Postcards are like miniature art. Upon your return, they can be framed, made into a collage, or even turned into a border around the room. On the back, you can also write the date or even a message about unique details from that trip. - Crissy Stout

Magic Kingdom - My daughter is 8 years old, and on one of our last trips to Magic Kingdom she asked if we could make a reservation for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. I was unable to get a reservation that fit our schedule. She was understanding, but a little disappointed. We decided to have our older boys experience the barber shop in the Magic Kingdom on the same trip. After we entered the barber shop and the boys were in their respective chairs, a cast member asked us if our daughter wanted her hair "done." They proceeded to put her hair in an up-do, complete with sparkling glitter! She looked like a princess and the up-do was a mere fraction of the cost that the Biddidi Bobbidi Boutique would have charged for a similar hairdo! - Danielle

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

The Disney Dining Plan is a must, especially since we usually get it for free in the fall. We also bring a case of water bottles and cereal to eat in the room for breakfast. - Tammy W.

At the end of our last trip, we had quite a few counter service meals remaining. Since we had a 17 hour drive ahead of us, we went to Disney Springs the morning of our departure. There we used our free dining plan meals that remained. We purchased breakfast pizzas as well as regular pizzas which we later used for lunch [storing them in the cooler and eating cold}. Wolfgang Pucks has great food! This saved us purchasing meals an entire day as we had leftovers. We also earlier in the week spent a day at the coast, using our free dining plan to purchase sandwiches/sides and drinks to take along for a picnic lunch. - Joyce Anderson