Tips about Disney World Dining, Kids, Planning and Resorts
I found a tip that sounds really good especially if you are traveling with little ones. Get a pizza box for each child and you can store crayons, paper and color book in there and they can use the box as a desk when riding in the car. Crayons don't roll around the car and when done it all goes back into the box. I think you could just go to your local pizza store and ask for a clean unused box. - Suzy Kozicki
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Our most recent trip to Disney was a very busy one between extra activities and dinner reservations. Before leaving home, I prepared a schedule, which upon arrival I posted on the fridge (we stayed in a villa) with magnets I brought from home. This way, everyone knew where and when they needed to be somewhere. - Ann
Port Orleans Riverside - I go to the gym daily, it's part of my lifestyle. As you know, gyms are only located in the deluxe resorts in Disney. Last trip we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and I advised the concierge there that I would be staying at Port Orleans Riverside next trip and asked about gym accommodations. I was told that I could attend any gym for a $35 fee that would cover my entire length of stay. When we checked into Port Orleans Riverside recently, I inquired about the gym fee, and was told that guests staying at Port Orleans can use the gym at Saratoga Springs at no charge! This was an extra savings that was unexpected! - Linda A. Graffagnini
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Don't be afraid to use GoLynx, the public buses serving Orlando. Using the No. 50 gets you to Seaworld and I-Drive from the Ticket and Transportation Center and Disney Springs. The No. 111 is a direct bus to the Florida Mall. It's cheap, reliable and punctual, and way cheaper than shuttles or taxis. - Diane
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Know the theme park closing schedule and schedule your non-hotel dinners before the buses make you route to Disney Springs to get back to your "home" hotel. We went from Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) to Disney Springs and back to All Star Music. That occurred starting at 10:45 p.m. We didn't make it to bed until just before 12:30 a.m. Fortunately we didn't have to be at Typhoon Lagoon until 10 a.m. the next day. - Rudy Costa
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sometimes it is in your best interest to use the taxi service for late evening transportation from resort to resort. Cost is usually under $20.
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Even though my children (ages 11 and 8) have just returned from their sixth trip to WDW, there are still so many things we haven't done -- and not just the EXTRA things like the water parks. So now in addition to our must-do list, we put together a "New Things to Do" list. With each trip we try to do a few new things. This trip we tried California Grill and Teppan Edo, met Jiminy Cricket in Animal Kingdom, and actually used our rain ponchos in the rain! We are revising and adding to our lists for our next trip. - Janice Dion
My children love looking for "hidden Mickeys." We have discovered a way to practice searching while at home. We realized that there are a number of hidden Mickeys placed in the Playhouse Disney show, "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." Apart from the more obvious ones, there are other Mickeys in the backgrounds of scenes that are more subtle and fleeting, but every bit as legitimate. Sometimes we even go so far as to try to count how many we can find in each episode! - Chris Morris
My family has been going to WDW since 1971, so needless to say there are occasions when we are looking for things to do that are outside of the parks, but still in the World. After I read Jack Spence's article on thinking "outside the box," my family came up with this idea that we are going to do over the Labor Day weekend. Prior to our trip we will put the names of the three monorail resort hotels in a hat and each of us will draw a name. Then, on our first evening, after dinner, we will ride the monorail, stopping at each resort hotel, and the person with that hotel name will get to select a "dessert" at a quick stop location to share with the group back in our hotel room. No one knows what was selected and it continues the party well into the evening after leaving the parks. - Betsy Vancura
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
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Some trips to Disney may not include all members of your family, such as the special trip my cousin took her oldest daughter on due to meeting goals with the Girl Scouts. The younger daughter had to stay home. I just had to share what my cousin did for the one at home: She created a gift bag that contained one gift for each day they would be gone. She was allowed to open one gift per day. She was thrilled to receive a gift card to go out to dinner with Grandma, a bracelet, a picture frame with her and Mom in the photo and more! We got an update each night regarding which gift she discovered that day. This was a great way to show that we were thinking of the one left at home, and for her to have some magic of her own. - Shawna Mott
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
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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
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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
