Tips about Epcot, Extra Magic Hours, Mousecellaneous and Planning

ALL PARKS - We just got back from WDW, and want to let everyone know the new Extra Magic Hours (nighttime) and special ticketed events, be sure to have your Magic Band or hard ticket handy as you may be asked to show you are staying at a resort or have tickets for an event.

Food & Wine Festival - This will be my fourth year in a row going to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. My husband and I enjoy all of the sights, sounds, and definitely the food that this festival brings to our favorite park. My number one tip is to print out all of the food booth information from AllEars.Net ahead of time and place those printouts in a pocket, purse, or bookbag to bring with you to the park. This has saved us so much time and sanity trying to see what each booth has to offer. We have found that several people crowd around the signs displaying the food and wine selections at each booth, and with the printouts, you will already know what the booth is offering and can get straight in line. This will also allow you to plan on how much money you will be spending in the park. Also, we found that weekdays were less crowded and so you are able to enjoy more food and activities without having to wait in line in the hot sun. And if you're staying in Disney, going to Epcot during the Extra Magic Hours will allow you to avoid the crowds and enjoy the nighttime festivities at the park. This festival is our absolute favorite time of year to visit Epcot. It provides so much culture and fun to an already outstanding park. - Rachel

Food & Wine Festival - Most people don't realize that the Food & Wine Festival stands have a "sneak peek" on the day before the Festival officially opens. It was a great time to sample the food and wine offerings with little or no wait... - Elaine P.

Forgive me for recycling these old tips I learned a few years ago. I am a planner and before I leave home (UK), I prepare all my "mousekeeping" tips in separate envelopes with a little message of thanks and the date to be given. This saves a great deal of time -- more time for the World -- and a lot of scrabbling in purses and wallets for the requisite amount. Before travelling and when changing my currency I always ask for small denominations so I am prepared for those immediate gratuities (luggage, valet parking, etc). I am already writing my envelopes for our next trip, September '08 -- Boardwalk Villas!

We took a short trip to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and it rained quite frequently. We have two children in strollers, and the best thing we bought prior to the trip were two $10 stroller covers. Our girls were comfortable and dry, even when it was pouring and windy. There were a lot of people using ponchos, but we noticed that they did not stay on the strollers like ours did. When it stopped raining, we put them in the storage area under each stroller (ours are the larger umbrella strollers). - Angie

If you're a teenage girl (like me) and you're going to Disney, bring your cellphone or iPod with you! It's nice to be able to listen to your music while waiting in line. Another thing: make sure you put your name and address on everything -- with iPods or mp3 players, stick some white tape on the back and write your info with a pen or marker, because Disney will return items if they find them! - Stephanie

If you're a teenage girl (like me) and you're going to Disney, bring your cellphone or iPod with you! It's nice to be able to listen to your music while waiting in line. Another thing: make sure you put your name and address on everything -- with iPods or mp3 players, stick some white tape on the back and write your info with a pen or marker, because Disney will return items if they find them! - Stephanie

If you're a teenage girl (like me) and you're going to Disney, bring your cellphone or iPod with you! It's nice to be able to listen to your music while waiting in line. Another thing: make sure you put your name and address on everything -- with iPods or mp3 players, stick some white tape on the back and write your info with a pen or marker, because Disney will return items if they find them! - Stephanie

I saw the tip in the June 3 newsletter about the reusable tote bags Disney now has in stores for those who don't like getting all the plastic bags. However, I have a tip about those plastic Disney bags. I have a Disney-themed bathroom and the medium-sized bags fit perfectly in the wire wastebasket I have in there, so I take them home and store under the cabinet to use in my wastebasket to keep it clean. The neat Disney design shows throught the wire and goes great with my decor. - Sharon McMurray

Epcot - We are currently planning a trip to Disney. There are two pieces of information I discovered while making reservations that I would like to share, one about the spa and one about diving in The Seas in Epcot. Being a plus-sized woman, I asked about robe sizes available at the spa, and was delighted to learn that they have robes up to size 5X. In the past, I have brought my own robe so as not to be surprised by a robe that wasn't comfortable. Also, when making reservations to dive in the Living Seas, I was informed that wet suits were available to size 5X. Another wonderful surprise! Good information for visitors who may have ruled out this experience for fear of not fitting into a wet suit! - EL

Epcot - We are currently planning a trip to Disney. There are two pieces of information I discovered while making reservations that I would like to share, one about the spa and one about diving in The Seas in Epcot. Being a plus-sized woman, I asked about robe sizes available at the spa, and was delighted to learn that they have robes up to size 5X. In the past, I have brought my own robe so as not to be surprised by a robe that wasn't comfortable. Also, when making reservations to dive in the Living Seas, I was informed that wet suits were available to size 5X. Another wonderful surprise! Good information for visitors who may have ruled out this experience for fear of not fitting into a wet suit! - EL

While visiting Walt Disney World recently I made it a point to thank the cast members who were stuck in the bathrooms, keeping them clean, and/or those picking up the garbage in the park. I let them know that we really appreciate them keeping things clean. The smiles from these often-unappreciated workers made my day, as you can see how much they appreciated being recognized. - Bonnie Lorenzetti

Going through the metal detectors at the park entrances, you have to remove celebratory buttons and put them in the little bins with other metal objects. This can be a pain, especially if you're park-hopping! Consider wearing buttons on a lanyard or bag strap to make it easier to take them on and off. - Gilly R.

Epcot - If you've been to Le Cellier you already know there's more to the Canada pavilion than the beautiful landscaping. But I walked through the garden in Canada for years without ever noticing the wooden walkway that takes you through the waterfalls behind this wonderful setting. Don't miss it! - Emily Pickle

Epcot - If you've been to Le Cellier you already know there's more to the Canada pavilion than the beautiful landscaping. But I walked through the garden in Canada for years without ever noticing the wooden walkway that takes you through the waterfalls behind this wonderful setting. Don't miss it! - Emily Pickle