Tips about Epcot, Food & Beverage, Health, Planning and Souvenirs

For your vegetarian readers -- We had dinner last week at the Garden Grill at the Land in Epcot, and I was talking with our server about vegetarian options. Usually I request a child's dinner in addition to the usual family style fare (even though we travel without kids), because it gives me a few more side dishes to snack on. However, the server told me that they are now serving a vegetable couscous for those who want a vegetarian option. He said they had just started offering it. I'm not usually a fan of couscous, but it was wonderful! I also still sampled the sides from the regular dinner plates. I definitely felt like I had a healthier dinner, instead of just filling up on mashed potatoes and mac and cheese! - Shelley

On our way out of the park, my daughter and I spied a silhouette cart down a side alley of Main Street, USA. It was after midnight, but the young woman was still doing silhouettes. We hurried over and she cheerily did one more silhouette for us. We were done in about 15 minutes, and for only about $15 including a frame, I think it's one of the best and most unique souvenirs at Walt Disney World. It's a special keepsake for my 9-year-old daughter of our fun marathon day at Magic Kingdom. - Natalie H.

I make many ADRs for every trip I take to Disney. When it comes to checking in at some restaurants it can, at times, be a noisy, bustling and confusing atmosphere. To make it easier on both myself and the host, I neatly write my name and confirmation number for each ADR on individual sticky notes, which I hand to the host when I check in. I've found that having the information on paper in front of them cuts down on any confusion (about the spelling of my name, etc.) and allows them to look up the reservation more effeciently and quickly. - Juliette Miranda

I travelled to Disney in my sixth month of pregnancy. I found that most rides I could not ride had benches near the exits, sometimes even in the air conditioning! I brought books on tape on my iPod and parked it on a bench! Epcot had great relaxing chairs in the Imagination pavilion, The Land and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. - Amanda

Another use for the flashing hoops, other than hanging them around your neck -- We attracted smiles and positive comments when we attached the light-up/flashing hoops to the wheels of my husband's wheelchair. We fed them through the spokes and as he wheeled along they added a bit of fun and uniqueness. As an added bonus, when moving around the parks after dark (we used them in the Studios and Epcot) they make the chair very visible, especially in crowds. Because they can be turned off, the power cell is fairly long lasting and we have been able to reuse them on our second visit. We're taking them with us to Hong Kong Disneyland in early September, which we are very much looking forward to. - Jo Cowan

I have been very nervous about making Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs), especially since I feel like I am making them "last minute" with only about a month to go before our trip. After several phone calls, trying to get character meals booked and a couple of other "fun" reservations for my family, I realized that my notes were a mess and I couldn't decipher them all. With more than a little hesitation I called WDW-DINE and expected to get an unhappy CM who would have to go through many computer screens and so forth to help me sort it all out. However, I did one thing right. I made all the reservations under the same phone number (my cell) and I knew what that number was. Just by typing in my number the CM was able to pull up all my reservations in one list and read them back to me. So my tip: make sure you make your ADRs all under the same phone number, and know that number. It would have been very easy for me to have mistakenly used my husband's cell number for some, or our home number, or our hotel number, especially since the ADRs were made over a period of a few weeks and multiple phone calls (looking for cancellations, etc). - Rebecca Addison

As regulars to WDW with two children (12 trips and counting), we have amassed quite a collection of light spinners and Disney lights. Many of these we acquired off eBay, consignment stores, and yard sales, often for a dollar or two each (versus the park prices of 10-15 times that much). My tip is to always bring DIFFERENT light spinners than what are being sold in the parks. The older the better. Here's why: 1) They get lots of attention from kids and fellow Disneyheads, 2) they prevent impulse buying, and 3) they are VERY easy to see! I have actually spotted my wife and children from almost all the way across the Seven Seas Lagoon just because of the light spinners they had. If you only have the new ones sold, you "blend in" with the rest. If you bring unusual ones, you stand out! My favorite is a Sorcerer Mickey standing on a pile of gray stones that I got at a consignment store for $1.50. He says "Allekadabra... AllekakaZAM!" then spins. He seems to be the children's favorite as well. Another nice vintage one is the Mickey with an old-fashioned light bulb and spinning mirror that throws the light like old-fashioned police cars. Spinning lights make GREAT collectibles, too! If you start looking at yard sales, you'll be amazed at how many you will find. - Dwayne Owens

If you are required to wear a knee brace like I am here's a tip. Buy a pair of cotton leggings and cut the leggings the size of your knee brace! Slip it on under your brace and it will help keep your knee and leg from sweating, especially if you have to wear it while you're walking around the parks on a hot day! Baby powder inside the brace also helps prevent sweating! - Melissa

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!

My husband has epilepsy and his neurologist has prescribed a medication to place under his tongue if he starts feeling "funny". The pills aren't very dense so that they can dissolve rapidly. We had trouble finding something to store them in as he has to keep them in his pocket at all time. So, I had a wonderful idea. We took a hard plastic (resin type material) contact lens case and cut the case to separate it into two pieces. The cases are perfect for storing the pills in. No water or humidity can get into the case. Be sure to get the screw top kind as they seal up better. - Lisa

I am writing as a person HIGHLY allergic to latex. My greatest joy about Disney is that I can travel there and know that they are using latex-free gloves and feel relaxed and comfortable. After seven trips to WDW I was disappointed during our trip last week... For the first time we stayed in a value resort (All Star Music) and to my dismay they handed out latex balloons to the children. There are balloons in the front foyer and the snack bar... Very disappointing... SO, if you are traveling to Disney you might want to consider other than value resorts. We have always stayed at deluxe resorts and never had these kinds of problems. - Karen Holycross

For more information visit: http://allears.net/pl/latex.htm

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

We always pack a couple of first aid ice packs with us. We buy the kind that DO NOT need to be frozen, you just squeeze them to activate them. They are soooooo wonderful when you are stuck in a hot line or watching a parade/show in the hot sun. You just give it a quick squeeze and you have an icey cold pack that you can rub on your face & back and get instant relief! - Marie