Tips about Epcot, Food & Beverage, Kids, Magic Kingdom, Packing, Planning and Souvenirs

If you're already on the bus on the way to the park and realize you forgot to use deodorant, go to a cashier at one of the main stores. I stopped in Magic Kingdom at the Emporium and they had a mini size deodorant. I think it was $3. - Linda

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a good tip to keep in mind for many similar toiletries and over-the-counter medications (aspirin, antacid, etc.). At the main store in each park, like the Emporium or MouseGear, they keep a selection of these sorts of items out of sight. Just ask a cast member and they'll send you to the proper counter so you can purchase them.

I recently returned from Walt Disney World and was at Animal Kingdom on a very hot and busy Saturday at lunchtime. I kept finding long lines of people standing in the sun waiting to place orders. Not wanting to wait in one of these lines, I decided to try Mobile Ordering. It was beyond easy and I am not savvy with electronics. If you ever made reservations on My Disney Experience then they have your credit card on file. The menus are easy to see, but what was even better was I placed my order and a few minutes later I walked into Satu'li Canteen and got my order in two minutes -- no waiting in a long line and blaring sun. I am sold on this now. - Bonnie L.

No room for your refillable mug in your suitcase? Clean it out and put small gift items (or even clothing) inside to save room. - Kristy B.

No room for your refillable mug in your suitcase? Clean it out and put small gift items (or even clothing) inside to save room. - Kristy B.

Use your leftover dining plan snack credits to buy gifts for friends at home! Goofy's Candy bags are often one snack credit. Same goes for candy apples and rice krispie treats! - Kristy
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you're flying, though, keep in mind that TSA at the Orlando airport may ask you to take out all food items from your carry-on bags for examination when you pass through the security line.

Make sure you tip your servers for good service in the restaurants! Even if you are from a country that doesn't use a tipping system, you should tip here. The tip is NOT built into the price of the food. There is nothing more frustrating for a server than to give good service, see that the guests enjoy the food and service, and then not get a tip! - Joanne C.

My niece reserved breakfast at Tusker House for 10:45 a.m. She realized that we could take advantage of early FastPasses and have more available later, PLUS breakfast starts to turn into lunch a little after 11 a.m. so we had the best of all worlds. - Helen F.

My niece made a breakfast reservation at Askerhus in Norway for 9:15 a.m. We were sent to a special queue to check in and entered before the park opened at 9. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were told we could go on the Frozen ride before everyone else got there. It was fantastic! - Helen Friedlander

My niece made a breakfast reservation at Askerhus in Norway for 9:15 a.m. We were sent to a special queue to check in and entered before the park opened at 9. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were told we could go on the Frozen ride before everyone else got there. It was fantastic! - Helen Friedlander

If you plan on getting new shoes for The World, break them in on nightly walks, when your feet are puffy at the end of the day. I've also worn my new kicks, shoes, socks, sandals, etc, on my treadmill for a half-hour a day. Not only does it help break them in, but it's an easy way to figure out if the shoes really fit well, where they rub, if my toes are squished, if my feet will be sore in the following days. Figuring this out at home sure beats being miserable on vacation. AND, it helps prep my body for all the walking that I'll be doing. (BONUS: My new shorts will fit better, too!) - Kara

I always loved purchasing the antenna toppers -- I must have at least 50 for all the seasons. But our cars no longer have antennas. So I found a new use for them. I purchased a package of inexpensive pens and put them into the toppers. Presto! A cute Disney pen for every season. - Barb Carpenter

Don't forget to bring a blanket or two from your little one's crib/bed at home, and put it in the room crib if you're getting one. At least that gives them the smell of their own bed and a little comfort from home to help them adjust to a new place. It'll only take a few trips to adjust your little travelers to a life outside their comfort zones. - Kara

Word of warning if you have short children. Walt Disney World is very strict about height restrictions. They have figured out through physics what is the minimum height needed. Don't promise your child he/she can go on a ride unless they are 44" tall or whatever the height restriction for a particular ride is... or wait until they are tall enough. Safety should be the #1 concern. - Ruby

Save yourself and others time going through park security by bringing in a drawstring backpack instead of a backpack with multiple zippers. Security tends to look into every zipped compartment, including things like zipped camera bags, sunglasses cases and cosmetic bags within the backpack or purse. Use clear, zipper-top bags for storing smaller items. - Sarah Zwickey

I use an ECV to get around the parks. Several years ago I rode Toy Story Midway Mania [at Disney's Hollywood Studios] and was given a car with a push-button cannon. It made a world of difference as I am spastic and cannot pull the string fast enough to ever score very well. When they built the addition to the ride, they started routing me to the new "regular" load platform since I can walk a bit, but it only had regular cannons and the ride lost its magic. On my most recent visits I asked if they still had the push-button cannons, and lo and behold they sent me to the "old" handicapped load platform. It was such a wonderful experience, and shout out to cast member Melissa -- she let me ride twice because it wasn't crowded. In fact when I went back two months later, she recognized me and said hello. It made both trips absolutely magical for me. So if you are handicapped and can't pull the string, ask the ride attendant for the button car. There is only one car with the buttons so I'm adding to my future wait time, but it makes the ride so much more enjoyable! - Melissa Henderson