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

Magic Kingdom - I found out last year that the Magic Kingdom does a practice run of the July 4 fireworks on July 3. It was spectacular, and this gave us the oppurtunity to watch the fireworks from Epcot on the 4th. We got the best of both worlds, and the finale at Epcot is worth seeing. - Thomas Chambers

Magic Kingdom and Epcot - My family and I just got back from Disney on June 8. We had a great time, but something I found very useful was that when we got to the park (around 11 a.m. -- we let the kids sleep in since we were at the park late the night before) the line for the monorail and ferryboat to Magic Kingdom was backed up to the ticket booths! So instead of wasting 30-45 minutes waiting to get on the monorail, we hopped over to Epcot since there was no line at all. We had 1:00 p.m. reservations at Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, but we had enough time to see Turtle Talk with Crush (kids loved it!) and take a family shot in front of Spaceship Earth. This is definitely worth doing instead of standing on line. - Pamela Matzner

Magic Kingdom and Epcot - My family and I just got back from Disney on June 8. We had a great time, but something I found very useful was that when we got to the park (around 11 a.m. -- we let the kids sleep in since we were at the park late the night before) the line for the monorail and ferryboat to Magic Kingdom was backed up to the ticket booths! So instead of wasting 30-45 minutes waiting to get on the monorail, we hopped over to Epcot since there was no line at all. We had 1:00 p.m. reservations at Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, but we had enough time to see Turtle Talk with Crush (kids loved it!) and take a family shot in front of Spaceship Earth. This is definitely worth doing instead of standing on line. - Pamela Matzner

Magic Kingdom and Epcot - My family and I just got back from Disney on June 8. We had a great time, but something I found very useful was that when we got to the park (around 11 a.m. -- we let the kids sleep in since we were at the park late the night before) the line for the monorail and ferryboat to Magic Kingdom was backed up to the ticket booths! So instead of wasting 30-45 minutes waiting to get on the monorail, we hopped over to Epcot since there was no line at all. We had 1:00 p.m. reservations at Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, but we had enough time to see Turtle Talk with Crush (kids loved it!) and take a family shot in front of Spaceship Earth. This is definitely worth doing instead of standing on line. - Pamela Matzner

Magic Kingdom and Epcot - My family and I just got back from Disney on June 8. We had a great time, but something I found very useful was that when we got to the park (around 11 a.m. -- we let the kids sleep in since we were at the park late the night before) the line for the monorail and ferryboat to Magic Kingdom was backed up to the ticket booths! So instead of wasting 30-45 minutes waiting to get on the monorail, we hopped over to Epcot since there was no line at all. We had 1:00 p.m. reservations at Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, but we had enough time to see Turtle Talk with Crush (kids loved it!) and take a family shot in front of Spaceship Earth. This is definitely worth doing instead of standing on line. - Pamela Matzner

Magic Kingdom - Watch the fireworks from Tomorrowland Transit Authority in the Magic Kingdom. It is a great view, plus they will often let you ride it around as many times as you want. This is especially good for people who do not like the noise the fireworks make -- you can't hear a thing! - Q.o.t.W.

If you are going to Disney to celebrate a wedding, I have some suggestions of what to bring from home. I was told to bring white chalk just in case the bride's dress gets [dirtied] by the seagulls. (It happened to my niece at a beach wedding.) My daughter-in-law used the chalk when something spilled on her dress, but other options include Wite-Out or a Tide to Go pen. Another good idea is to pack a needle and thread in case buttons are loose on tuxes, etc. - Jean

Instead of a large backpack to store underneath the stroller for a day at the parks, we use XXL "huge" zipper-top bags. We toss all of our daily belongings for three kids into this one large bag (with handles). Because it is see-through we easily can find things very quickly instead of rummaging through the bottom of a dark backpack. Also, we have received the highest compliments from park security employees for check-through at the gates! They very quickly scan the outside of the bag, never going through the inside because it is see-through and so quick to view. - Shari Kessler

My suggestion is to place all open packages of food in a zipper-top bag when leaving your stroller parked. On our recent trip last week to WDW we noticed that the squirrels in the parks were "stroller hopping" in the baskets under the strollers picking up all sorts of open packages of food, and the crows were picking at the end of a turkey leg that someone had left wrapped up on top of a stroller. - Debbi Lefebvre

For character breakfasts, I would recommend letting girls wear their princess dresses to the princess meals because it helps with the magical aspect of it. However, on extremely hot Florida days, try putting it on over their clothes a few minutes before your reservation or once you are seated. It will only take a moment and it will save the headache of your child whining about being hot. I put my daughter's dress on her after we sat down because I watched a slew of little girls crying outside while waiting in their hot and heavy dresses. - Mendy776

At Disneyshopping.com, you can customize polo shirts with embroidered characters and names up to eight characters long. For children and adults, the cost is only $12.50 per shirt! Check often and look for special codes on the site, and you can get an additional discount. With a 20% off code, I ordered seven shirts this past weekend for $82.50 including shipping. We're going to wear them on our next trip! - Dayshel Harwood

I spent most of a week visiting most every store on Disney property looking for a cell phone charm. All I seemed to come across were the Disney Mobile charms at more than $18 each. I finally found just what I was looking for -– a keychain! The keychain had four or five cell phone loops on the ring, and each loop held a metal charm representing a different WDW park. One loop had the castle; another, Mickey's sorcerer's hat; a third had Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life; and one had Spaceship Earth. On the keychain there also were two rubber charms: a Dreams Come True tag and Sorcerer Mickey. And this keychain with six charms cost under $8! I chose to use the castle and the sorcerer's hat, then added Mickey ears, Mickey's hand, and Mickey's red pants charms that I found in the "make your own charm bracelet" collection. Each of these charms has a lobster clasp that easily attached to the metal ring on the cell phone loop from the keychain. Yes, I probably spent more than the Disney Mobile charm, but instead of one charm, I now have nine to choose from! - Vicki Stephens

ALL PARKS - I have been to Disney many times and always carry a bag of some sort with me for sunscreen, wallets, camera, ponchos, and other things of that nature. I found that a clear backpack will get you through the line at the security checkpoint quicker than it normally takes. Since security can see through the backpack they normally do not have to open it up. If you are worried about everyone seeing what you have in the clear backpack, than all you have to do is take a hand towel and pull it out before the security check point and, once through, place it in the backpack so that everything that you have cannot be easily seen. It also helps if you get a little wet and need to dry off. - Kelly Henrichsen

ALL PARKS - I have been to Disney many times and always carry a bag of some sort with me for sunscreen, wallets, camera, ponchos, and other things of that nature. I found that a clear backpack will get you through the line at the security checkpoint quicker than it normally takes. Since security can see through the backpack they normally do not have to open it up. If you are worried about everyone seeing what you have in the clear backpack, than all you have to do is take a hand towel and pull it out before the security check point and, once through, place it in the backpack so that everything that you have cannot be easily seen. It also helps if you get a little wet and need to dry off. - Kelly Henrichsen

While at WDW last week I found out that most of the Swan and Dolphin restaurants give a 20 percent discount when you show your AAA card. Exceptions are Il Mulino, bluezoo, Shula's, and Kimono's. - Michelle Buchecker

EDITOR'S NOTE: We double-checked this and found out it's true! Be sure to bring those AAA cards with you. Also, Disney Vacation Club Members get a similar 20 percent discount at the Swan and Dolphin restaurants. Kimono's does participate in the discount program, however.