Tips about Epcot, Food & Beverage, Rain and Resorts

I bundle several plastic grocery bags together and carry them in my backpack. They are lightweight, compact, and disposable. They are available to pull out and sit on during a parade or a ride with wet seats, tie over your shoes to keep your feet dry (I do this for Kali River Rapids whether it's raining or not), and place my camera or other items in that should be protected from the rain. Also, if you get caught in a downpour and are changing into something dry, you then have something to put the wet articles in! - Pamela Warren

We bring extra cheap ponchos from the dollar store to cover backpacks and strollers. They come two in a pack and cost $1.00. - ahktlove

With four children, rain is just another opportunity to splash in puddles! To keep everyone safe and semi-dry, we always buy the matching Disney rain ponchos. I bring along a permanent marker and we let each person decorate their own poncho. This eliminates the "whose is that one?" syndrome you can get with a pile of six ponchos! - Jane Peters

I discovered that the poncho hood does not stay put on the head very well, so I bought a sun visor that fastens at the back of the head and put it over my hood. This not only kept my head dry, but it kept my glasses and my face dry as well. - Andrea DeYoung

If rain is in the forecast, we bring an extra set of clothes to the park and put them in a locker. We can choose the poncho route, or just get a little wet. When the rain stops we run for a quick change; dry shoes and socks make all the difference. Carrying a towel in a backpack can help, too, to dry off the seats of rides before you sit! - Kelly Hughes

We just returned from a week at the World. I had read more than once that the refillable mugs were a must purchase at the resort so we picked up a couple on our first day. Between the drinks included with meals and using snack options to purchase water at the parks, we did not make use of them at all. We did spend a few partial days at the resort pools, but did not have them with us to fill up at the right times. The tip here is: unless you plan to spend a lot of time in your resort, the drink options offered with the meal plans may be sufficient. - Jennifer

EPCOT - Soarin' has become one of Epcot's most popular attractions, but many miss the chance to enhance the experience. When the attraction is loaded, guests are asked to remove loose-fitting shoes/sandals and leave them on the attraction floor. I recommend that you DO take your footwear off, for two reasons. One, it is cool to leave your shoes on the floor and then be swept away from them as the ride lifts and sweeps forward (and later, almost magically, to be returned to your original position and waiting footwear). Two, and more importantly, the sensation of bare feet dangling during the ride is so much more enjoyable. This may sound strange, but you can almost feel your feet dipping into the ocean surf or brushing against the orange trees. Try it and see what I mean. - Rich Czarnecki

EPCOT - Soarin' has become one of Epcot's most popular attractions, but many miss the chance to enhance the experience. When the attraction is loaded, guests are asked to remove loose-fitting shoes/sandals and leave them on the attraction floor. I recommend that you DO take your footwear off, for two reasons. One, it is cool to leave your shoes on the floor and then be swept away from them as the ride lifts and sweeps forward (and later, almost magically, to be returned to your original position and waiting footwear). Two, and more importantly, the sensation of bare feet dangling during the ride is so much more enjoyable. This may sound strange, but you can almost feel your feet dipping into the ocean surf or brushing against the orange trees. Try it and see what I mean. - Rich Czarnecki

At the Liberty Tree Tavern, the mugs that you drink from are also for sale. They cost $5 and they are boxed and bagged for you when you leave. Just ask your server when paying for your meal. It is a cheap souvenir that lasts a lot longer than toys and t-shirts. They are very sturdy and can easily withstand several washes in the dishwasher. - Victoria Tester

Before buying milk in a container at your resort's counter service restaurant, check the price of milk in your resort's gift shop. We found the gift shop price of milk to be less expensive at the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge. - Wendy

ALL PARKS - When a Cast Member asks you how many people are in your group, tell them the ENTIRE number in your group. The Cast Members are trying to group your entire party onto the ride at the same time. If you tell them a number less than your party, don't be surprised when your party gets split up. (You might be asked by up to three different Cast Members for your party size.)

POLYNESIAN RESORT - I just wanted to add a great place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. At the Polynesian, just off the path that leads to the Grand Floridian (by Luau Cove), there is a nice little beach removed from the rest of the resort, with lounge chairs and a swing. It's a perfect place to watch the fireworks from afar, and you get a whole different perspective and realize just how majestic they really are. It's also nice to watch them and not be in crowds of people. - Tim

ALL STAR MUSIC - I just returned from a very quick trip to Walt Disney World. Normally we stay for at least three nights, but this time we only had a one-night stay. This is the first time that we stayed in Building 1 at All Star Music. Since we made our reservation at the last minute, we did not have much choice in the way of a room selection. We got a room facing the swimming pool. If you are a light sleeper, or have problems falling asleep because of noise, a room facing the swimming pool is a very bad idea. The pool is open late, and the noise from the pool made it very difficult to sleep. In the morning, I was awakened at about 7:15 from more noise coming from people at the swimming pool. The tip here is to stay away from the swimming pool if you can't handle the noise. - Craig M

As a followup to the information about soy milk availability in Walt Disney World: All four of my children are lactose-intolerant, so I have discovered that most grocery stores carry soy milk in cartons that don't require refrigeration. Some wholesale clubs (BJs, Costco) carry single serving soy milk (like juice boxes), which again do not require refrigeration. We have often brought this with us for our children. - Jeanne Sacks

All Resorts - The shower stalls at our hotel (Villas at the Wilderness Lodge) were quite slippery when wet. We did find out that housekeeping has a limited number of rubber floor mats available on request. They also have night lights available. - Naomi