Tips about Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Planning, Resorts, Souvenirs and Strollers

ALL PARKS - There is another show at WDW that most people miss; sit down and watch the other guests. You will never see so diverse an amount of tennis shoes, fashion statements or age groups. - CMarlan

ALL PARKS - There is another show at WDW that most people miss; sit down and watch the other guests. You will never see so diverse an amount of tennis shoes, fashion statements or age groups. - CMarlan

When we think of strollers, most people think of toddlers. The strollers at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Epcot are large enough to accomodate a 6 year old. (Unfortunately this is not true at Disney Springs.) The rental may seem expensive to some, but it is worth the parental sanity. Children 6 and younger are unable to keep up when you want to rush to the otherside of the park to make that priority seating reservation. The stroller can be a lifesaver. Plus when they are not in it, you have a place to keep all your treasures. - Kathy Donofrio

GRAND FLORIDIAN - My tip is to enjoy the fireworks from the boat launch dock at the Grand Floridian. We had just finished the truly remarkable key lime creme brulee at Narcoossee's and some of us just wandered up to the dock. The lights lowered, the voice came over the speaker: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS! And with the lagoon shimmering before us, we enjoyed the wonderful sight of Wishes -- with all the music, but without the crowds of Main Street. Personally, I also love being in the big crowd, but it was truly magical, and totally free! Just hop the monorail over to the Grand Floridian and follow the signs to the boat. It was a wonderful moment! - Judy

ALL RESORTS - If you need cash and hate paying those outrageous ATM fees, simply cash a personal check at the front desk. There is no charge for this service and they will cash up to $100 a day. - Bob and Kate Salazar

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE - This one is a reminder that the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a must-see even if you're not staying there! On cool, overcast days, the animal viewing can be better than the Safari ride! Walk to the end of any floor, going toward the pool area, and go onto the outside staircase. Climb to the top floor. It's amazing! The Lodge lobby is not to be missed! You pick up a visitor's pass ("does not include swimming privileges") at the Security guard's checkpoint and you are free to explore. Because my kids consider AK a "half-day" park, the Lodge is a great teaser first. Or if you just don't have time or inclination to do AK this trip, a visit to the Lodge will make you feel like you've been to Africa!! - Natalie Lipman

I've often asked the cast members at the cash registers to remove tags so someone in my party could wear a hat, put on a shirt or slip on new shoes. There has never been an occasion where a cashier did not have a pair of scissors handy to comply with the request - Phyllis Wirick

ALL PARKS - What our tip is, is to tie a bright bandana on the luggage rack or one of the mirrors of your car/minivan/truck that face the tram pick up area. We tied a bright colorful bandana nearest the tram pick up side on our while rented minivan, each day of our 11 day trip to WDW. It didn't matter what park we were at or what row we parked at. All we had to remember was the section, (example, stage, donald, unicorn, etc) we always found our van many times from very far away. We also used the bandana's on our stroller and on our luggage. - Clemley

ALL PARKS - What our tip is, is to tie a bright bandana on the luggage rack or one of the mirrors of your car/minivan/truck that face the tram pick up area. We tied a bright colorful bandana nearest the tram pick up side on our while rented minivan, each day of our 11 day trip to WDW. It didn't matter what park we were at or what row we parked at. All we had to remember was the section, (example, stage, donald, unicorn, etc) we always found our van many times from very far away. We also used the bandana's on our stroller and on our luggage. - Clemley

We love collecting pressed pennies and quarters. We always bring many rolls of quarters and pennies. Since they are heavy and jingle a lot, we found this great idea. The quarters and pennies fit nicely in empty mini M&M plastic containers with snap tops. They are the exact size of a quarter and can fit well over a whole roll of quarters. They work for pennies also. So, before going to Disney we go to the bank and load up on rolls of quarters and pennies, so we don't have to scramble for them at the park and storage them in mini M&M containers. - Mary Smith

I have a toddler and always rent the strollers at the parks. I bring a couple of binder clips or clothes pins to hold the theme park map onto the canopy of the stroller. The canopy is a nice flat surface and the map is always open and handy when you need to find a restroom for a potty-training toddler. It was a breeze wandering around knowing that the information is just a glance away. - Maria Stambaugh

Just to touch on those wonderful pressed pennies: Don't forget to leave them out of your luggage when going through airport security. We lost some precious time and almost missed a connecting flight because our coin rolls had to be pulled out of our carry-on luggage for further inspection. Having them out of the luggage and accessible prior to going through the scanners makes it quicker and easier to get through the security check points. - Julie Wagner

You CAN rent strollers as well as wheelchairs at Disney Springs Guest Services! They are stored back behind the building out of sight... but they are definitely there to rent! Angie

Since there are no cup holders to speak of on the strollers, we purchased two souvenir cups ($4 each) filled with popcorn on Main Street. After they were emptied, we were able to fasten them to the stroller by undoing the pail-like handle and attaching it to the stroller handle. We also use them on our umbrella stroller and double jogger and can even fill them with ice to keep drinks cold longer. - Melissa Withers

My 8-year-old daughter loves her pressed penny collection, and this year we discovered that you can get a complete listing of all pressed penny machine locations in WDW from Guest Services. This gave us a great "excuse" to go resort-hopping! For those folks with a little time on their hands and their own transportation (WDW bus transportation is not a viable option for this activity), pressed penny "scavenger hunts" can be an excellent activity to save a rainy day, and a wonderful way to decide which resort you'd like to stay in on your next visit to WDW! - Susan Hughes