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

We secured one of those D-ring keychain clips to the stroller handle with a Velcro strap. It was a handy place to hang all of our souvenir shopping bags that we would accumulate! - Jackie Beering

Having just returned from an exhausting, yet wonderful week in Disney, I'd like to share with your readers what we found to be our "saving grace". Our girls are 5 and 7, yet we decided to bring along an umbrella-type stroller for each of them. We used them to haul carry-on luggage to the gate of the plane, easily gate-checked them, and brought them into the parks all seven days of our stay. They fold so easily and are so light, that getting on and off the bus was quick and simple. The girls rode in them almost all of the time. This not only saved time (we walked at our pace, not theirs), but we knew where they were at all times! They in turn saved energy by riding (and occasionally napping). We were always able to spot them easily in the stroller parking, unlike ALL those park rentals! The best part was that at the end of each day, when the girls (and we) were most tired, we didn't have to return our strollers and then make the long trek to the bus pick-up! So many people commented on how they wished they had thought of the "outside the park gates" traveling around. We used so many of tips from ALL EARS® and AllEars®.net that we wanted to share our tip! - The West Family of Massachusetts

I was a lucky kid -- visited Disney three times before graduating high school... One of my favorite souvenirs from Disney is my sterling silver Doc charm. My sisters and I got silver charm bracelets while in elementary school, and whenever there was an "event" or trip we'd get a silver charm to commemorate it. I've since married and have three daughters of my own. The girls each have a silver charm bracelet and plan on adding another character charm for each of our visits to Disney. Who knows? Maybe someday we'll be adding charms to their daughters' bracelets! - Suzanne Vallillo

I brought my own stroller from home, but I was meeting family who live in Florida. We decided to rent a double stroller so the cousins could sit together. My daughter loved sitting with her cousin, but by midday she wanted back in her own stroller. WHY? Those new strollers in MK, Epcot and AK are HARD. She wanted the comfort of her soft stroller. Here is my tip! If you do plan on renting one of these strollers, bring a blanket so you can soften it up a bit. Remember none of the strollers recline. - Suzanne

Whenever possible, park your stroller under a designated shelter. We parked both of ours outside during the Country Bear Jamboree, and were surprised by a total drenching shower that left about a quarter-inch of rain in our belongings and two very soggy toddlers for the rest of the day! - Mark Brown

Rent a double stroller for your "big" kid. If you've got an older child (4, 5, 6, or even 7) who's too big for a regular stroller from home, rent a double stroller for him/her. They offer plenty of room for a larger child and hold more weight than a single rental or a regular stroller. Plus, you've got a handy place to carry sunscreen, drinks, snacks, rain ponchos, etc.

Last summer, we rented one at all four parks for our then 5-year-old daughter, and it made all the difference in the "World". They were worth every penny we paid for them. We could cover a lot more ground and our daughter was able to rest and get some relief from the sun. We're heading back to WDW this summer, and our now 6-year-old has already asked to make sure we'll rent strollers for her again.

Only one caution: as of July 2000 when we visited, the double strollers at Disney's Hollywood Studios had a canvas divider to make two separate seats, meaning there was no room for a big kid to stretch out. We ended up trading the double in for a single (we were cheerfully refunded the price difference), but that was a little too small. This year we'll skip the stroller at Disney's Hollywood Studios. - Beth Peter, Waukesha, Wisconsin

EDITOR's NOTE: The Stroller FAQ has photos of strollers from each of the 4 main Theme Parks. http://allears.net/pl/strol_faq.htm

Back when we used to travel to WDW with a nice stroller, I'd bring a ski lock. (A ski lock is like a cable-style bike lock, but thinner and smaller so it is easier to carry in your pocket.) When we went on a ride, we'd leave the stroller locked by running the wire through two wheels so no one could roll it away. If a Cast Member needed to move the stroller, they could still pick it up and carry it. - Jean Pugh

ALL STAR RESORTS - If you have the option to pay extra for a "premium room" at the All Star Resort, do it. The room will be just the same as the others, but it will be located in one of the two buildings nearest the lobby, food court, and bus transportation. The All Star resorts are huge, and it can be quite a walk from the furthest building to the bus transportation. - Timothy Helm

DOWNTOWN DISNEY RESORTS - If you're staying at one of the seven Disney Village hotels, don't forget that you don't have to rely entirely on their bus system. For example, at the Magic Kingdom, the Disney Village buses don't go to the main gate. While this isn't a big deal for getting to the park (you just have to use the monorail or ferry like all other non-Disney hotel visitors), it's quite inconvenient at the end of an exhausting day, especially if you exit at park closing time. We just took a Disney bus to a resort (Port Orleans is close to Disney Springs, so it works well), hopped on a bus to Disney Springs and from there you have lots of options! You can shop, visit Pleasure Island, take the Disney Village shuttle, or just walk back to your hotel -- most are an easy walk from the first Disney Marketplace bus stop. From Epcot, after IllumiNations, there's another great option -- exit via International Gateway (allowing you a convenient view of IllumiNations from the far side of the lake), walk to the nearest resort and take the bus to Disney Springs. - Jacob Love

BOARDWALK - Because of the size of our "purchases" pile, my sisters and I started using the UPS mailing service at the Boardwalk. This year we took everything to them in large trash bags, which we had packed and tied shut. They put the bags in shipping boxes and everything arrived in great shape. It was much easier to be sure the small and large items were received OK. Opening the boxes a couple of days after we got home was almost like being in WDW again. - Joanne Kammer EDITOR'S NOTE: Shipping is available from resorts which have business centers such as Contemporary, Yacht and Beach, Coronado Springs, Swan and Dolphin and Grand Floridian. Please note that shipping costs are quite expensive.

ALL STAR MOVIES - I just returned home from our week-long vacation in Disney and it was fabulous. I wanted to remind everyone to please tip Housekeeping. We stayed at the All-Star Movies and these men and women worked very hard at cleaning up our mess, giving us more towels and Mickey soaps, and placing our kids' stuffed animals in cute little scenes. - Charlotte Reine

ALL RESORTS - If you have a little one who isn't used to sleeping in a regular bed, call housekeeping from your room and ask if there's a bed rail (or two) available. There's no charge, and it can sure save your child from a nasty bruise or scratch! - Beth Foss

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE - I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but Animal Kingdom Lodge does not allow balloons inside the resort. Any balloons brought to the resort (from the theme parks, for example) will have to be checked with Bell Services for the duration of the guest's stay. They will be returned upon departure. This information might be helpful to families with younger children, so there are no disappointments when returning to the resort. - Susan

ALL RESORTS - My family and I live in Atlanta, but have annual passes to WDW. We go down 4 to 5 times a year and usually stay at Disney resorts. Over the last few trips I learned something that I want to share. When you check into your resort, call Housekeeping from your in-room phone and give the Cast Member your room number and preferred time you would like them to service your room. You can even change it day to day and every time I have asked, they have honored my request. If you know that your family will be going to a theme park until 11 a.m. and will be back for the kids to take a nap at 11:30 and don't want housekeeping to be waking them up, try this. When you get in at 11:30 the room will be clean and you don't have to worry about what time they will be knocking on the door. And this is available at all resorts from the Grand Floridian to the All Stars. - Bryan Ray

PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE - The last night of our vacation at WDW was as magical as all the others. When we got back to Port Orleans Riverside, we stopped at the food court. My husband said he would be back in a minute. When he returned he told me they had carriage rides and we were going on one now. A beautiful horse named Rob took us on a gentle quiet ride around Riverside, down by the river and over to French Quarter and back. It was a cool evening and they had quilts for you to snuggle under during the ride. This was such a great romantic way to spend our last evening in the most magical place in the world. - Marylee Beitler