Tips about Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Souvenirs and Strollers

EPCOT - I really loved your article on overlooked attractions at EPCOT - we've actually managed to see most of the ones that you mentioned, but we'll be looking for the ones that we've missed. However, while you mentioned the butterfly garden, you didn't mention the rose garden. It's nothing other than a small, alternate path between Innoventions and the World Showcase Lagoon (on the right as you face the World Showcase Lagoon), but it's usually fairly deserted, and it is lined with hundreds of rose bushes, all different varieties.

My husband and I like to walk along this path (OK, I probably enjoy it more than my husband), stopping and looking at the beautiful roses and smelling the different fragrances. Most of the varieties are marked with a small plaque, so if you find something you really like, you could write it down. There are one or two benches along this path (although, there is NO shade), and I've sat and enjoyed the morning while watching families rush along the path completely missing the beautiful flowers. - Jill A. Neill

EPCOT - I really loved your article on overlooked attractions at EPCOT - we've actually managed to see most of the ones that you mentioned, but we'll be looking for the ones that we've missed. However, while you mentioned the butterfly garden, you didn't mention the rose garden. It's nothing other than a small, alternate path between Innoventions and the World Showcase Lagoon (on the right as you face the World Showcase Lagoon), but it's usually fairly deserted, and it is lined with hundreds of rose bushes, all different varieties.

My husband and I like to walk along this path (OK, I probably enjoy it more than my husband), stopping and looking at the beautiful roses and smelling the different fragrances. Most of the varieties are marked with a small plaque, so if you find something you really like, you could write it down. There are one or two benches along this path (although, there is NO shade), and I've sat and enjoyed the morning while watching families rush along the path completely missing the beautiful flowers. - Jill A. Neill

If you have a little one who naps, bringing your own stroller is a must. Our 2-year-old daughter would have been in agony in one of those hard creations that you have to rent. Our large stroller may be bulky, but having a content child who was able to nap for a few hours in her comfy stroller was worth it for us. Plus those rentals stay at the gate; outside the park our stroller carried our tired toddler to the car. - Laura W.

We just returned from another trip to Disney. If you will be staying at a Disney resort and using the bus transportation I highly recommend bringing just an umbrella stroller. The buses are not stroller friendly at all. Especially when the buses are crowded at the end of the day, it's a pain trying to get big strollers on and off the bus. - Kristen Tennant of NJ

An inexpensive rain-cover for the double strollers that the parks rent is a clear rain poncho that can be purchased for less than a dollar at Wal-Mart. I was able to snap the poncho in with the top cover of the stroller and then draped it over the sides and in front. The kids tucked the poncho around themselves and enjoyed the view as we strolled through the rain. - Patricia Moery

We just returned from a wonderful two-week trip to Disney and I have a great tip for anyone traveling with a stroller. We brought our own ultralight stroller, and along with it a plastic rain shield that covered the entire stroller. I cannot tell you how much this saved us during the many rain showers we had over our trip, since ponchos do not work well for a baby in a stroller. Even if it looked like there was a chance of rain I pulled the cover over our son's stroller before going into an attraction, and the seat never got wet. During one storm at Disney's Hollywood Studios, we were able to walk across the park to attractions that had no line, because so many people were staying put under shelters. We got the rain cover at Babies R Us and it is made by Graco, but is supposed to fit most strollers, and I am sure there are similar products out there. - Tanya Sheehan

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

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

Summer is approaching, and along with that the summer WDW rain spells. I thought it might be a good time to share this tip. If you will be touring the park with a stroller in tow, be sure to bring some type of plastic cover for it. Some baby supply stores sell covers made specifically for this, but we found cheap ponchos from the dollar store to work well, too. If you park your stroller outside to go into a show or ride, cover up your stroller. That way, if one of those famous rainfalls creeps up, your stroller won't be soaked when you're ready to put your little prince or princess back in it. - Lauren Swedenborg