Tips about Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Strollers

Epcot - Let me start by saying, like so many others, I always look forward to your newsletter. After reading one of the "tips" this week, I was reminded of a really special Father's Day gift we did for my husband the last time we were in Disney. (Father's Day just happened to be during our trip) I purchased a khaki hat with the little Mickey on the front and we took it to every country in Epcot and had them write "Happy Father's Day" in their native language. They were all more than happy to do it for us & thought it was the neatest idea they ever saw. Now there is a special keepsake for my Disney loving hubby! - Sheri H.

Epcot - Let me start by saying, like so many others, I always look forward to your newsletter. After reading one of the "tips" this week, I was reminded of a really special Father's Day gift we did for my husband the last time we were in Disney. (Father's Day just happened to be during our trip) I purchased a khaki hat with the little Mickey on the front and we took it to every country in Epcot and had them write "Happy Father's Day" in their native language. They were all more than happy to do it for us & thought it was the neatest idea they ever saw. Now there is a special keepsake for my Disney loving hubby! - Sheri H.

Epcot - While paying for a purchase for my wife at Morocco in the World Showcase, the cast member asked if I would like to have her name, written in Arabic, on the inside of the box? It gave me an idea. I purchased some Disney stationery and went to every country asking for a cast member to write my wife's name in their native language. They all cheerfully did this! Then I placed it in a Mickey frame. Needless to say it was a very inexpensive gift and my wife loved it! - Gene Scott

Epcot - While paying for a purchase for my wife at Morocco in the World Showcase, the cast member asked if I would like to have her name, written in Arabic, on the inside of the box? It gave me an idea. I purchased some Disney stationery and went to every country asking for a cast member to write my wife's name in their native language. They all cheerfully did this! Then I placed it in a Mickey frame. Needless to say it was a very inexpensive gift and my wife loved it! - Gene Scott

On our way out of the park, my daughter and I spied a silhouette cart down a side alley of Main Street, USA. It was after midnight, but the young woman was still doing silhouettes. We hurried over and she cheerily did one more silhouette for us. We were done in about 15 minutes, and for only about $15 including a frame, I think it's one of the best and most unique souvenirs at Walt Disney World. It's a special keepsake for my 9-year-old daughter of our fun marathon day at Magic Kingdom. - Natalie H.

Magic Kingdom - I enjoyed reading the article on bashful travelers (AllEars Newsletter Issue #460), as I am one myself. I had a comment that might help people who want to see the Monsters, Inc. show in Tomorrowland. There are tabletops in front of everyone when you sit down in the theater. On the tables, there are "reading" lamps every so often. Those conceal the cameras that they use to interact with guests. Avoid sitting directly behind one of those and you should be fine. - Mandy Blank

We have a 3-year-old who needed a stroller. We did not want to take our travel system stroller because it was too big and bulky. Umbrella stroller and rentals didn't look that comfortable for our toddler to sleep. So we searched for lightweight strollers and came across the Mia Moda Cielo (not available in stores). It folds up to the size of a carry on and includes a carrying case. It has open sides so our son would still get the breeze and could see all around. On the crowded buses and flights this is a MUST HAVE for guest looking for a lightweight stroller with canopy. The managers at Tony's Town Square loved it and wanted a demonstration. They were impressed with the size and how easy it was. - Jessica Darby

http://astore.amazon.com/debsunoffiwaltdi/detail/B000NZMDPM/002-7309894-5628046

Epcot - We are currently planning a trip to Disney. There are two pieces of information I discovered while making reservations that I would like to share, one about the spa and one about diving in The Seas in Epcot. Being a plus-sized woman, I asked about robe sizes available at the spa, and was delighted to learn that they have robes up to size 5X. In the past, I have brought my own robe so as not to be surprised by a robe that wasn't comfortable. Also, when making reservations to dive in the Living Seas, I was informed that wet suits were available to size 5X. Another wonderful surprise! Good information for visitors who may have ruled out this experience for fear of not fitting into a wet suit! - EL

Epcot - We are currently planning a trip to Disney. There are two pieces of information I discovered while making reservations that I would like to share, one about the spa and one about diving in The Seas in Epcot. Being a plus-sized woman, I asked about robe sizes available at the spa, and was delighted to learn that they have robes up to size 5X. In the past, I have brought my own robe so as not to be surprised by a robe that wasn't comfortable. Also, when making reservations to dive in the Living Seas, I was informed that wet suits were available to size 5X. Another wonderful surprise! Good information for visitors who may have ruled out this experience for fear of not fitting into a wet suit! - EL

Going through the metal detectors at the park entrances, you have to remove celebratory buttons and put them in the little bins with other metal objects. This can be a pain, especially if you're park-hopping! Consider wearing buttons on a lanyard or bag strap to make it easier to take them on and off. - Gilly R.

Going through the metal detectors at the park entrances, you have to remove celebratory buttons and put them in the little bins with other metal objects. This can be a pain, especially if you're park-hopping! Consider wearing buttons on a lanyard or bag strap to make it easier to take them on and off. - Gilly R.

My kids don't like riding in strollers, so about three months before our first trip to Disney, I started taking the kids on daily walks. I explained that we do LOTS of walking in Disney and we needed to build up our stamina. We went on walks five days a week. We'd talk about what we would see and do at Disney while we walked. My youngest had just turned 5 before the trip, and he had no trouble keeping up with all the walking in the parks. - Margaret Erath

Magic Kingdom - An unexpected bonus tip happened one morning when we entered the Magic Kingdom park early. The opening music was playing. We headed to the Crystal Palace for an early breakfast. Near there was a flower garden, which also faced toward the Adventureland sign. Using my camcorder, I was able to have a few of the songs of the opening music playing as the background for the scenes I was shooting. It was an extra freebie. There are always new scenes to shoot and new movies to make. You could easily find your hardest decision to make is how many cameras to take. - Murry A.

Epcot - If you've been to Le Cellier you already know there's more to the Canada pavilion than the beautiful landscaping. But I walked through the garden in Canada for years without ever noticing the wooden walkway that takes you through the waterfalls behind this wonderful setting. Don't miss it! - Emily Pickle

Epcot - If you've been to Le Cellier you already know there's more to the Canada pavilion than the beautiful landscaping. But I walked through the garden in Canada for years without ever noticing the wooden walkway that takes you through the waterfalls behind this wonderful setting. Don't miss it! - Emily Pickle