Tips about Epcot, Mousecellaneous, Planning, Resorts, Souvenirs and Special Events

All Resorts - If you have toddlers and/or crawling babies, it is a good idea to check the floor, including under the beds, for medications dropped from the previous resort guests. We found an unknown pill picked up by our one year old as he was scouting out the place. It only takes a minute and is well worth the effort! - Timothy

Before our current trip to the World we were trying to come up with a way to tell each of our water bottles apart in the insulated bag that we carry to the parks. We decided to use six different color ponytail holders, which we placed around each bottle. No confusion as to whose bottle was whose! - Gerrie Springer

Some tips for Epcot's Food and Wine Festival from AllEars: -- Some of the most popular food booths, such as Australia, Desserts & Champagne, Craft Beers, and Canada, have registers on both sides of the booth. We found that the side furthest away from Future World usually had a much shorter line. -- The food and wine vendors for Epcot's Food and Wine Festival close at 9 p.m. every night. Don't be surprised when you can't buy any food from the marketplaces during evening Extra Magic Hours. -- Stop at the Welcome Center before going into World Showcase for a free Passport to the Food and Wine Festival. You can check off the items you've sampled, jot notes on what you've tried, and get the passport stamped at each kiosk you visit. It's a great way to remember where that dessert, drink, or food came from that you liked so much, and it makes a wonderful free souvenir. -- Use the snack option of your Disney Dining Plan to pay for food items at the Epcot Food and Wine festival International Marketplaces. (DDP is not valid at other Food and Wine Festival events.) EDITOR'S NOTE: On select nights, Epcot and the Food Booths may be open later (typically on Friday and Saturday)

All Resorts - We just returned from a visit to the World. We have a 3-year-old, so upon check-in I asked if I could have a stepstool in the room so he would be able to easily use the sink to wash hands and brush teeth. I am happy to report they were able to accommodate my request! It was great! I thought other parents traveling with toddlers would find this helpful. - Amy Devoe

MNSSHP - If you're a fan of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs don't miss out on seeing and taking pictures with all of the Dwarfs! Get there early as this is a very rare occurrence (usually only at MNSSHP) and therefore the line forms rather early. Last year they were located next to the queue near Splash Mountain (near the restrooms), but check your MNSSHP map for their exact location. - Dana Spinelli

MNSSHP - My best tip for attending MNSSHP pertains to costumes. If you are attending in September or even early October, it is still very warm at night. I always feel bad for all the kids dressed up with layers of costumes in that heat. In order to combat the heat along with staying in the Halloween spirit, I have been making family t-shirt costumes for the past 8 years. I buy t-shirts for the whole family in Halloween colors (orange, green etc.) and I decorate them with puffy paint, decals, stickers, glitter, etc. The front always says the "Horan Family Halloween Costume". Not only does it make it easier to spot your family, but everyone stays cooler during the party while being in "costume". We've gotten many compliments from other guests as well as cast members, plus we have a souvenir from each year! - Angela Horan

MNSSHP - 1. Schedule some "down time" the afternoon of the party so everyone is well rested.

2. Don't try to be there right when the party starts, either go early or go a little later so as to avoid the back-ups on the buses and any crowds leaving the parks that are NOT attending the party.

3. If you have younger children, try hitting the characters/ trick-or-treat early and shoot for watching the second parade. That way they can trick-or-treat before getting too tired to walk and can just relax and watch the fireworks/parade before heading out (best of both worlds)! - Heather MacGregor

MNSSHP - Be sure to get there in advance and get the best seating, which is on the curb right in front of the Castle. From here you will be able to see the dance show on stage, then turn right around for the parade, which will follow immediately after. Once it is complete you can go toward Tomorrowland easily across the bridge, then head up toward Fantasyland, which is the most popular for children to trick-or-treat! Be sure to stop by the Haunted Mansion for a unique queue experience and ride! Once here you can go back down the bridge toward the castle to get a great view of the fireworks and pictures along Main Street! - Chad Simpson

MNSSHP - Make sure you and your family eat a good meal before you get to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party because many of the restaurants in the MK close before the party begins, and the ones that are open are packed with people trying to eat and change their little ones into costumes before the magic of trick or treating begins! Last year, which was our first time at the Halloween party, my family and I entered the MK before the party began, hoping to eat a nice meal before the festivities. Unfortunately, many of the restaurants were closing early. We ended up at the Pecos Bill counter service restaurant as a last resort, and it was very crowded and noisy. It took a long time to order and get our food. Next time, we'll eat somewhere outside of the park, so we won't miss a minute of the fun! - Susan Brown

Art of Animation - Six of us (four adults and two kids) recently stayed in a Cars suite [at Disney's Art of Animation Resort] for 10 days. It was great to have the extra space and having two bathrooms was especially nice. The only complaint we had was that some of the electrical outlets are at the perfect height to entice a curious 14-month-old and they have no child protective covers. I would strongly suggest that anyone traveling with a toddler bring their own. - j2mom

I just placed a merchandise mail order online and the cast member was able to offer me an annual pass discount as long as I emailed or faxed her a copy of my pass. - Michael Landman

All Resorts - On our trip in June 2012 we learned that they leave the scales on all night at the airport luggage check-in desk. This made it easy to find out if our suitcases were too heavy before we had to check them in the next morning. - Sharon H.

Girls who have long hair, when showering, need one towel for their body and one for their hair. To "go green" and save on hotel laundry, bring a turban made just for your wet hair. They can be bought in most big chain stores and online for a few dollars; they are small and dry in no time, cutting way down on the towels your family uses! - Patty

I always bring the small 3-ounce bathroom cups when I travel. They are great to use in the hotel when brushing your teeth. I have a 5-year-old son and sometimes the hotel provides glass drinking cups. Not a good thing for those little hands. The paper cups avoid any chance of him breaking the glass in the bathroom sinks. I also carry them around in the parks, too. They are great for handing out little snacks like gummy bears or goldfish crackers and make sharing a bottle of water easy as well. - hbryfogle

I always bring a cheap hand pump soap with me to use in my resort hotel. I hate using bar soap, especially since I share my hotel room, and it just never feels "clean" enough for me. I purchase a 99-cent hand pump soap before I go and put it in our resort bathroom upon arrival. I'll tell you, it beats using the slippery little Mickey soap bar the Disney resort hotels provide! - Kim