Tips about ESPN Club, Magic Kingdom, Resorts and Souvenirs

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

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

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

I think a lot of times people forget (or do not know) that there is a Wal-Mart pretty close to WDW, in Kissimmee. We have been there on many of our trips, and they have a lot of great Disney T-shirts and souvenirs, not to mention that they're one of the cheapest places to buy food and sunscreen. - Christy R. Tripp

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you're driving from the airport and want a grocery stop, be sure to check out our directions page, which includes area stores: http://allears.net/pl/directions.php

Food & BeverageSouvenirs

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ALL PARKS - We read complaints about some of the attractions being too loud so we carried a set of earplugs in our fanny packs and found that they helped tremendously! We could still hear well, but our ears were much more comfortable. The earplugs don't take up any room at all either! - Diane Taylor

I have been going to WDW for the last 25 years... Three years ago I took my children for the first time when they were 7, 3 and 6 months. We are going back this year in June and I have already started the planning. The best thing I have found are the Disney Deals on eBay. Last time my kids loved the souvenir light-up Pooh bears. In the park they were around $7 each. They have long since disappeared. I found them on eBay for only $2.99 each and have ordered three. I also bought T-shirts for around $5, candy, ball caps, etc. I have put all this in a suitcase the kids have not seen. When we get to Disney, I will give them a new treat each morning. This way, we have already saved more than $150, and we haven't even left the house yet! - Aimee F.

ALL PARKS - You will only move at the pace of the slowest person in your group. Accept this, be patient, and do what you can to help that slowest person - under certain circumstances, it might be you! (Jen Kitchen)

Just back from our first trip with a toddler. He goes down for a nap each afternoon. We were unsuccessful getting him down in the Magic Kingdom (too much stimulation) so we headed out for the buses through Tommorrowland. As we strolled through the Tomorrowland Terrace, we realized less noise, no visual stimulation, and protection from the sun! It was the perfect place for our son to finally fall asleep. It probably saved us an hour to the hotel. - Doug C

Instead of buying a T-shirt or some other small expensive trinket that the kids will get bored with in a short time, I buy BEACH TOWELS. At Disney, they are $20 each and you can even get them at specific attractions. I have a huge collection from every place we have been and use them on an everyday basis. It's a great way to remember all the great vacations we have taken. Some of these towels have lasted 10 years! I have recently started storing the new ones I buy to give to my grandkids someday. - Pauline Sheehan

CHRISTMAS - We had our own Christmas ornament idea. We bought the official attraction collectibles -- the ones that look like a ride car -- tied clear string and a hook to them, and hung them on our tree. These only cost about $5 each! - Bill Fosbenner

CHRISTMAS - Our family always checks out the key rings at WDW. A lot of the key rings are suitable to be used as Christmas ornaments or jewelry. On our most recent trip we purchased a monorail key ring to use as a Christmas ornament. We saw a glass monorail ornament that was twice the price and I wasn't sure it would survive the plane trip home. We also bought a key ring that had a Tinker Bell charm on it. I removed the charm (silver) and placed it on a chain to wear as a necklace. The key ring cost $6 compared to the actual Tinker Bell charms that were $12. - Ronda

As great as zipper-top bags are for holding snacks, you might want to think about hard plastic storage containers for them or something equally sturdy. I've witnessed a squirrel literally rip a hole in a reusable supermarket bag to get at the chips inside, no matter how many times we shooed him away. Anytime you're in a show or a ride with a long line the squirrels and birds have PLENTY of time to mess with your stuff that you've left in your stroller or scooter. - Aren

FORT WILDERNESS - When we stay at the Fort Wilderness Resort, we arrange to have an hour-long carriage ride that starts at 8:30 p.m. We ask the carriage driver to find us a good spot to watch the "Wishes" fireworks show, and the driver takes us to a secluded area next to the lake. We have a great view of the show, plus it is so nice and peaceful to be all alone there and not crushed amongst thousands of people. - Darrin Brooks EDITOR'S NOTE: Carriage rides are generally 30 minutes long so if you want an hour you will need to book two consecutive reservations.

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE - Suggestions for Animal Kingdom Lodge: Go to the Front Desk/Guest Services of Animal Kingdom Lodge and request a list of activities and the "Hidden Mickey" list. The resort's Cast Members will give culinary tours, art tours, and tell stories, depending on the time of day you visit the resort. (The Hidden Mickeys are easier to spot during the daylight hours.) You can also visit the Sunset Overlook, located in the lounge next to the Front Desk. Cast Members at the Arusha Rock Overlook will even have night-vision binoculars! I recommend the dinner buffet at Boma. It has a wide variety of foods that would satisfy picky eaters too. - Lori

We were in Disney World last month and noticed that there are new ways that the MagicBands interact with various attractions. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, there is an electronic poster in the queue that displays the name and home city of guests. At Mission: Space, there are video screens in the post-attraction room that will display the names of the guests who finished the ride, along with their hometown and their mission projection. At Space Mountain there are video screens along the moving walkway that display the names of the guests who finished the ride. At the end of "it's a small world," look for the video screen to display the names of the guests on the boat. There may be more attractions that may also implement this technology, so keep your eyes open in the queues and in the post-attraction areas. - Brian Kehoe