Tips about Food & Beverage, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom and Souvenirs

We had the free dining plan during our visit to the World in August (as did 90% of all guests, according to a cast member). Due to some poor planning and indecisiveness, we were unable to get any dining reservations during our stay. However, we did eat very well. We walked into every restaurant of our choice and waited less than 15 minutes! Only 30 minutes in Canada. The trick is that we planned our meals for either the opening time of the restaurant or 2 to 4 p.m. Plenty of tables are available at those times. - Joanne

Magic Kingdom - My son is afraid of fireworks, but we wanted to stay in the Magic Kingdom. A cast member directed us to the Baby Care Center. The walls are soundproof for nursing moms. There was a TV and lots of books to entertain him. My son didn't hear a thing, and the rest of the night was tons of fun! - Mary Locker

I just returned from WDW and found a great place on the Disney bus route to get water without having to take a city bus to Goodings. The Hess Mart across from Disney Springs West Side (Planet Hollywood) sells 24 17-oz. bottles of water for $4.99 (as well as other beverages). Take the DTD bus to the West Side stop and walk across the street to the Hess Mart. The DTD buses only stop at the West Side starting at 11 a.m. (which was something I didn't know). Thanks to the bellman at Saratoga Springs for the tip about the water. - pnazareth1

Restaurant.com currently has several restaurants at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels in their system, as well as House of Blues. Garden Grove, Shula's Steakhouse, Kimonos, Il Mulino New York Trattoria, and Todd English's bluezoo are all in there. You can get a $25 gift certificate for $10 (less if you search for a current promo code) and the certificates never expire. Make sure to read the restrictions on minimum purchase and days of the week they are valid, but overall these are a great deal! We use them at home all the time -- glad to know we can use them on vacation, too! - Tracy Roth

Magic Kingdom - I read about another reader having problems making reservations for the Harmony Barber Shop. I called 407-WDW-PLAY and the cast member helped me immediately, there was no confusion. She also told me that there are some appointments available BEFORE 9 a.m., some days as early as 8:05 a.m. Might give you a head start on your Magic Kingdom day. - Marianne

Magic Kingdom - I read about another reader having problems making reservations for the Harmony Barber Shop. I called 407-WDW-PLAY and the cast member helped me immediately, there was no confusion. She also told me that there are some appointments available BEFORE 9 a.m., some days as early as 8:05 a.m. Might give you a head start on your Magic Kingdom day. - Marianne

Shopping in the World is an adventure in itself! We have found some shops offer discounts that are not always advertised. My solution is to ask whenever I am making a purchase. Since we are DVC members, have a Disney Visa and have been Annual Passholders, it never hurts to ask if there are any shopping discounts. Most times, the cast member will ask to see the card before the purchase. It's much easier to ask before the transaction, than to remember when you're walking away. - jsbow

I have two little Disney fans, 2 and 4 years old who love the night lights. Buying new light toys at each park can get expensive, not to mention they take up room in the luggage when we have to leave. To save money and room, I started bringing our own light toys. I bought a pack of 10 light bracelets from a discount store for $1. The container hides nicely in the diaper bag, and the kids don't know I have them. When the kids see the light carts on the streets, I bring out my surprise and they love it. They each get four bracelets, one for each arm and leg, and one left for Mom and Dad. The kids get so much attention going home on the bus, because they have something different. We've even had people ask us where we purchased them. We have also saved our light sticks from Halloween and used them at Disney. As long as they stay sealed they are good for up to a year. - Kelly Pride

In order to cut down on food expenses, I always bring my crockpot along when we drive to Florida. I mix up dinner before we leave our condo for the day. When we return supper is done! I have also found make-ahead breakfast casseroles that cook in the crock while we sleep. If we eat a hearty breakfast we usually only need to eat one meal at the parks. - Theresa Denton

Another helpful hint to those parents whose children like to collect rocks. My kids each bought rocks at the store next to Country Bear Jamboree. While my 7-year-old daughter put hers in the checked luggage, my 11-year-old son put his in his carry-on (and in the mild chaos of making sure everything was packed, it never occurred to me to not have him pack it there). Well, a fist-sized round rock will get you extra time in the security area! Due to its size and shape, they had to pull the carry-on to open it up for extra screening to see what the unidentifiable object (the rock!) was. Amusingly, the security officer asked before he even opened it up if my son had bought a rock as a souvenir... evidently he's seen many come through. So save yourselves the extra time getting through security and pack any rocks in your checked luggage. - Vickie

No need to wait for your trip to Disney World to purchase the Disney Silly Bandz. I found the Fab Five, Princesses and Toy Story sets at our local Office Depot for $4.99 each. Silly Bandz are the big craze now. They are rubber band bracelets that will revert back to their original shape when you take them off of your wrist. - Amy Cribbs

Magic Kingdom - Unfortunately, I am a victim of motion sickness. When I took my 7-year-old son to Magic Kingdom, he had no fear of riding the "big" rides by himself. I was able to stand in line with him and once we reached the ride, he got on, and I found the exit and waited for him to get off. However, we ran into a problem on two of the rides (Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad). Both of these rides have two exits depending on where you get on. So if you plan to do this, be aware and pick a good meeting place. In our case, before our trip, I ensured my son knew my cell phone number and we discussed how to find a cast member if he got lost. - Christine Crews

YACHT CLUB - Just returned from a stay at the Yacht Club resort and found that the Ale and Compass Lounge serves a continental breakfast each morning. Muffins, croissants, fruit, cereal & milk, juices, coffee and more. I stumbled upon this on my first morning and was pleased to see that I didn't have to go to the Beach Club or Boardwalk to get a quick breakfast. - Ruthie White

ALL PARKS - We have gone down to Walt Disney World 24 times and are looking forward to going again in November. My tip is that when you go, always take a break where there is a water feature. If you are over-warm, they will help cool you off and if you are not then the sound helps relax and focus your mind so you can enjoy the rest of your day. At Magic Kingdom, the best one is right next to the Splash Mountain ride. If you don't want to get wet, step back. In Epcot, they are all over. They are in every park and various places, so ENJOY. - Dana Lind

EDITOR'S NOTE: The water features Dana refers to include the various fountains, water play areas, and misters found around the parks, such as the squirting Tiki Gods in Magic Kingdom's Adventureland or the Cool Wash mister near Test Track in Epcot.

ALL PARKS - We have gone down to Walt Disney World 24 times and are looking forward to going again in November. My tip is that when you go, always take a break where there is a water feature. If you are over-warm, they will help cool you off and if you are not then the sound helps relax and focus your mind so you can enjoy the rest of your day. At Magic Kingdom, the best one is right next to the Splash Mountain ride. If you don't want to get wet, step back. In Epcot, they are all over. They are in every park and various places, so ENJOY. - Dana Lind

EDITOR'S NOTE: The water features Dana refers to include the various fountains, water play areas, and misters found around the parks, such as the squirting Tiki Gods in Magic Kingdom's Adventureland or the Cool Wash mister near Test Track in Epcot.