Tips about Food & Beverage, Kids, Mousecellaneous and Shipping

With four children, we are always looking for a way to help smooth over areas that might turn into calamities. The very best thing that we found was to bring hip pouches with water bottles attached, and every night, we fill them up about halfway with water or juice. Then we freeze them overnight. (This even works if you do not have a freezer...get an ice chest, fill it with ice, and you are good to go!) Then in the morning, finish filling it up with your choice of beverage, and you will have a cool drink until early afternoon. At that point, you can refill from a water fountain or head to the room for a refill. We did this in May, and it really helped keep the costs down on those $2 and $3 drinks! - Modesta

When visiting WDW we like to bring our own bottles and fill them at the parks. Trouble is, we don't enjoy the sulfur taste of the water. Last year, we bought Brita Fill and Go water bottles at Target for about $7 each. Each filter lasts for 15 gallons and really helps get rid of the unpleasant taste. The bottles come with a filter and replacements are a couple dollars each. This is much more convenient than having to stop and buy bottled water and is very economical, too. I've also noticed that the cold water from the faucets in the Disney resorts is not too cold, so we fill the bottles with half water and half ice, which helps keep it cool for a couple of hours at least. - Terri Padavona

After-park ideas: You could also take the boat at Disney's Hollywood Studios or Epcot over to the Boardwalk Resort and check things out there after the Studios or Epcot closes. We also did the Hoop Dee Doo Revue, which was great food and great fun, but hard to get to without a car. Marketplace and Disney Springs are always options when a park closes, too! - Christie Falck

I think the best thing that we did was to buy cylume sticks and little LED lights at Target before the trip. We hid them from our daughters and every night we brought out a light toy -- they loved them. (They didn't know where we bought them.) Everyone stopped and asked us about them. One other thing that helped was small elastic laces that we also brought so the girls could carry their drinks and we could also attach their lights to. - The Knight Family from Wyoming

Have a special hat for everyone for each day at Walt Disney World. I have tried to relate it to the park where we will be visiting on each day. For instance animal print ears for Animal Kingdom day, international themes for Epcot days, fun pinwheels for Hollywood Studio days, and of course all things Mickey for Magic Kingdom days. Not only is this fun but it is a great way to keep track of your group. You know exactly what to look for when trying to spot your family. For night time visits to the parks choose something that will light up and keep them the same for all which will distinguish your family above everyone else in the dark. Be sure and take hats off during attractions so they don't bother or interfere with other guests.

I would just like to say that I love your website and can't wait for our trip to WDW at the end of May 2002. Your website and newsletter have really helped us out a lot!! Maybe my tip can help others out. Last year I bought a CamelBak (www.camelbak.com) for when I race my all-terrain vehicle in the hot and humid weather here in Connecticut. These drinking systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are very lightweight -- they are also hands-free. What I like about these is, it keeps your back nice and cool and is also snug against your body, so nothing is bouncing around. Some also have zippers and pockets to store your passes, money, and keys. Some can even hold most of your stuff, which will eliminate all other bags. Hopefully this tip will help others. I know I will be keeping cool on my trip!!! - Jeff and Cherie

A tip for Jacqui Bull on a trip journal, try using an old check register booklet as your diary. I find it perfect to fit in a pocket or my wife's purse. It's small but has about 25 pages, more than enough space to record "holiday" experiences at WDW. - Brian Phillips

My tip involves the keeping a diary of sorts -- after several visits to WDW and trying, unsuccessfully, to keep a journal for whatever reason -- I either left it behind, it was cumbersome to carry about, or I was just too moused out to fill it in at the end of the day -- I eventually hit on the perfect answer (for me, anyway). In the weeks up to our last visit in February, I printed one sheet of paper for every day of our holiday (as we call it here in the U.K.). Of course, I put Disney characters and the day/date on each one, as well as little reminders such as, "Have we got the Valentine's Pin?" and "Have we had a Dole whip in MK?" It was easy to write notes on the page throughout the day as we waited in line, etc., and the crumpled, but well-used sheet was exchanged each evening for the next day's. - Jacqui Bull

Consider purchasing a clear backpack for your child. We got one for our granddaughter and packed it with a change of clothes for her and other necessities for the day. The security guards at the airport and Walt Disney World loved it. They just had to look and then sent us on our way. - Peggy

When we last visited the world, I got two "key" lights - the kind you attach to your key chain and squeeze when you need a bit of light to find your lock. I attached one to our backpack/diaper bag. It was always where I could find it and our 3-year-old had to just squeeze it for a bit of comfort. And it was too small to disturb the other guests and affect the theming. - Diane

Regarding the small lights on attractions, I wanted to mention that just before one trip, my daughter received for her birthday a light-up necklace (like the ones they sell for the fireworks and night parades) that lit up with a magnet connection. The light was very minimal (not actually giving off real light), just enough to be reassuring to a child. - Alysha G.

When we were at WDW this past October, we bought my 5-year-old a light-up Tinker Bell necklace to help ease her fears in dark attractions. Whenever she was nervous about the dark she would just light up Tinker Bell to "help show us the way out." The light wasn't bright enough to annoy other guests but just enough to let my daughter think that she had control of the situation. - Laura Richards

There are two important items that I don't think that we could have done without. One was a small flashlight/penlight for my 5-year-old daughter who is extremely afraid of the dark. Many rides took us into the dark, so she had complete control over the light on her face and even conquered the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain without a whimper. The other was a small purse/fanny pack for all three girls for their snacks, pens, autograph books and cameras. I don't recommend that they wear the fanny packs around their waist because it prevents the safety belts from coming down securely. Instead, wear them across the chest diagonally. I wore a large messenger bag instead of a backpack and didn't have any back pain or shoulder strain. - Tina Pryor

EDITOR'S NOTE: While we like Tina's tip about the light for fearful children, we encourage our readers to only take a small penlight, and, of course, to be considerate of other guests who may be enjoying the dark.

We have discovered that it is very handy to carry an Igloo 1-quart cooler filled with ice and water while in the parks. Best of all, any refreshment stop will gladly provide cups of free ice water for refill. While the cups may provide a short-term refreshment, the cooler keeps the water cold much longer, and since it has a strap is easy to carry on stroller handles and/or over the shoulder while waiting in long, hot lines. - Kevin W. Bowden

On a recent trip to Disney World, my feet were killing me by Day 2. Well, out came the EXTRA pair of memory foam insoles that I brought with me in my backpack. A trip to Guest Relations for a pair of scissors to cut to length and I was walking on pillows the rest of the week. - Craig