Tips about Food & Beverage and Magic Bands

Epcot - I just wanted to let you know there is now an additional place to get kosher food in Epcot. It is at the Electric Umbrella restaurant in Future World. This is helpful, because if you need the kosher food, you don't have to go all the way to the American Adventure's Liberty Inn in World Showcase. - Michael Lorch

Epcot - I just wanted to let you know there is now an additional place to get kosher food in Epcot. It is at the Electric Umbrella restaurant in Future World. This is helpful, because if you need the kosher food, you don't have to go all the way to the American Adventure's Liberty Inn in World Showcase. - Michael Lorch

We're at Walt Disney World this week and a cast member suggested that we could purchase the Tables in Wonderland card as Disney Vacation Club members. Went to a guest relations desk and after the cast member checked, found that yes, we could purchase TiW for $100, good for a year, with all the usual benefits. So glad this cast member was looking out for us, as it has saved us more than $100 already and we've got 13 more days to go! Please pass on the tip! - Tom Chavez

If you're on a tight schedule and want to be seated as close to your ADR time as possible, it may be best to make reservations for earlier rather than later. On our trip this month, I noticed that the later our dinner reservation was, the longer it took to get seated. This becomes even worse if it rains. People already seated for their meal do not finish and leave the restaurant as quickly when they know it's raining outside. - Collette

If you're a AAA member, bring your card and ask about available discounts at restaurants. Some places outside the parks, like Earl of Sandwich at Disney Springs and Fresh at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, offer a better discount for AAA members than they do for AP holders or DVC members. - Laura Gilbreath

Animal Kingdom - If you're looking for a healthy breakfast alternative, try the oatmeal at Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom. It's a generous serving of oatmeal topped with fresh crisp chunks of apple, golden raisins, Craisins, and brown sugar. And at only $2.79 it's quite a bargain! - Laura Gilbreath

My family just recently returned from our week vacation at Disney World in May. We are a family of five. We always bring one water bottle per person into the parks. This trip I bought a ball of different colored rubber bands. Each person had their own color and attached it to the neck of the water bottle. So when all the water bottles were put in the stroller, you could tell whose bottle belonged to who. With young children, this ended all arguments of "Who drank all my water?" - Karen Hopkins

My family just recently returned from our week vacation at Disney World in May. We are a family of five. We always bring one water bottle per person into the parks. This trip I bought a ball of different colored rubber bands. Each person had their own color and attached it to the neck of the water bottle. So when all the water bottles were put in the stroller, you could tell whose bottle belonged to who. With young children, this ended all arguments of "Who drank all my water?" - Karen Hopkins

Animal Kingdom Lodge - A reader writes in about the new "Dining with Animal Specialists" at Sanaa that we reported on last week: The best way to book the new "Dining with Animal Specialists" offering is to call the Safari line for Wanyama Safari at (407) 938-4755. That gets you the Animal Kingdom Lodge Itinerary Planning Office. Calling the Kidani Front Desk will actually get you the call center, and they know almost nothing about the new offering and can't book it.

When we've made our Disney Dining reservations, one thing that helps us to get to our restaurant on time -- I enter my reservation number and time of reservation into my phone. I set my alarm to go off to remind me at least an hour before the reservation. That way, I'm not late and I have plenty of time to get from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot, or wherever I am. - Judy Shock

Be sure to keep MagicBands on at all times when around Walt Disney World. We recently made the mistake of packing them into our backpacks, left the room on our last day at Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani to eat breakfast at Boma, then returned to our room. As we are walking down the hall, our son says we don't have our MagicBands, therefore we can't get into our room. When you are in a rush to get to the airport, this can present an issue! - Jimmy W.

I pack a travel French Press to ANY Walt Disney World resort hotel. The inability to get fresh-brewed coffee at WDW is frustrating to a coffee drinker like me! I only need one good cup in the morning for me and it makes my day. You can get a travel coffee press from online retailers for $20. It's only slightly bigger than a soda can and easily fits in a carry-on. Simply put the grounds in the bottom (you can buy Mickey coffee at the hotel), add hot water, wait 5-10 minutes, press, and pour a great cup of coffee!

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you don't want to bring your own, AllEars.Net maintains a page of places to get fresh-brewed coffee around the World: http://allears.net/din/coffee.htm

For anyone who has celiac disease or wheat allergies in general, Tony's Town Square was a treat. Two of my traveling party have celiac disease and the chefs were amazing. So many options for gluten-free, including pasta and special gluten-free, dairy-free meatballs. We all ate like royalty the entire trip and can't wait to go back. - Richelle H.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Just about every table service restaurant at Walt Disney World will try to accommodate guests with special dietary needs.

Epcot - We found that the Electric Umbrella restaurant at Epcot has free drink refills... not only for soft drinks but for apple juice as well, which worked out great for our little one. This is the only "quick service" restaurant we visited that didn't give us a juice box when we ordered her a kid's meal with juice. - Michelle P.

Epcot - We found that the Electric Umbrella restaurant at Epcot has free drink refills... not only for soft drinks but for apple juice as well, which worked out great for our little one. This is the only "quick service" restaurant we visited that didn't give us a juice box when we ordered her a kid's meal with juice. - Michelle P.