Tips about Food & Beverage, Magic Kingdom, Mousecellaneous, Rain and Resorts

Although it was virtually pouring out, we decided to venture into Animal Kingdom anyway. We were prepared with Mickey ponchos of course, and my husband in a wheelchair to boot! Even with rain gear we were wet but we've never seen so many animals ... they all LOVE the rain! We had the Kilimanjaro Safari ride to ourselves -- who knew there were so many elephants! Even the lion was sitting up and not sleeping as usual. And we did Kali River Rapids about four times in a row -- why not, we were wet anyway! Best rainy day we've ever had in Disney. - Spin & Jan Spalding

My husband and two daughters (ages 6 and almost 3) were at Animal Kingdom when it began to rain. We put on our inexpensive ponchos from home and headed for Kilimanjaro Safari. Boy, were we in for a treat! The animals act differently during thunderstorms, and it was quite a sight to see herds of animals standing together, all facing the same direction, not moving. When our safari vehicle was by the area with the lions, we had to stop for another animal that was in the roadway. At that moment, there was a simultaneous thunderclap/lightning-strike that sounded like it hit right by us! It woke up the male lion, who was not too happy. He started pacing and roaring -- it was quite a sight! I would not hesitate to ride this ride in the rain and in sunny weather, just to see how different the animals behave in different weather conditions. - EschBecky

At Animal Kingdom, some of the animals become more active when it showers. This is a great time to put on those ponchos and just observe the animals in The Oasis. There is so much overhead foliage that you don't get the drenching rains like you would out in the open. Rafiki's Planet Watch is a nice place to visit during the rainy season. Stop and talk with the Cast Members. They have lots of great stories about the animals and the operation of the Animal Kingdom. There's also a huge mural painted on the walls of the building and there are lots of hidden Mickeys. See who can find the most. - JMcBride

Catch the various safaris and trails in Animal Kingdom... the rain will drive many people away, but the animals don't seem to mind and you can get some great views (watch those cameras in the rain, though!). And of course, whilst in Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids in the rain is a must... However, my favorite thing to do in inclement weather would be to curl up in one of the many cozy fireplace nooks in the Wilderness Lodge with my wife and a good book... - Gareth from Scotland

EDITOR'S NOTE: When lightning is in the area Disney will close down ALL outside attractions and shows as well as food carts until the threat of lightening passes.

"Boredom is Energizing!" After years of going to Disney, I have found that the best way to get everyone up in the morning for an early start is to flip on all the lights at 6 a.m. for Early Morning Entry or 7 a.m. for a regular entry time, and keep the television off. This is also important for adults. Checking the news on CNN and the weather on The Weather Channel can easily extend into sitting around for a long time. We just eat a roll, drink some juice and look out the window for the weather forecast. With nothing to do, it does not take long for everyone to get motivated to do something/anything. - John P.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

All Resorts - We recently spent five days at Port Orleans and during check-in were asked if we needed any help with reservations. We responded that we did not, we already had dining reservations, so the Cast Member told us to stop at the lobby concierge desk and they would print out an itinerary for us. We did so and were pleased to see that in addition to our reservation locations, times and confirmation numbers, our Backstage Safari Tour was also listed on the itinerary. - Leland Groves

My family uses an updated version of "I Spy" to pass the time when having to wait! We use our camera phone to take a close-up picture of something that is near us (like the napkins at the table, or a corner of a menu) and then we pass the phone around taking turns guessing what the photo shows. Super close-up pictures of things can be challenging to figure out -- even for adults! And, I have found that even my 6-year-old has no problem "pushing the button" to take a picture. We've made several long waits in restaurants as well as car trips pass by a little faster playing this game -- and the best part is I always have my phone with me, so whenever an unanticipated delay hits, we're prepared! - Heather Thomas

ALL PARKS - The last time we went to Disney World, we took along the cards from Trivial Pursuit Junior. My wife kept some in a zipper-type bag in her purse and when we had a long wait in line or were waiting for the buses to take us back to the hotel, she would get them out and we would have an informal trivia game. Many times we would involve other kids in line or on the bus and it was a great way to pass the time. Of course, Disney trivia cards would be a natural alternative. - Dave Ference

ALL PARKS - While standing in lines for rides that might have a long wait, my children bring along a deck of cards and take turns playing magician and guessing which card the other one picked. They also have a note pad each to write on and I get them to write down their favorite part of the day so far. Having some small snacks on hand also helps to keep them from getting bored. We bring animal cookies, crackers etc. -- nothing that is too messy. - Jackie Pluim

As a fan of sugar-free desserts myself, I found that the children's applesauce dessert at the counter service restaurants is sugar-free and allowed with an adult meal as part of the Dining Plan. Also, "bakery," not pre-packaged desserts are still available at Seasons counter service in The Land at Epcot. The huge variety (and they also had fruit bowls) made this a must-do counter service on our next trip. - Heidi S.

CHRISTMAS - My one tip would be for anyone who is thinking about going to the taping of the Christmas Parade -- DON'T, unless you want to totally waste a day of your vacation. They bring the first group in and don't make them move. The second group comes in and they are way in the back. I stood there from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and was not in any film. I even wore my red Christmas party sweatshirt and Minnie Santa hat. It was certainly hot! If you don't want to stand around and get pushed around don't go. - Bonnie Lock

MAGIC KINGDOM - For you Disney Princess enthusiasts, to ride Cinderella's particular horse on Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, look for the white horse with a gold ribbon tied around its tail. To help locate this mighty steed, ask a Cast Member. - Dee Dee Scarborough

My husband and I always buy the refillable mugs for our morning coffee or juice. However, we find we are never able to finish our drinks prior to leaving for the parks. We try to pack light for the parks so we prefer not to bring our mugs with us. So, we buy disposable coffee cups, with lids, from our local supermarket or discount store (they are just like the ones you would get at your local coffee shop). We can just transfer our coffee to the disposable cup and bring it along with us. When finished, they go right into the garbage. Then we don't need to carry the mugs around with us all day. - Joann W.

Before we go to the Parks I always go on eBay and buy packages of 100 or more glow bracelets. They are incredibly cheap in bulk and can be linked together for necklaces just like the much more expensive park ones. The kids can mix up the colors and have as many as they want by stacking them up necks, arms and legs so you can identify your little folks even in the darkest places. We even attach them to our stroller and bags to make them easier to find. The unbroken ones keep for up to a year or more and you can find tons of ways to use any leftovers during the year, like giving them away to trick-or-treaters at Halloween instead of candy (this is a REAL hit with the kids and parents around here), or wear them to July 4th fireworks, evening sports events, etc. - Nita Furlong