Tips about Food & Beverage, Magic Kingdom, Planning and Tickets

We tried to book a room for the first week of December. Not a single room was available at any Disney resort. The Disney representative suggested looking at a resort that was still on Disney property but not an actual Disney resort. She said the Buena Vista Palace had rooms available. They are located across from Disney Springs and offer bus service via Mears shuttles. I called them directly and because I'm a firefighter was able to get a greatly reduced rate that isn't offered at Disney resorts! (It's called the "government rate." I just had to show my firefighter ID when I checked in.) - Alexiss from MA

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.

A quick note to let everyone know that Will Call tickets can be picked up at the ticket counter (lobby concierge) at any Disney resort, which is something I really wish I had known. Our Halloween Party tickets had not arrived before we left for Orlando. We discovered at check-in that the person who took our reservation, in an attempt to update our information with our new home address, forgot to change the city. Oops... So, with us in Orlando and our tickets floating around our old city, the staff at the front desk did everything they could to try to get us new tickets, but in the end they had to refer us to Guest Relations. That night, in costume, I went up to the Guest Relations window expecting to have a problem, but I couldn't have been more pleased. After checking my ID, my confirmation number, and verifying that the tickets had not been used, the cast member gave me new tickets and even gave me back the $3 I had paid for shipping, without me even asking! So, my advice to everyone is to use Will Call at your resort. If you must have your tickets shipped to you, double check your address and hang on to your confirmation number. Then, if something does go wrong, and you must go to Guest Relations, don't be afraid. Their staff is the best of the bunch. - Sandra DeTora

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.

We just returned from a week at the World. I had read more than once that the refillable mugs were a must purchase at the resort so we picked up a couple on our first day. Between the drinks included with meals and using snack options to purchase water at the parks, we did not make use of them at all. We did spend a few partial days at the resort pools, but did not have them with us to fill up at the right times. The tip here is: unless you plan to spend a lot of time in your resort, the drink options offered with the meal plans may be sufficient. - Jennifer

At the Liberty Tree Tavern, the mugs that you drink from are also for sale. They cost $5 and they are boxed and bagged for you when you leave. Just ask your server when paying for your meal. It is a cheap souvenir that lasts a lot longer than toys and t-shirts. They are very sturdy and can easily withstand several washes in the dishwasher. - Victoria Tester

Before buying milk in a container at your resort's counter service restaurant, check the price of milk in your resort's gift shop. We found the gift shop price of milk to be less expensive at the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge. - Wendy

ALL PARKS - When a Cast Member asks you how many people are in your group, tell them the ENTIRE number in your group. The Cast Members are trying to group your entire party onto the ride at the same time. If you tell them a number less than your party, don't be surprised when your party gets split up. (You might be asked by up to three different Cast Members for your party size.)

As a followup to the information about soy milk availability in Walt Disney World: All four of my children are lactose-intolerant, so I have discovered that most grocery stores carry soy milk in cartons that don't require refrigeration. Some wholesale clubs (BJs, Costco) carry single serving soy milk (like juice boxes), which again do not require refrigeration. We have often brought this with us for our children. - Jeanne Sacks

Magic Kingdom - If you ever walk past Space Mountain and it's been shut down for maintenance for a few minutes, jump on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. As the ride passes by Space Mountain, the lights will be turned on and you can see what the coaster actually looks like. As a repeat visitor to Disney World, I thought it was just about the coolest thing I'd seen all day, and it made the idea of going on the ride a lot less scary. - Allie