Tips about Food & Beverage and Packing

In addition to taking out all electronics bigger than a cell phone, TSA at the Orlando airport recently made everyone in my line and the security lines around me take out all food items --- every granola bar, every bag of Mickey treats --- and lay them in a single layer in the security bins. One lady had a whole duffle bag full of snacks and it took several bins and extra time for a TSA person and her to lay them all out in a single layer. I will definitely change the way I pack my carry-on! - Sally Schneider

Did you know that you can use your MagicBand to pay at the Global Marketplaces during Epcot's Food and Wine Festival? If you are staying at a Disney resort hotel and have the Disney Dining Plan or have some sort of payment associated with your MagicBand, you can simply tap it for any eligible food or beverage item. There is a place to tap your MagicBand at each register. The payment will be processed as a room charge or as a dining plan snack credit. - Rick

Consider tucking a small, pocket flashlight into your suitcase, just in case of a power outage. The electricity went out throughout the entire hotel one night during our stay last week at Disney's BoardWalk Villas. There were emergency lights in the hallway, but our room was in complete darkness for an hour. - Linda

Did you know that many of the Disney Springs restaurants have their own mailing lists that alert you to special deals and offers? I just received a mailing from Blaze Pizza and right now there is a sweet summer send-off special. Print out the email with the QR code (it can only be used once) and you'll receive a free dessert when you turn it in at the restaurant. You can also download the Blaze Pizza app, which has other specials available. - Deb Wills

If you are an oyster lover as I am, be sure to stop by The Boathouse at Disney Springs. In addition to their great daily lineup of fresh oysters, they now have a proprietary oyster grown and harvested exclusively for the Boathouse. The Lucky Dux oysters are AMAZING! If you like a crisp brine, with a clean finish and buttery texture these are for you! - Linda E.

When ordering from the new Satu'li Canteen in Pandora using the Mobile Order function in the My Disney Experience app, you can customize your Satu'li Bowl quite a bit. In addition to choosing your protein, base and sauce, you also have the following options: no base at all, no sauce or sauce on the side, no boba balls, no vegetable slaw, and beef well done (rather than medium). - John

Just a tip: You can go to the 50's Prime Time bar (the Tune-In Lounge) [at Disney's Hollywood Studios] and order their famous Peanut Butter and Jelly shake to go! - Ericka

Last year (based on a tip from a friend) I went to the Tune-In Lounge at the '50s Prime Time restaurant in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Arrived before 11:30 a.m. and grabbed a chair at the bar. If you sit at the bar, they also serve full meals off the regular food menu. So I had a glass of wine, and an assorted plate of meatloaf, chicken and some other meat, and veggies. Food was very good, and the bartender was very nice. Wanted to mention that I tend to avoid bars, but this lounge was so family-friendly that I felt comfortable there and had a nice meal. - Maureen

Some may not know that there's a Disney grocery delivery service for the Fort Wilderness cabins. If you're a cabin guest, you can pre-order a pantry full of fresh groceries days and even months before you arrive and they'll be ready to enjoy the moment you arrive! Choose from the pre-selected list of popular grocery items and submit your order, along with your cabin reservation details, in one of three ways: by email, fax, or US mail. Your cabin will be stocked with your selections after 5 p.m. on the day you check in. You can find the details HERE. - Erin Blackwell

Hubby and I went to WDW a few weeks ago and we discovered that if you buy the $10 souvenir popcorn bucket you can get refills for only $1.50. Same bucket/same deal at any park! This is great if you are paying out of pocket for snacks and meals (and love popcorn!). - Michelle Henshaw

I recently had the chance to spend a night doing the Highway in the Sky Dine Around. I have been going to Disney World for 20 years now, usually twice a year for the festivals. I have to say this event was one of the best things I have ever done at Disney, although dessert had few choices. I hope that they keep this event going as I would surely do this again. Totally awesome experience. - Mike Emerson

This tip about tips for visitors traveling from the U.K.: This isn't specifically Disney-related, but it is important, especially if you're new to the U.S. Servers expect to be tipped; it's how they really earn their wages. Don't try to avoid it or make lame excuses, if you receive an average/good service, a reasonable tip is 15 percent, if very good/excellent, at least 20 percent. Even if you buy a beer, tip! - Phill Barnett

We just returned from an eight-day stay at Walt Disney World and I have a tip regarding package deliveries from stores like Amazon. We ordered items for our baby (diapers, wipes, formula, etc.) 10 days prior to our trip and had them shipped to All Star Sports. I received emails a few days prior to our check-in day that our packages were delivered. Because of this, I only packed enough baby items for our first day. When we checked in around noon time, I asked about our packages and was told that hotels have been so overwhelmed with the number of package deliveries in the past several months, they no longer have the space to store the packages on-site. Instead, packages are sent to an off-site location. When you check in, your packages are then called for... but it can take a few days to get them to you. About 75 percent of our stuff was located by midnight, the rest by the following day. Needless to say, it was a very stressful start to our vacation and I won't be doing that again! - Jillian

This trip to Walt Disney World we decided to bring our own beach towels from home. We found it much easier to identify our chairs and verify the security of our belongings while lounging in the pool. The resorts do provide white towels, but it is so difficult to differentiate one chair from the next! - Amy Coronis

My daughter brings all her old Disney stuffed animals with us and arranges them in the window of our room. This year I bought some battery-powered, multicolored lights (the ones used for a jack-o'-lanterns) to accentuate the stuffed animals. It was so fun to see. - Michelle