Tips about Food & Beverage, Pins, Planning and Souvenirs

Disney's Hollywood Studios - We discovered the delicious blue crab wonton appetizer at the Hollywood Brown Derby recently. It's a generous portion of crab, bundled along with cucumber, tomato and a slightly hot wasabi aioli in a deep-fried wonton wrapper. It was the perfect start to a wonderful meal. - Linda

We just rented a cabin at Fort Wilderness and thought we would pass on some tips. We ordered water and drinks, along with eggs and cold cuts from an Orlando grocery delivery service. We also had room in our checked luggage for some groceries, condiment packs and little pouches of basic spices (sea salt, fresh pepper, garlic powder). The cabin's kitchen has about everything you need, but you might want to pack a small sharp kitchen knife, and if you plan to fry anything, know that the pan is stainless steel and not nonstick (VERY non-nonstick!). Stop at your local sub shop and pick up some oil packets (canola or extra virgin olive) and throw them in a zipper-top bag in your checked luggage. Being able to throw together breakfast in the morning is a great time- and money-saver, and having a late-night turkey sandwich and chips on the couch is a bonus. - Brian Phillips

Disney character toys are so expensive. We have found a great way to save money on our trip and let the grandchildren enjoy the characters on the way to Disney. We buy the toys on eBay for a fraction of the price, sometimes for as little as 99 cents plus shipping. I know it gives us more spending money and our grandchildren are just as happy. - Susan Smeltzer

ALL PARKS - When visiting the Disney parks, I usually like to pick up an extra guide map or two. I use them to decorate my cube walls at work and will also give extra copies to friends and family who may be planning their own trip in the near future. This helps them get a better idea of the park layout and make plans. - Kerry Kollasch

ALL PARKS - When visiting the Disney parks, I usually like to pick up an extra guide map or two. I use them to decorate my cube walls at work and will also give extra copies to friends and family who may be planning their own trip in the near future. This helps them get a better idea of the park layout and make plans. - Kerry Kollasch

After doing Disney for years and years we decided to do a photo scrapbook of Disney Dining... We started doing just the desserts everywhere we ate; now we've added other edible items of interest and fun. We're hoping to add some Happiest Celebration desserts to the album in May! - Betsy Vancura

I made a scrapbook of a WDW trip and on the book itself I used the road map that we used to drive there. At the starting and stopping points I put car stickers, traced the route in a red marker, and added interesting sites along the way. It makes a beautiful cover! - Michelle

One way my mom and I got ready for our trip to Disney World was to make a list of every animated Disney movie (in order of when each came out) and watch a movie a day until the trip! It helps you remember the magic of the movies while you get ready to experience the magic of the parks! - Chelsea

I have a 2-year-old who doesn't eat much. The kids' meals at the counter service restaurants are always too much for her, and we feel like we're wasting our money. One day we discovered that we could order a SIDE order of macaroni and cheese for only $1.79 (at Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom). It wasn't on the printed menu, but when we asked, they had no problem ringing it up. I am sure we could do this at most other counter service restaurants as well. This saves us from wasting money and food! - Renee Lunsford

A favorite stop for my 9-year-old daughter and me is the Basin bath shop in the Marketplace. Basin has very few locations around the country and has some of the best bath products. Our favorite is the "Mix Your Own Bath Crystals" section. For around $3.50, you receive a tube (1.25" x 5.5") that you fill with the bath crystals of your choice. They have a "buffet" of colors and scents for you to mix and match. It's a fun souvenir for "Mom and Daughter." They also sell an array of made-on-premises soaps cut straight from the bar, massage oil cakes for all ailments, and tons more. This shop should be a definite quick stop. - Maria Heuskin

I have noticed that you have been getting a lot of tips about buying inexpensive pins from Disney Shopping or the shopping malls around Disney World, and then "trading up" at the theme parks. My mother has found an even better way of doing this. A few months before we leave on vacation, she starts scouring eBay for inexpensive Disney pins, which are often available in large lots. She has been able to get as many as 20 pins at a time for around $5. Then, the day that we leave on the trip, she gives each of her five grandsons a bag full of pins to make trades. They get very excited about being able to do this, and as other readers have mentioned, it is a lot less expensive than buying pins in the parks! - Jennifer Hoshowski

I read the Tip of the Week from Rachel regarding purchasing cheap pins from outlet stores near WDW. What a great deal, to find pins for just 99 cents! Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?), when we're in Disney World, we never leave the property until we head back to the airport. My tip for saving money on pins is to check the Disney Shopping website (www.disneyshopping.com). If you're registered to get emails from Disney Shopping, you will be notified of their Semi-Annual Pin Sale, with some pins up to 50 percent off. If you buy sets on sale you tend to get a better deal than if you buy individual pins on sale. I recently purchased three sets (total of 11 pins), using a 10 percent coupon code, for a total of $43.97 including shipping. That came out to just $3.97 per pin, which is less than purchasing at the World. Since we like to trade, I just bought whatever pins gave me the best value, regardless of whether we'd like the pin or not. Now, if only we could get to Disney World to trade them! - Vicky Braun

We are planning a trip to WDW over spring break in April. My children, ages 7 and 9, purchased lanyards during our last trip and enjoyed pin trading with the Cast Members. I took advantage of the pin sale on the Disney website and purchased 10 of the cheapest pins I could find ($3.99 each with free shipping). We will take those pins with us and "trade up" when we get there rather than part with the cool pins we got last time or pay for new expensive ones at the parks. - Jennifer Aist

After having almost missed dinner because we did not have our confirmation number and they could not find us in the computer, I now keep all of our confirmation numbers, dining places, and times in the calendar on my cell phone. That way when I am in the park I have dining reservations literally a fingertip away -- no more forgetting them in the room. - pigget74

I personally think Disney pins are a bit too expensive (and the clothes, too). Well, the answer to my problem was found on a trip to the Belz Outlet Mall right outside of WDW. We decided to stop at a shop called Character Warehouse. I ended up finding a few cheap shirts for about $5-$6 that sold for about $13 at WDW! And I also found Disney Pins for $.99! Some were even LIMITED EDITION! So, if you are a bargain hunter, this is a must-see! - Rachel
http://allears.net/btp/cware.htm