Tips about Food & Beverage, Planning, Resorts and Strollers

On our last trip to Disney we saved a lot of money on breakfast by bringing instant oatmeal packets, bowls and spoons from home. We used the coffee maker in the room to heat the water and had a quick, inexpensive breakfast. Plus, it required no refrigeration so we didn't spend the $10 per day extra for a refrigerator. - Katie in Maryland

EDITOR'S NOTE: The $10 per day charge is for value resorts only. Deluxe and moderate resorts now offer complimentary small refrigerators.

On our last trip to WDW, we were so excited to find that Columbia Harbour House sells sweet tea (a south Mississippi staple). This is "real" sweet tea that is fresh-brewed right there in the restaurant (not that stuff that comes out of a soda fountain that they call "tea"). The cast member working there told us that Columbia Harbour House was the only place in the Magic Kingdom that brews its own tea. Of course, throughout our stay we visited the restaurant many times to quench our thirst! - Lori K.

To help solve the problem of carrying leftover food, we tried those new Tupperware bowls that pop out. They start out flat and can be tucked into a backpack or purse very easily, and then open to three or four cups and a number of sizes in between. We bought a bag of chips and bagels from the gift shop and used the bowls to keep the chips and any leftover food from the food court. We used a number of dining vouchers and had so much food left over every day, so we really put those containers to good use. Sandi

Regarding mickderb's tip on ordering canvas bags for strollers, we brought two lightweight, fold-up umbrella strollers for our 3-year-old twins. (They were the kind where all four wheels collapse and fold up together, as opposed to a stroller that just folds in half.) To keep the strollers clean and get them through the airport easily, we just used the long canvas "tube" bags that our fold-up canvas chairs came in. The strollers fit into those bags very easily and most of those bags even have carrying straps. We slung the straps over our shoulders and easily carried the strollers around when we needed to. - Sharon Leonard

When you have WDW resort hotel reservations, the cancellation policy on the confirmation says you must cancel five days before scheduled arrival or forfeit the deposit, equal to the first night's stay. What that actually means is that you must cancel six days ahead, because what they are looking for is for there to be five days between the time you call and the arrival date. For example, we found out the hard way that you can't call on Sunday to cancel a Friday reservation. - Rhame Nelson

We visited WDW in early December with our 2-month-old granddaughter. Before we left I ordered canvas bags from Target.com for her stroller and infant seat. We used the strollers right up to the gate, and then easily slipped them into the bags and set them at the airplane entrance. The flight crews all commented on what a great idea this was. The bag does not protect them from all damage, but it certainly keeps them clean. (They can be used at home to keep the stroller clean in the trunk as well). - mickderb

We took our 3-year-old son to lunch at the Garden Grill. The character interaction was fun and he really enjoyed it. One tip for those with young kids: ask to be seated in the upper tier if you want a high chair. We went without and he felt free to hop down and run to the edge of the restaurant a lot. It would have been nice to keep him in one spot. All in all, this is a good meal, lots of fun and well worth your time. The character interaction was first-rate and our son was charmed by how the restaurant rotated. We were still full well into the evening. - Jennifer Maxwell

ALL STAR MOVIES - We recently visited Walt Disney World with my 3-year-old granddaughter. We stayed at the All Star Movies Resort -- I had forgotten how large it was. We had debated over the need for the umbrella stroller but were very glad we had it, as getting to the food court and bus stop was quite a hike for little legs. The airline transported this stroller with no problem. -Donna R.

POP CENTURY - I recently stayed at Disney's Pop Century Resort and I found parking to be a challenge. Beware, the parking spaces are extra-tiny, and there were several large SUVs that had to take up two spots -- which means you have to park further away from your room than you'd like. Other than that it's a great resort, and a real value. - Brennan P.

If you are renting a stroller and you need it for more than a day, you can do a multi-day rental. I stood in a line our first day to rent a double stroller for $15. On the second day, after standing in another line, I asked for a multi-day rental (three days, to be exact). I was given tickets for all three days at a discounted price! Each day, instead of waiting in line for a new stroller I just showed the attendant my stub and off we went, bypassing the line! Thanks for the great website! - Mary EDITOR'S NOTE: I saw the multi-day rental lines in action this past weekend and they really are great time-savers. In addition, the discount on multi-day rentals is 10 percent per day -- every little bit helps!

On our previous trip to Walt Disney World, our children were ages 2 and 4. We brought umbrella strollers for each of them. Before leaving, I sewed fabric covers over each of the plastic handles. The fabric was bright and since all four handles matched (the strollers did not), it was quite easy to retrieve both of them in the stroller parking areas. When the strollers were moved, the attendants always kept them together because they were obviously for the same family. The uglier and brighter the fabric you choose, the better -- they're easier to find and it's less likely that anyone would want to take them! - Julie

BEACH CLUB VILLAS - I just got back from a great four-night stay (my first) at the Beach Club Villas. We had a studio with fridge and microwave but I was very disappointed to see there were no real dishes to use. There were a few paper plates and bowls in the cabinet, and I was able to get plastic utensils, but this didn't help with anything needing to be microwaved. I had brought a few of those macaroni and cheese packets for late night snacks, not realizing that nothing is provided for actually USING the microwave. For those of you heading to a studio, keep this in mind and bring a little microwavable bowl with you, especially if you're planning to use it to cook instant oatmeal or that type of thing for the kids. - Amy Miles

EDITOR'S NOTE: EDITOR'S NOTE: Some readers have reported that housekeeping has delivered dishes on request, so if there's something you need, just ask! It can't hurt!

For those who are staying in Home Away from Home accommodations and are interested in grocery delivery, I would highly recommend a company called WeGoShop. They are a national grocery shopping and delivery company, and their Orlando location is run by a husband and wife team who are very nice people. You can email them your exact order (including product brand names, sizes and quantity), your hotel and the time you'd like your delivery, and they will be there with your groceries safely stowed in a large plastic container. They will charge you cost for the items you've bought, as well as a modest delivery charge. Their website is at www.wegoshop.com. Our groceries were just as we'd asked for them, and they even brought them to Bell Services for us as our room wasn't ready yet. - Jessica Slivak

During our recent stay at the Dolphin, we arranged stroller rental through the Dolphin's concierge desk. The Dolphin arranges this through an outside service. The charge was $7 per day plus $10 delivery charge. We requested the stroller late one evening and it was delivered to the bell desk by 9 a.m. the next day. It was a nice Evenflow stroller with a canopy, a big storage area below the seat, and a cupholder. The stroller didn't fold up very small for the bus ride, but otherwise was a great convenience. When we checked out, we left the stroller with the bellman for return. - Greg Ross

When I know a trip to WDW is approaching, as I reach the last of the shampoo, conditioner, etc., I stash the almost empty bottle aside, then pack it for the trip. When I run out, I discard the bottle and there is automatically more room for Mickey stuff to bring home! - Jenny Drake