Tips about Kids, Magic Kingdom, Mousecellaneous, Planning and Special Events

Magic Kingdom - During our recent trip to Walt Disney World, my son enjoyed playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. The only problem was carrying the cards and sorting through them. We saw several folks carrying binders with the clear sleeves used for baseball cards. A great idea. It keeps the cards "organized" and keeps them clean. You can see all your cards, and know which ones you need when trading. Since getting home, we have put our cards into a binder and are ready for our next visit. - Joelle Rehberg

MNSSHP - If you're a fan of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs don't miss out on seeing and taking pictures with all of the Dwarfs! Get there early as this is a very rare occurrence (usually only at MNSSHP) and therefore the line forms rather early. Last year they were located next to the queue near Splash Mountain (near the restrooms), but check your MNSSHP map for their exact location. - Dana Spinelli

MNSSHP - My best tip for attending MNSSHP pertains to costumes. If you are attending in September or even early October, it is still very warm at night. I always feel bad for all the kids dressed up with layers of costumes in that heat. In order to combat the heat along with staying in the Halloween spirit, I have been making family t-shirt costumes for the past 8 years. I buy t-shirts for the whole family in Halloween colors (orange, green etc.) and I decorate them with puffy paint, decals, stickers, glitter, etc. The front always says the "Horan Family Halloween Costume". Not only does it make it easier to spot your family, but everyone stays cooler during the party while being in "costume". We've gotten many compliments from other guests as well as cast members, plus we have a souvenir from each year! - Angela Horan

MNSSHP - 1. Schedule some "down time" the afternoon of the party so everyone is well rested.

2. Don't try to be there right when the party starts, either go early or go a little later so as to avoid the back-ups on the buses and any crowds leaving the parks that are NOT attending the party.

3. If you have younger children, try hitting the characters/ trick-or-treat early and shoot for watching the second parade. That way they can trick-or-treat before getting too tired to walk and can just relax and watch the fireworks/parade before heading out (best of both worlds)! - Heather MacGregor

MNSSHP - Be sure to get there in advance and get the best seating, which is on the curb right in front of the Castle. From here you will be able to see the dance show on stage, then turn right around for the parade, which will follow immediately after. Once it is complete you can go toward Tomorrowland easily across the bridge, then head up toward Fantasyland, which is the most popular for children to trick-or-treat! Be sure to stop by the Haunted Mansion for a unique queue experience and ride! Once here you can go back down the bridge toward the castle to get a great view of the fireworks and pictures along Main Street! - Chad Simpson

MNSSHP - Make sure you and your family eat a good meal before you get to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party because many of the restaurants in the MK close before the party begins, and the ones that are open are packed with people trying to eat and change their little ones into costumes before the magic of trick or treating begins! Last year, which was our first time at the Halloween party, my family and I entered the MK before the party began, hoping to eat a nice meal before the festivities. Unfortunately, many of the restaurants were closing early. We ended up at the Pecos Bill counter service restaurant as a last resort, and it was very crowded and noisy. It took a long time to order and get our food. Next time, we'll eat somewhere outside of the park, so we won't miss a minute of the fun! - Susan Brown

Magic Kingdom - On a recent trip we viewed the Magic Kingdom fireworks from just outside the entrance. We enjoyed a park bench to ourselves and had a lovely view of the display over the train station. Immediately afterward, we headed for the buses and with our "head start" easily caught the first one back to our resort. - Susan Reynolds

We recently went to Walt Disney World with a 7-year-old and 5-year-old. We rented a stroller with a glider board, which saved the day. Both kids were able to either sit in the stroller or stand on the board, and we never heard, "I'm too tired of walking." The stroller also came with a storage area underneath, a mini-cooler bag and a parent tray to hold a few bottles of water! - Scott Paul

I enjoyed reading the article on tips for taking children on an airplane (AllEars® Issue #661, May 22, 2012). It reminded me of the first time I took my four young children (age 6 months, 4, 8 and 10 years) on a plane. We were going to meet up with Dad who was doing work out of state, so I was on my own with them. To prepare for the flight we did "airplane practice" at home. I lined up chairs in our living room in rows like on a plane. We practiced how we would walk through the airport in a row like a mama duck and her ducklings. They carried their backpacks. We practiced talking to the flight attendants and having snacks. We practiced appropriate behavior on the plane and I told them they could only go to the airplane bathroom one time. (I knew my son would think it was cool and want to keep going in there.) That trip was many years ago, before the enhanced security requirements implemented by TSA, but we did practice walking through security as well. The funny thing is they still remember having airplane practice and they are 15, 19, 23 and 25. We were reminiscing a few weeks ago about that very thing. They were laughing so hard about airplane practice and walking like a row of ducklings. The practice really worked because I got several compliments on how well they behaved on that trip. - Jennie Blakeney

Girls who have long hair, when showering, need one towel for their body and one for their hair. To "go green" and save on hotel laundry, bring a turban made just for your wet hair. They can be bought in most big chain stores and online for a few dollars; they are small and dry in no time, cutting way down on the towels your family uses! - Patty

I always bring the small 3-ounce bathroom cups when I travel. They are great to use in the hotel when brushing your teeth. I have a 5-year-old son and sometimes the hotel provides glass drinking cups. Not a good thing for those little hands. The paper cups avoid any chance of him breaking the glass in the bathroom sinks. I also carry them around in the parks, too. They are great for handing out little snacks like gummy bears or goldfish crackers and make sharing a bottle of water easy as well. - hbryfogle

I always bring a cheap hand pump soap with me to use in my resort hotel. I hate using bar soap, especially since I share my hotel room, and it just never feels "clean" enough for me. I purchase a 99-cent hand pump soap before I go and put it in our resort bathroom upon arrival. I'll tell you, it beats using the slippery little Mickey soap bar the Disney resort hotels provide! - Kim

It has been many years since our first trip but I wanted to share a very valuable tip. Before you go, log onto Disney's website and order or print the park maps and study them extensively before your trip. I had read about the crowds and knew that if we didn't half way know where we were going, we would be lost. I studied the routes to the rides that we wanted to ride first, the restaurants we wanted to eat at and of course where the bathrooms were located. These parks are huge and knowing which way to start was super helpful. - Mindy

Buy a post card for each day of your Disney vacation on the first day. Each evening write down the day's highlights and mail the postcard to your home address from the hotel's front desk or postal box in the lobby. When you return home, you'll have a day by day 'mini journal' of what you did each day. So many of us plan to journal every day but after a day or two forget about it. Postcards are quick and easy! - Judith

Beach Club - We will be staying at the Beach Club in August. I recently called to add some room requests. When I requested a metal crib (the deluxe resorts used to have these, as opposed to the soft-sided Pack 'n' Plays), they informed me that they are no longer providing them. My son does not sleep well in Pack 'n' Plays. He is a tall 2-1/2-year-old. We requested a roll-away and will be transferring our son to a big boy bed this summer. The metal cribs were a nice feature that the deluxe resorts provided. - Sara