Tips about Magic Kingdom and Special Events

On our recent Magic Kingdom visit my two children really wanted to get their faces painted. We first tried the Pirates' League in Adventureland, but it closed at 3:30 p.m. on the day we visited. However, we found a face painting area tucked away next to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland. And the best part -- just keep your receipt, and they'll touch up your face paint throughout the day for no extra charge! - Laura Gjere

Epcot - NEW in 2013 is the Holiday Passport. If you visited Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival or the Food and Wine Festival you'll be familiar with this little booklet. It is available at various kiosks around World Showcase. The passport points out special holiday snacks and beverages, special merchandise, entertainment and a holiday photo op. Don't forget to get your country stamp, too! - Deb Wills

Epcot - When entering the park, be sure to pick up the Epcot Holidays Around the World Guide. - Deb Wills

Epcot - Don't overlook the Gingerbread Village set up in the upper floor of the Land Pavilion in Epcot's Future World. - Deb Wills

Epcot - The Storytellers making presentations on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa will hand out special pamphlets on those holidays -- just ask for one after they've finished. - Deb Wills

Epcot - The Epcot Storytellers will take a few minutes after the show to meet guests and pose for photos. Considering having the storyteller sign your autograph book, or your passport. - Deb Wills

Some of the holiday snacks and beverages are part of the Disney Dining Plan snack program. Look for the DDP symbol on the menus. - Deb Wills

The Walt Disney World Lost and Found department is amazing! My designer sunglasses flew off during Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and I thought they were gone for good. I called the Lost and Found department and described what day and location I lost them, gave a description of the glasses, and to my surprise, in true Disney Magic they were found! (Allow 24-48 hours for cast members to process your lost items.) - Michelle

EDITOR'S NOTE: You can report missing items at Guest Relations in the theme parks, but if you don't discover the item has been lost until you get home, try calling Theme Parks Lost & Found: (407) 824-4245. They're open seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST. Give them a description of the item and where you lost it, and if it's been turned in, they'll let you know.

MNSSHP - We made dinner reservations at Crystal Palace for 6 p.m. on Halloween night in 2010. When dinner was over Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party had started (7 p.m.). This worked out very well for timing and we didn't have to deal with food lines for dinner. We will be going this year again and reservations have already been made. - Earl Brittian

For those Disney fans who loved the SpectroMagic Parade in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and miss it as much as I do, you now have an opportunity to buy the music. The full 14-minute song is available for purchase in the iTtunes store for $3.99. My wife and I now have it on our iPods and enjoy taking a 14-minute trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth (without having to travel to Tokyo). - Patrick Markham

We will be going to WDW for our 19th trip in two weeks -- can't wait! One of the best tips we can offer is to definitely go to the parks at night -- they all look so different as the sun goes down. The sun setting and the darkness coming -- it really brings out the beautiful lighting and colors of the parks. Animal Kingdom will be open in the evenings when the Rivers of Light show debuts in 2016. I just wish Walt Disney could come back for one day and see the beauty and magic that he created! - Trudy

If you're going to Walt Disney World anytime between September and December, consider attending one of the special parties in the Magic Kingdom -- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (and go during the week so it's less crowded). You can save money by not buying a park ticket the day of the party. Sleep late, enjoy the pool at your resort and/or go to Disney Springs. If you're visiting in November or December, check out the fabulous Christmas decorations in any of the deluxe resorts. Get to Magic Kingdom at 4 p.m. and you will get to enjoy the park until closing time at midnight. Both parties are really great! - Kim

Magic Kingdom - My daughter is 8 years old, and on one of our last trips to Magic Kingdom she asked if we could make a reservation for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. I was unable to get a reservation that fit our schedule. She was understanding, but a little disappointed. We decided to have our older boys experience the barber shop in the Magic Kingdom on the same trip. After we entered the barber shop and the boys were in their respective chairs, a cast member asked us if our daughter wanted her hair "done." They proceeded to put her hair in an up-do, complete with sparkling glitter! She looked like a princess and the up-do was a mere fraction of the cost that the Biddidi Bobbidi Boutique would have charged for a similar hairdo! - Danielle

Prior to attending the Food and Wine Festival, we had read that it was sometimes difficult to get a table to rest your food and beverage, but that people were happy to share their space. Being rather private, we weren't sure we would be comfortable with this. However, out of necessity, we found ourselves asking, "May we share your table?" Everyone was very gracious, and we found ourselves enjoying the brief conversations that took place. It was just enough interaction to make us feel a part of the excitement, but not so much that we felt awkward. - Melissa Mercon Smith

Many attractions at WDW are tied to amazing stories, but some of the stories are not as popular as they once were. We recommend watching classic movies like "Swiss Family Robinson" and "Tom Sawyer" so young children can understand, appreciate and experience the attractions. Otherwise, climbing a tree house or rafting to an island may not have the same "magic" as it could. Also, as a mother of boys who are not as familiar with princesses, we watched "Snow White," "Cinderella" and "Little Mermaid" so they are familiar with the stories and could recognize the princesses more easily. - Sandy