Tips about Magic Kingdom and Sun & Heat Tips

Most strollers are in a navy blue or some other dark color that hides spills and stains. This is functional for general use but in Florida it just attracts the hot sun and turns a baby's sanctuary into a sauna. To keep babies cool, line the seating area with a big white terry cloth towel and safety pin it to the seat so it fits snugly. Drape a light-colored scarf over the navy blue/dark material carriage cover as well. The light color won't absorb as much heat. You'd be amazed how much it cuts down on the heat for the little ones and the towel soaks up sweat and can be washed the next day or replaced with a fresh clean towel. - Alisa Starke

Take advantage of each park's Baby Care Center. These are a haven for both mom and baby. When we took our son down one year he refused to nurse because he was too hot -- this was in early April! When I finally found a Baby Care Center with its wonderful air-conditioned, dimly lit nursing rooms, he was much happier and nursed. It is important to keep a baby hydrated, too! Remember the old rule of thumb: "What goes in, must come out." So if your kid isn't going to the bathroom (or wetting the diaper) then you know they haven't had enough to drink. - Michelle

Limit strenuous exercise. And yes, that includes walking around the theme parks. Walking around in the heat and humidity can make ALL parts of your body sweat, and that includes your poor feet. When feet are wet, blisters can develop, so try to wear socks that are not 100 percent cotton. If you feel a hot spot developing, find a place in the shade to sit down. Take off your shoe and sock and inspect your feet. Put a bandage on the tender area, and let your feet dry. Dry feet are happy feet! If you get bad blisters, go to the First Aid Station (there's one located in each of the parks).

Remember to drink even when you are not thirsty. In fact, if you wait until you're thirsty, you've waited too long. Increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour. Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, as well as alcoholic drinks and those high in sugar -- these cause you to lose more body fluids. Sports drinks can supplement fluids in your body, but water should be your first choice. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask the doctor how much you should drink while the weather is hot. Also, some folks find that drinking sports drinks (when they normally don't) can cause digestive problems. Again, listen to your body.

Be extra cautious in the sun/heat if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions. Also be extra careful if you are taking any medications. For instance, certain medications (like some antibiotics, NSAIDS [such as ibuprofen and aspirin], and some oral contraceptives), may make you sunburn more easily, so be sure to protect yourself and stay out of the sun as much as possible.

The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body! Do not push yourself. Your body is a perfect alarm and knows when to take a break. Listen to it. Keep in the shade and drink plenty of water - Nikki Hendrix

ALL PARKS - What our tip is, is to tie a bright bandana on the luggage rack or one of the mirrors of your car/minivan/truck that face the tram pick up area. We tied a bright colorful bandana nearest the tram pick up side on our while rented minivan, each day of our 11 day trip to WDW. It didn't matter what park we were at or what row we parked at. All we had to remember was the section, (example, stage, donald, unicorn, etc) we always found our van many times from very far away. We also used the bandana's on our stroller and on our luggage. - Clemley

ALL PARKS - We read complaints about some of the attractions being too loud so we carried a set of earplugs in our fanny packs and found that they helped tremendously! We could still hear well, but our ears were much more comfortable. The earplugs don't take up any room at all either! - Diane Taylor

ALL PARKS - You will only move at the pace of the slowest person in your group. Accept this, be patient, and do what you can to help that slowest person - under certain circumstances, it might be you! (Jen Kitchen)

Just back from our first trip with a toddler. He goes down for a nap each afternoon. We were unsuccessful getting him down in the Magic Kingdom (too much stimulation) so we headed out for the buses through Tommorrowland. As we strolled through the Tomorrowland Terrace, we realized less noise, no visual stimulation, and protection from the sun! It was the perfect place for our son to finally fall asleep. It probably saved us an hour to the hotel. - Doug C

As great as zipper-top bags are for holding snacks, you might want to think about hard plastic storage containers for them or something equally sturdy. I've witnessed a squirrel literally rip a hole in a reusable supermarket bag to get at the chips inside, no matter how many times we shooed him away. Anytime you're in a show or a ride with a long line the squirrels and birds have PLENTY of time to mess with your stuff that you've left in your stroller or scooter. - Aren

We were in Disney World last month and noticed that there are new ways that the MagicBands interact with various attractions. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, there is an electronic poster in the queue that displays the name and home city of guests. At Mission: Space, there are video screens in the post-attraction room that will display the names of the guests who finished the ride, along with their hometown and their mission projection. At Space Mountain there are video screens along the moving walkway that display the names of the guests who finished the ride. At the end of "it's a small world," look for the video screen to display the names of the guests on the boat. There may be more attractions that may also implement this technology, so keep your eyes open in the queues and in the post-attraction areas. - Brian Kehoe

We were in Disney World last month and noticed that there are new ways that the MagicBands interact with various attractions. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, there is an electronic poster in the queue that displays the name and home city of guests. At Mission: Space, there are video screens in the post-attraction room that will display the names of the guests who finished the ride, along with their hometown and their mission projection. At Space Mountain there are video screens along the moving walkway that display the names of the guests who finished the ride. At the end of "it's a small world," look for the video screen to display the names of the guests on the boat. There may be more attractions that may also implement this technology, so keep your eyes open in the queues and in the post-attraction areas. - Brian Kehoe

MAGIC KINGDOM - When two showings of a parade are offered at the Magic Kingdom in an evening, the second is almost always much less crowded and just as nice! - Timeless Tip o' the Week brought to you by www.themouseforless.com and Mike Boyer

ALL PARKS - In regards to having bags and whatnots inspected at the parks, the best thing is to have all pockets and pouches opened. Also, if you have a dayplanner or something similar, have that unzipped, too. When we went to Disneyland recently (to see the new Haunted Mansion Holiday), my husband was asked to open his dayplanner for them to inspect. When we park-hopped over to DCA, he was ready for the inspection process and dutifully had everything unzipped and ready to be looked at. - Milady