Tips about Mousecellaneous and Pins

Want to get prepped for your Hidden Mickey hunt at WDW, Disney style? Just watch Lion King 1 1/2. There are so many Hidden Mickeys in this movie that I lost count! - Alea L.

My tip of the week is an interesting twist on pin collecting. We just returned from WDW for spring break and our 3-1/2-year-old daughter had finally reached the 40" tall mark. To celebrate her first rides on Test Track, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tower of Terror, and others, we would find a pin that represented the ride she had just experienced for the first time (not hard since you almost always get dumped into a gift shop post-ride) and have a "ceremony," placing it on her lanyard. We would make a huge fuss, and more often than not the Cast Members who worked in the gift shops would really help us ham it up. These "ceremonies" were the highlight of our trip. The thought of the "ceremonies" also helped bolster her courage when she was not sure if she wanted to ride a particularly "scary" attraction. - Scott Hart

We have been searching for Hidden Mickeys at WDW, so to 'train' my husband for our last trip, I hid one Hidden Mickey a day for him to find before work. I only hid them in the bathroom because if he had to look all over the house before work, it wouldn't be fun! We both enjoyed this pre-trip practice, and I really think it paid off! He did 100 times better at spotting Hidden Mickeys once we got to WDW. A few words of advice for anyone who might want to try this: limit it to two weeks or less before your trip! Also, certain scrapbook stores sell Mickey punches; those were small and I could stick them anywhere! Other good ideas for Hidden Mickeys are placing anything in the three-circle shape, such as dots of cream connected to look like Mickey. There are many Hidden Mickeys like that at the World, so be creative! - Alea Laughery

Regarding two-way communication with other members of your party, we have found that texting works the best. It's too hard to hear my cell phone ring with all the noise of the parks, and it's also too hard to talk on the phone. So we just send each other text messages to set up meeting places, or to let the other person know if we're running late. - Kirsten Searle

For avid pin collectors, it is usually difficult to find good trading pins on Cast Members' lanyards once we have a good size collection of our own. If you wander back into the little shops in the countries in Epcot (especially the ones farther back, such as Morocco) you have a much better chance of a good "find" on a Cast Member's lanyard. Please save one or two for me, though!!!! - Peggy from Florida

Don't forget to mention that a trip to the Kennedy Space Center is worth it. It's only an hour's drive and the backlot bus tour for the $20 was well worth it. Wow, unbelievable what this day trip offered. Not a lot of walking (so go after a day of hard walking around WDW. - David

My 13 year old daughter and I bought personalized "Guest of Honor" pins at one of the Disney's Hollywood Studios stores. We wore them every day of our visit this year and the reaction was AMAZING! Yes, Cast Members are already friendly and personable, but if you want EXTRA attention and interaction, WEAR ONE OF THESE PINS! Our server at our Chef Mickey's Character Breakfast called us by name from the start and wanted to know why my husband didn't have a name tag. Several characters including Ariel and Mickey Mouse signed my daughter's autograph book "To Christine" and that's pretty cool given that Mickey doesn't talk! Everywhere we went - rides, shows, food stops - we got "Hello, Brenda and Christine" and extra attention. I have two theories about why - one is that maybe they thought we were visiting Cast Members, the other is that wearing these pins made it clear that we were truly in the "we're ready for fun at WDW" mode. Whatever the reason, these pins were the best $3 investments we could have made for making a great visit even better. - Brenda Burchett

The one thing we found at Disney was that everyone was extremely nice, even the other visitors. Don't be afraid to talk to people. Disney is made for kids, and adults who are kids at heart. - The Percey's

It seems like more and more often I am seeing discussions about bad experiences with Cast Members. I can honestly say that in more than 13 trips to the "World" over the last five years, I have never had such a negative experience. I would like to think that part of the reason for this is how my family and I treat the Cast Members. A smile, a please, and a thank you seem to make all the difference in the world! So my tip is "give some of the magic back to a Cast Member." Go out of your way to be nice to a Cast Member after you see another guest treat him or her badly. Open a door for them, ask them about their hometown, or sincerely thank them for their help. I cannot imagine how the Cast Members manage to keep their smiles on all day, and to provide the level of service that they do day-in and day-out. To me, that is the greatest magic in all of WDW and they deserve to get some of that magic in return! - Scott Hart

We just returned from a fab tour of Disney and we met a Cast Member who gave our 8-year-old daughter a little tip. There's a series of pins out called "Wild About Safety." They feature Timon and Pumbaa and give advice on how to stay safe on Disney rides. It was our understanding that only CMs who work the attractions will have these pins. They will often be a "mystery" pin on the CM's lanyard - pinned so the pin is facing the CM and hidden from view. Some will give a little clue by having a safety pin pinned on their lanyard above it. Happy pin trading! - Michele

If you plan to have a pedicure done just before your Disney trip, so that your pinkies will be looking their best while lounging around the pool or resort room, DO NOT let the pedicurist file away any of those nice calluses you might have on the bottom of your feet. You will need those calluses for the miles of walking you will be doing. I was so proud of my nice soft feet after my pedicure, until the end of the first day when I realized my nice soft skin was forming blisters in the area where the calluses had been buffed away. Luckily I had moleskin with me to help protect the tender new skin. Get your toenails polished if you wish, but leave those calluses! - Bev Carson

If you have had a wonderful experience at Walt Disney World with an individual Cast Member, or at an attraction or hotel, please let WDW know! As a Cast Member, I can tell you that getting an email or letter from a guest telling me that some "little" thing I did made their vacation is THE biggest thrill! You can stop by Guest Relations at any one of the Parks or at Guest Services at a Disney hotel, or just go to the Disney website. Your message WILL be passed along to the Cast Member, attraction or hotel. - A Cast Member

Last year I went to WDW with two good friends. They had never been to WDW and we had a blast. The one problem they faced was finding me in the crowd. I am, to explain it in a PC phrase, altitudinally challenged -- in other words, I am SHORT. Because of this, hats, shirts, badges, the usual identifying stuff would not help. The solution was at my feet -- literally. By scanning the footwear of a crowd, my friends could always find me by my Day-Glo green, purple, or orange shoelaces. The laces also turned out to be a great ice-breaker when standing in line. The kids loved the colors and the parents loved the idea. - Mary S.

If you carry a cellphone, put an entry in the "Phonebook" labeled "Home" or "If Found Call" and then program either your home number or your hotel number. I left my very expensive cell phone in the sand at Typhoon Lagoon. A guest found it and gave it to Lost & Found. They were able to reach me right away at home to let me know because I had an entry in the phonebook designated "Home". All I had to do was confirm the make and model of the phone and it was returned to me. - Alisa Starke

If you are going to have a car at WDW, go to the Wal-Mart website before you leave home and find the nearest location(s), and directions on how to get there. As it turns out, there are two stores within 10 miles of the WDW property. My family always needs something there, and it is definitely much cheaper than paying Disney prices.

Also be sure to check the website of your insurance provider for locations of acceptable urgent care facilities near WDW. The last two times we were at WDW, we had to go to urgent care. I didn't plan the first time and paid dearly. Last year was a much less painful (financially) experience. - Kent Kirby