Tips for Disney Parks & Cruise Lines

I wanted to capture my daughters' first trip to WDW by collecting character autographs. However, with my girls being 3 years old and 16 months, a collection of autographs in a book wouldn't be much fun for them, so I decided I would make them a blanket of autographs. I pre-washed a heavyweight white cotton fabric and cut it into 7"x10" panels. I found iron-on appliques of Disney characters. I also cut out extra blank panels. I cut foam core to the same size as the panels and secured the panels with binder clips. I found fabric markers that worked well, but the X-tra large chisel tip Sharpies (in various colors) worked great. The characters, especially the princesses, loved being able to sign next to their applique. With the blank panels, I asked characters to sign as big as they wished. I used iron-on transfers to transfer the photos of those characters onto fabric. I then sewed the panels together with a backing fabric and both girls ended up with a custom blanket to commemorate their trip. - Kelly Ostroski

Even if you have a rental car and aren't using Magical Express to get to the airport from your Disney resort, you can use the Resort Airline Check-in to check your bags, deliver them to the airport and through to your destination (on a participating airline). Just make sure you get your bags to the Resort Airline check-in location at the resort in a timely fashion. - Anonymouse

Even if you have a rental car and aren't using Magical Express to get to the airport from your Disney resort, you can use the Resort Airline Check-in to check your bags, deliver them to the airport and through to your destination (on a participating airline). Just make sure you get your bags to the Resort Airline check-in location at the resort in a timely fashion. - Anonymouse

Even if you have a rental car and aren't using Magical Express to get to the airport from your Disney resort, you can use the Resort Airline Check-in to check your bags, deliver them to the airport and through to your destination (on a participating airline). Just make sure you get your bags to the Resort Airline check-in location at the resort in a timely fashion. - Anonymouse

When we go to WDW we keep the kiddie meal Mickey-shaped plates as souvenirs. They wash up nicely (top-rack dishwasher) and have three compartments. I usually use one of the "ears" to put their cups into so that they don't tip them over. They last long, too. We've had ours since the summer! - Kari Svinarich

When we go to WDW we keep the kiddie meal Mickey-shaped plates as souvenirs. They wash up nicely (top-rack dishwasher) and have three compartments. I usually use one of the "ears" to put their cups into so that they don't tip them over. They last long, too. We've had ours since the summer! - Kari Svinarich

We visited Walt Disney World this past July with five children ranging from 2 to 14 years old. We found the best place to line up for character photos was at Epcot's Character Connection. It is air-conditioned and the staff were very friendly and interacted with the children and adults. The characters went out of their way to please and play with my 2-year-old. An experience as an adult I will never forget: Pluto kneeling on the floor, nose-to-nose with my 2-year-old, and Minnie and his first kiss. - Valerie Fisher

If you are using a different dining plan other than the basic one, let your servers know! On more than one occasion they would ring us up and come back saying we had no more credits left. We had to reiterate to them which plan we were using -- they don't always check on your room key. I know it gets busy and I hated having to send them back to do it again. - Kristen M.

My husband and 4-month-old daughter (yes, we really took a 4-month-old to Walt Disney World -- we were THOSE people) just returned from the World. I had read on your amazing website about the Baby Care Centers, and I couldn't recommend their use enough. These areas are the most wonderful places. This is our first child so we didn't even know they existed. There are rooms for changing, feeding, breastfeeding and Mommy and Daddy bathrooms, all in an air-conditioned area. There are essentials for sale and a lovely Disney cast member working and helping in any way they can. These centers are a must for anyone with a child. I cannot express how thrilled we were with the facilities. I would encourage anyone to use them to the fullest! - Bethany Lazzara

We traveled in December and noticed how the food available at the counter service restaurants has gotten healthier - giving more choices to those with Celiac Disease. Sit-down restaurants were wonderfully accommodating, of course! I did find out that one counter service location in each park has gluten-free pizza available. It is not on the menu, you have to ask for it. In Magic Kingdom it was Pinocchio's and at Epcot it is in the American Pavilion. Just ask Guest Services as the location may change. I also found gluten-free brownies and cookies in Wilderness Lodge and some of the counter service restaurants. I still brought an easy breakfast to eat in our hotel room to save time, but once I went out I didn't have to worry! What a pleasant vacation it was for this Celiac mom! - Kaercher Family

We traveled in December and noticed how the food available at the counter service restaurants has gotten healthier - giving more choices to those with Celiac Disease. Sit-down restaurants were wonderfully accommodating, of course! I did find out that one counter service location in each park has gluten-free pizza available. It is not on the menu, you have to ask for it. In Magic Kingdom it was Pinocchio's and at Epcot it is in the American Pavilion. Just ask Guest Services as the location may change. I also found gluten-free brownies and cookies in Wilderness Lodge and some of the counter service restaurants. I still brought an easy breakfast to eat in our hotel room to save time, but once I went out I didn't have to worry! What a pleasant vacation it was for this Celiac mom! - Kaercher Family

We used snack credits on the dining plan for cinnamon rolls at the Main Street Bakery for breakfast one morning -- delicious! I was glad I had read that tip on your website before we went or I would not have even thought of using the snack credit like that. - pdonenfeld

Just finished reading your series on what to do when it rains, and I thought I'd throw in my two cents worth. When my wife and I are visiting the World, we try to visit a few of the other resorts. You know, sort of like seeing how the other half lives. Rainy days are perfect for this. Take a bus to one of the parks, wait under the cover of the bus stop overhang and pick a resort, jump on the bus and go. You can spend the day ping-ponging like this for quite a while. We've seen the longhouses of the Polynesian, the lobby fireplace of the Wilderness Lodge, and a myriad of holiday decorations. This has come to be sort of a tradition for us. If we don't get a rainy day, we usually try to do it on our last day, when we only have a portion of it to spend before the flight home. Besides, eating is a hobby for me so I get an opportunity to sample the food from a variety of the resorts. - Jon Patti

When traveling, bring your own soap for face and body, wrapped up in a face cloth and packed in a large secure zipper-lock bag. You never loose the "scent" of home nor do you have to use provided soap. Since you have your own soap products there's no need to worry about potential allergies to the provided soaps. - Ruth Ann Hastings

This past year we went to Disney two times in three months. My daughter is 3 and loved the characters and getting autographs and pictures with them! The first time we went I purchased an autograph book that had a space for the picture, for I believe $12.99 The second time we went she said she wanted to get ALL the autographs AGAIN! So I picked up 4x6 index cards on a spiral ring. The characters signed the unlined side and when we got home I put them in a small 4x6 photo album. All it cost was $3. We put a postcard with the year in the front and now we have a wonderful photo album and autograph book! - Tiffany