Tips about Souvenirs and Transportation

My daughter and I recently spent a week at Walt Disney World. She wanted to spend some time at DisneyQuest. We would head over to Disney Springs from our hotel. When we wanted to go back to the parks we would either go to an Epcot resort (Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club, Swan or Dolphin), and then take the boat to Epcot or Disney's Hollywood Studios, or we would go to a Magic Kingdom resort (Contemporary, Grand Floridian, or Polynesian) and take the monorail to Magic Kingdom. It was very easy to get from the bus stop at the resort to the transportation to the park, and it was much quicker than going back to our resort. - Hermione

Regarding Magical Express -- if, by chance, your accommodations change (we were bumped up from All-Star Sports to Port Orleans Riverside), don't assume that your luggage will make the move with you. On our first night, we got back to the room around midnight and found that our luggage wasn't there. We found out later that nobody had been informed that we'd been moved to a different resort than the original one on file. Now granted, the folks at Riverside were fantastic and were able to get our luggage to us within a half hour, but it was still a bit of an inconvenience that could've been avoided. I also found out that our departure information wasn't updated. Magical Express is an invaluable resource that we will definitely take advantage of again. People don't realize just how far away from the resort the airport really is. We just now know better so that "all our Mickeys will be in a row" next time. - Mark Greenwald

One assumption we made that was incorrect was that you could take a bus from Disney Springs to the theme parks. You have to go back to one of the resorts and then go from there. Another tip is that if you are staying at Port Orleans, like we did, you are better off taking the boat to Disney Springs rather than the bus. It runs much more often. - Deanna M. Grebe

I just returned from a fun-filled week at the World. When renting my car from National I was pleasantly surprised that they now offer some minivans with built-in car seats (subject to availability)! This saved me from having to rent a car seat from National -- a savings of $50! I suggest parents with toddlers check it out. The seat is for children weighing 22-41 pounds. - Dana Galiano

We just returned from a week long trip at WDW and wanted to give you a great tip on renting a car from Dollar rentals. We joined their Dollar Express and it saved us at least an hour waiting in line. I highly recommend it. They have a separate line for Express members and take them first even if other non-members are waiting in line. It's awesome! We went ahead of at least a dozen or more people. - Jackie

Disney character toys are so expensive. We have found a great way to save money on our trip and let the grandchildren enjoy the characters on the way to Disney. We buy the toys on eBay for a fraction of the price, sometimes for as little as 99 cents plus shipping. I know it gives us more spending money and our grandchildren are just as happy. - Susan Smeltzer

ALL PARKS - When visiting the Disney parks, I usually like to pick up an extra guide map or two. I use them to decorate my cube walls at work and will also give extra copies to friends and family who may be planning their own trip in the near future. This helps them get a better idea of the park layout and make plans. - Kerry Kollasch

ALL PARKS - When visiting the Disney parks, I usually like to pick up an extra guide map or two. I use them to decorate my cube walls at work and will also give extra copies to friends and family who may be planning their own trip in the near future. This helps them get a better idea of the park layout and make plans. - Kerry Kollasch

I made a scrapbook of a WDW trip and on the book itself I used the road map that we used to drive there. At the starting and stopping points I put car stickers, traced the route in a red marker, and added interesting sites along the way. It makes a beautiful cover! - Michelle

I had read the article about driving to the parks versus taking the transportation system. My sister and brother-in-law had always driven and we had secretly made fun of them for years, but after reading the article we decided to give it a try. We did so on our February trip and were amazed at how much time we saved at the end of the day returning to our hotel. This trip we did the same thing and have some warnings. Do NOT drive to the Magic Kingdom if you plan to stay until the end of the day. You have to get back to the Ticket and Transportation Center before getting to your car. It was a good 45 minutes longer than if we had waited for the bus. Driving to Animal Kingdom, the Studios, or Epcot does make sense if you have the transportation. - David Bowman

A favorite stop for my 9-year-old daughter and me is the Basin bath shop in the Marketplace. Basin has very few locations around the country and has some of the best bath products. Our favorite is the "Mix Your Own Bath Crystals" section. For around $3.50, you receive a tube (1.25" x 5.5") that you fill with the bath crystals of your choice. They have a "buffet" of colors and scents for you to mix and match. It's a fun souvenir for "Mom and Daughter." They also sell an array of made-on-premises soaps cut straight from the bar, massage oil cakes for all ailments, and tons more. This shop should be a definite quick stop. - Maria Heuskin

I personally think Disney pins are a bit too expensive (and the clothes, too). Well, the answer to my problem was found on a trip to the Belz Outlet Mall right outside of WDW. We decided to stop at a shop called Character Warehouse. I ended up finding a few cheap shirts for about $5-$6 that sold for about $13 at WDW! And I also found Disney Pins for $.99! Some were even LIMITED EDITION! So, if you are a bargain hunter, this is a must-see! - Rachel
http://allears.net/btp/cware.htm

Just a word to Canadians traveling to WDW... We were looking forward to taking advantage of the Resort Airline Check-in service at WDW resorts for our trip home so we could travel hassle-free with our boarding passes in hand. However, we were disappointed to find out that even though we were traveling with Delta, and our first stop was New Jersey, we are still considered an international flight and international travelers (though welcome to use Magical Express) cannot get their boarding passes and have their luggage checked through. We would have appreciated knowing this ahead of time, but we had a great trip nonetheless. - Lori

Use your camera phone to take pictures of items you think you want. First, take a picture of the sign of the store where it is located. Then take pictures of the item and the tag of the item. Review nightly or at the end of your trip. Best of all, you can buy it from Disney Mail Order Merchandise when you're back home if you forget! - Crissy Stout

My husband and I were getting married at Disney World and wanted to have one of our wedding photos framed with all the character signatures -- as if they were our guests at our wedding. We went to a local frame shop at home and had the person make a photo mat large enough to fit a 4x6 and all the characters' signatures. It worked perfectly and we carried it in a huge Disney shopping bag that a Cast Member had given to us. We were able to fit Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Cinderella, Belle and Beast, Mary Poppins and Bert, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Snow White, Aurora, Minnie and many others on the back of the mat (and only my husband and I know they are there). It was a challenge to get all of them and a goal magical to accomplish! They usually have these types of mats at any craft store as well, and you can have them cut the way you want -- small or large. - Rob and Amy