Tips Tips and More Tips Once You Are There…
GENERAL
My dh and I have used this idea on our past two trips with our young children (ages 5 and 2 at our last trip last week) We thought it was a sensible "duh" until we had tons of people tell us what a great idea it was. We even had several cast members comment on our "brilliant" idea.
If you are travelling with young children that sometimes would prefer to walk than ride in a stroller all day, tie bells to their shoes. You will be able to keep up with them and if they do get seperated from you, their jingling will alert you to where they are.
We had bells tied on two or our children our last trip and used different bells on each of their shoes. Because of all the noise at Disney you don't really notice the constant jingling until it stops or you need to hear it! (Michelle)
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Sure do like those battery-operated personal fans with mister spray! They are a great help for keeping cool in long lines. They are not cheap in the parks, at $15 each. However, while they cost half that in local drugstores, you also have to buy batteries and a strap for them. Therefore I decided to buy one in the park after all, especially since the seller gave me an extra set of batteries to go with them (but you have to ask for this!) Otherwise the batteries run out by the end of the day. Another seller, in Adventureland, said she'd replace the batteries if I showed her the receipt for purchase of the fan within a 2-3 day time span. A very worthwhile purchase that helped to keep my 6-year old, and me, from the grumps! (Julie Seavello)
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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)
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I always take a few of the bubble bottles with me. Then, when I'm in a long line or waiting for a parade or fireworks, I just start blowing bubbles. All of the little kids (and some of the big ones too!) are delighted to chase and pop the bubbles or just watch them drift by. It's so funny to hear the comments from guests who don't see me blowing the bubbles – they just think it's more Disney "magic." (Kymberli Oakes)
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Nothing beats Disney at Christmas – the music throughout all the parks – decorations – everything – it's wonderful – We will never go back in the summer again. (AHalton)
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You can rent a locker for $3.00 per day and $2.00 refundable Key Deposit and then save your receipt. This will allow you unlimited use of the locker for the day and allow you to move your locker to another park for free if you wish. Also works great for cooler weather when you do not want to carry a jacket or your lunch or snack. (David & Sonya Wurm)
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We always make sure we have a small or travel size magna doodle in our backpack. The kids can use it to draw a picture, play hangman, tic-tac-toe, anything of that nature. PLUS we always brought it out on the table at character meals & usually at least one character at each meal would sign it, doodle on it or ask my son a question on it. It is more interactive & versatile than a hand held game & it doesn't beep or make noise 🙂 Missy
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My 13 year old daughter and I bought personalized “Guest of Honor” pins at one of the MGM 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)
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Make sure you put plenty of sunscreen around the bottom of your legs from the top of your sock line up. Due to recycled glass used in the pavement at DisneyWorld, you may get sunburn from the reflection of the sun off the glass. Wear longer socks also and not just sneaker socks. (Claire Rozzi)
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My name is Malorie Boutwell and I am 13 years old and have been going to Disney World on vacation ever since I was little and love it. I think that a helpful hint I have to offer is that you stay in a Disney Resort so you can get early admission to each park on the designated days also so you can get there before it begins to crowd.
Matthew writes- I found that if you get tired of waiting in long lines, and you don't mind splitting up your party ( maybe to 1,2,or even 3) some attractions offer singles lines. These lines help fill up unused space. I tried this at Test Track and the normal wait time was 70 minutes. It took me 5 minutes on the singles line and I still got a seat with my parents
DINING
We just returned from a stay at the Coronado Springs Resort. We crammed so much into the evening at the Magic Kingdom, that we decided to have a light snack, and eat once we got back to Coronado Springs. It was close to 11 pm when our bus got us back to the resort. Much to our displeasure, ALL restaurants close at 11pm and room service is even closed after 11 pm as well. Thank heavens for being in the lobby, by the fountain, when we saw a Domino's pizza delivery guy. We ended up ordering pizza and eating about 12:30! We could understand the restaurants closing, but room service as well? During the summer they should at least keep room service running until 1:00 am!!! So heads up if you try to eat a late dinner! (Debi T. )
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We asked a locker attendant where we needed to go to make dining reservations, assuming it would involve standing in a line, and were told all we needed to do was to pick up any WDW pay phone and dial *88. This was perhaps the most time saving and convenient tip we received while at WDW. We made calls from virtually every park and were usually able to make our dinner reservations in about two minutes. (Laura Bynum)
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Please continue to encourage people that eating within the parks can be affordable. (Granted, it is just the 2 of us w/o children, and we do not drink alcohol.) We went on a Sunshine Getaway package which included a BIG all-you-could-eat breakfast each day, which we scheduled at the earliest time available. Using The Unofficial Guide to WDW (book) we planned to eat as late a lunch as possible at specific restaurants, usually around 2-3. We found full menus and very generous portions, but for a considerably lower price than the dinner meals. Finally, we would stop by the food court at the Caribbean Beach Resort for a snack before bed time. Next time, I'll bring along the Poptarts, etc., and eliminate the need to pay for such. (Jenny Drake) All Ears Net has a full selection of Menus, including Counter Service online!
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Go to Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Cafe for early dinners – have a good size breakfast – no or light lunch – arrive at either at about 3:30-4pm. Seating is faster – for even faster service sit at the bar. The scenery at both is just as nice to experience there and you don't have to wait for a table. (AHalton)
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Deb's Food and Wine Festival Tip – Rather than a traditional dinner; wine and dine your way around Epcot's World Showcase stopping at each booth for a sample. You can begin with appetizers and finish with desert, or enjoy whatever strikes your fancy as you nosh from country to country. Be sure and pick up the recipe cards of your favorites, so you can try them at home!
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If you're a vegan or on a strict low-fat diet–or would simply like an extra-special vegetarian meal–call the Walt Disney World main switchboard (407) 824-2222 and ask to be transferred to the restaurant of your choice. Once connected, ask to speak directly with a chef, and explain your dietary needs. Have fun brainstorming with the chefs about your special meal. If you give them enough advance notice (usually a week will do), most Disney chefs are more than happy to purchase special items like rice milk, kamut or seitan to make your meal memorable. Remember to get your chef's full name and to let him or her know the date and time of your visit.
Boardwalk Inn and Villa Guests – Did you know you could order from any of the restaurants on the BoardWalk by just walking in and asking to place a to-go order. We did this our first night and it worked great. Took just 15 minutes for wings and two chicken Caesar salads. (Jennifer Lukoff)
RESORTS
When you check into your Disney hotel (or even before you get there) see if Magic Kingdom E-Ride Nights are being held during your stay. This is a great way to see the hot attractions at the Magic Kingdom with low wait times!
Get Maps and Schedules at Guest Services – When you arrive at your WDW hotel, have someone in your party go to Guest Services and ask for the current maps and timetables for all the parks. If you're interested in visiting the water parks or PI, be sure to check on the WDW transportation schedule also.
When you check in make sure you ask for early housekeeping, if you are early risers, most people are up and out early, this will ensure that if you return for an afternoon rest your room will be clean. (AHalton)
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All hotels say there check out time is 11am. This can actually be extended until 1pm at no additional charge to accommodate your flight schedules. I even extended my stay until 3pm and paid 1/2 price. Not bad to enjoy the hotel pool and spa one last time before boarding my plane back to reality. It was worth it. (AHalton)
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THE PHONES IN THE ROOM: Any phone with a button for ordering pizza is okay by me! Joining the pizza button was the Housekeeping button and the Guest Information button, and the Wake up Call button. The Guest Information button is the general operator for the resort. They are know all, see all, do all. It's like calling 1411 without the guilt or charge. Example: My 11 year daughter was having a problem with her braces. She needed Braces Wax to cover a wire that was digging into her cheek. Who ya gonna Call? They gave me the name of 2 drug stores and called them for me. I called back and ordered a taxi and 10 minutes later I was off to Walgreens for the Wax. I called them for park opening times, baby sitter info, movie information. Each time they came through like a champ.
Each morning wanted our daughter to be awakened by Mickey. However, we, the parents, needed to be up earlier than our little one. Each day we would set the alarm clock and quickly turn it off. Our wake up call from Mickey was set to come a little later when we knew Emily would be waking up or needing to get up. It worked well and the smile on her face each morning as Mickey urged her up was wonderful. (Lisa Stewart)
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If you're staying at a WDW hotel, be SURE to request a wake-up call, ESPECIALLY if you have kids. I won't spoil the fun by going into detail about who calls or what the message is, but trust me – it's GREAT! If you have more than one kid, let a different one answer the phone each day. This is a WONDERFUL way to start a Disney Day, even if – ESPECIALLY if – you don't actually NEED a wake-up call. (Brenda Burchett)
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Watching Fireworks from Polynesian – The view is wonderful; the fireworks will appear right above Cinderella Castle. I'd recommend starting at the pool, and working your way along the beach toward the Contemporary until you find a comfortable spot with a good view of the castle. The music is piped through the speakers along the path, but it's not very loud so if you want to hear it, find a spot near a speaker. No need to go early, unless you want to be sure to get a beach chair or a hammock. We find that beach towels on the sand work just fine too, and there are always plenty of great spots left at fireworks time. At the end of January, when we were there, the beach was actually deserted for the fireworks. Last May, it was a little more crowded but still no trouble finding a spot. (Joyce Ruppert)
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If you are staying at the Grovesnor hotel inside of WDW. You will get to the parks quicker if you walk to Downtown Disney's Marketplace and board a Disney bus instead of waiting for the buses that are shared with seven other hotels. (Rocky Barra II)
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Be sure & take plenty of one dollar bills for tipping the castmembers in your hotel. We stayed at the Beach Club & the castmembers there are so helpful & friendly that I found myself wanting to tip everybody!! I left an envelope for the maid everyday that I had printed on the computer with Disney graphics on the front that said "Merry Mousekeeping" for the maid. The maid did a super job!! I ordered from room service several times during our stay & the service was impeccable. Each time I was delivered my order promptly & the tray always had a fresh flower on it & plenty of food! (Margaret Wilkins)
SOUVENIRS
Before you spend too much money in the gift shops in and around the world, I'd recommend checking out the character warehouse shop in the Beltz outlet mall. On our last trip, I found some identical items to the ones on sale in the world at 50 – 75% off! There was quite a variety of items, but as with most outlet mall shopping, you have to do some digging. Items available included themepark clothing, resort logo clothing, plush characters, pins, and lots of character themed clothing. (Boris Beckert )
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Suggest your child start a collection- whether it's key chains, postcards, or whatever. It may be a bit pricey (esp. key chains) but they can collect them or give them as presents. (Keely)
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Shopping and Shipping at World of Disney! – Save all your shopping at the World of Disney for one day. If you ship everything home, $8.95 for under $100 or $13.95 for anything over $100, you will save sales tax and not have to worry about packing everything in a suitcase!! This was a big plus for us. Discounts are sometimes available.
When you see something you want at the parks/hotels, buy it – Too many times I said I'll buy it later and it was gone or I forgot where I saw it.
I love to collect the smashed pennies at Walt Disney World, but hated always fumbling through my wallet for the correct change (two quarters and one penny, preferably bright and shiny!). Now, a few months before my trip I start to put aside my quarters and pennies. I store them in empty film canisters and then just toss the canisters into my backpack. Now when I'm at the park I just pull out one of the little canisters of coins and have the change right at my finger tips with no searching. KrisAnne Warren
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Since our daughter is almost 12 years old, she didn't want an autograph book or EPCOT passport this trip. We bought her the Pressed Penny book and set out to collect at least one penny from each place we visited. We found most of them, but then discovered that Guest Services and cast members in gift shops throughout EPCOT and MK have lists of where the machines are and what their pennies look like. This made it even easier for her to complete her collection! Lisa Heisel Succasunna, NJ
YOUR LAST DAY AT DISNEY
We love to go to Downtown Disney on our last day. If we are with people who have bought park hopper passes they are usually out of punches so this is a nice relaxing way to wind up your trip. We browse the shops and eat lunch there before heading to the airport or hitting the road. Most people end up asking us why we didn't bring them there sooner. I tell everyone that we are going there at the end of the week so save some souvenir money. (Lou Ann)
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It's your Last Day at WDW and you're plane leaves that afternoon. Save money on your 4-5 day pass and spend the last morning at a resort Character Breakfast and tour some hotels (checking out where you might stay next time!) The Character Breakfast will help you feel like you're still at the parks. If you head to the parks; this is a great time to head to the Surprise Morning Park so you can get in and out early! If your plane leaves during the afternoon, a great thing to do is to go horseback riding. Ask someone that works at your hotel for more info. It's loads of fun and kids enjoy it as much as adults. (Brian Montgomery)
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On our last day at WDW, I snuck away and purchased a postcard of Mickey in front of Cinderella's Castle. I mailed it to my daughter and signed your friend, Mickey. It arrived a few days after we arrived home, and my daughter was so excited to receive it, she made it point to show it to everyone. I was able to make the Disney Magic possible at home. (Alexis Gonzalez)
MOUSECELLANEOUS
Don't forget to mention that a trip to the Kennedy Space Center is worth it. It's only an hours 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 )
