Single best Tip from these boards

[jerry]

We just got back from a wonderful week at WDW! I will have to say that the single best tip that I learned about and used from these boards was to ask for ice water. Since we drove to WDW we froze several bottles of water and took them with us in an ice chest. Each day we would get a frozen bottle of water to cary in the park using a bottle strap. Amazingly they stayed mostly frozen for several days. When we needed a refill in the park, we asked for a cup of ice water at any food or drink counter. This was much better that using drinking fountain water (which is usually not cold). Later in the week I started to carry a bottle with a wider mouth. This allowed me to pour in both the ice and water. This way I had cold water and it had a better taste than that from the fountain.

Even when we were eating a meal and had some other drink, we always requested cups of ice water to replenish our bottles.

Remember, a cup of ice water is free. If you don't specify a cup of water they will try to sell you a bottle of water. Only once was our request for a cup of ice water not met and that was because that particular kiosk only had bottled drinks.

[MELSMICE]

There are a few tips that I use every time we go:

--water bottle holders for each person
--fanny packs w/ snacks for each person

& my favorite..................

--an over the door shoe holder for toilettries if we are staying in a basic hotel room with one bathroom. This saves sooooooo much room on the bathroom counters! :D

[Jana49]

My favorite tip is to copy the park hopper ticket receipts. I would've never thought to do that, and it is so important! Especially since there will be 13 of us....

[SpecialK]

Another vote for the over the door shoe holder. I bought one at the Dollar Store before the trip. DH thought I was crazy at the time but later conceded that it was great to have. I really liked being able to wrap the toothbrushes in a paper towel before we left in the am so they were out of the way when housekeeping came in.

Runners up: clothes pins to hang the bathing suits on the line in the shower, pop up hampers for the closet, packing in zip locs or pac bags (creates a ton of room in the suitcase) and taking a wet washcloth to the parks (pour a little cold water on it to refresh your face and neck.)

The boards are great for handy info!

[Nickimouse]

I think the Brita bottles was one of my favorite tips. I'll have to remember to ask for ice in the parks and also try the door shoe holder.

[Minnie1156]

All of your tips are great. Some I never even thought of. The over the door shoe holder is great. Their are 3 of us going, all girls so we will have a lot of toilettries so that will really work out.

[carl_w]

Originally posted by Jana49
My favorite tip is to copy the park hopper ticket receipts What does that do for you?

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by carl_w
What does that do for you?

I don't know about the receipts from the tickets, but if you copy the front & back of your actual ticket they will replace it if it gets lost.

Believe me - you want to do this. I accidentally threw away tickets back in Nov. - probably about $600 - $700 worth. Boy, taking them into my basement to photocopy them with our copy machine would have saved me a lot of money & a lot of indigestion. It still upsets me to think about it. :(

[Jana49]

Melsmice,

So sorry that happened to you!

I was told that since the store receipt has the ticket number and transaction number, they can validate ithe info as easily as by using a copy of the ticket itself, and copying the receipt is a whole lot easier for me, since there are multiple tickets on a receipt... I also made an extra copy to leave at home with a relative just in case...

With 13 of us going, I want to do everything I can to prevent disaster, lol.

[beskeptical]

Know what attractions you want to catch, but don't schedule. If you pay attention to your group you will know when a break is needed or when you should forge ahead. That is something a clock can not tell you. I have to believe watching a clock has ruined many a trip. In my case if I had tried to create a schedule it would have been all wrong. We ate much later then I would have thought and stayed in the parks much longer then I would have thought.

[DisneyGal358]

I just recently got back from a trip to Pop (loved it!!). I'm the kind of person who doesn't want housekeeping to come in unless I straighten up a little bit first. On one or two days I put a do not disturb card in our door while we were away. When we arrived back to the room I found a housekeeping plastic bag with new towels, soap and shampoo. Not only was this wonderfull (we were overwhelmed by the towels housekeeping kept giving us! thank you thank you) but we also used these really nice plastic bags to pack dirty laundry in when moving out!

[anditoo72]

There are so many great tips from this board. My favorite is to buy little presents for the kids before you get into the world. I have bought some great items for 50-75 % off at the disney store and kept them in the disney bags My kids won't know the difference. I aslo bought bubbles for waiting in lines, glow necklaces for MK parade night, and a fan/mister for hot days. I love all these tips and would never thought to get all this together before I left!!!!!!!

[insmom]

Once again you all have amazed me with your tips:Pinkbounc I would of never thought of the over the door holder, but it does make sense. :jester:

[jennymouse]

I've got one of the over the door shoe holder filled with all the meds, sewing kit, wetones, moleskin, file, etc. that I used to keep in a big bag. Instead of digging around in that bag for something, I can see and getting it quickly. I fill it up before I leave home and roll it up and put it in the suitcase. When I get to the hotel, I unpack it, unroll it and hang it up. Instead of unpacking it each trip when I get back home, I leave it in my suitcase and just replenish anything that I used last time, also check the dates on the meds.

[Chesire]

I know I have not posted on these boards, but I read them way too much! Although there have been a LOT of excellent tips, my favorite was the brita water bottles. Talk about a perfect solution for my husband and I!! This next trip, I will be bringing a shoe holder though :D

[AtlantaSue]

The best tip I read was about entering the AK at opening. Someone wrote on here that you could enter through the outside door of the Rainforest Cafe, go through their gift shop, and out the other side to a park entrance that people don't really know about. It worked like a charm - we avoided a LOOONg wait to get in, and my husband was amazed.

[CrazySun27]

That's a great tip, I'll keep that in mind.....

Thanks!

[Belle041281]

One of my favortie tips was taking little crystal light packets of tea of little kool-aid packets to the park to make juice for kids (or adults:) who don't like drinking plain ice water.

[Amirah95]

I have to say it again but the SHOE HOLDER FOR THE DOOR IS INGENIOUS! DH is going to think I'm crazy but after he sees how it works he'll really appreciate it. We drive to our destinations and he'll think it's an extra waste of cargo space. I'll get a small one for my daughter too.

Usually when we get into the hotel we tend to throw our things all over the counters and everything gets mixed up and it becomes a very big mess.

Thanks for the tip!

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by Amirah95
I have to say it again but the SHOE HOLDER FOR THE DOOR IS INGENIOUS! DH is going to think I'm crazy but after he sees how it works he'll really appreciate it.

My DH thought I was crazy too. However..............now he tells everyone that is travelling that they should get one because it saves space on the bathroom counter & keeps things organized.

He also thought I was crazy when I purchased a collapsible hanging sweater rack for my clothing. He laughed, but now there is a lot more dresser space if we are staying in a regular hotel room (as opposed to a DVC unit).

Let them laugh!!!! Who cares! :rolleyes:

[luvabargain]

I really like that over the door shoe holder idea. I know dh will just roll his eyes:rolleyes: but I'm going to try it.

I am one who keeps vacation toiletry bags packed and ready to grab and go for the next trip. I use these little zippered bags we got from our cruise a couple of years ago when they lost our carry all bags our first evening. I keep all the miniature travel items in each, one for dh, one for me. I also keep a ziploc baggie for the kids stuff.

I'm having to replace most of the items this trip as we depleted most of the stuff from our last camping trip but it sure makes it easier to just grab and go.

[pygmymom]

Along with the Brita bottle, I have to vote for ordering a double cheeseburger with an extra bun and the Animal Kingdom meal vouchers. I did copy my PHPs, and also my health insurance cards (left the original health insurance cards at home--didn't want to lose them).

[Sammy]

I loved the shoe-holder idea myself and made sure to purchase one at my local dollar store prior to our Feb '04 trip. However, once I unpacked it at OKW and went to fill it, I realized I bought a <i>child-sized</i> shoe holder! It ended up being fine for all the small things, but didn't hold the bigger items like shampoo bottles and brushes!! I'll be returning the the dollar store before our September trip to try again!!

Sammy

[fran99999]

I relinquish my throne to you as the SHOE HOLDER QUEEN.:worship:

I have them on the back of every door in my house almost. They hold my DD Barbie dolls, and her collection of Beanie Babies. I have one on the back of DS Door with his collection of stuffed animals and asst action figures and Beyblades. I even use one on my cellar door as to alleivate the Junk drawer syndrome my DH has. I have one on the inside of my kitchen closet with my tall spoons and such.

After reading your post I now have one in my suitcase. With 5 people going I was wondering how to keep the bathroom area organized. My DH is going to :faint: when he sees me unroll it at WDW. He almost fell over when I put one up in his shop room to hold his small tools.

Thank you again. But dont tell ;) I want it to be a surprise.

[etwinchester]

If you get a referral from someone who is already a member (you must send a PM to a DIS member), you get $25 for opening and an additional $10 for anyone that you refer that signs up. The account also offers a 2.1% (currently) interest rate, which is better than my credit union.

I opened an account and when I count my change, I make sure to transfer the money into that account. Thanks for that advice on the budget board... :Pinkbounc

I also referred my my DD, who is 4. She loves putting her allowance in there and watching it grow. We just counted her pennies a couple of weeks ago and she had $37.00. I was so shocked and had it deposted into her ING account. By the time we go to leave, she'll have more money than me.

Isn't that the way it aways is. At least this way, she can't touch it till it's time to leave. Same goes for me as well...

[luvabargain]

Well I went and purchased an over the door shoe holder and put all of our toiletries and such into it already and placed it in the suitcase, ready to go. Dh came into the room and started snooping and he actually thought it was an awesome idea! I told him I got the hint off of the Dis Boards, that I actually did learn something and am not wasting all of my time here! :earseek:

[LisaZoe]

I haven't tried the over door holder for a vacation but, like fran99999, I have them in all our closets. They also work really well for the hall closet to hold gloves, hats, scarves, small umbrellas, etc. I doubt my DD, almost 3, and I will need one but will probably through one in just in case - folded in it's original packing, it shouldn't take up much room in the suitcase.

[Laklia]

Love the idea of over the door holders and pop-up hampers
I'm reading every tip I can find so I'll probably forget a lot, but still, even if I only remember a few that will be good.

I've already purchased two sipper bottle with insulated jackets with handles, I'm searching for bargain waist packs for my 2 sons (they're not so fashionable in the UK at the moment), and I have a new, light backpack at home awaiting scottchguarding....new shoes to break in will be a priority in the sales

For UK visitors the best tip I've heard is to take only a few clothes and stock up in retail outlets/Walmart etc.

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by Laklia
I'm searching for bargain waist packs for my 2 sons (they're not so fashionable in the UK at the moment

Have you looked on line? I don't have a link to any sites that sell them, but maybe someone else does.

[bcinohio]

I loved the tip for saving your change. Someone said that they do not carry change in their purse. When they pay for something they put the coin change in their pocket and then when they get home they put it in a "Mickey" jar. I decorated a gallon water jug with Mickey pictures and started doing this. We leave for WDW in 16 days and I just rolled the coins. I had $245.00. WOW!! I was shocked. Thanks for the tip!!

[Bellerina]

I'm loving these tips. I really like the idea of a pop up clothes hamper to keep the place tidy. Where in Orlando can you buy these and how much do they cost?

I think I've seen them in the UK but they were quite expensive.

[ginna74]

even though I have never gone to WDW I LOVE the idea about getting an extra bun. If I remember correctly It only cost 1.00. Heck when hubby isn't that hungry (when it is really hot he looses his appitite) we can share our food! I love everything this site has shared. I have been comming here way before I registered and storing the hints in a special WDW place in my brain LOL! I swear everyone in my family has gone but me. BUT I help them in planning and such and recently I don't remember what I said exactly but I was like "you should have done this..." lol I know a lot and have never been there. But like I said in another thread hubby has a great job and I will prob be going within a couple of years YIPPY!

actually I think the nap in mid day is a great idea also.

[Tigge50447]

My mom will love this. She grew up with her grandmother and they didn't have a lot of money so my great grandmother would wrap up left overs in a napkin and put it in her purse.. well now that's it's 2004 and everyone wants to save money and not waste food, consider throwing a few ziplock bags in your purse or backpack to save left over cookies, fruit etc for later in the day or a snack back at the hotel.


I can't wait to see the look on my mom's face when she tries to store a cookie wrapped up in a napkin in her purse and I pull out a ziplock bag and say here use this ;)

[Pink Flamingo]

consider throwing a few ziplock bags in your purse or backpack to save left over cookies, fruit etc for later in the day or a snack back at the hotel :teeth: That's a great idea that I hadn't thought of or heard before ~ thanks for the tip!

[cooldisneymom]

Originally posted by Tigge50447
My mom will love this. She grew up with her grandmother and they didn't have a lot of money so my great grandmother would wrap up left overs in a napkin and put it in her purse.. well now that's it's 2004 and everyone wants to save money and not waste food, consider throwing a few ziplock bags in your purse or backpack to save left over cookies, fruit etc for later in the day or a snack back at the hotel.


I can't wait to see the look on my mom's face when she tries to store a cookie wrapped up in a napkin in her purse and I pull out a ziplock bag and say here use this ;)

My grandmother used to do this too!!!(God rest her soul!) I miss her terribly!! :sad1: Once I saw her put a whole piece of fried chicken in her purse wrapped in a napkin!!! (at a buffet) She was raised during the depression and it's all she ever knew. Miss you Granny!!

[drgnfly30]

My favorites are copying your Hoppers in case of loss but another ingenious one, for those of us who like to drive to the parks, is to take picture of your parking location on your digital camera so when you leave for the day you won't get lost trying to remember where you parked!! I remember one night at MK walking around looking for our rental car (that looked like everyone elses!) by hitting the door lock on the keyless entry thingy & looking for the headlights to flash!!!
Christine

[SuzieQMomof3]

I got 3 REALLY cheap waist packs for the kids (I think they were $4 at Walmart). Then I removed the label on the front and sewed on a Disney patch that I got from a fabric store. They had Mickey, Ariel, Cinderella, lots of Pooh ones, and another Princess I can't think of right now. The whole thing cost about $6 each, versus $20-$25 for one from the parks. And they are unique so if it gets lost it's easy to identify.

[loonertic]

It may not be my favorite, but it is definitly a unique tip for spending money in the World....

Open a "paypal" account ( www.paypal.com ) - this is like an online bank, used mostly for online shopping, most noteably ebay

Once the account is set (it sends you through a whole list of things to verify your account...) you can connect it to your checking or savings account.

Then, you can request a FREE paypal debit card / credit card to access the money you have in that paypal account. It works as a debit (you set up a pin # when it arrives) or as a credit (comes with a mastercard logo)

Over time just go to your account online and sneak some funds out of your checking or savings.... and you will see your spending $$$ rise :)

When you get to Disney - all you will need is this one card, if you need to charge you can, if you need cash hit up the ATM... all your spending $$$ is in once place, and you set some limits as to how much you spend...

I loved this idea when i read it, very impressed. Hope it helps others too... I have been putting $$$ in there since March and now i have a nice lunp sum ;)

[Talargain]

Originally posted by loonertic
It may not be my favorite, but it is definitly a unique tip for spending money in the World....

Open a "paypal" account ( www.paypal.com ) - this is like an online bank, used mostly for online shopping, most noteably ebay



Don't they have a class action suit against them? American Express has the same service. It's a credit card that you put money into and use just like an AMEX. I think its Replacing the traveler checks.

Capital One has one I think. Not sure.

Western Union has one called Wired Plastic, think it works the same as amex. It's an atm card that you preload and don't have to carry cash with you. accessible in any atm.

[loonertic]

Originally posted by Talargain
Don't they have a class action suit against them? American Express has the same service. It's a credit card that you put money into and use just like an AMEX. I think its Replacing the traveler checks.

Capital One has one I think. Not sure.

Western Union has one called Wired Plastic, think it works the same as amex. It's an atm card that you preload and don't have to carry cash with you. accessible in any atm.

Not sure about the suit... i do know before i opened the paypal account i searched for an eaiser way to load up a card - amex, citibank, western union, and all i found was gift cards, nothing you could change the $$$ amounts on, but if you found a similar service great. And this is DEFINITLY replacing travelers checks.

When your on your trip and you may need more $$$ or you need to check your balance you can simply go online and check your account.. very cool...

I just love the idea of presetting your limits, its a great concept, and an amazing way to save for the trip.

Not to mention the convience of having an ATM and credit card rolled in one.

[cannonn824]

I think my fav is the shoe holder. My husband and I travel alot and i have never thought of doing something like, and now with traveling with a family of four it seems like the perfect idea. I think I will have to go buy some for the house to.

Thanks for the awesome tips, keep them coming!!!!!

:jumping1: :jumping1: :jumping1:

[Pink Flamingo]

Don't they have a class action suit against them? Yes, they do - see this link for more info: http://www.settlement4onlinepayments.com/. The suit has to do with freezing people's accounts. If they freeze your account (which they can do for any reason ~ at least until the law suit is settled), then you can't deposit or withdraw any $$ from your account. See this link for more info.: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2004/3/emw108796.htm

AAA has a similar card they call "Visa Travel Money", but it's like loonertic noted ~ you can't add $$ to the card. It's a debit card that you load with a predetermined amount of $$. You use it like you would a debit card, but you can't exceed your preloaded amount.

[avaughan]

I have picked up lots of good ideas for our trip over Labor Day, but my top 3 are:

Renting points from a DVC member for a stay at a home away from home resort

ING accounts (can't pass up free money)

Hotwire for the meal vouchers


With a trip to Disney, every little bit helps!

[KayakDaddy]

I’ve used a lot of the tips of this board; they help make the family vacation more affordable, efficient, and enjoyable.

Favorite tip from board: Fastpasses do not expire, that is, they allow you to use them after the end of the time window. I wish I had been aware of this back in May when we sprinted from the end of the Festival of the Lion King to get to Dinosaur before our Fastpass window expired.

I learned from the board that they will let you use it any time after the opening window, even hours later. Last Wednesday at MK, we wanted my son to take a nap after lunch. We knew if he were awake when we got back to WL, he would want to swim and would never get to sleep. We didn’t use the Fastpasses we had for Splash Mountain, and instead went to Tiki Birds & Country Bear back to back after lunch so he could slow down and fall asleep. It worked perfectly! On the way out of the park, I had my wife pick us up Fastpasses for the Jungle Cruise. When we returned after our naps over three hours later, we rode the train straight to Frontierland and used our Fastpasses for SM & JC. We’ll use that strategy again.


The best tip I used from the Unofficial Guide was the “Chuck Bubba” strategy. We used it on Dumbo, Astro Orbiter, and Magic Carpets of Aladdin. My son loved riding all of those rides back to back.

My best tip I can give from our own experience is we found the perfect free place to watch Wishes. On our check in day, we rode the launch from WL to MK, and then rode the ferry across to the TTC. We timed it perfectly so that Wishes started just as the ferry started back across to MK. We had a perfect, unobstructed view of the fireworks. The ferry captain even slowed down so the handful of us on there could enjoy the show. Wishes was ending just as we reached the dock and we could even hear the music. If you want a good view of wishes without spending any money or using a park ticket, the upper deck of the ferry is the place to go!

[luvabargain]

Just got back and the over the door shoe holder worked perfectly.

[poohkinandpiglet]

My all time favorite tip is packing my kids clothes in gallon size
ziploc bags. I put shirt, shorts, socks, and underwear in one bag and label it with the day of the week.

Not only does it eliminate morning battles over what to wear but it takes up less space in the suitcase. I have extra sets of clothing in ziplocs that I throw in the backpack before we leave for the park each day in case we get too wet or have accidents. My kids think it's fun and they get dressed quickly each morning. :D

[Kellyh123]

how do you find the meal vouchers on hotwire?
thanks

[avaughan]

Originally posted by Kellyh123
how do you find the meal vouchers on hotwire?
thanks

You go to www.hotwiresavingsclub.com and join for a free 30 day period. Go to the link for theme parks and then there is a link for meal vouchers. When I ordered there was a $10 cash back offer on your first order and shipping is free. You can also go to the budget board to get information - there is a whole thread devoted to this topic.

[Keebles]

I loved the M&M containers for change for pressed penny machines! My family would laugh and say "she's whipping out the tube again!".

The envelopes for Mousekeeping was a wonderful idea! I did take it and run with it (making my own using Disney print artist, filling each with $5 bills and giving a set to every room in our party) but it was still great fun and we got all kinds of surprises when we got back to the room at night.

Oh, and the one about packing your clothes in large ziplocks so that the airlines don't man-handle them! The thought of someone searching my drawers makes my skin crawl!!

I don't remember if I read it on the boards, but I used 3x5 index cards and made up our itineraries and took them to Kinko's and had them bound. Made great little keepsakes, were easy to carry around and didn't take up much room!

[dani blaski]

I found one at Big Lots for about $5, and I intend to try it on our quick weekend trip in September-can't wait!

[rams408]

Could someone please tell me what the "Chuck Bubba" strategy is?

[Chicago526]

The "Chuck Bubba Relay"

1. Mom and Bubba enter line

2. Dad lets a specific number of people go in front of him (24 in the case of Dumbo) then gets in line.

3. As soon as the ride stops, mom exits with Bubba nd passes him to Dad to ride a second time. By this time, Dad should be very close to front of ride.

4. If the kid wants to ride again, Mom can hop back into line while Dad and Bubba are ridding, once another 24 people enter.

The numbers are as follows:

Mad Tea Party 53, Snow White 52, Dumbo 24, Cindy's Carrousel 75, Peter Pan 64, and Aladdin 48.

[dbail2]

Don't forget a ultra lightweight umbrella and disposable rain jackets. Especially in the summer months when it rains almost everyday. We also bring water toys like balls to play with in the pools. Moleskin works great on spots where you feel a blister starting on your feet.::yes::

[dawgsgirl]

My fav tip from these boards: bring something to put on your rented stroller so it stands out. This saved us so much time and trouble it was incredible! I got a really loud, cheap bandana at Wal-Mart that has really served its purpose.

[mikeymars]

Originally posted by Laklia
Love the idea of over the door holders

In our experience, something like the below (a hanging toiletry bag) works much better in the bathroom than a shoe holder.

Why? Well, it's smaller to pack and forces one to focus on only taking what you really need. We have one similar to the model below (ours is larger, and the sleeves for holding items are all clear plastic, so it's easier to see what is where) that I purchased for $12 (included shipping) from the Travelocity store several years ago. Believe me, it holds a ton of stuff, easily taking care of all the toiletries for a family of four.

http://a1480.g.akamaitech.net/f/1480/124/4h/images.ebags.com/images/products/1079_xlrg.jpg

[overwhelmed]

any reccomendations as to a hanging toiletry holder for the shower? easy to pack? There is never enough space along the edge of tubs for my hair products.

great thread :)

[shelleyz]

How about this for a shower organizer. Looks like it should be easy to pack. http://www.spacesavers.com/showkinor.html

[MUFFYCAT]

Some of favorites tips that you all taught me are:

Tevas shoes
Brita bottles
Spray/fan water bottles
Concierge

[Deb & Bill]

Originally posted by KayakDaddy
...
Favorite tip from board: Fastpasses do not expire, that is, they allow you to use them after the end of the time window. I wish I had been aware of this back in May when we sprinted from the end of the Festival of the Lion King to get to Dinosaur before our Fastpass window expired.

I learned from the board that they will let you use it any time after the opening window, even hours later. ...

Not all CMs will honor the Fastpass after the listed time frame. I think the FP actually states something like that on it. So don't get upset if they don't let you in using an outdated FP.

[frndofpooh]

Okay, am I the only one that is going to mention the Bodyglide stuff for chafing? September in WDW can be a sticky situation and nothing stops chafing a blisters like that stuff. I got the tip on this board and I must admit it is the greatest stuff going! Certainly beats walking around like Goofy in one of his cowboy cartoons! And, it probably, although I am not sure, fits nicely in one of the over the door toiletry holders! Blister and chafe no more!:Pinkbounc

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by frndofpooh
Okay, am I the only one that is going to mention the Bodyglide stuff for chafing?

Where do you get this? I have never "chafed", however, my mother might like this.

[frndofpooh]

You can buy it at sporting goods stores and it works wonderfully. There are also places on line that sell it - search this board under "chaffing" and I believe one of the posts has a link.

[LadyBears]

Originally posted by MELSMICE
Where do you get this? I have never "chafed", however, my mother might like this.

I picked one up at EMS in the mall.

bodyglide @ ems (http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444244 0071&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488341625&fromTemplate=search%2Fresults.jsp&bmUID=1092542472585)

My DH2B uses it sometimes when he runs. I have tried it myself & I LOVE it!!

My favorite tip - MistyMates!!

[Dee & Greg]

We take empty water bottles filled with Crystal Light, or powdered Gatorade.. fill up the bottles in the parks at drinking fountains...
I don't like FL water, so this makes it taste better!
Throw out the bottle when you're done. Pack one or two for each day. The empty space in your luggage can be filled with souvenirs!

[Laklia]

What great tips!

We're going in Easter 2005 - will the weather be very hot? very rainy? Any ideas?

We've got packamacs, and I presume we'll need suncream too

[TroubledStitch]

You can't beat ziplocks. What did western civilisation do before them.

Some things you can do with ziplocks:
- put left over food in them (especially good at buffet lines)
- put wet clothes (socks, swimwear etc) to keep the rest of your bag dry
- put your camera and other stuff that you want to keep dry inside a ziplock when you go on a water ride (not the same one that has the wet socks obviously)
- put foreign currency in (simpler than another wallet), or change for the pressed penny machines
- buy a big bag of snacks like Chex Mix or candy and fill small ziplocks with it to take in the parks (always handy when the blood sugar level drops)
- put medication like aspirin in it so you can drop them in your pack and still find them
- put ice in for an icepack to soothe brows or aching things
- as a disposable glove for dealing with icky things

Honestly we just stuff a handful of assorted sizes in our backpack because we know that they will be useful.

[TroubledStitch]

Oh another thing we do with ziplocks is that we pack toilletries in ziplocks so that when they (almost inevitably) explode in your suitcase there aren't all over everything.

Sorry, I am starting to foam at the mouth aren't I?

...mumble, mutter, ziplocks, I told 'em, mutter. mumble...

[Meliechick]

The best tip I have is taking a CamelBak. They are generally used by athletes but really came in handy. They come in all different shapes and sizes. It is a bladder that holds water/ice and has a tube for you to drink from that is in a insulated back pack. We fill the bladders full of ice before we leave the hotel and it melts throught the day keeping you cool and giving you something to drink. You don't even notice that you are wearing it. A CM working in Canada at Epcot said that it was the first time he saw people using them at the park and he was surprised that more people didn't do it.

[mog]

The best tip I got here (which I almost didn't use) was to go to Wal-Mart to the Pet Tag machine and get "dog tags" printed for my kids with our cell phone numbers on them. I did this thinking the whole time that it was really unnecessary because I am NOT going to lose my kids! I got some stretchy rubbery string at the craft store and made them necklaces. They wore them everytime we went to the parks. The first day at MK, I stopped on Main Street and showed them a CM and pointed out what the badge looked like. I told them if they got separated from us to find a CM at a food stand, working a ride or sweeping up the street and tell them they were lost and show them the tag with our cell phone numbers. I was still thinking how unnecessary this was - I was NOT going to lose my kids!
Well, we got separated from my 9 year old son at Animal Kingdom. I was so thankful that I had done all of that. He know exactly what to do. By the time we told a CM he was lost, he had already gone back to the closest ride and told them he was lost and showed them his tag. They reunited us within a very short time. I was VERY impressed with the way Disney handled this! He was very upset, but would have been so much worse if he hadn't been prepared and known what to do. The Disney security guy who brought him to us said he thought that tag idea was wonderful and he had never seen it before. So it had a happy ending and I learned that no matter how careful you are you can always get separated from your child so it never hurts to be prepared for it!!
Thank You to whoever posted that wonderful idea about the dog tags!!

[mog]

Oh, and here is a tip I didn't get from the boards but discovered for myself. We were there with a large group of family members. My mom had made little "goodie" baskets for each of us with little travel things, etc in a basket.
After taking all the things out and putting them away, I put the basket on the dresser in our room. Everytime we came in the room, all the "take to the park" items went in there - sunglasses, room keys, kids ID necklaces (see above post:D ), small battery fans, etc. When we were ready to go out again, we didn't have to search or worry that we'd forgotten anything, we all just grabbed all our stuff out of the basket and took off. It was very handy and relieved a lot of stress for me not having to keep track of 3 kids' things. The kids were well trained to leave everything in the basket and pick it up on the way out the door.

[invelvetshoes]

Is BodyGlide sold in stores? And what areas of the body do you recommend it for? Thanks!! Disney bound: 9/17-24

[mog]

We bought our body glide at a store that sells supplies for runners or joggers. I used it mostly on my feet, so my Teva sandals wouldn't rub when wearing them all day. It worked great. My son used it on his neck so the strap from his water bottle wouldn't rub his neck.

[as90043]

!. Moleskin, matches, sewing kit. This is for blisters. Yes I got a
doozy of a blister from being at MK from 8am - 1am. I could barely walk the last three days of our trip, but was determined nothing would keep me down. I was however stupid enough to leave my insurance card in my big wallet at home...ended up paying $134
to urgent care for an ace bandage. (O.K. this was my first trip to the World, know better next time!!)

2. Must have water mister w/ neckstrap; bandana to dip in icewater if going in summer months.

3. DO NOT PACK DIRTY CLOTHES IF ON A FLIGHT HOME, they weigh more.

4. Empty duffle bag, backpack, etc. for all the stuff you swear you're not going to buy.

5. Backup camera and batteries.

All of these things I had to learn the hard way, which ended costing me about $250 extra that I could have used elsewhere!!!:mad:

[dbail2]

Do not pack any film in your checked baggage. It will be ruined by their new x-ray machines. Put it in your carry on.. I saw people digging it out right before they handed over their luggage in the airport.

[pjlla]

My "tip of the week"... not learned here, but from experience. Before retiring each evening I replenish all four fanny packs so that they are ready the next morning. I clean out any trash or souvenirs that we want keep, refill the pressed penny tubes, make sure the autograph books/pens are ready, sunglasses, lip balm, snack, money, park hoppers, cameras, tissues, hand wipes, Shout wipes, rental car keys, hotel room keys, comb, sunscreen. Make sure they are zipped up and on the table waiting to be grabbed in the morning. The mornings are always such a rush-rush affair for us, trying to get to the parks early. If I tried to do this in the morning I would either forget something or we would be LATE! In the morning I just throw a juice box in the kids bags and we are ready!

And while I am on the subject.... antibacterial hand wipes and Shout wipes.... two great inventions. I kept a small travel pack of the hand wipes in my fanny pack each day. We used almost a whole pack every day. (Great for wiping hands before eating a Mickey bar or popcorn!). And the Shout wipes saved several outfits and keep you from looking like a slob in the photos for the rest of the day! Two or three individually wrapped ones in a pack each day.

ON A SLIGHT DIFFERENT SUBJECT.... I am only mentioning this because I care, but be careful about commenting on taking away food from buffets in your purse (be it in a ziploc or a napkin). Buffets are meant to be eaten while you are there ONLY. I know we all occassionally take more than we can eat and we HATE to waste, but others may read this as an intentional "stealing" from the buffet. And I am certainly not trying to be "holier than thou" on this... heaven knows I am far from perfect. But there are others here who will not hesitate to FLAME you if you admit to this small indiscretion. However, taking away food you have ordered and paid for at a plated meal or counter service is different. Just a friendly warning........................P

[bubba's mom]

i learned: brita bottles, moleskin, we used plain 5x7 scrapbook album for autograph book with fat pen (bigger is better for characters), mister fan, ALWAYS have a FP, use EE and get to dumbo in fantasyland FIRST, have a plan of attack, ask to ride in front of the monorail, GoH badges, many sizes of ziploc bags, take more film than you think you could possibly use (we were at disney for 2 days and i shot 18 rolls!!) :eek: we carried some snaks to help defray food cost, took rain ponchos that we didn't even open because of the other tip of eating a late lunch/early dinner about 3:30-4:00ish. seems like it rained each day at that time--the time we had planned to eat!! i learned so many things here, i can't even recall all of them...but, it was a successfull trip..largely in part to DIS boards.....DIS forever!! :bounce:
ps-i also learned to wear the lime!!::yes::

[chi-mom]

After reading through this thread I was reminded of our last trip home from WDW. I had given each of the kids the mini M&M containers to hold pennies for pressing. My daughter had refilled hers with change and put it in her carry-on. She was stopped by security and we emptied practically her whole bag until we realized it was that container that looked suspicious on the x-ray. Just a word of caution!!


: :confused3 :confused3 :confused3 :confused3 :confused3

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by chi-mom
I had given each of the kids the mini M&M containers to hold pennies for pressing. My daughter had refilled hers with change and put it in her carry-on. She was stopped by security and we emptied practically her whole bag until we realized it was that container that looked suspicious on the x-ray.
: :confused3 :confused3 :confused3 :confused3 :confused3

we used empty film containers.....and on the lid wrote if they were pennies or quarters. maybe the size of the film container didn't look as suspicious as the M&M tube :confused3

[PooohBear]

Great tips !!!!! One thing though....what is Moleskin and what is it used for ?!

[pjlla]

It comes from the band aid/foot care section of the Health and Beauty Aids dept. You put it on your feet to prevent/cover blisters. Kind of like a cushiony thing.................P

[leahannpen]

Originally posted by MELSMICE
I don't know about the receipts from the tickets, but if you copy the front & back of your actual ticket they will replace it if it gets lost.

ABSOLUTLY, POSITVELY!!!

I lost one of our 7 day passes on the first day of our trip. I had read to make copies of the backs of our passes, which I did, figuring, what the heck? THANK GOD I did!! I provided my photo copy to Guest Services and WAALAAA... a brand new pass, good for 6 days, printed out in about 5 seconds.