What Disney Tip Are you really glad you listened to?

[noahdove]

Traveling with children, pack their socks and underwear in a baggie and set that out with their outfit for the day, easy to pick up the stack without losing anything I fold my dirty clothes and put them in a bag, they fit so much better in suitcase if I don't do laundry

 

[seenellie81]

My trip in September this year is my DD 18 first time and My Dh first time. I have been but its been 20 years ago so its like my first time too. Don't remember much at all from that long ago. So i have a question about my 18 year old. I know shes going to have a good time but is there anything that we can do to make it even more special? She has said she doesn't want to do any character dinners or meet and greets (I do though) so what else can we do?

How about planning a fireworks cruise? We did this and it was so nice! we loved it. You are the only ones on the boat with a driver, ours was super informative. you can even have food catered on the boat if you want more then the sodas and snacks it includes. The water parade and the fireworks over the castle from the boat are Aaaaamazing!!

 

[seenellie81]

Mommy to Kayla, what time did you leave the park and what time did you head back? I saw on another thread that leaving for a break back to your hotel and going back to the park is more stressful.

I have also read that it is more stressful to go back in the middle of the day. I have never had this experience. We always enjoy the mid day breaks. Sometimes we swim, sometimes we nap, we have lunch or dinner. My kids actually enjoy the breaks as well. I will never forget when we first took my DS 4 at the time, we asked him if he was ready to go to the parks after we had settled into our room, he said no! this is the park right? Haha at 12 he still loves the hotels and swimming. It does take away from "park" time and if you are a person who wants to get every penny out of your admission then i understand not taking a break. I just want a nice relaxed vacation with happy kids...in order to have happy kids and happy mom and dad we need our break. We also like to take advantage of late night magic hours. In order for us all to stay awake for them, we need to nap.

 

[ErinsAuntMimi]

We learned this on our Sept., 2013 car trip to Disney by accident: If you are using a vehicle at WDW and want to go to Downtown Disney, there is ADDITIONAL PARKING BEHIND CIRCUE DU SOLEIL.

We are just back from the Princess runDisney weekend. We overheard a CM tell someone that with all the construction there now, 10 parking lots have been taken over with construction or equipment. Employees there must park down the road and are shuttled to/from. Yes, it does put you on the opposite side from many of the shopping venues, but it sure beats driving around in circles looking for a parking space.

 

[noahdove]

JamKen25, your daughter will love having tea at the Garden View Tea at the GF, I love it there and anyone that I have taken love it as well...I took my granddaughter in 2012 and she LOVED it, she was 5 at the time. They treat everyone as tho you are a Princess..last August my 2 friends and I went and we had a very lovely tea... Good luck with whatever you do.. PS. your daughter will love character meals....

 

[EsmeCullen]

I get really sore feet whenever I go to any theme park for multiple days. It doesn't matter what shoes I am wearing. My mom had me try Salonpas. They are pain patches you can buy anywhere. I put one on each foot at night after a full day in the park and in the morning my feet felt as good as new. They are really cheap. I purchased a pack of 40 for $5 at my local grocery store but you can probably find them cheaper at places like Walmart. I highly recommend them!

 

[JamKen25]

How about planning a fireworks cruise? We did this and it was so nice! we loved it. You are the only ones on the boat with a driver, ours was super informative. you can even have food catered on the boat if you want more then the sodas and snacks it includes. The water parade and the fireworks over the castle from the boat are Aaaaamazing!!

is this expensive? How do you book this sort of thing? is it online or do you wait til you get there? Thanks for the advice....sounds wonderful!!

JamKen25

 

[JamKen25]

JamKen25, your daughter will love having tea at the Garden View Tea at the GF, I love it there and anyone that I have taken love it as well...I took my granddaughter in 2012 and she LOVED it, she was 5 at the time. They treat everyone as tho you are a Princess..last August my 2 friends and I went and we had a very lovely tea... Good luck with whatever you do.. PS. your daughter will love character meals....

Thanks, I think I will be begging her to go to the character meals and I think she will be thanking me later!! Ill look up this tea. Sounds wonderful!!

JamKen25

 

[seenellie81]

is this expensive? How do you book this sort of thing? is it online or do you wait til you get there? Thanks for the advice....sounds wonderful!!

JamKen25

I believe that it was around $300, if i remember correctly. You have to call to book and i believe this can be done 180 days ahead. For more info online you can go to the disney world website and under things to do go to sports and recreation and its towards the bottom of that list. Also i believe i have seen wdwinfo had some info on the site as well. When we did it we took the boat from the Contemporary.

 

[seenellie81]

I believe that it was around $300, if i remember correctly. You have to call to book and i believe this can be done 180 days ahead. For more info online you can go to the disney world website and under things to do go to sports and recreation and its towards the bottom of that list. Also i believe i have seen wdwinfo had some info on the site as well. When we did it we took the boat from the Contemporary.

Oh i should also mention that what you are looking for is specialty cruises. That may help!

 

[nighttowll]

Oh i should also mention that what you are looking for is specialty cruises. That may help!

I also think it is between $300 and $400 a cruise.

You may want to try searching the forums here as well. There use to be a thread for people looking to share the cruise with someone else to save money. You can post when you are thinking about going and how many are in your party. I remember there was a lot of interest around Christmas for this. Lots of people looking for someone to share a boat with.

 

[Punkin's Dad]

To use spray anti-antiperspirant on our feet each morning. Haven't had a blister since!!

 

[Kirby]

 

[Kirby]

My absolute favorite advice/tip came from the Unofficial Guide to DisneyWorld. The fact that --- Disney World will always be there. If you don't see it this time, then it will be there for the next trip. This has saved countless hours trying to get it all in with a tired family in tow.

I'm only on page 44 but this is my favorite tip of all.

 

[chrismb22]

Here's a tip on what NOT to do -- my BFF told me bring rain boots for my son. Only problem was, I didn't have rain boots, I had snow boots so I packed them ...

... For ORLANDO.

Needless to say we didn't use them and my husband still mocks me for that one. Lol

 

[Ensusieasm]

Mommy to Kayla, what time did you leave the park and what time did you head back? I saw on another thread that leaving for a break back to your hotel and going back to the park is more stressful.

The secret to making a midday break successful instead of stressful is to provide 4 hours. When you get back to the hotel close the drapes and make everyone (Mom and Dad too ) lay down for two hours. Put out the do not disturb sign and set the alarm for a two hour nap! The four hour block of time is for transportation both ways, potty, snack, and the mandatory rest time. Don't turn on the TV and save the pool for a no park day or for when you don't plan to return to the park. Going to the pool is not a rest. If you really want to get back out to the parks for more rides and fireworks, the mandatory rest/nap is crucial.

 

[Kirby]

I'm now up to page 63 and have a question. I've only stayed onsite but this trip my daughter and I are staying offsite at her time share. My question is how early are the parking lots open for those that drive in? I've never done a rope drop before and would like to do one.

 

[Shanora]

Awesome thread!! So many fantastic tips. But I have one question, for those who have bags that are larger (we have a family of 5 and we are using 2 bags, my camera bag (back pack style) and a smaller version of the hiking bag), what do you do with them if you cant bring them on the rides with you? Do they have a place to store them while you ride?

 

[scoopmorgan]

Disney is pretty accommodating. I would be shocked if they didn't have some type of arrangement for this. You cannot possibly be the first to carry a backpack onto a ride. I think some rides may have lockers for rent. I may be confusing Kali Rapids with a similar ride elsewhere, but I think they have them so your stuff doesn't get soaked on the ride.

 

[maddiebee]

Disney is pretty accommodating. I would be shocked if they didn't have some type of arrangement for this. You cannot possibly be the first to carry a backpack onto a ride. I think some rides may have lockers for rent. I may be confusing Kali Rapids with a similar ride elsewhere, but I think they have them so your stuff doesn't get soaked on the ride.

Kali has a compartment in the middle of the rafts where you can put all your bags. I always have a backpack and have been able to just out it between my legs on every ride.