Let's make a "Firsts-Timers" Master Tip Sheet!

[PrincessTigerLily]

FINDING YOUR STROLLER ONCE THE SUN GOES DOWN...
Try hanging a glow stick to the handle of your stroller. I can remember quite a few instances where it has been dark in the stroller park area (Tomorrowland is one of the worst offenders, i.e. TTA area, Buzz Lightyear area) where we searched endlessly to find that it was right under our noses but it was just too dark to see our nametag.

 

[ashbradnmom]

Love all of the great tips. I have read all of the posts and can't believe all of the great ideas.

 

[dacky041208]

tip for arrival or departure day:

A lot of people don't want to "waste" a park day when they only have a few hours or a half day because of travel. If you think about it though, if you are staying a week and have a 6 day ticket, that 7th day costs 2 dollars per ticket. To me, that is well worth it even if it is just to walk down main street one more time during the vacation.

 

[tjbjrjaj]

This is especially good if you are on the dining plan with kids. My 2 kids would fill up or get distracted after only eating part of their meal and then be hungry 1 hr. later. I would sometimes put their chicken nuggets etc. in a ziplock and then later when they were complaining they were hungry out they came. If they sat in the backpack for too long they just got thrown away but hey why waste food and then have to buy more?? besides a ziplock is easier to carry than one of the styrofoam containers.

Another use - to store those sticky souvenirs (cups, straws etc)

Also, when we were at AK in June 2008 we were discouraged to discover that they no longer provided lids or straws on their drinks (for the animals safety). Fine for an adult but not a 2 and 5 yr. old. Fortunately we had an empty water bottle and poured their drink in that. So, bring or save an empty that empty bottle.

Character Autographs - The characters preferred the Sharpies with the clickers - not the caps

 

[tjbjrjaj]

Cover your stroller with a poncho even if it is sunny. The kids don't like to sit in a wet seat. If your stroller is too big collapse it.

 

[Melissarella]

Cover your stroller with a poncho even if it is sunny. The kids don't like to sit in a wet seat. If your stroller is too big collapse it.

We bought an extra poncho just for our stroller! LOL

 

[familyfirsttimer]

I don't think it's been mentioned, but you WILL NOT be able to do it all. Unless you go for a month and go to the parks/DTD, etc everyday, there is no way you will see everything. LOL! It's kind of peace of mind knowing that there is no physical way to do and see everything.

That being said, read as much as you can, make notes, and make a general outline plan.

Our first trip I had things like Must do, Maybe, Skip. Everyone's list will be different but it is great to have some idea of the attraction and your feeling towards it.

 

[familyfirsttimer]

oh, I forgot,

The Pool!!!!!! The kids will most likely want to do this almost more than the parks sometimes!!!!!!!!! I have heard of countless time when Mom's got a plan going throu a park and all the kids want to do is go back to the hotel and swim!

Please some downtime and , depending on their ages, get them in on the plan. Like tomorrow after the MK, we are going to back to swim for the whole afternoon. Then every 5 miutes, they won't be asking if they are ever going to get to swim in the hotal pool ever in the whole entire likfe

 

[Millie12591]

Another variation on this great idea. I bought one of those collapsable bowls from rubbermaid. That thing rocked! I loved having something with me that would hold food that my daughter sometimes wouldn't eat, but be hungry for an hour later.(just like tjbjrjaj said her kids did) The bowl didn't have to be fully extended to it's maximum capacity to hold what was needed, and they have all kinds of sizes. I think I bought the smallest one I could find, but if you didn't need it, it was able to fold down pretty flat and then put into backpack and carry!

This is especially good if you are on the dining plan with kids. My 2 kids would fill up or get distracted after only eating part of their meal and then be hungry 1 hr. later. I would sometimes put their chicken nuggets etc. in a ziplock and then later when they were complaining they were hungry out they came. If they sat in the backpack for too long they just got thrown away but hey why waste food and then have to buy more?? besides a ziplock is easier to carry than one of the styrofoam containers.

Another use - to store those sticky souvenirs (cups, straws etc)

Also, when we were at AK in June 2008 we were discouraged to discover that they no longer provided lids or straws on their drinks (for the animals safety). Fine for an adult but not a 2 and 5 yr. old. Fortunately we had an empty water bottle and poured their drink in that. So, bring or save an empty that empty bottle.

Character Autographs - The characters preferred the Sharpies with the clickers - not the caps

 

[pakhowe]

purchase small inexpensive inflatable tub pillows (about $.79 at any drug store or Wal Mart) and pack them, uninflated of course, in our backpack. When you sit and watch the parade on the hard concrete curbside, just blow them up and have a nice soft seat. They have also been great on the metal and wooden bench seats at many of the parks' stadiums.


(tip from dw secrets)

 

[dananbethany]

purchase small inexpensive inflatable tub pillows (about $.79 at any drug store or Wal Mart) and pack them, uninflated of course, in our backpack. When you sit and watch the parade on the hard concrete curbside, just blow them up and have a nice soft seat. They have also been great on the metal and wooden bench seats at many of the parks' stadiums.


(tip from dw secrets)

You know, honestly, I never would have thought of that!

 

[luvthemouse71]

are the ticket/hotel room key cards the size of a credit card and plastic.. or paper and large like a plane ticket?

Also, where do you find lanyards with the plastic card holders other than at disney? I don't want to loose any when we get there.
(we are leaving this saturday for our family's first trip)

Just a tip....try to keep your roomkey/ticket card away from your cell phone or other such electronics...they can demagnitize the strip. I found this out the hard way one year!

 

[Momsquared]

First trip as a whole family this August (I'm the only one who's ever been and only for 2 days!)! (been waiting to use the banana!)
Can't wait and all of this is fantastic!!!!
Got my moleskin already!!! lol

 

[englishrose47]

Just a tip....try to keep your roomkey/ticket card away from your cell phone or other such electronics...they can demagnitize the strip. I found this out the hard way one year!

Thanks for that tip!!

 

[polineedyan]

Just a tip....try to keep your roomkey/ticket card away from your cell phone or other such electronics...they can demagnitize the strip. I found this out the hard way one year!

This theory was actually debunked on mythbusters once. They went thru like a million cards, and they all read. Even after being exposed to high powered electromagnets..
As a retailer, sometimes cards dont work. The first thing the consumer offers is that it has been demagnetized. More likely, it was improperly loaded.
(not that I dont believe your story, because I do..just sayin..)

 

[coffeehousemom]

subscribing!!


Awesome thread adding tons of reminders etc to my 2009 Disney Vaca notebook.

 

[luvthemouse71]

This theory was actually debunked on mythbusters once. They went thru like a million cards, and they all read. Even after being exposed to high powered electromagnets..
As a retailer, sometimes cards dont work. The first thing the consumer offers is that it has been demagnetized. More likely, it was improperly loaded.
(not that I dont believe your story, because I do..just sayin..)

Really? That's a cool show by the way...I just know that my ticket was not working properly after I had it in my pocket with my cell phone and the CM at guest services gave me the demagnetized theory. I suppose I could have had a defective one all along, but it worked fine the first day of the trip.

At any rate, I got a new bag out of the whole thing-one with lots of extra pockets!

 

[MickeyDee]

Definitely go with a plan of action, but be flexible.

I learned the flexible aspect of this the hard way on my last trip. My family calls me the Disney Nazi.

 

[englishrose47]

Definitely go with a plan of action, but be flexible.

I learned the flexible aspect of this the hard way on my last trip. My family calls me the Disney Nazi.

During theplanning of our 1st trip DD asked if I had time allotted for potty breaks I guess I was pretty Nazi style too!! But she did admit to others that my planning made the trip!!

 

[dizneychik]

I'm not sure if this has been posted but to save money on souviners before you go check out the Disney outlet website I was able to find t-shirts and other items for 1.99. This was for all ages. You can also find inexpensive toys.

I also go to the Disney Store. I was able to find Sleeping Beauty's costume for 14.00. I think the normal price is about 49.00(cant remember off the top of my head.) I was just there yesterday and they had souviner cups with snow globes on the bottom 2 for $10 with different princesses/characters on each.

Also, Dollar Tree is a great place to get ponchos 2 for a dollar and the glow sticks/necklaces/bracelets and other disney items. They also have the pop up laundry bags for a dollar.

I usually shop at those before we go and pack all of the items before the princess can see them and end up being able to get more for the money I would spend at the parks