List Your BEST Tip...

[Emme]

I am sure there is a list floating around here somewhere very similiar but I can never get the search to work
so....let's start a new one!

Give me your very best tip ever! What is the one tip either you yourself thought of or read elsewhere that you think was just the greatest!

OK me first...

Hanging a dollar store shoe rack on the back of the bathroom door. Whoever thought of this was brilliant (IMO). Everything fits perfectly in those pockets, counter space is free, nothing spills or gets misplaced, in my opinion just a wonderful idea. For a dollar a piece I toss them when that vacation is over, and I love picking out tropical color ones to match with the "disney-Florida" theme!

OK, Who's next??

Emmy

 

[Mortlives]

Okay, I'll jump in:

Bring a change of shoes to the parks to give your feet a rest. Sometimes that's all you need to feel re-energized.

Ciao,
Mort.

 

[Aggie89]

I'd throw in the one about spraying your feet every morning with deodorant spray(anti-persp.) and sprinkling the inside of your shoes with Desenex after every hotel break...makes them feel fresh.

As for shoes, I went with Aerobic shoes last trip, Nike. Bought them a day before the trip and walked for 10 days with not a single blister or soreness. They are like slippers. The cross trainers and running shoes didn't work for me.

Definitely get the non-sweat socks. They sell a generic brand of them at Kmart. Sorry forgot the name.

As you can tell for me, happy feet- happy mommy.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says..................................... Get to MK 30 minutes before opening. At rope drop rush Fantasyland, Dumbo first, then Snow White, Pooh, Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan, Golden Carrousel, and finally It's a Small World. This plan works everytime. On EE it works even better, and you can go to tomorrowland and start to hit the rides before everyone else gets in the park! Many will say of course that will work, but only a few will actually do it. And when the parks are crowded and the wait for Peter Pan is 90 minutes, won't you be happy that you did all of Fantasyland in less than an hour!
For the people that show up at noon on a busy day, they will not be able to do Fantasyland even if that is all they want to do.
This is the best time saving, bang for your buck advice that you can get for WDW!!!

 

[keithomas]

Always get there VERY EARLY!!

Think of it as "pre-standing" in lines. The wait outside the gate will pay off ten-fold once you get in. It really lets you enjoy your afternoon and evenings!!

 

[denman007]

Call Disney Info from your room phone to found out exact times and locations for your favorite Disney Character greetings.

 

[Chip126]

I have two:

1. Continue to read these forums....they have so much to offer.

2. Make an intinerary before you go!! You can always make minor adjustments if need be.

Oh wait.....I thought of one more..........go during a very slow season. This way it doesn't matter what time you get to the parks. When I went last December the most I waited in line was 10 minutes (and that was only once for the Haunted Mansion).

Enjoy!

 

[DVC-LEROY]

My three best tips...
1) Mail supplies down and pack lighter - go through your packing a couple of times before you leave and take out a few things - we all tend to pack too much. We mail down munchies - and anything that we know won't be coming back with us.
2) Make your trip - especially your first trip - off peak - you'll enjoy it so much more.
3) Try to slow yourself down and enjoy the little things.

 

[MELSMICE]

Emme - you took one of mine. The shoe holder over the door. One of the best ideas yet! Got it off "the boards" also.

Give each family member their own fanny pack with snack size ziploc bags filled with healthy snacks. Fill bags each night & let everyone fill their own fanny packs. Give everyone a water bottle also. This way everyone is responsible for their own things instead of one person always having to carry a backpack.

denman007 - those are absolutely precious pictures. Especially the one with Cinderella. What priceless memories.

 

[denman007]

Thanks! Here's a link to all my vacation photos from last May. I'm in the middle of adding some from Sept as soon a I get FP2000 loaded back on my machine.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dman8/Disney/Disney.htm

 

[MELSMICE]

What a beautiful daughter you have. Those pictures remind me of when we took my DD at about 2 1/2. I can't believe she is now 13. The time goes so fast.

Give us the tip on what kind of camera to use to get such great photos.

 

[GenePA]

Just one tip....but I have so many! I would say it has to be take a break midday/early afternoon.....that is, do something that is a change of pace from the parks. Hit the parks early but then, take it easy midday. Leave whatever park you are in as it starts to get crowded. Go to a resort restaurant for lunch or back to your resort for a swim and maybe even a short nap (this obviously works best if you are staying on property). After your afternoon respite, you'll be fresh and ready to go for the late afternoon/evening.

The worst mistake I ever made at WDW was to push myself on the first trip I made there with my family back in 1996. Ever since then, we make a point to take it easy and enjoy what we are doing. Taking a midday break is key to that! If there was ever a vacation that when it was over, you feel exhausted...WDW is it! Take it slow and don't think you can see and do everything....you can't!

 

[MACDADDY]

...to WDW the weeks after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. Beautiful decorations, small crowds, mild weather...

 

[Mikeyboy]

I have to agree with getting to the parks early. Many guide books tell you not to rush to the parks but I don't get it. I think not taking advantage of EE is crazy. The only park I never rush to is AK because I never encounter long lines.

 

[JetMom]

Having an itinerary is so important---

Have everyone pick 3 must sees for each day (hopefully you will have some overlap). Older siblings may be more patient with the little ones desire to ride Pooh yet again or Mom's request for an upscale dinner if you can point out that you have already done or scheduled Space, Splash and Thunder Mtn. for them


Also--while having an itinerary is important, being flexible and enjoying the parks spontaneously is even more improtant!!!

 

[photobob]

One of my tips: Go to a given park the day after they have the EE day. We have done this with great success. We get to the parks about 30 minutes before opening so we are there at rope drop. EE is too early for us because we like to do latenight stuff at the parks.

Tip two: Take a early-midafternoon break at your resort. Take a little nap, let kids play at the pool, recharge your battery's for a early evening return to the Parks.

Tip Three: Eat luch at the nicer restaurants, menu is just as good and much cheaper.

Tip Four: Remember you are there to have fun, if you're plans don't work out perfectly to suit you just go with the flow and enjoy the escape from reality that nobody brings like Disney...

Bob

 

[SilverL]

Originally posted by GenePA
Just one tip....but I have so many! I would say it has to be take a break midday/early afternoon.....that is, do something that is a change of pace from the parks. Hit the parks early but then, take it easy midday. Leave whatever park you are in as it starts to get crowded. Go to a resort restaurant for lunch or back to your resort for a swim and maybe even a short nap (this obviously works best if you are staying on property). After your afternoon respite, you'll be fresh and ready to go for the late afternoon/evening.

The worst mistake I ever made at WDW was to push myself on the first trip I made there with my family back in 1996. Ever since then, we make a point to take it easy and enjoy what we are doing. Taking a midday break is key to that! If there was ever a vacation that when it was over, you feel exhausted...WDW is it! Take it slow and don't think you can see and do everything....you can't!

You can too! We've done it before

When we went to WDW last August we didn't take any breaks or anything - but maybe that's 'cause my family can just keep going and going and going...

We may do that this time because there will be a 6 year old with us, but I doubt we'll leave the park. Loading 10 people into the cars to go back to the condos will just be a hassle.

As for a tip, do mostly sit down meals if you don't want to take a break at the hotel. The pooh character meal is great fun, too.

 

[mm6mm6]

At Magic Kingdom, during the day, follow the wire from the top of Cinderella's Castle to where it ends right above a restaurant. I forget the name of the restaurant. This is the wire that Tinkerbell flies down when starting the fireworks. Right toward the end of the parade, go to this restaurant. There will be seats, real chairs, actually comfortable ones on a patio or terrace area that allow you to look right at the fireworks and the castle without any obstructions (like patio umbrellas or palm trees). And it's not crowded at all. It was great to watch the fireworks from here.

 

[MommaluvsDis]

1. Brita water bottles

2. Personal mister fans

3. Get your e-night wristbands at Splash Mountain photo shop because the other location is just inside the front gate and EVERYONE uses thatlocation. Then you have to fight the crowd that's leaving for the night. Kinda felt like a salmon swimming upstream the first night. Did it at Splash Mountain the next night and that put us right at the rides. We were able to start before the throng of people waiting in line on Main Street. What fun!

4. Do e-night! WELL WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY!!

5. Don't think that you have to do all and see all in one trip. Unless you stay a month, it's impossible!! We got a park map each evening and read off the attractions and ridesfor the park we were visiting the next day. If even one person said that they wanted to do it, then we all did. But if no one was interested, we skipped it. Saved a lot of time.

6. Take time to soak up the Disney magic!

 

[jmkst58]

Originally posted by Emme

Hanging a dollar store shoe rack on the back of the bathroom door. Whoever thought of this was brilliant (IMO). Everything fits perfectly in those pockets, counter space is free, nothing spills or gets misplaced, in my opinion just a wonderful idea. For a dollar a piece I toss them when that vacation is over, and I love picking out tropical color ones to match with the "disney-Florida" theme!

If no one minds..could you explain this a bit more. I've been on the boards awhile and never heard this one. They are the ones with the clear pockets? What do you fill them with? I'm intrigued. Very intrigued