My "10 Most Important Tips" Written for Friends Heading to WDW:

[HermanTriplets+1]

Good friends are in WDW right now , their first trip. I have been driving them crazy all year with all my advice. I think I freaked them out when I pulled out my index cards from our trip... So I made them this list. It is my "short list" of things that, even if they weren't into lots of planning, they absolutely had to know. This of course is after they already had resort reservations and, at my earlier insistance, an ADR for a character breakfast (they won't have the DDP).

Thought I'd share it with you all - for what it's worth!
*************

1. Airport Security: anything that is liquid or semi-solid (like peanut butter or yogurts) need to be in big suitcase, not carry-on.

2. you can get cups of ice water for FREE at any counter service restaurant and at most quick service food carts. Also, consider buying some refillable mugs at the resort. They are good for all refills at the resort food court, sodas, iced tea and coffee. You can fill up during meals, during pool ,when in the room, on the way back ,and on the way out! And you get to keep the mug. They don't work outside the resort, though. At Epcot there is a place called Club Cool with free Coca Cola drinks from different countries.

3. You can order groceries for delivery to your hotel from GardenGrocer.com

4. If you need a refrigerator you need to rent one at the resort, it costs around 10$/day

5. Be prepared for rain but usually it doesn't stay raining all day. Bring light weight rain ponchos like you can get at Walmart/Target, or small umbrellas, and a change of socks. DON'T WEAR FLIP FLOPS/SANDALS all day! Your feet WILL hurt and get blisters. Wear good sport shoes/sneakers.

6. FAST PASS - for the "big rides" don't wait on line, take a Fast Pass and come back at the assigned time. Or wait on a "single rider" line where you'll go on but not necessarily together.

7. PHOTO PASS - there are photographers all over. It DOESN'T COST ANYTHING to get your pictures taken. Do it alot! They give you a card with a barcode so all your pictures stay in one file. Ask them if they have "magic pictures" with special effects. At the end of the visit you can go view your pictures and decide if to buy any. Take a picture of the back of your card with it's ID# so if it gets lost (we lost one) you can get the pictures back.

8. Take something for collecting signatures: either a notebook/album or a white t-shirt or white pillow case. Bring a big (they have clumsy hands with the costumes) permanent marker like a "SHARPIE". Don't spend too much time waiting on lines for characters. Get signatures at your Character Breakfast or if you see short lines.

9. Collecting: some people buy/collect pins. Some people trade pins with others. Some people collect pressed pennies (need $0.50 and a penny each time) and put them in a special folder you buy. You'll need a roll of quarters if you're going to do this.

10. If you start early, you might want a break in the middle of the day and then go back for the evening.

**********
I felt better having sent them with this 10-step tip list

 

[jlcusiter]

Can someone please explain howthe Gardengrocers.com works? We are going in November, staying on a resort but would like a few things in our room. We will not have a car. Thank you, so excited, only 83 more days!!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Your number 4 is not very accurate. All the Resorts from the Moderate level up have refrigerators in the rooms. It is only at the value resort that they are an extra-cost option.

 

[Virtucomp]

Can someone please explain howthe Gardengrocers.com works? We are going in November, staying on a resort but would like a few things in our room. We will not have a car. Thank you, so excited, only 83 more days!!!

I have not used them yet myself but looked into it for previous visits.
As I understand it you can also have them deliver wine/beer if you send them an Email with your instructions to go with your order.
I've heard a lot of good things about them and when I sent emails to them they were quick to respond.
We will most likely use them in December.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=38937844&highlight=gardengrocer#post38937844

 

[nkereina]

Can someone please explain howthe Gardengrocers.com works? We are going in November, staying on a resort but would like a few things in our room. We will not have a car. Thank you, so excited, only 83 more days!!!

I have not used them yet myself but looked into it for previous visits.
As I understand it you can also have them deliver wine/beer if you send them an Email with your instructions to go with your order.
I've heard a lot of good things about them and when I sent emails to them they were quick to respond.
We will most likely use them in December.

Garden Grocer has a $60 minimum order plus a $12 delivery fee. Look through their web site and you will see they have most anything you could find at a grocery store, however they're priced a little high so I think the $60 is easy to get to. You have to order from them well in advance and you select the day you want your stuff delivered. I say to do it well in advance because their delivery days get booked up fast. They will deliver it to bell services and then bell services will deliver to your room. If your room isn't ready, it can be stored and things that need refrigeration will be refrigerated in bell services. They will deliver beer/wine, however you need to add that to the special requests or call to add it as you cannot select it on the web site. In some instances, I have heard of them requesting you fax a copy of your license for alcohol but I have never heard of anyone needing to be there with their license on delivery though. You also don't need to be there when GG delivers your regular order, as you pay for it ahead of time online.

If you don't think you will be spending that much, there are some other grocery services like wegoshop who have a lower minimum or no mimimum but I know they have a higher delivery charge of $20-something dollars. If you just want a case of water delivered, you can order from Amazon, Costco, or Staples for a minimal shipping fee.

Hope that helps!

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Your number 4 is not very accurate. All the Resorts from the Moderate level up have refrigerators in the rooms. It is only at the value resort that they are an extra-cost option.

Thanks for fine-tuning that. The family I wrote these for is staying at a value resort, thus the instructions about the fridge. Luckily at moderate and deluxe resorts, the fridge is included!

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

I kindof like your idea of your ten most important tips for WDW. However, I wonder what everyone else would consider their top ten?? I'd be interested to hear everyone's ideas! I'm not trying to steal your thread, but I think we all have different ideas of what is important, and I am interested to see all the different ones!

Here's my top ten:
1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!!! This might seem obvious, but how many of us have seen people walking around looking like dumbstruck lobsters? I myself do not enjoy getting a farmer's burn (since I cannot tan), so we stop FREQUENTLY to reapply sunscreen. Praise the Lord, we haven't had a burn yet! Nothing like paying all that money to have your trip ruined by ouchie skin, or whiny kids with ouchie skin! Another tip along those lines is one I got from my hair stylist. Spray sunscreen for protecting your beautiful new color that of course you had to have done right before Disney for pictures' sake! I spritzed lightly daily, and it protected my color from fading and from sunbleach.

2. Share counter service meals!!! This not only applies to people on the Dining plan, but to anyone eating a meal at WDW that is not at one of the main restaurants. Since I am mentioning it though, we LOVE the dining plan! It's easy, it's all paid for in advance (or free-which we also love), my reservations are made months in advance, and all I have to do is show up. Most of the portions at WDW are crazy big, so we learned early on to share meals. That way our dining entitlements go so much further. We are able to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on the regular dining plan by making it stretch. We also love going to the places with toppings bars so you can pile on and make your meal even bigger!

3. Shoe changes. Not everyone has foot issues as I do, but even people with normal feet can benefit from changing their shoes. The magic recipe for me this last trip was to push to wear my tennis shoes and inserts till about 4:00 every day. Then I would do one or two more changes for the evening (you may not need two, but again, my feet are a real problem). I changed most often into my Crocs Capris flip flops and they rocked! My swollen feet were very happy in them!

4. Body glide, Anti-Monkey Butt, and pants without big seams. I used the first two on the list on our last trip, and nearly made it without any chafing. However, I realized that because my pants are always too big in the legs in order to fit my stomach, they still caused me some issues. Weight loss and maybe some bike shorts should help me for the next trip. Those too products are fantastic! I would put the body glide on, then poof on some powder, and I was good to go!

5. I agree with your rain one for sure! We had our ponchos, and we showed up to EPCOT one night for EMH while there was a downpour. It happened to be the first we've ever experienced, so I asked the guy checking our bags if he thought it would clear up. He said, "Are you kidding? This is Florida! No way!" We decided to stay anyway, and he was wrong! It cleared up in under 30 minutes, and we had a fabulous time! People clear out when it rains, so as long as you can push through, you'll do fine and have lots of empty lines!

6. Fastpasses are on mine too. We didn't know how to use them the best way on our first trip. In the fine print you will see when you are able to get another fastpass. A lot of people don't realize you can hold one fastpass and get another. It is usually 2 hours, but sometimes you will get one that lets you get one in an hour! We just resist waiting in the lines for the rides we really want to ride, and stack up our fastpasses. They rarely turn you away once they expire, so we just hold onto them until we are ready to use them. No more running around the park like mad! We also like to send runners for fastpasses.

7. Photopass is also on mine. Photopasses can be combined onto one card, so if you have several people with passes in your party, you can combine them onto one card and buy the CD if you'd like. That way you can split the cost of the CD and it is much more manageable. I thought my pictures had expired on my card bc we moved right after our trip and it went missing. My family was disappointed. I managed to find it, and apparently they don't expire until 30 days after you register the card on Photopass.com (I think that's the site). Next trip I won't be preregistering my card!

8. Fantasmic Dinner Package! Whenever we've gone the line for Fantasmic has been out to the street with standing room only. We were at the back of the line one year and they were already to standing room only, so we knew if we waited in line for two hours we probably wouldn't get in. Now we make reservations for the Fantasmic Dinner Package. We don't like the menu for Brown Derby, plus it takes two dining entitlements, so we use either Hollywood and Vine or Mama Melrose. We get a special pass and get to enter in a special entrance. Guaranteed seating rocks!

9. Research and plan. Don't overplan b/c I can almost guarantee the best laid plans will change, but at least do your homework and learn from other people's experiences. Their opinions and likes may not be the same as yours, but at least you will have enough information to go on rather than being left in the dark and not be able to experience the magic to the best of your ability. Besides, planning is part of the fun. We talk Disney often and work out the kinks during our planning period. It is so fun and it keeps the magic alive even longer. We do family projects like tie dye shirts and such. We are a year out from our next trip and are already starting the planning. we can't wait, but we have enough time to plan carefully, and stretch the fun longer!

10. I agree with the break in the day. It really depends on what your plans for the day are as to when you should take your break if you need it. On days we plan to go for EMH we may take a mid-day break, or we may chill out in the morning and swim before heading to the parks. A lot of people avoid Extra Magic Hours bc people with hoppers hop on over and it gets a bit crowded. We like them b/c a lot of the lightweights leave and lines are short for most rides. As long as you are in a line when the park closes, you can get on the ride. We got on Peter Pan several times that way. Slip in at 3 minutes to close, and you are golden!

Sorry! It's fun seeing what people agree on and what doesn't work for each family! Oh! My eleven would probably be about packing, but I won't bore you with that. Unless you want me to ????? Heehee!

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

Garden Grocer has a $60 minimum order plus a $12 delivery fee.

We use Garden Grocer a lot, and love them. Just wanted to add that their minimum order is actually only $40.

 

[noahdove]

Great tips and I agree, take that afternoon break. I would like to add find your place/seat for the parades early and don't move once you are seated. People will try to budge in and move you out...I know, I have been pushed shoved, pleaded with just so the "late" arrivals want to get a good seat...that's my 2 cents worth

 

[Memphis Mom of 3]

Great Advice. To be honest, I was never able to visit WDW as a child so when a friend of mine pulled out her index cards it freaked me out too!!
However, I will say, they really helped a lot to get us used to the best ways to do the parks. I would also add SUNCSCREEN. If you don't fly pack a case of bottled water or get one once you get to Orlando & if your children are little really take advantage of the character meals & meal plan.

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Great additions!
For sure, any one of us who makes a "Top 10" list will do it with our own twist. That's what makes reading each other's lists fun, and helpful! For instance, I hadn't thought about the Fanstasmic Dinner Package - now it's on my "to do " list!
(Yes, I like lists)!

 

[Tidblgrr]

Good friends are in WDW right now , their first trip. I have been driving them crazy all year with all my advice. I think I freaked them out when I pulled out my index cards from our trip... So I made them this list. It is my "short list" of things that, even if they weren't into lots of planning, they absolutely had to know. This of course is after they already had resort reservations and, at my earlier insistance, an ADR for a character breakfast (they won't have the DDP).

Thought I'd share it with you all - for what it's worth!
*************

1. Airport Security: anything that is liquid or semi-solid (like peanut butter or yogurts) need to be in big suitcase, not carry-on.

2. you can get cups of ice water for FREE at any counter service restaurant and at most quick service food carts. Also, consider buying some refillable mugs at the resort. They are good for all refills at the resort food court, sodas, iced tea and coffee. You can fill up during meals, during pool ,when in the room, on the way back ,and on the way out! And you get to keep the mug. They don't work outside the resort, though. At Epcot there is a place called Club Cool with free Coca Cola drinks from different countries.

3. You can order groceries for delivery to your hotel from GardenGrocer.com

4. If you need a refrigerator you need to rent one at the resort, it costs around 10$/day

5. Be prepared for rain but usually it doesn't stay raining all day. Bring light weight rain ponchos like you can get at Walmart/Target, or small umbrellas, and a change of socks. DON'T WEAR FLIP FLOPS/SANDALS all day! Your feet WILL hurt and get blisters. Wear good sport shoes/sneakers.

6. FAST PASS - for the "big rides" don't wait on line, take a Fast Pass and come back at the assigned time. Or wait on a "single rider" line where you'll go on but not necessarily together.

7. PHOTO PASS - there are photographers all over. It DOESN'T COST ANYTHING to get your pictures taken. Do it alot! They give you a card with a barcode so all your pictures stay in one file. Ask them if they have "magic pictures" with special effects. At the end of the visit you can go view your pictures and decide if to buy any. Take a picture of the back of your card with it's ID# so if it gets lost (we lost one) you can get the pictures back.

8. Take something for collecting signatures: either a notebook/album or a white t-shirt or white pillow case. Bring a big (they have clumsy hands with the costumes) permanent marker like a "SHARPIE". Don't spend too much time waiting on lines for characters. Get signatures at your Character Breakfast or if you see short lines.

9. Collecting: some people buy/collect pins. Some people trade pins with others. Some people collect pressed pennies (need $0.50 and a penny each time) and put them in a special folder you buy. You'll need a roll of quarters if you're going to do this.

10. If you start early, you might want a break in the middle of the day and then go back for the evening.

**********
I felt better having sent them with this 10-step tip list

All great ideas...My cousin is going for the "FIRST TIME" with her family and I have been doing the same thing...giving them tons of advice. Just trying to make sure they have a great time, by not wasting any time.

 

[jlcusiter]

Keep all these awesome ideas coming we are leaving for WDW in 61 days and I am getting soooooo excited! This will be our 4th trip and I think I am even more excited this time around! I will never get tired of the "Happiest Place on Earth"

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Great additions!
For sure, any one of us who makes a "Top 10" list will do it with our own twist. That's what makes reading each other's lists fun, and helpful! For instance, I hadn't thought about the Fanstasmic Dinner Package - now it's on my "to do " list!
(Yes, I like lists)!

Yay! We loved it! I wasn't super impressed with Hollywood and Vine, but it was all right, and we may go again to avoid Brown Derby (Icky menu in my opinion, and takes 2 dining entitlements!). We may do Mama Melrose's this time...we'll see! No matter where we eat (except I REALLY don't want to do Brown Derby! Oops, did I say that already?)it is worth it! Guaranteed seating rocks!

Another tip from me is joining touringplans.com. I finally took the dive and subscribed. I think it was $10.95 for a year, but I get full access to touring plans based on their crowd level predictions, the crowd level predictions, and more! I am super stoked!

 

[Chelle's Belles]

Here's a big one for me:

Where pants/shorts/skort with pockets. Having quick access to everyone's tickets for Fastpass purposes makes life easier (for me).

We are another Garden Grocer family! I like to have them pick up some beer so hubs and I can have a cocktail at the pool to wind down after the parks. Much cheaper than resort drinks! They will do this if you ask nicely in the comments.

And drink lots of water. Lots. Really lots.

 

[jlcusiter]

Okay I have another tip that I had totally forgotten about, I downloaded a program called iquiz maker, then I took our Disney Trivial Pursuit game and made questions so with my ipod (last trip) iphone this trip while we are waiting for things pull it out and very entertaining. Last trip I even made questions for my daughters science test so we could study, I might add she aced the test when we got back. At one point last trip while riding the boat the captain even had me go up to the mic and do it for the whole boat, very entertaining and added a little more magic to the waiting times.