Aliceacc
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2007
- Messages
- 13,463
This is probably a violation of copyrite laws: I've taken lots and lots of stuff from this forum and made it into a word document. I'm sure I'll be adding to it, but here's what I have so far-- and thanks to all those who gave us these tips:
This: http://pscalculator.net/allearsnet/pscalcae.php to determine when to book ADRs
Personalized menus @ TS restaurants?
Main St. Barbershop: “Pixie Dust” do for the girls w/ confetti
If you have leftover snack credits (assuming you're on the meal plan) you can use those to buy the 4- or 5-packs of suckers in the gift shops. They are between $3.50 and $4.00 a package and count as one credit. We used some of our credits on the last day and bought these packs so my son could take a sucker back to all the kids in his class. They loved it!
For character breakfasts, I would recommend letting girls wear their princess dresses to the princess meals because it helps with the magical aspect of it. However, on extremely hot Florida days, try putting it on over their clothes a few minutes before your reservation or once you are seated. It will only take a moment and it will save the headache of your child whining about being hot
I have a tip related to the dining plan. This is my first time using the plan, and I found a fun way to keep track of all my reservations. I printed out a wallet-sized picture of the signs from the restaurants, and glued each one to a 3x5 notecard. Next to the picture, I wrote the time and confirmation number.
If you have any snack credits left on your Disney Dining Plan at the end of your stay, a good way to use them is to go to your resort gift shop. They usually stock boxes of cookies from "Minnie's Bake Shop." You can get any box of her cookies as long as they are under four dollars. They have many choices and the cookies are delicious.
I have a 2-year-old who doesn't eat much. The kids' meals at the counter service restaurants are always too much for her, and we feel like we're wasting our money. One day we discovered that we could order a SIDE order of macaroni and cheese for only $1.79 (at Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom). It wasn't on the printed menu, but when we asked, they had no problem ringing it up. I am sure we could do this at most other counter service restaurants as well.
After having almost missed dinner because we did not have our confirmation number and they could not find us in the computer, I now keep all of our confirmation numbers, dining places, and times in the calendar on my cell phone. That way when I am in the park I have dining reservations literally a fingertip away -- no more forgetting them in the room.
For parents interested in eating at 'Ohana at the Polynesian Resort, we just learned while there last week that they do have a few items available for children that are not listed on the menu. So, if you have picky eaters, be sure to ask. Macaroni and cheese and PB&J can be more appealing to some kids than the Polynesian fare 'Ohana has to offer.
Try to go to a character breakfast in one of the parks for the first 8 a.m. seating before the park opens. You get to enter the park around 7:45 a.m., get your stroller/wheelchairs, eat a great breakfast and be in the back of the park riding the rides at opening time while everybody else is waiting in lines and just starting to come into the park. For a great photo opportunity, eat at the Crystal Palace and on your way there take a picture of your family in front of the castle -- since the park isn't open yet, your family will be the only ones in the picture. It's the only time you can ever do that! –
When my wife and I took our nieces (ages 7 and 9) to Disney World two years ago, they especially wanted to meet Cinderella. I had already made reservations for the Cinderella breakfast in the castle, but I didn't tell the girls right away. Instead, I said only that if we were very lucky maybe Cinderella would invite us to meet her in her castle. In the meantime, my wife, Kathy, purchased some invitation cards at one of the shops, with Cinderella and the castle on the cover. She filled out the invitation from "Princess Cinderella," and, the day before the breakfast, secretly left them on the girls' pillows as we left the room for the day. When we returned, the girls found the invitations and were thrilled that Cinderella had personally invited them to breakfast!
When we go down we ship down [to our resort] a variety of food etc via UPS. We send down coffee, bagels, peanut butter, jelly coffee filters, cereal (Disney themed of course), snacks, iced tea and kool aid mix to name a few things. It takes about 5 days from Vermont. We address it including our ressie number and arrival date. When we check in they tell us there's a package waiting. It sure beats hauling a lot down and beats the prices at Orlando stores.
I've found that making a lunch reservation as early as possible at Crystal Palace is far better than the breakfast. You can get to the park early and get a lot of stuff done before the crowds pour in and then take a break in the air conditioning!
When we went to WDW on vacation last year, I packed one suitcase full of snacks and non-perishable food (i.e. mini cereal boxes, cereal bars, various pre-packaged snack packs, juice boxes). Our entire family was able to eat a quick breakfast before going to the parks, have mid-day park munchies, and late evening snacks. The suitcase was then used to bring home dirty laundry at the end of the trip.
I recommend making a reservation for the character breakfast with Pooh and friends at the Crystal Palace on a morning that the Magic Kingdom does NOT open early. My family and I went in August and made reservations for 8:15 a.m. We were allowed to enter at 8 a.m. With the extra time, we took a nice group photo on an empty Main Street with one of the photographers. By the time we finished breakfast, it was 9 a.m. We took advantage of our location and went to Fantasyland, where we walked onto the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and had a minimal wait time (5 minutes) for Dumbo.
We like to order snacks from www.netgrocer.com and have them delivered. It's cheaper than buying them there, and as we are not big breakfast eaters, a cereal bar works for us and saves us money.
Schedule your character breakfast just before lunchtime. We had ours at 11 a.m. We were seated by about 11:15 and were able to enjoy the breakfast and lunch buffet.
Instead of a traditional dinner, Wine and Dine your way around Epcot's World Showcase stopping at each booth for a sample. You can begin with appetizers and finish with desert, or enjoy whatever strikes your fancy as you nosh from country to country. Be sure and pick up the recipe cards of your favorites, so you can try them at home!
not really a secret, but you can ride up front with the driver on the monorail. My dd thought this was fantastic and got a certificate/ card to proove she "drove
All you need to do is approach a CM at the monorail station boarding area, and ask. If you are the first to ask for the next, incoming monorail... then up to 4 persons can ride up front with the pilot. They sometimes (but not always) will give you an honorary monorail pilot's license when you unload.
the Pirate Cruises from GF, B&Yclub and....some other resort that escapes me right now! And for only $35 it really strikes me as one of the more reasonable offering at WDW. my DS loved it!
the "How to Draw" class at the end of the animation tour at MGM. It's only 10 mins, but again, my DS loved it, his favorite thing at MGM!’
The robots in Innoventions and the goofy pictures of yourself in the Kodak Imagination center that you can email home. Then, after you get home, you can print them out - free pictures.
-Get to the MK early, by 8:40 AM, to see the Opening Ceremony. This is not advertised in any of Disney's materials that I've seen--it is a very Disney way to start your day. Also, there are many Streetmosphere characters that wander around Main Street during the day--they are never advertised. One day the Mayor sat down right next to us at Casey's and started talking to us about how he was running for reelection. Many times you will run into the Dapper Dans, riding in the back of the first horse-drawn trolleys of the morning and serenading the passengers.
-Get a hot dog and listen to the ragtime pianist at Casey's Corner.
__________________
We did Alice's Tea Party on Easter. It was great. They had a looooong table set up with cups, plates, etc. Each child got some lemonade and a cookie and were visited by Alice, Tweedle Dee and Dum, and the Mad Hatter. (I think the rabbit was there, too). They made their rounds around the table and were available for a group photo at the end. I think the kids got certificates, too.
I haven't seen this posted yet, but you can also ride in the wheelhouse on the Liberty Belle at WDW and the Mark Twain at Disneyland. Just ask a CM when you get there. At Disneyland I was allowed to ring the bell and blow the horn, while at WDW only allowed to "drive" the boat. It gives you some great one on one time with a CM.
My favorite thing in Disney, The electrical water pagent, is an under-advertized treasure. Its one thing that hasn't changed significantly since my first visit in 1979! You can catch it around the seven seas lagoon usually an hour before Wishes.
At DTD at the Christmas shop, you can get personalized CM badges (colors are reversed from official ones) my kids got them the first yr and wore them every day. The CM's at rides & resteraunts greeted my kids by name and they got such a kick outa that! Pretty cool and way short money (like $5 or so)
Many of you know this, but some may not. When going to Epcot with the children, you can buy a Passport booklet. This is something fun for them to do when you travel to each country. It comes with a pin, stickers for each country's page and the CM's in each country will stamp it and sometimes write something on it, in their language.
They do sell it at Epcot, but here's an image of it from the LaughingPlaceStore. I think at Epcot it's around $10.
http://www.laughingplacestore.com/im...ucts/5210L.jpg
IN MGM there is a man called Andy Mation. He wears a yellow painter's coat with black Mickey heads on it. He's usually around Playhouse Disney area. He makes the most AMAZING balloon characters - for free!! Yes for FREE! However he only makes one every half hour and he selects who he gives it to. While he makes the character he gives a bio about the character - some never known facts. I've seen him make Belle, Snow White holding an apple, Stitch as a hat, a Buzz Lightyear backpack, he made my daughter Pluto with a walking stick. YES THIS IS ALL OUT OF BALLOONS!! I don't know if he's still there, but he's amazing and definitely worth watching, just like the candy lady in China at Epcot.
EPCOT - don't forget the getting a pearl out of the oyster! My dd's birth stone is pearl and we got a 'big' one last time - they banged the drum - she had no idea what was going on. However the settings are reasonable, we had it put into a caged pendant.
MK - Make sure you ride Aladdin's carpets so the camel can spit at you.
Don't forget you can ride the horseless carriage down Mainstreet USA! Just as we passed under the railroad we saw the carriage coming and quickly walked over to the sign. Sure enough the driver stopped and we climbed in! It was so amazing to ride down to the castle! People were taking pictures of us and we waved. My kids felt like little celebrities! LOL
1. Miyuki(the candy lady) in Japan at Epcot. She makes these amazing animals from a type of candy. You can choose one from a list she has and take it with you for free. Even though She is listed in the park map, many guests do not know about her.
2. Like wise for the various street performers in MGM studios, sorry, Hollywood studios now. The times are not listed in the park guide, but was able to get them at the info booth by the attraction update board. My favorites are the public works guys and a police officer that stands in the middle of Sunset Boulevard giving guests a hard time(in a jokeing way).
Club Cool in Epcot. Found near Innoventions it's basically a advertising for Coca-Cola but it is set up with coke products from around the world. Sample cups are next to soda fountains for you to taste-test. A fun stop for a sugar rush. It was empty when we were there last week - I was surprised since it was so hot - I thought it would be full of kids looking for a cold drink.
__________________
Character bandaids for skinned knees!!!
One thing we did for other guests on our trip, and will do again this fall is sharing glow stuff. I bought all sorts of glow necklaces & bracelets from the dollar store and each pacakge had 2-3 in it. We have only one DD so while waiting for the night time shows to start, we would usually wind up in conversation with families around us, and share the glow stuff. Right now our local Michaels had tubes of 15 glow bracelets for $1.50. I bought 2.
We do the same thing! I buy a case of 100 glow bracelets/necklaces and hand them out (with parents permission of course)! We've never had anyone turn them down.
This: http://pscalculator.net/allearsnet/pscalcae.php to determine when to book ADRs
Personalized menus @ TS restaurants?
Main St. Barbershop: “Pixie Dust” do for the girls w/ confetti
If you have leftover snack credits (assuming you're on the meal plan) you can use those to buy the 4- or 5-packs of suckers in the gift shops. They are between $3.50 and $4.00 a package and count as one credit. We used some of our credits on the last day and bought these packs so my son could take a sucker back to all the kids in his class. They loved it!
For character breakfasts, I would recommend letting girls wear their princess dresses to the princess meals because it helps with the magical aspect of it. However, on extremely hot Florida days, try putting it on over their clothes a few minutes before your reservation or once you are seated. It will only take a moment and it will save the headache of your child whining about being hot
I have a tip related to the dining plan. This is my first time using the plan, and I found a fun way to keep track of all my reservations. I printed out a wallet-sized picture of the signs from the restaurants, and glued each one to a 3x5 notecard. Next to the picture, I wrote the time and confirmation number.
If you have any snack credits left on your Disney Dining Plan at the end of your stay, a good way to use them is to go to your resort gift shop. They usually stock boxes of cookies from "Minnie's Bake Shop." You can get any box of her cookies as long as they are under four dollars. They have many choices and the cookies are delicious.
I have a 2-year-old who doesn't eat much. The kids' meals at the counter service restaurants are always too much for her, and we feel like we're wasting our money. One day we discovered that we could order a SIDE order of macaroni and cheese for only $1.79 (at Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom). It wasn't on the printed menu, but when we asked, they had no problem ringing it up. I am sure we could do this at most other counter service restaurants as well.
After having almost missed dinner because we did not have our confirmation number and they could not find us in the computer, I now keep all of our confirmation numbers, dining places, and times in the calendar on my cell phone. That way when I am in the park I have dining reservations literally a fingertip away -- no more forgetting them in the room.
For parents interested in eating at 'Ohana at the Polynesian Resort, we just learned while there last week that they do have a few items available for children that are not listed on the menu. So, if you have picky eaters, be sure to ask. Macaroni and cheese and PB&J can be more appealing to some kids than the Polynesian fare 'Ohana has to offer.
Try to go to a character breakfast in one of the parks for the first 8 a.m. seating before the park opens. You get to enter the park around 7:45 a.m., get your stroller/wheelchairs, eat a great breakfast and be in the back of the park riding the rides at opening time while everybody else is waiting in lines and just starting to come into the park. For a great photo opportunity, eat at the Crystal Palace and on your way there take a picture of your family in front of the castle -- since the park isn't open yet, your family will be the only ones in the picture. It's the only time you can ever do that! –
When my wife and I took our nieces (ages 7 and 9) to Disney World two years ago, they especially wanted to meet Cinderella. I had already made reservations for the Cinderella breakfast in the castle, but I didn't tell the girls right away. Instead, I said only that if we were very lucky maybe Cinderella would invite us to meet her in her castle. In the meantime, my wife, Kathy, purchased some invitation cards at one of the shops, with Cinderella and the castle on the cover. She filled out the invitation from "Princess Cinderella," and, the day before the breakfast, secretly left them on the girls' pillows as we left the room for the day. When we returned, the girls found the invitations and were thrilled that Cinderella had personally invited them to breakfast!
When we go down we ship down [to our resort] a variety of food etc via UPS. We send down coffee, bagels, peanut butter, jelly coffee filters, cereal (Disney themed of course), snacks, iced tea and kool aid mix to name a few things. It takes about 5 days from Vermont. We address it including our ressie number and arrival date. When we check in they tell us there's a package waiting. It sure beats hauling a lot down and beats the prices at Orlando stores.
I've found that making a lunch reservation as early as possible at Crystal Palace is far better than the breakfast. You can get to the park early and get a lot of stuff done before the crowds pour in and then take a break in the air conditioning!
When we went to WDW on vacation last year, I packed one suitcase full of snacks and non-perishable food (i.e. mini cereal boxes, cereal bars, various pre-packaged snack packs, juice boxes). Our entire family was able to eat a quick breakfast before going to the parks, have mid-day park munchies, and late evening snacks. The suitcase was then used to bring home dirty laundry at the end of the trip.
I recommend making a reservation for the character breakfast with Pooh and friends at the Crystal Palace on a morning that the Magic Kingdom does NOT open early. My family and I went in August and made reservations for 8:15 a.m. We were allowed to enter at 8 a.m. With the extra time, we took a nice group photo on an empty Main Street with one of the photographers. By the time we finished breakfast, it was 9 a.m. We took advantage of our location and went to Fantasyland, where we walked onto the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and had a minimal wait time (5 minutes) for Dumbo.
We like to order snacks from www.netgrocer.com and have them delivered. It's cheaper than buying them there, and as we are not big breakfast eaters, a cereal bar works for us and saves us money.
Schedule your character breakfast just before lunchtime. We had ours at 11 a.m. We were seated by about 11:15 and were able to enjoy the breakfast and lunch buffet.
Instead of a traditional dinner, Wine and Dine your way around Epcot's World Showcase stopping at each booth for a sample. You can begin with appetizers and finish with desert, or enjoy whatever strikes your fancy as you nosh from country to country. Be sure and pick up the recipe cards of your favorites, so you can try them at home!
not really a secret, but you can ride up front with the driver on the monorail. My dd thought this was fantastic and got a certificate/ card to proove she "drove
All you need to do is approach a CM at the monorail station boarding area, and ask. If you are the first to ask for the next, incoming monorail... then up to 4 persons can ride up front with the pilot. They sometimes (but not always) will give you an honorary monorail pilot's license when you unload.
the Pirate Cruises from GF, B&Yclub and....some other resort that escapes me right now! And for only $35 it really strikes me as one of the more reasonable offering at WDW. my DS loved it!
the "How to Draw" class at the end of the animation tour at MGM. It's only 10 mins, but again, my DS loved it, his favorite thing at MGM!’
The robots in Innoventions and the goofy pictures of yourself in the Kodak Imagination center that you can email home. Then, after you get home, you can print them out - free pictures.
-Get to the MK early, by 8:40 AM, to see the Opening Ceremony. This is not advertised in any of Disney's materials that I've seen--it is a very Disney way to start your day. Also, there are many Streetmosphere characters that wander around Main Street during the day--they are never advertised. One day the Mayor sat down right next to us at Casey's and started talking to us about how he was running for reelection. Many times you will run into the Dapper Dans, riding in the back of the first horse-drawn trolleys of the morning and serenading the passengers.
-Get a hot dog and listen to the ragtime pianist at Casey's Corner.
__________________
We did Alice's Tea Party on Easter. It was great. They had a looooong table set up with cups, plates, etc. Each child got some lemonade and a cookie and were visited by Alice, Tweedle Dee and Dum, and the Mad Hatter. (I think the rabbit was there, too). They made their rounds around the table and were available for a group photo at the end. I think the kids got certificates, too.
I haven't seen this posted yet, but you can also ride in the wheelhouse on the Liberty Belle at WDW and the Mark Twain at Disneyland. Just ask a CM when you get there. At Disneyland I was allowed to ring the bell and blow the horn, while at WDW only allowed to "drive" the boat. It gives you some great one on one time with a CM.
My favorite thing in Disney, The electrical water pagent, is an under-advertized treasure. Its one thing that hasn't changed significantly since my first visit in 1979! You can catch it around the seven seas lagoon usually an hour before Wishes.
At DTD at the Christmas shop, you can get personalized CM badges (colors are reversed from official ones) my kids got them the first yr and wore them every day. The CM's at rides & resteraunts greeted my kids by name and they got such a kick outa that! Pretty cool and way short money (like $5 or so)
Many of you know this, but some may not. When going to Epcot with the children, you can buy a Passport booklet. This is something fun for them to do when you travel to each country. It comes with a pin, stickers for each country's page and the CM's in each country will stamp it and sometimes write something on it, in their language.
They do sell it at Epcot, but here's an image of it from the LaughingPlaceStore. I think at Epcot it's around $10.
http://www.laughingplacestore.com/im...ucts/5210L.jpg
IN MGM there is a man called Andy Mation. He wears a yellow painter's coat with black Mickey heads on it. He's usually around Playhouse Disney area. He makes the most AMAZING balloon characters - for free!! Yes for FREE! However he only makes one every half hour and he selects who he gives it to. While he makes the character he gives a bio about the character - some never known facts. I've seen him make Belle, Snow White holding an apple, Stitch as a hat, a Buzz Lightyear backpack, he made my daughter Pluto with a walking stick. YES THIS IS ALL OUT OF BALLOONS!! I don't know if he's still there, but he's amazing and definitely worth watching, just like the candy lady in China at Epcot.
EPCOT - don't forget the getting a pearl out of the oyster! My dd's birth stone is pearl and we got a 'big' one last time - they banged the drum - she had no idea what was going on. However the settings are reasonable, we had it put into a caged pendant.
MK - Make sure you ride Aladdin's carpets so the camel can spit at you.
Don't forget you can ride the horseless carriage down Mainstreet USA! Just as we passed under the railroad we saw the carriage coming and quickly walked over to the sign. Sure enough the driver stopped and we climbed in! It was so amazing to ride down to the castle! People were taking pictures of us and we waved. My kids felt like little celebrities! LOL
1. Miyuki(the candy lady) in Japan at Epcot. She makes these amazing animals from a type of candy. You can choose one from a list she has and take it with you for free. Even though She is listed in the park map, many guests do not know about her.
2. Like wise for the various street performers in MGM studios, sorry, Hollywood studios now. The times are not listed in the park guide, but was able to get them at the info booth by the attraction update board. My favorites are the public works guys and a police officer that stands in the middle of Sunset Boulevard giving guests a hard time(in a jokeing way).
Club Cool in Epcot. Found near Innoventions it's basically a advertising for Coca-Cola but it is set up with coke products from around the world. Sample cups are next to soda fountains for you to taste-test. A fun stop for a sugar rush. It was empty when we were there last week - I was surprised since it was so hot - I thought it would be full of kids looking for a cold drink.
__________________
Character bandaids for skinned knees!!!
One thing we did for other guests on our trip, and will do again this fall is sharing glow stuff. I bought all sorts of glow necklaces & bracelets from the dollar store and each pacakge had 2-3 in it. We have only one DD so while waiting for the night time shows to start, we would usually wind up in conversation with families around us, and share the glow stuff. Right now our local Michaels had tubes of 15 glow bracelets for $1.50. I bought 2.
We do the same thing! I buy a case of 100 glow bracelets/necklaces and hand them out (with parents permission of course)! We've never had anyone turn them down.
The chocolate dipped mickey rice crispy trips might still be included though... I've heard of people stocking up on those before coming home. I'm waiting to read some trip reports of people on the dining plan, to see if there are still some deals on snacks to be had.
