Sharing Tips I was glad I listened to and few I could have done without

[a1tinkfans]

We just got back last week and I thought I would share the tips I am glad I a listened to:

1. We had water shipped from Cosco. This was the best tip of all. It was only $8. I ordered it on a Monday and it was there when we got there on Friday. It was great knowing we had the water available.

2. Ponchos. I brought 2 cheap $1 store ponchos for everyone. I was glad I had them. I also think the lady that was carrying an infant in the pooring rain tryint to get out Fantasmic was also glad I had a spare since I gave her one.

3. The over the door shoe holder. There would have been no other good way to store all of our tiny supplies. We had 5 people in a room at POR. The only thing was that the hooks didn't fit over the bathroom door. I had to put it on the clothes rod. If you can find one that goes on a closet rod get one of those. It worked just as well though.

4. Having all my laundry supplies ready to go. I had a bag w/ my quarters, dry degerent, and dryer sheets. While my family slept in after an EMH I just grabbed our laundry and went. I didn't use a laundry bag to keep our dirty laundry in though. I just threw everything into an empty suitcase as it begame dirty. I was then able to wheel it to the laundry room.

5. Photopass share. Thank you to the DISer that came up with the Aug photopass share. I can't wait for my pictures. I would have never spent $100 for it but I am glad I was able to get the pictures.

6. Arriving at the parks early, taking a break and then going back. This was the best tip of all. On all but 2 of our 7 days of going to the parks we got there at opening. The lines were short and we were able to go on many rides. My kids were able to ride EE 7 times thanks to getting there early, getting a FP and use of child swap. I also knew that our only hope of riding TSM was to get to HS at opening. I had originally planned our HS as a sleep in day. I must say that while I liked the ride. It wasn't worth all the effort it took to be able to ride it. People were in a 2 hr line when we used our FP. Those people are crazy!


Some of the things I did that I wish I didn't:

1. Stay at a moderate resort so we could use the nicer pool and the ferry to DTD. We only went to the pool with the water slide once. I kept asking my kids if they wanted to go the pool with the slide and they said they liked the quiet pool better. We only took the ferry to DTD once. It rained on our way back so we had to take the bus. We really could have used the extra space at the family suites at All Stars even though I think it would have cost us $300 more.

2. Getting the DDP. I have mixed feelings on this. I am glad we did it at least once. I am not sure that I would do it again. I would really have to crunch some numbers before making that decision. It doesn't sound like a lot of food but it is. We ended up with 4 unused CS credits. On our last couple of days were were strongly encouraging our kids to get snacks. It was nice that we were able to do that though. Normally we are always telling them no. We also ended up throwing away a lot of the CS desserts. I think it is sinful when there are starving people in this world that we throw out perfectly good food. By the way, I brought breakfast food so we ate breakfast in our room. I brought way too much of that too. We aren't big breakfast eaters anyway.

3. Bringing the single serving kool aid was more trouble that it was worth. DD7 tried making her own and would spill the powder. What a mess. While my kids like kool aid and liked having it. They were getting plenty of sugar in other things. They really needed just plain water.

4. Carrying misting fans. I think I only used the misting fan a couple of times. Everyone says how miserable Aug is. Yes there were some hot moments but there would have been hot moments in the midwest too. Most of the rides are indoors. If they aren't there are plenty of fans in the line to keep you cool. The only line that looked absolutly miserable was BTMRR. They do have you in that line like a bunch of hot, rotting sardines. Fortunately, I had a FP.

5. Autograph books. I don't think if I had mentioned them to my kids they would have known or cared about them. I spent hours downloading clip art and printing cards. I did print someone's passport pages from the Creative DISigns thread. Those were nice. They did have some cool autograph books at the gift stores that on one page there was room for a signature and on the other page there was a place to insert a picture. They were $10. I would have spent the $10 on one of those as I think it would have been a nice keepsake. There would have been no fumbling around for the autograph page then.

That is it for now. If I think of anything else I will add it. Overall we had an absolutely wonderful trip. Possibly the best vacation I ever had. I hope to go back to WDW again. Right now it looks like that won't be until 2010.

Regarding #2. Having just returned and once again SOME people did not use credits because they could not get into restaurants (no adr's) during busy free dine period, DISNEY was offering FREE backpack sling bags if you used your table service for a counter service. I hear what you mean about the snack credits, but there were two options that maybe you could have used. First, before leaving pack up on fun "gift" snacks, like those candy dispensers to give out as special treats when kids are going crazy with school work and need a little pick me up, OR save some as stocking stuffers, there was SO MUCH available at POR at Fultons. We got candy dispensers, Mickey Mints, etc. The other option was to use the snacks for water or lemonade or Yummy fresh fruit, we even used the snack credit for the small side salad when we ate at the food court. Its a shame they go to waste and we use every last one. What I also found top be an advantage was using TWO CS for the LARGE pizza and you got the pizza, which easily served 4, two drinks AND 2 desserts, we used a snack for side salad that night and it was an easy yummy dinner after all the heavier sit down meals we alvo very much enjoyed. (if you each use a CS for pizza, then you get a drink, dessert and a small little pizza that just feeds 1 VERSUS the large that feeds 4).
I agree that the DDP is a very personal decision based on the family eating style and also their intake. Thats why the DIS is so great, SO MANY people sharing their thoughts on it so HOPEFULLY everyone knows what to expect. I have not yet added up ,my dining receipts (free dine) but KNOW it was HIGH as we ate at great places and enjoyed wonderful meals, ESPECIALLY Kona Cafe!

 

[brekin67]

All the acronyms/abbreviations are sometimes hard to figure out...LOL
What is BTMRR and TSM??
Thanks for the tips though. Never thought about shipping water! How does that work?

We ship water to our room using Garden Grocer, along with soda's snacks, laundry detergent, sunscreen, anything you would get from the grocery store.
It is $12 to deliver it to your resort. Go online to Garden Grocer.com
You can also use Staples, and some others.

 

[imthatgirl]

as far as toy story mania i think its definately worth the wait. it is by far the only kids ride that i would wait for. pooh sometimes reaches an hour or more wait, thats not worth waiting 10 minutes for, but toy story i did fast pass once and waited an hour once, it was worth the hour even for the second ride.
i talked to people around me about their strategies and heres what i learned.....one guy sent his friend running to get theirs and i mean a fast run then he sprinted behind him and got in line. his friend got the fastpass right away and by the time he got to the front of the line he was able to get everyone a second fastpass. ..... some people were running to the ride and riding it then coming off and getting a fastpass, but that didnt always work because by the time some of them came off the lines were so long for the fastpasses that they ran out before the got them......then there was the lady who had the best idea i heard all day. she went to one of those DVC sales pitches, they pick you up at about 7 in the morning at your resort you spend about an hour with them and then they drive you to any park you want, and for your time you(and everyone in your party) get a white card thats good for 3 immediate fastpasses for any ride at any time. she got each person in her party 2 passes for toy story and the used her third elsewhere. had i known about that, i would have totally done it.

i was glad we had our ponchos. i dont think i could have just stood around waiting for the rain to stop.

the piece of advice im glad i didnt listen to was that the busses were convenient. we rented a car anyway and it was the best decision ever. we did try the buses our last day. we were tired and after reading how convenient they were we figured wed give them a go. it was a horrible experience. we took them from MK to HS and then back to POFQ. it took about an hour from the time we reached the bus stop at either park to wait for the bus and for it to get us where we were going. i guess now i can say ive done it, but ill never do it again. i got my self a diamond parking pass on ebay and it was well worth the $9 spent on it. we were able to park close to the gate and with a 2 minute walk were in the door much quicker than that tram could get us there. ill never go with out it.

the advice i wished i had listened to and didnt was to not eat at the sci fi diner. worst meal i have ever eaten in the world or at home. i wouldnt even waste free dining credits on it.

 

[TheChaoticChef]

the piece of advice im glad i didnt listen to was that the busses were convenient. we rented a car anyway and it was the best decision ever. we did try the buses our last day. we were tired and after reading how convenient they were we figured wed give them a go. it was a horrible experience. we took them from MK to HS and then back to POFQ. it took about an hour from the time we reached the bus stop at either park to wait for the bus and for it to get us where we were going. i guess now i can say ive done it, but ill never do it again. i got my self a diamond parking pass on ebay and it was well worth the $9 spent on it. we were able to park close to the gate and with a 2 minute walk were in the door much quicker than that tram could get us there. ill never go with out it.

QUOTE]

Oh I SO agree with you!!! The busses, although nice to have "free" transportation, are a big PITA IMO.

 

[Raenstoirm]

See, I LOVE the busses, but you have to be at the more expensive hotels and during slower seasons to "enjoy" them. I have never waited more then 10 minutes for a bus, and although i have had to stand occasionally, the ride is not very long. I have heard HORRIBLE things about them at the value resorts....waiting for the 3rd or 4th bus before you can squeeze yourself in, long transit times, sardines.

 

[Jenn1116]

Hi Jenn, and welcome!

Here's a that shows a lot of what I've learned: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1715551

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Kim1964]

-I used the over the door shoe holder and the pop up laundry hamper ideas for the first time this year. The shoe holder was great for the POFQ part of the trip, but we didn't need it at WL (would definitely take it with us again if we stay at a mod or value). I loved the pop up hamper ($1 at a flea market). I had to do laundry a couple of times, and it was great to grab it by the handles and go.
-I used giant ziploc bags to pack our clothes. One XXL bag each held enough clothes for the whole trip, and being able to press all the air out made it all fit nicely in the suitcase, with room to pack souvenirs for the flight home. I bought them at the Dollar Tree and they held up well enough to use again some day.
-My sister lives in FL so she bought breakfast items for us when they went on sale. We saved a ton of money and time eating in the room. I also bought 2 cases of water and we used them all on the 12 day trip.
-We didn't purchase the DDP this year and we were happier. We also made our ADRs for lunch in the park we planned to be at that day. With getting there for rope drop, we were ready for a sit down meal by 11:30-11:45. Not being tied to evening ADRs made it easier for us relax and spend as much pool time as we wanted instead of having to race out to the next meal. It also gave us flexibility with our plans when Fay hit. If we'd paid ahead of time for meals there would have been more pressure to stick to our original plans, and that wouldn't have worked.
-PONCHOS! I am so glad we brought them. We were there for Fay, and we put the ponchos on and did our thing.....we had the best MK day we've ever had.

 

[judykay53]

Zip Loc Bags! We usually take enough clothes that we don't do laundry. Each days clothes is packed in a bag. When those clothes are taken off then they go right back into the bag. There are six of us so that is a lot of clothes.

 

[msladyg32]

How funny... we were there from 8/13-8/19 and the misters were our BEST thing!!!

We got the misty-mates at BJs @ 3/$15. They're the size of an electric toothbrush, so they were small and light. I normally put 2-3 into my bag (in a ziplock bag, just in case) and one into the stroller. They made a HUGE difference, particularly at AK and at the Stunt show at DHS. My sister got us some bigger ones which never left the room (don't tell her!)-- they were just too cumbersome to be practical.

where is BJ's located in Orlando? that sounds so much better than lugging those bigger ones around..they are cumbersome...i would like those instead for my next trip in June,09

 

[andymattmom]

What ponchos do you all use? Are the dollar store ones ok or should I buy more expensive ones?

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Toy Story Mania is the coolest ride, my favorite. At rope drop we went straight to Rockin Rollercoaster and got a fast pass then straight to TSM. Had a 65 minute wait even that early. When we got off we got in the single rider line and rode again within 15 minutes. We did the single rider later in the day too and only waited 20 minutes. But, the inside is decorated to the hilt so everyone should go through the long line once. It is great just looking around.

The shoe bag over the door is Wonderful. We were there the first week of August and we used the small mister fans and enjoyed them. The had a clip so you could hook them on your belt look and they were quite small and worked great. My other favorite is to pack a fan. We always take a small fan for our room. It is just the right amount of noise so you can't hear the halls or the outside or the AC shutting off and on.

I love this thread, thanks OP and posters!

My DH can NOT sleep w/out a fan, and they brought one to our room at CBR.

Thanks again everyone for the tips.

 

[judykay53]

What ponchos do you all use? Are the dollar store ones ok or should I buy more expensive ones?

We buy the ones from Dollar Tree. They work just fine. We usually have enough that we can just throw them away each day.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I heard the poncho's at the dollar store are shorter than the ones you get at a camping gear store. So I am going for more coverage rather than cheap. If you are a taller person you may end up 1/2 wet from the cheaper one.

 

[leebee]

Ponchos- we have always used the dollar store ones before this trip, which was partially during Fay. The dollar store ponchos lasted about 45 minutes on this trip, and I happily bought disney ponchos, which held up well.

Didn't use the shoe holder for stuff. There were only 2 of us at POP, so everything fit on the tub edge or on the shelf above the sink and the vanity. We had plenty of extra space. I'm not sure what people put there that takes up so much space . Fortunately the shoe holder is flat, small, light- didn't take up much space in the suitcase.

SO GLAD we did a fridge swap ! A friend on vaca, with a car, picked up b'fast food and room snacks for us. DD and I bought b'fast one morning at POP food court; an omelet with potatoes, 2 slices of French toast (no meat, etc), a bowl of grapes, 1 milk, 1 juice was $19!!!

Disappointed that I believed that the 1500W hairdryer wouldn't work well. I lugged mine along (1875W) as I have frizzy, dry, wire-y hair. The dryer at POP worked VERY well (but thanks to Fay it was pretty much a moot point!).

Glad we skipped the misty fans- they are a pain to carry around- but glad we had personal fans. I bought I-pod fans at Walmart on clearance, for $1.50 each. They take 3 batteries and look like large i=pods. They have a fan in them and blow air out the top. You hang them around your neck and it blows a strong cool breeze on your neck all day! Deluxe!

"The bus is so convenient" . Too bad we listened to this one. Big mistake staying at a value and using the busses. ALWAYS waited for 3 or 4 busfulls of people to load at park closing, always packed in like sardines. It took forever to get home at night. If we'd had a car we could have been in bed, asleep, in the amount of time it took us just to GET to the resort (and then had to walk to our room on the back of building 2, 50's section...parking was right out the window!)

HOWEVER- DME worked really, really well for us and we're glad we used it. Just bummed that DME and a rental car just don't mesh! Do you think there'd be a problem if I let DME handle my luggage while I got a rental car?

CLOTHESPINS! such a simple thing, yet so handy! Clipping bathing suits to clothesline in shower kept them from all weighing the line down and sliding to the middle. I also used them to hang hair towels up to dry, by clipping them to the hanging racks in the closet. Hung up the shower cap and loofah-glove too, and it was handy for hanging damp park clothing (thanks, TSFay!)

Mousekeeping envelopes- I always thought these sounded a little juvenile, but this time decided why not? Took along some dollar store disney stickers, colored pens, envelopes, and single dollar bills. DD14 decorated the envelopes during our 3hr layover in the airport, and I put $2 in each. It really WAS much easier to just whip out an envelope every morning than to hunt around for the money and then leave a note (mousekeeping cannot take money unless it is specifically designated for them). So...that was a good idea!

 

[timzagain]

Just returned from our Free Dining week.

Tips I'm glad I used

I'm glad I stuck to my walking/ exercise program in the months preceding the trip. Last year, the walking in the parks in the heat nearly killed me. This year, no problems. My mother and sister who didn't listen to my repeated advice about pre-trip exercise, suffered at the parks

The most useful tip for us was getting cups of ice water from the CS restaurants in the parks! With our party of 10, buying water would have been expensive, and lugging around water bought outside the park would have been a burdensome nightmare!

The baby care centres were a huge blessing! Don't have any babies myself, but my 11 month old nephew was with us! I took advantage of every opportunity to sneak into a baby care centre with him - a nice air-conditioned break from the hustle and bustle!

I'm glad I wore "water shoes" to Blizzard Beach. I would never wear Crocs normally, so I wasn't prepared to spend $30+ on a pair of shoes I'd wear once or twice. Bought a pair of knock-off from Walmart for $8 and it did the job just fine! DD and DH refused to wear water shoes, and both got scrapes along the way!

I used a fanny pack instead of a backpack this year! Packed minimally (Camera, mini-sunblock stick, travel pack of wipes, headache tabs, two allergy tabs) I loved the freedom! DD used a crossbody bag and that worked well for her too (and looked way better than a fanny pack!) I will never use a backpack in the park again!

Using the First Aid station at the parks instead of lugging around with a small pharmacy!


Tips I could have done without:-

1. Wearing sneakers in the parks - my well loved Reef flip-flops proved to be way more comfortable!
2. Kool Aid singles - bought them, hardly used them! We were all so hot and thirsty, we weren't too picky about the flavour of the water
3. Dining plan - wouldn't pay for it, but would go for Free Dining again! We had so many unused credits at the end of our trip. Based on the way my family eats, even the basic dining plan would have been too much food!
4. Two-way radio - nice idea in theory, but I was getting way too much interference from other users! Two cheap local pay-as-you-go cell phones would have been a little more expensive, but far more effective


Tips I should have listened to:
1. Touring plans - forgot ours, and wasted a lot of time in the parks as a result
2. Over the door shoe organizers - trying to keep toiletries organized for 4 people was a nightmare!
3. Should have packed more swimsuits - two per person was not enough as the suits didn't dry fast enough in the room!

I'm sure there are others I have forgotten - if I remember, I'll post them later!

 

[rosiep]

Someone posted the idea of using the ironing board as extra counter space.... Fabulous idea! I hate a crowded sink.