Thank you many times over - the great tips/ideas we used!

[WishingOnAStar]

Thank you all for the FANTASTIC tips and ideas. We had a most MAGICAL trip! I can't even put it into words. I almost don't want to go back because I can't imagine it could be that magical again!!!
(Just a brief synopsis- on our first day at MK - my b'day - we got to be Grand Marshals in the parade and received Mickey ears with our names on them, a certificate and a free photo; our ds-6 - got pulled up to have "Skip to my Lou" sung to him in the US pavillion in Epcot; a CM in Epcot wanted to give my kids stickers, but realized she didn't have anymore, so she gave them all a pin for their lanyards; the waiter in CP sang to me; the manager at Chef Mickey's came up to us and talked with us for quite a while giving us little bits of info, my dh and ds got haircuts and pixie dust at the barbershop in MK (not my dh's idea of fun normally- but the Disney spirit moved him); a CM at Fultons in POR gave us his discount on our dinner the night of the hurricane - we had been talking with him since we got there and our kids even asked for his autograph and got a picture with him!; I could go on and on.......)
ANYWAY - best tips:
*Body Glide- a lifesaver for ds when walking around in his bathing suit
*Moleskin - saved my feet!!
*shoe holder from $ store to keep toiletries organized and off the counter
* ID holder from WalMart for $1 - used for my keys to the world all week
* Brita bottles and bought straps purchased at MK (couldn't find them in any other park)
* name tags for kids - ordered from laughing place.com (I was originally concerned about strangers knowing the kids names - but once there, I saw it wasn't a concern- they were always with us)
* Teva sandals - the whole family LOVED them!
* foot powder and spray - we averaged 7-9 miles a day!
* bought refillable mugs - used very often - and drinking out of one now!
* non-drowsy dramamine - dh definitely needed it for several rides
* Cool-Max socks (from Target) for days we wore sneakers
* Mosquito wipes- easy to carry and needed for nighttime
* glass cleaner wipes- again - easy to carry and used often
* Jimmy from Golden Limo - he was WONDERFUL!!!!


Again, thank you - I bow to the experts on these boards!!!

 

[jeancbpugh]

Thanks for coming back and telling us which tips are really useful!

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by WishingOnAStar
* Cool-Max socks (from Target) for days we wore sneakers
* Mosquito wipes- easy to carry and needed for nighttime

I have used many of the tips you did, but where do you get the mosquito wipes & how were the Cool-Max socks. Do your feet sweat in them? One reason I don't like to wear socks & sneakers to the parks is that my feet sweat, I get hot & then I get cranky. I need to let my feet breathe so I am not miserable!

 

[WishingOnAStar]

I got the Mosquito wipes at WalMart in the camping/outdoor section. They were great!
The CoolMax socks were wonderful! They were very cushy and on days when we wore sneakers (tried not to wear the Tevas EVERY day), our feet were totally dry after 12+ hours - we did put foot powder on with them - but I suspect it was the socks! I HIGHLY recommend them! Got them at Target!

 

[NC Jennifer]

I bought my first pair of TEVA sandals in college - wore them so much that the soles were almost as thin as a dime.

I got DH hooked on TEVA sandals a few years ago -- we wear them as much as we wear tennies on Disney trips! They are wonderful to wear to water parks or on water rides - your feet don't stay wet all day like they do in tennies!

 

[NC Jennifer]

I bought my first pair of TEVA sandals in college - wore them so much that the soles were almost as thin as a dime.

I got DH hooked on TEVA sandals a few years ago -- we wear them as much as we wear tennies on Disney trips! They are wonderful to wear to water parks or on water rides - your feet don't stay wet all day like they do in tennies!

 

[Disnutty]

Wishing on a Star, Thanks for writing back to DIS to let everyone know what tips really worked. It is great to hear back from someone who was able to use ideas found on this board and its even better to hear what tips were the best. It is really nice to confirm what DISer know and that is that the DIS board is helpful in spreading Disney magic, all you have to do is ask. Getting picked for the Grand Marshal is unbelievable and will be a lifetime memory. The next time down there you may not get picked again but you and your family sure can appreciate the smiles and emotions that the ones that get picked are going through, and it should be fun seeing the parade again knowing that you were the Grand Marshals. Thanks for sharing the Pixie Dust with us all. Are you going to write some trip reports?

 

[bear74]

Dumb Question?

What did you use the glass cleaner wipes on and what brand did you use. Glad you had such an incredible experience.

My Husband and I were their for our honeymoon and we wore the bride and groom mouse ears the entire time we were their. got lots of extra attention from the charcters and CM's it was incredible.,

 

[Cruisin'Linda]

I'm sure that there is info somewhere, but if you could tell me what theya re and how you purchased them it would be great.

Thanks and I'm gald your trip was great. Was there any tip on how you got to be grand marshalls?

Thanks again

 

[foxfire]

Congratulations on your family being picked to be Grand Marshals...what an awesome experience and that is a very special pixie dusted memory you'll have forever! I'm so glad you had such a magical trip.

I'm making an evergrowing list of tips that I read on the boards to put to use on my next trip. It's so helpful to have others share & to find out how useful these tips are. I hope I can someday come up with a tip myself to help repay all the help I've received.

 

[WishingOnAStar]

Hi all!! I'm sorry I've taken so long to respond - We just got back Sunday and my kids have had tons of make-up work to do. Plus, tonight, I have 16 nine-year olds spending the night for my dd's birthday. I'm absolutely crazy, even I'm convinced!

Anyway - I just added that I also packed those individual dish wipes- Palmolive makes them, I think. They come in a tub and each rag already has the soap. They came in handy for cleaning out the Brita bottles and refillable mugs each night.

The glass wipes - I got those from Sunglass Hut. We all wore our sunglasses constantly and it was nice to be able to get them really clean. The wipes came in individual packs and were easy to carry and use.

The Tevas- I bought ours at Sports Authority, but teva.com also has them.

As for Grand Marshals - I don't know how we got picked, really - BUT - I was taking a picture of the family with the castle in the background as soon as we got in the park and I was crying because I was SO happy - oh, and we were all dressed alike!

Bear74- we saw tons of people with the bride and groom ears on, I loved congratulating them!

I had a birthday button for my b'day and even people in the parade were stopping to say "happy birthday" - I felt so SPECIAL!

I wanna go back so bad! I have a friend ending every conversation with "Have a magical day" just so I can feel a bit of that Disney magic at home!!

 

[Lisa S]

How did you get picked to be grand marshalls? Things like that never happen to us on a trip.

Coolmax socks? I think I need to go to Target? Did you buy some for the kids too?

thanks! I *love* your halloween picture!

 

[inky dinky doo]

I love the picture in your signature! I was curious about the shirts you and your hubbie have on. Did you make them or are they the official 2004 MNSSHP shirts? They sure are cute!

Pat

13 days and counting . . . again!

 

[WishingOnAStar]

Hi Pat!
They are the official ones - they were $28/each. They do not start selling them until after 7pm (we learned this the hard way) AND they only have them in the Emporium in adult sizes. The other places have other ones for kids.

 

[WishingOnAStar]

Lisa- I didn't get Cool Max socks for the kids- I'm not even sure if they make them. But, the kids mostly wore their Tevas anyway.

As for Grand Marshalls - we didn't do anything - on purpose anyway. We were just standing at the beginning of Main Street and I was crying because I was so happy (hadn't been to the MK since 1986). I was telling my family to stand for a picture when a CM walked up and said he would take one of all of us. When he was done, he asked if we were staying for the parade and my response was, "I'm staying until you kick me out tonight." Then, he asked if we wanted to be Grand Marshals - silly question!
(I had no idea that's where he was going with his question. I just thought he was being like the CM's when you buy stuff and asking if we were aware of the parade and were we planning to watch it, etc.)

 

[inky dinky doo]

Yea! Thanks for the tip! I know where I'll be after 7 p.m. on the 28th. At the Emporium! I think those shirts are just too cute! Thank you for the tip.

Pat

12 days and counting . . . again!