To the CM's on the board: what is the one "tip" you can give us?

[InPerfectClouds]

Number One Tip: Don't expect to do/see everything in one vacation. It's impossible. Living there for 6 months doesn't allow enough time for everything. You won't do it in a week or two.

Fireworks:
-Wishes- If you want to be in front of the castle, watch from the middle of Main Street where you align with Casey's Corner, or even a street back from it. For these fireworks, the farther away, the more you can appreciate, really. If the castle isn't an issue, it looks amazing from the Liberty Bell in Liberty Square ((my favorite)) or the Frontierland bridge.
-Illuminations- This is a toughie, because there are so many trees that might block your view of the "globe"... I found a great spot once, somewhere to the right of World Showcase before Canada... it's like a big cement slab. No idea where it is and I haven't found it since, but that's my only suggestion. This one's just a matter of availability, really. In front of the USA is good, but there's a really loud cannon firework that shoots out right below you, so watch out if you have little ones.

Parades/Shows:
-Celebrate a Dream Come True- Standing in between Hall of Presidents and Sleepy Hollow is great, but I always would rather watch from right on Main Street.
-Fantasmic!- Try for a Mickey section seat. My tip, even if you're there later and the crowds are being pushed somewhere else, is to walk all the way down the Mickey aisle, and look up and around for empty spots. Chances are they are really empty, and there's room.

Dining:
Try Les Chefs de France prix fixe menu for lunch, a great deal. Try the PB&J milkshakes at 50's Prime Time Cafe. Pecos Bill's has the best barbecue. Sleepy Hollow has the best funnel cakes - ask for one with ice cream on top.

Other:
Have fun! Act excited! Volunteer for everything. A visit to WDW is what you make it. It may be hot, crowded, and sweat-inducing, but enjoy it! It's a celebration!

 

[everydaymathchick]

Or before you go print a sign saying 'Wet Paint -Do not sit here' and put it on your bench in the morning then go back to the bench for parades and fireworks!!! ....I don't really do this, just joking!

My sister and I at this tonight because when we were at ASMu January 09 they were painting. They had these super cute "Wet Paint" signs up with Stitch on them, and I really wanted one... so I waited one night until the paint was dry and took one of the signs on the way into my room. It's a paper/toss away sign... btw... not like some fancy wooden sign. Anyways, I have it in my desk at work, and tonight when we read this we were saying we could actually do this with an actual Disney Wet Paint sign! Would never do it, but I could...

 

[bearlyanne]

lol...can you send me a scan of that pic mathchick I leave in two weeks teeeheeeheeee

 

[everydaymathchick]

Sure thing

 

[2princes'mom]

Just stopping by to say thank you to everyone for the great tips. I considered myself some what of an "expert" on the big DW and well now . . . I can say I had a lot to learn and I'm so glad that I have spent the past week getting through this entire thread!!

The biggest tip that I've come out of this with is to make sure to just relax and take your time to enjoy it and soak it all up. During my past trips I've had a blast and have enjoyed planning every moment of them, however this time we have a 2 year old and have already determined to just take it easy and enjoy our time - we've been before and we'll go again - we don't NEED to see/do it all. (To be honest until I read all of these tips, that really hadn't occured to me before).

My tip (which isn't nearly as good as all of the others) would be to make sure you stop in at City Hall, which is immediatley to your left as you walk under the train tracks and greet the CMs. Let them know if it is your first visit, birthday, honeymoon, anniversary . . . and get a button to mark the occasion.

 

[Kim in PA]

This isn't a tip, but something special that happened to us in AK thanks to a special character.

My youngest daughter is in the autism spectrum and was 7 years old at the time. She is verbal and and loves characters, so before we left for Disney I had printed off a bunch of autograph pages with the characters names and cartoon pictures to help her remember who she was looking for.

So many of the characters made such a fuss over these pictures - they really seemed to enjoy the fact that we had these. This was especially true of less familiar characters such as the stepsisters, princes, and other friends of main characters. When we got to where King Louie was meeting children at AK, his handler told us that King Louie will pose for pictures, but he can not sign autographs. I think it is probably difficult for him to sign because he can't really move his fingers the way some other characters can.

My daughter was so excited to see him, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug and said, "Look King Louie I have your picture!" as she showed him the autograph picture page she had. I reminded her that King Louie wouldn't be able to sign the page, and then I stepped back to take her picture.

Louie signaled for me to stop and then tried to get the handler's attention. She did not know what he wanted, so when she came closer, he pantomimed signing the page. She said "It's ok Louie I already told them you don't sign." He kept signaling to her and then began pointing to our marker and then at his fingers. He did this several times and she said "Do you want to sign?" and he shook his head yes! She took the cap off and put the marker between his fingers like he way showing her, and sure enough he signed it for us!

I don't know if he realized my daughter has special needs, if it was because she had shown him his picture, or if he just wanted to sign because she seemed to love him so much, but he really made our day.

 

[thumper*]

Bump

 

[dudelydude]

You CANNOT use more than one day off your ticket to park hop with.

My apologies if someone already asked / answered later in this thread, but I need clarification on your post as this is very relevant to me. On the ticket price chart, it shows prices for a 1 day base ticket, 2 day base ticket, 3 day base ticket, etc, etc and then a flat $52 fee to upgrade for hopping. If I buy a two day ticket and pay $52 for hopping, I can or cannot hop on both days?

I'll have to go back to a previous thread I created and review the responses as I really thought my assumption was the case and had verification. I think I may be wrong now.

TIA, Joe

 

[DisneyDebbie]

My apologies if someone already asked / answered later in this thread, but I need clarification on your post as this is very relevant to me. On the ticket price chart, it shows prices for a 1 day base ticket, 2 day base ticket, 3 day base ticket, etc, etc and then a flat $52 fee to upgrade for hopping. If I buy a two day ticket and pay $52 for hopping, I can or cannot hop on both days?

I'll have to go back to a previous thread I created and review the responses as I really thought my assumption was the case and had verification. I think I may be wrong now.

TIA, Joe

If you purchase the hopper option, you may hop on multiple days of your ticket. you CANNOT buy an 8 day base ticket, use it for 4 days with hopping to 2 parks each day. HTH!

 

[dudelydude]

I have to agree with the folks stating to take your time...I have been a passholder since 92 (FL Resident since birth)and go at least once a month, usually more. My family wonders why I am not sick of the parks and all I can say is everytime I go I see something new or do something different...I am lucky enough that I can go for a few hours and not feel bad but if you just take your time and not be so commando it will all come to you and you will enjoy it much more!

I'm not sure that you are hearing yourself here. Because you live in florida and have the luxury of going all of the time, it's very easy to tell all of us that can only afford to travel to WDW once very two years to slow down. Now that being said, I don't totally disagree with the slowing down part. I think there is a very delicate balance (or fine line) between rushing and relaxing. We create an agenda that we stick to from rope drop to 1pm and during this time, we tend to walk more quickly than a simple stroll. Getting to attractions earlier (or going when we know that too many people won't be there) helps us feel that we accomplished something. After that, we STROLL lazily and take-in the sites, scenery and beauty of the parks, etc. Besides, during our agenda time, we haven't gotten too far into the hottest part of the day, which helps.

 

[dudelydude]

If you purchase the hopper option, you may hop on multiple days of your ticket. you CANNOT buy an 8 day base ticket, use it for 4 days with hopping to 2 parks each day. HTH!

Thank you so much. I see that adding a day to a base ticket is cheaper than adding the $52 hopper option, which wouldn't make financial sense to Disney.

I appreciate the response, j

 

[shanasbananas]

Sabbie - Doug Pan is my favorite

 

[natcat117]

This isn't a tip, but something special that happened to us in AK thanks to a special character.

My youngest daughter is in the autism spectrum and was 7 years old at the time. She is verbal and and loves characters, so before we left for Disney I had printed off a bunch of autograph pages with the characters names and cartoon pictures to help her remember who she was looking for.

So many of the characters made such a fuss over these pictures - they really seemed to enjoy the fact that we had these. This was especially true of less familiar characters such as the stepsisters, princes, and other friends of main characters. When we got to where King Louie was meeting children at AK, his handler told us that King Louie will pose for pictures, but he can not sign autographs. I think it is probably difficult for him to sign because he can't really move his fingers the way some other characters can.

My daughter was so excited to see him, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug and said, "Look King Louie I have your picture!" as she showed him the autograph picture page she had. I reminded her that King Louie wouldn't be able to sign the page, and then I stepped back to take her picture.

Louie signaled for me to stop and then tried to get the handler's attention. She did not know what he wanted, so when she came closer, he pantomimed signing the page. She said "It's ok Louie I already told them you don't sign." He kept signaling to her and then began pointing to our marker and then at his fingers. He did this several times and she said "Do you want to sign?" and he shook his head yes! She took the cap off and put the marker between his fingers like he way showing her, and sure enough he signed it for us!

I don't know if he realized my daughter has special needs, if it was because she had shown him his picture, or if he just wanted to sign because she seemed to love him so much, but he really made our day.

That is so sweet! I now have a new appreciation for my autograph book from 1999. King Louie signed it! I didn't realize he didn't do this anymore. It's extra special that he did for your daughter.

 

[maskw03]

Here is another thread about IDs... I like the shoe idea myself.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2157769&page=2

We have the shoe ID and love it for DD. We have used it ever since our first trip to the world with her when she was 1.5yrs old and even use it at the mall and other parks with her to since it's so easy to use. It's in great shape still and she is 5 now.

 

[leahjade]

".....On our last trip - We always had extra fastpasses (kids too short, etc...) and I always looked for a a group/family with the same amount of people as the fastpasses I had left, and I would ask if they wanted them.....I would get just as excited seeing their expressions as riding the ride!

We do that as well. And once (I don't even know if you're allowed to do this any more) we had an 6 extra day's tickets and gave them to a family of six for their next day's park admission. Boy, were they excited and appreciative!

 

[LILOLO]

This isn't a tip, but something special that happened to us in AK thanks to a special character.

My youngest daughter is in the autism spectrum and was 7 years old at the time. She is verbal and and loves characters, so before we left for Disney I had printed off a bunch of autograph pages with the characters names and cartoon pictures to help her remember who she was looking for.

So many of the characters made such a fuss over these pictures - they really seemed to enjoy the fact that we had these. This was especially true of less familiar characters such as the stepsisters, princes, and other friends of main characters. When we got to where King Louie was meeting children at AK, his handler told us that King Louie will pose for pictures, but he can not sign autographs. I think it is probably difficult for him to sign because he can't really move his fingers the way some other characters can.

My daughter was so excited to see him, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug and said, "Look King Louie I have your picture!" as she showed him the autograph picture page she had. I reminded her that King Louie wouldn't be able to sign the page, and then I stepped back to take her picture.

Louie signaled for me to stop and then tried to get the handler's attention. She did not know what he wanted, so when she came closer, he pantomimed signing the page. She said "It's ok Louie I already told them you don't sign." He kept signaling to her and then began pointing to our marker and then at his fingers. He did this several times and she said "Do you want to sign?" and he shook his head yes! She took the cap off and put the marker between his fingers like he way showing her, and sure enough he signed it for us!

I don't know if he realized my daughter has special needs, if it was because she had shown him his picture, or if he just wanted to sign because she seemed to love him so much, but he really made our day.

This is so sweet I'm so glad Louie went out of his way to make your daughter's day extra special!

 

[JakeTheCat]

Was reading this thread to find a pic of my girls tasting the Beverly. This is an awesome thread. We are heading to WDW in less than 3 weeks.

 

[jensen]

Please use both sides of the register at CS places. The cashier will turn to the left, then the right to take orders. Why stand in a longer line if you don't have to?

I've been to Disney several times and didn't know this... I always thought they were "Enter/Exit" lines . I was so IRRITATED on my last trip because someone "cut" in front of me and the CM waited on them. Now I know...

 

[Cinderella's Fella]

I'm not a CM, but here's a tip, Carry Cash. We stop at a cart to get a Churro and the credit card machine was down and they would only take cash. I waited 15 minutes in line to get a Churro and I wanted a Churro. Thankfully DD had some cash on her. She made it a Magical Day!

 

[phalynx]

Its always amazing how pictures make rounds. As Jake (my wife) pointed out above, here is a picture of ME laughing at my 2 girls having a taste of Beverly. My girls are "mini famous"