What Disney Tip Are you really glad you listened to?

[Planning fanatic mom]

Hanging shoe holder to stay organized. Got a lot of grief on that one when packing, but was a hero once we were there.

Carabiners on fanny packs to hold visors and hats while on rides.

Plastic Bags in fanny packs

Fastpass is the greatest invention ever

Fantasimic Dinner package; Felt like a VIP and didn't have to wait for a good seat.

 

[tink's girls]

Thanks to everyone for all of the great tips. We are going back to WDW for our second trip in about 50 (short!) weeks!! I have learned a lot from these boards and want to add a few more suggestions.

1. Create a file on your computer and then cut and paste all of the great suggestions that you get into that file. I have created different sections that I dump ideas into - planning, packing, dining, to do list, one for each park, etc. To date it is 43 pages long! I will eventually cut and paste and organize it and only take a few pages with me. I actually like someone's idea I read just today about making a laminated index card for each day. Anyway...

2. Buy those huge jaw breaker lollipops for $2.50 for each of your kids. You can get them just about anywhere, we got ours on the last trip in the hotel gift shop. Throw them in your back pack and whenever the line for a ride or show is long, bring them out and give them to the kids. The jawbreaker part comes in a plastic mickey ears shaped wrapper that snaps over the candy so when your child is finished you just snap the ears back on and it's set for the next ride. They last FOREVER and my DH still says it's the best $2.50 we spent the whole time we were there! It may sound crazy but it really worked for my then 5 year old DS. Having the gameboys in the fanny packs helped tremendously as well!

3. Start walking long distances with your kids a few months before you leave. We started by walking about 1/2 mile each afternoon after school and by the time we left we were up to a couple of miles each day. Make sure you use the shoes you will be taking with you. I promise this will make a huge difference!

 

[bearette]

Here is an easy way to find your luggage. (great for cruising and those who aren't using magical express) I put stickers on mine and that made them easy to spot. It is also a good craft idea for your kids to let them decorate their luggage. No two are ever the same.

 

[kellycellini]

One of the very best tips I've found on here is to make gift bags for your kid(s) before leaving home. Once again, you can find official Disney Merchandise at Wal-mart, Disney Stores, and trading pins on e-Bay. The first day kids will NOT want to nap. But when they finally fall asleep, pull out the (very carefully hidden) gift bag(s). When he/she wakes up, tell them that Mickey stopped in and left a surprise. I promise the next day they will be more eager to go back to the resort!!

I went overboard but glad I did. On e-Bay, I purchased a "Key to the Kingdom" key chain. I put it in the 1st day's gift bag with a note from Mickey that DD was his special guest and now had the key so that she could come back anytime. Another day I gave her a presssed penny book and lots of quarters and pennies. The third day I (oops Mickey) brought a pin trading starter kit and 20 or so starter pins purchased -- you guessed it-- on e-Bay. Also included was a print-out of pin trading etiquette. Also included in the gift bags wre notes from mickey, outlining things that only "special guests" get to do. Of course that meant PS at character breakfasts/dinner etc.

The next year, when we checked into AKL, the first thing my formerly painfully shy DD did, was walk right up to a CM at check-in, and tell him her name and to please tell Mickey that she had arrived! Not missing a beat, the CM replied, "yes, Ma'am!" and acted like he was putting in a call to Mickey. DH and DD took the luggage to the room, and I went back out to the car for the gift bag and let the CM know that we'd be right back to get it. As we left for the park, I persuaded DD to check back in with the CM, and she was SHOCKED to get a package from Mickey with her name on it written in "Mickey's" handwriting (Disney font!)

As my DD got a little older, I started giving her in-park quests. I would find tidbits of information (on here of course) and each item she completed, I would give her a Disney Dollar. There are also in-park quests that you can get from the VMK store at MK on Main Street. I liked making my own; one of the items was to take a picture of her dad (Grumpy) with Mickey ears! Needless to say my DH bought the giant sombrero with mickey ears!!

I hope this helps someone looking to make even more magic at the most wonderful place on earth.

Oh yeah, almost forgot the most important tip. Its been said already, but needs to be said over and over. Take time to sit and enjoy and drink in everything! Too many magical moments were lost (my fault) by trying to do the park commando style. Looking back, there's not much magic in running from place to place... even less to be dragged.

 

[katielady]

sorry-What was a carabiner?

 

[!HereWeCome!]

Subscribing!

 

[PittypatBR]

Carabiniers are those big clip things f(like oversized key rings) ound in the camping section that are very handy for fastening water bottles or other things onto belts, fanny packs, bags, etc. They come in varying sizes. Today I picked up a couple at Walmart and found special ones with water bottle rings attached so you can use these to directly fasten any size water bottle on.

 

[bluedolph1n]

Subscribing

 

[Rich271]

Dining plan.

Magical Express was the best.

 

[Ferrillo]

Dining plan.

Magical Express was the best.

How long did it take from when you got off the plane until you got to your hotel? Going May 4th.

 

[Buckley70]

Good Question. Anyone have an answer to how long it takes from the airport to DW. We are staying at the All Star Movie. We plan on taking a shuttle bus or whatever they have to offer.
1st time going.

 

[bebelle]

Subscribing...please keep the grat tips coming.

 

[rabx5]

Good Question. Anyone have an answer to how long it takes from the airport to DW. We are staying at the All Star Movie. We plan on taking a shuttle bus or whatever they have to offer.
1st time going.

Last year it took about 45 minutes tops for us and we stayed at POR

 

[MissBubbles]

Love tips - it's a great way to spend an hour or so hanging around the boards.

My new one for my trip for next week is that I'm bringing a dollar store nightlight to put in the bathroom so that no one will have to flip on the bathroom light in the middle of the night and wake everyone up! I figure at $1.00 if I forget to bring it home with me, I won't be out much money.

Bring more film and batteries than you think you will need. I've ran out of film more than once (if you have your own transportation, there is a WalMart on I92 and several Walgreens)and my camera batteries ran out while we were at MGM one trip. After you've spent $5.00 for 2 AA batteries, you will never forget to pack extras.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm realy enjoying this thread! So many good tips that I never would have thought of myself.

Some of my favorites that worked well for our last trip:

Walking in advance - Before the last trip, the kids and I were walking to and from the library, community pool, and other places we normally would have ridden bikes or driven to, to get ready for all that walking.

ADRs - I hadn't been to Disney since '97 and had never stayed on site prior to our first family trip, so it wouldn't have occurred to me that we needed dinner reservations at Disney World.

Grocery delivery - I cannot say enough about how much better having those few things we couldn't get on site made the trip, especially for this Mt Dew addict.

Ebay for pins - I didn't think my kids, 4 and 7 at the time, would get nearly as into pin trading as they did, but I'm glad I picked up a handful of cheapie pins for each of them from eBay because that was one of the best parts of the trip for them.

The MK barbershop - DD's first haircut ears are a much-cherished memory, and DS loved the red gel & Mickey confetti the CM used to spike his hair!

Some that I didn't know about in time for the last trip, but will definately keep in mind for this one:

Take your laptop - To avoid running out of space on your camera's memory card and having to resort to waiting in line for the ridiculously expensive Kodak kiosk to have a CD made. We had to do this twice on the last trip, despite my buying an extra card just for the trip!

Bring earplugs for the loud attractions - We bought ours at the gift shop at POR and that made such a difference in what my then 4 yo was willing to do! Without them, she was terrified by A Bug's Life, but with them, even Honey I Shrunk the Audience didn't faze her.

M&M minis tube for pressed pennies - What better way to save the searching through pockets for that one treasured penny that a kiddo is worried he lost?

And I'm sure I'll find plenty more as I finish reading through this thread.

 

[IlvTheHauntedMansion]

Love the maps in passporter...small enough to carry around! And the pockets are great so that I don't lose my receipts and small items...room keys, etc.....

 

[misslissa70]

Subscribing.

 

[Cuchman]

I love this board! Really great stuff to be found here.

One of my favorite quick ones:
We like to have an early dinner in EPCOT at the Biergarten - if you are seated just before they change to dinner, you pay the lunch rate for the dinner buffet! I am not sure the current exact time they change, it used to 4:00pm, but I think it has been moved to 3:45 in recent years . . .
The beauty of it is that Biergarten is a buffet with entertainment, so if you sit and have a (few) beer(s ) for a while, your dinner isn't even early.

I am sure I will read and post more, thanks everyone.

Cuchman

 

[FBandA]

Love the maps in passporter...small enough to carry around! And the pockets are great so that I don't lose my receipts and small items...room keys, etc.....

What is passporter? If they are small I want to know about them.

 

[pixiedust_in_ak]