What Disney Tip Are you really glad you listened to?

[DisneyDreamer0610]

HOLY SMOKES! I'm finally done! I thought I'd never finish! Such awesome tips here! I have 22 pages and counting! Thanks everyone! Been many times myself but this will be my husband, MIL and 3 kids - DS(11), DS(9) and DD(3)'s first trip to the world...I'm trying to maximize the magic!

[GirlOutlaw]

Originally Posted by BiancaBernard&Penny

wristband cards.

Do they offer these anywhere else? I alway use a lanyard but would prefer a band.

[Buzzfan1966]

One of the tips I got here was to get souvenir pennies everywhere we went. The boys loved it and they really weren't interested in getting anything else. When we went through the gift shops after rides, they were too busy looking for the penny machine so they weren't looking at other stuff to buy.

I didn't want to waste the pennies so I thought I would post what I did with them.






I just thought I would share. The boys helped me put the pennies on the pictures so this just might become a tradition.

[pony2wild]

Originally Posted by Buzzfan1966

One of the tips I got here was to get souvenir pennies everywhere we went. The boys loved it and they really weren't interested in getting anything else. When we went through the gift shops after rides, they were too busy looking for the penny machine so they weren't looking at other stuff to buy.

I didn't want to waste the pennies so I thought I would post what I did with them.

I just thought I would share. The boys helped me put the pennies on the pictures so this just might become a tradition.

Love these ideas!

[robertandalyssa]

Originally Posted by Gracefulskinny

There is one thing I have yet to read anywhere in all of the searching for tips and tricks that I plan to try on my (hopefully soon to be) next trip.

I have heard from a few people that have gone on cruses who before their trip have their doctor proscribe them an anti-nausea patch or other Rxn medication. Taking it from the get go before there is even a hint of an issue of motion sickness tends to keep it from ever occuring and (hypothetically) gives you more freedom to enjoy the rides in the park.

Any other tips or tricks for dealing with Motion Sickness at WDW?

Sea-Bands. (Sold at Walgreens near me) The concept seems odd, but they work wonders. I have a friend who used to get sick in any vehicle, and nothing he took seemed to work consistently. He hasn't had a problem since he got Sea-Bands and he travels about 42 weeks out of the year, flying domestically and internationally, and has been on a few cruises too.

Just my $.02.

[itsmeamanda]

I will second the Sea bands suggestion. I used them midway through our first cruise after I spent the first night sick in the bathroom. They work!

[Iloveeliot]

If you think you will do pin trading buy many pins from a Disney outlet store as cheap as you can. It doesn't matter what they are pins of because you will be trading them anyway. You can have an outlet ship them to you and even with paying shipping you will come out ahead. I had mine shipped to me from an outlet out of state. It worked out great, the only problem was I didn't get enough of them and still paid full price for more at the parks.

Also it isn't worth it to buy pins on ebay unless you are positive they are real. I bought a batch and they were all scrappers I would never be willing to trade as official Disney pins.

If you have an EXTRA bag you can easily pack bring it! I had planned on carrying my big back pack with the padded straps but decided to throw the little bag I got from my travel agent in my suitcase. It was a life saver! My normally comfortable backpack was killing my back and I had something nice and light with straps that landed in a different place to use!

Take the drawing class in DHS! It is so awesome and I think lots of people don't know about it. I took 4 times and was one of my favorite things we did at Disney.

Bring a water bottle with a filter like a bobble or a Brita. There is no reason to spend money on water when you can get it free anywhere you go in the parks. It killed me to watch people throwing their money away on water when I know how expensive a trip to Disney is.

Pre-buy the photopass CD and/or photobook. It saved us tons of money and we knew we would want it anyway. If you do pre-buy it let the photographers know. They may take some extra photos since they know you will be getting them. We had one photographer who took tons of extra magic shots for us since she knew we ordered the cd. She was an amazing photographer who called me princess and made me feel so special!

Stop at one of the photo kiosks and make sure your magic shots are there. We checked our photos and noticed some magic shots missing. I spoke to a cast member who insisted they couldn't give me the shots because they weren't taken properly. When I pushed to get them they did add them and they looked awesome!

[lwells523]

Originally Posted by Buzzfan1966

I didn't want to waste the pennies so I thought I would post what I did with them.


I just thought I would share. The boys helped me put the pennies on the pictures so this just might become a tradition.

See thats awesome. Thats kind of what I was thinking for the pennies as well. I have some from other parks from years back and never quite knew what to do with them. This will help remind the kids of their trip once we are back home.

[nhmommy]

Last time we went to WDW my son was 17 months old. I brought a bunch of light-up toys and glow sticks and bracelets(you can get a package of 10-15) at the dollar store.) When we were waiting for the night entertainment such as the Electric light parade we would break out a bunch of bracelets and he would give them to the children around us. My son made fast friends and everyone in our circle were in great moods after the random act of kindness from my son it defiantly made our wait more enjoyable.

[nhmommy]

We also brought a Mommy clip for our stroller it was a great thing to clip our mugs,bag or whatever to the stroller and know it wasn't going to fall off. You can get a cheeper version of this in the camping section at Wal-mart or Target.

Small cooler for all of our rain gear just big enough to fit everything in made it so we didn't have to rummage past the gear when the weather was dry and when we had wet gear to store it all went back into it's bag and didn't get anything in our other bag wet.

[Gracefulskinny]

Originally Posted by robertandalyssa

Sea-Bands. (Sold at Walgreens near me) The concept seems odd, but they work wonders. I have a friend who used to get sick in any vehicle, and nothing he took seemed to work consistently. He hasn't had a problem since he got Sea-Bands and he travels about 42 weeks out of the year, flying domestically and internationally, and has been on a few cruises too.

Just my $.02.

Is that what they are called? I've heard of bracelets that stop nausea. Saw them work for the Duggars on 19 kids and counting but no matter what I did I could never find out the name of them! Thank you!!!!!

[lucifie]

Originally Posted by Gracefulskinny

Is that what they are called? I've heard of bracelets that stop nausea. Saw them work for the Duggars on 19 kids and counting but no matter what I did I could never find out the name of them! Thank you!!!!!

Yes, they're called Sea-Bands. I found them in CVS near the Dramamine when I was pregnant. I didn't have severe morning sickness, but they helped a lot with that queasy feeling. I meant to bring them to WDW because I had a bad experience with a tilt-a-whirl a few years ago, but I forgot them and didn't need them.

[Ashley0408]

Packing For Trip
Includes money saving tips that you can buy at home instead of the park. You can also ship these things to your resort but just remember you'll need space to bring what you want home.

Don't overpack on the children's toys
Pack less clothes, more money-You can coordinate outfits and put them in ziploc bags. Allows kids to decide what they what to wear without the hassles.
Put spare set of clothes for everyone in carry on.
Ziplocs/Collapsable containers; multiple sizes-Great to store snacks, wet clothes in park or to keep things dry. Containers are great for when kids don't eat all their meal and you're going back to the resort where they can eat then.
Staying Healthy- Bodyglide to help with chafing, moleskin to help with blisters (some people use medical tape or even duct tape!), bandaids, cold meds, ibuprofen, sunscreen, Gold Bond powder, and other needed things. If you go to the medical station in the parks, they will provide some of this stuff for free one time. If you get sick at Disney, talk to a CM and they can help you with directions to a doctor or pharmacy
Pop-Up Hampers- can be placed in the bottom of the luggage. Some also suggest just bringing a couple trash bags for this reason as well. That way you can keep your laundry separate from clean clothes on your way home.
Laundry- little boxes of detergent (if doing laundry), shout wipes
Fabric Softener Sheets- Helps keep clothes smelling fresh in luggage.
Flip-flops/Crocs- for rainy weather or water rides. Change into to prevent soggy sneakers.
Hat/Sunglasses- Be sure to bring an extra set
Hand soap with pump
Sponge pieces with soap- Cut pieces of sponges and add dish soap to wash sippy cups and resort mugs. Make sure to dry them out before putting them in a ziploc
Nightlight/Mini Flashlights- Help you see your way in the dark hotel room.
Surge Protector- not many available outlets in hotel room. This allows you to have all your stuff charging where you can see it.
Plastic Shoe Holder- Hangs over your bathroom door and organizes toiletries.
High quality socks- make sure they provide moisture wicking. Also bring enough for changes at least once during the day.
Two pairs of shoes- wear a different set of shoes each day. Also do not buy new shoes for Disney. Bad idea
Disney Apparel and Souvenirs- Buying these outside the World is cheaper.
Ship whatever you can to the resort- Coffee, Snacks, water bottles, toiletries, or anything you don't need to take home. Also order any groceries online and have them delivered.
Oil Absorbing Sheets- Great to wipe the sweat off your face.
Spray antiperspirant, any brand- Spray on your feet, in between toes, soles, sides. Prevents your feet from sweating which results in friction and blisters. Reapply if you go back for afternoon break.
Chewing gum- Not sold in the Parks so if you want it, you have to bring it
Hole punch- Punch hole into room key and photo pass. Hook on keyring and attach to bag,
Folding fabric basket- Use in the hotel room to drop keys, wallets and other small things to keep organized.
Tape Rollers- Use this to get hair off of clothing, but also on the edges of the bed to check for bedbugs.
Baking Powder- Mix powder with enough cold water to make a slightly runny paste. Apply liberally to sunburned area and allow to air dry on your skin. Take a cool shower followed by motrin.

[Ashley0408]

Packing for Parks
**Be sure to pack your things the night before. Get your “game plan” together and set out everyone's clothes so that way in the morning you can have less of a fight. Have your bags packed and ready to go with everything you need. Take this bag with you every day. Better to have it than have to buy it in the parks. Make sure cameras and phones are charging and set up your wake up call.
**There are bag checks at all the parks that you must go through. Some people prefer not to carry anything and avoid these lines. Best thing to do is get there before Rope Drop so you'll have plenty of time to go through. You're also allowed a soft-sided cooler in the parks but check with exact measurements. To make the process go faster, have all bags ready and unzipped. Also the security guard will first check the person with the bag on his left. Try to go to the shortest line.

• BAGS- fanny packs, nap sacks, anything that is large enough to carry essentials. If you have a stroller, get one that has a strap wide enough to go across the handle bars (more of a concern in double strollers)
• Stroller- Even if you don't think your child needs one, get one anyways. Probably at some point your child is going to want to take a break—at least the kids that are about 8 and under. You'll also have a basket underneath to store your stuff. Bring along a D-Clip to hook water bottles, hats, bags to. Also tie a scarf or some other colorful object around the handle of your stroller to easily find your stroller among the sea of identical strollers. Disney offers stroller rentals but you can also rent strollers from outside sources for 1/3 the price. They will be left for you at the desk when you arrive and you leave it there when you leave to be picked up.
• Earplugs-For young children and loud, scary attractions
• Misting Fans- Cheaper when you bring them compared to buying them in the park
• Ponchos- Buy them outside of the park. Cheaper- But if your Disney Poncho rips, Disney will replace it for free.
• Filtering Water Bottles- All places will give you FREE water inside the park but people still recommend bringing in a Filtering Water Bottle because Disney's water could taste strange.
• Water-flavoring packets/MiO- great to flavor water when you get bored of water.
• Pin Backs- For your disney pins, preferably screw backs for the ones you don't want to lose.
• Pins/Lanyards: Buy on eBay, get the cheap ones to trade for the ones you want with the CM
• Glow sticks and other glow toys: Much cheaper to pick them up at the dollar store than to pay for them from the street vendor during parade/fireworks (Street vendors are CASH only. Be sure to plan for this as they are one of the few things you can not use your Key to the World card or Debit/Credit card)
• Wallet Inserts: For Drivers licenses, Key to the World, paper money, etc.
• Extra Memory card/Batteries
• Disposable Cameras for Kids: get the cheap disposables for the kids to use. Its wonderful to see Disney from a kids POV. Bring enough because Disney's are ridiculously priced for something that will have mostly people's rear ends. Plan on 2-3 per child.
• Child Safety- Temporary Tattoos, Bracelets, or Dog Tag for children in case the awful event occurs and they are separated from you. People also said they even wrote on the child's back or arm with permanent marker. Include YOUR name and cellphone number. Don't include your child's name because unfortunately the people who would steal your child would use that to their advantage. Also snap a picture of your children EVERY day so you can remember what your child is wearing (be sure to get shoes in the picture). Child harnesses are also a great idea for those little guys who want independence.
• Autograph things- Whatever you want autographed, bring with you along with sharpies. Big Retractable ones in multiple colors are best.
• Pennies and Quarters for the penny presses!
• First Aid- bandaids, wipes, moleskin, sunscreen (be sure to apply often, not just first thing)
• Travel Locker
• Baby Wipes/Antibacterial wipes
• Lip Balm with Sunscreen
• Swimmers Towel- To wipe up water from seats
• Shower liner- Throw over stroller during one of Florida's famous down pours.

[Ashley0408]

Organization and Itinerary

• Makes copies of park passes and photo passes. Keep one with you and one in hotel room. Also you can snap a picture with your cellphone.
• Snap a picture of your information with your camera just in case you misplace it.
• OR
• Put address labels on all electronic equipment (camera, phone, mp3 player, etc). Guests often leave small items behind and CMs will turn them into Guest Relations. They check to see if you are a guest at their hotels, and if not, they will mail your gadget back to you, if they know where to send it.
• Fill out an index card for each day (or each park), laminate each card, hole punch and put them on a key ring. You can even color code them to each park.
• Include information such as: parade and firework times, ADR with confirmation number, time and resort with phone number, park hours (including magic hours if any), suggestions for counter-service and snacks
• Also can include list of must see/must do for that day/park
• Also include any other tips you've picked up.
• Another option is to print information on 4x6 pieces of paper and insert them into a cheap photo brag book. Can also include your reservation information, copies of park and photo passes.
• If you like to journal your experience, this is a great idea! Bring long letter envelopes with you. Use one for each day. You can keep the receipts inside the envelopes. Write your memories on the outside of the envelope. So when you get home, you can read what you have done/ate that particular day. Also read that you can take photos of all your meals. Now probably don't care about those counter-service meals but your sit downs would be fun!
• For picky children, find menus for the CS eateries at the park and write the name of the restaurant, location and suitable items on index cards or post it nots to color code them. Laminate and hole punch in the corner with a keyring. Carry this with you in the parks and when you find yourself needing a place to eat, you can pull this out and know exactly where to go.

Resort Tips

• Research- Find out where on your resort is the best place to be and call before hand to request that building. If possible, ask for a room looking towards Magic Kingdom to see the fireworks. If at Port Orleans Riverside, take the boat to Downtown Disney. At Animal Kingdom Lodge, do not park near the high grassy areas because of ants.
• Bus Transportation- Buses start running about 2 hours before the park opens. If you want to make it to the park in time to be at the front of the line, you need to get on a bus at least one hour before the park opens. That will give you time to make it through security and still get up near the front of the park’s entrance.
• Shipping Packages- Resorts will accept packages on your behalf two weeks prior to your arrival. (Call and verify this with hotel to be on the safe side)
• Visit other Resorts- You can take a bus or the monorail to any resort and browse. You can eat at their restaurants, shop their gift shops, walk their beaches—you just can't use their pool. You can also drive their, just let the guard know what you're doing and they usually give you 2hrs.
• Electric Water Pageant- Every night starting at 9pm, Electric Water Pageant makes its way around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. It can be seen from any of the 5 resorts. You could go for dinner at 1900 Park Fare (located at The Grand Floridian) and then walk down to their beach and see the Pageant and the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.
• Chip n Dale Campfire w/ Smores- Enjoy a FREE campfire sing-a-long with Chip n Dale at Ft. Wilderness. It is usually at 7pm during fall/winter and 8pm during spring/summer. You can enjoy a FREE Disney movie, make smores (don't worry, if you don't have the fixings, they sell them by the campfire) and hang out with Chip N Dale. This event is located near the Meadow Trading Post.
• Animal Kingdom Lodge- view of 100 of grazing animals for free. You can then visit the gift shop while your kids play with the musical instruments from Africa set up by Disney.
• Mousekeeping- Disney's version of Housekeeping. Be sure to bring tips along in premade envelopes with a tip. Rule of thumb is to tip $1 per person a day plus a $1 extra. So a family of 4 would tip $5 a day. Sometimes Mousekeeping leaves you magical touches such as towel animals, turn down service, extra towels or shampoo. If there is anything you need, leave a note with your tip.
• Decorate room window- Bring Disney themed window stickers, stuffed animals to decorate your room with. Plus Mousekeeping will sometimes have fun with it by arranging the stuff animals in certain ways.