Tips about At Large, Resorts and Souvenirs

Magic Kingdom - I have a tip for the WDW At Large section. I am a 5' 5'' female weighing 315 lbs. I fit comfortably in all of the rides at Magic Kingdom except the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster in Fantasyland. The restraint must fit over the top of and around your thighs. The width is not adjustable so you must squeeze your thighs together and force the restraint down around them. I barely, and I mean barely, was able to squeeze my legs together enough to fit and was uncomfortable the entire time. I also recommend saying you are a 'party of one' so you can ride solo, because the width of the car is slim. I loved the ride -- very smooth -- but won't ride again unless I lose weight. - Annabelle

When I called to book Lilo's Playhouse (the children's activity center at the Polynesian Village Resort), I was originally told that it was completely sold out already for the period of July 14-18. However, I tried calling Lilo's myself directly. I was told that since they changed their system some cast members do not yet know that they must select a reservation time of 4:30 p.m. to midnight for the system to show availability for the date, otherwise it will show as fully booked. I thought this would be helpful for people looking to use this service when they stay at the Polynesian. We are now booked after calling back a second time. - Mark

Epcot - When my son and daughter-in-law were expecting our now 3-year-old grandson Kai, I visited each country in Epcot and asked a cast member to sign a little message to him in his/her native language. They translated it in English as well. When I approached each cast member, they were delighted to have a part in welcoming our grandson into the world! Upon returning home, I compiled the signatures, along with a picture of each country, put them in a small photo album, and gave it to my daughter-in-law at her baby shower. I have since done the same album of signatures with my subsequent grandson Caleb and most recently with Kai's baby sister Adalie. - Kim N.

Epcot - When my son and daughter-in-law were expecting our now 3-year-old grandson Kai, I visited each country in Epcot and asked a cast member to sign a little message to him in his/her native language. They translated it in English as well. When I approached each cast member, they were delighted to have a part in welcoming our grandson into the world! Upon returning home, I compiled the signatures, along with a picture of each country, put them in a small photo album, and gave it to my daughter-in-law at her baby shower. I have since done the same album of signatures with my subsequent grandson Caleb and most recently with Kai's baby sister Adalie. - Kim N.

On a recent trip to Disney my 5-year-old discovered several things she wanted to buy and, like most parents, we told her we would "think about it" as we moved on to the next part of our trip. Because I had my computer with me I was able to visit the Disney Store website the last night of our trip and order many of the things she had seen in the parks, as both Christmas and her birthday were coming up. I was thrilled to receive free shipping and knowing that I didn't have to try to "hide" these presents in our suitcases. But the icing on the cake was that several of the items were actually cheaper on the website than they would have been had we bought them at the park! - Kim Meyerholtz

On a recent trip to Walt Disney World I was stymied as to what to get our neighbors as a "thank you for house- and pet-sitting" gift. They don't have the same affinity for Disney products as we do, so finding a gift that didn't have a character printed on it was challenging -- until I went into The Pantry at Disney Springs. There I found a great collection of items at the Spice and Tea Exchange section of the store. They have a variety of "collection packs" of 3 types of "something" (like interesting sugars, or curries, or salts, or a Hot and Spicy) for a reduced price. I ended up buying the "Grilling Rub" pack for our neighbors, and a "Super Duper Catnip" package for our furry felines we vacationed without. - Michelle B.

When we stayed at the French Quarter in December, we were delighted to find a refrigerator and put in some fresh fruit we purchased at the on-site store, as well as some water bottles. Unfortunately the guests who were there before us turned the temperature knob so cold that everything froze solid and was wasted. This is a reminder to check the temp setting before putting anything in the refrigerator. - Carol Berube

I have enjoyed your "WDW at Large" pages. I was really sad to read that a lot of folks suffered through the La Nouba show because they really did not have to. We have been twice and each time when we booked we asked for the last row in the theater. There is an elevator to this level and there are regular chairs. Once they were with arms and I asked for one without arms and was given one without incident. I feel like these might be the best seats in the whole place as they allow you to see the whole theater. I hope this helps someone as your other posts have helped me. - Jennifer Stauch

Wanted to pass along a tip for inexpensive souvenirs. When we go on vacation, I always like to buy a Christmas ornament for each of our kids. However, Christmas ornaments can get pricy at Disney ($12 and up), which adds up for three kids. One way I have found to keep costs down is by picking out keychains instead (around $5). When I get home, I just replace the chain with a ribbon and voila! Perfect for hanging on the tree. It is fun to "go down memory lane" when we decorate the tree.- Barb H.

Recently stayed at Old Key West for Marathon Weekend. Upon check-in, my room was not ready. I do not have text messaging on my phone so was given a phone number to call later in the day. I found out at Bay Lake Tower that I could receive an email instead of a text. I called Old Key West and requested this. Since Walt Disney World now has wireless internet throughout, I enjoyed my day and received my room number via email through my Kindle. - M. Hoyt

Animal Kingdom Lodge - On a recent trip to Walt Disney World we had dinner at Boma. After dinner we walked around the grounds out back (as we had first-timers with us) and were surprised to find that night-vision binoculars were available to view the animals in the dark. We all enjoyed this very much and saw many animals. Also the cast members who supervised this activity were very helpful and informative about the animals and the country where they were from. We really learned a lot! - Jane Carvalho

Boardwalk - When I was at Seashore Sweets at the BoardWalk in December, there was a jar of jellybeans on the counter near the registers. If you correctly guess the number of jellybeans in the jar, you get free ice cream. I correctly guessed and got a single scoop in a cup. There were many people who never noticed the jar, so be sure to ask about it. - Joel

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Be sure to check out what is happening at your resort. We recently returned from a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge. They had many activities for kids, and most were free. Not only did they have crafts in the lobby, games at the pool, but they also had a sunset campfire with free marshmallows to roast. Also, be sure to walk around the grounds of the resort. At AKL we found savanna overlooks in many areas, and they often have someone who will answer questions about the animals. This is what makes Disney resorts so unique! - E. Horton

We just returned from a trip to Disney with my grandchildren. Of course, they want to buy everything. We found that by taking pictures of the item wanted (and the price) they could later go through the list and select the item they really wanted. It saved a lot of running around and they kids were able to "see" the items they were considering. - Stephen James

In reading the comments on the article about "Overcoming the Drop" (AllEars® Issue #735) it reminded me of a fun thing we do when the kids ride a new ride, especially one they have been scared to try. They "earn" a Disney pin for that attraction. We love picking out new ride pins with the kids and then love to show them off to friends and family when we return from our trip. - Jamie