Tips about Christmas, Epcot and Magic Kingdom

Just learned that if you go to a park prior to checking in to your Disney resort they will reimburse you for parking! Did this myself this past weekend when we stayed at Art of Animation and worked perfectly! Couldn't quite get up early enough to do check-in before park opening and I didn't want to waste any of my theme park time! - Mary

EDITOR'S NOTE: this is also true if you are going to purchase an annual pass that includes parking. Just bring your parking receipt to the Guest Relations window and they will credit what you paid for parking that day towards your annual pass.

Just learned that if you go to a park prior to checking in to your Disney resort they will reimburse you for parking! Did this myself this past weekend when we stayed at Art of Animation and worked perfectly! Couldn't quite get up early enough to do check-in before park opening and I didn't want to waste any of my theme park time! - Mary

EDITOR'S NOTE: this is also true if you are going to purchase an annual pass that includes parking. Just bring your parking receipt to the Guest Relations window and they will credit what you paid for parking that day towards your annual pass.

On our recent Magic Kingdom visit my two children really wanted to get their faces painted. We first tried the Pirates' League in Adventureland, but it closed at 3:30 p.m. on the day we visited. However, we found a face painting area tucked away next to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland. And the best part -- just keep your receipt, and they'll touch up your face paint throughout the day for no extra charge! - Laura Gjere

Epcot - If going to Epcot with elementary school-aged kids, play Agent P! Even if you have never watched Phineas and Ferb, you should play the game. It made the World Showcase so much more interesting for my 8- and 10-year-olds. I enjoyed it also and my husband liked the fact that he could sit and have a beer at the Rose and Crown while we did our secret agent thing in the United Kingdom. - Margaret

Epcot - If going to Epcot with elementary school-aged kids, play Agent P! Even if you have never watched Phineas and Ferb, you should play the game. It made the World Showcase so much more interesting for my 8- and 10-year-olds. I enjoyed it also and my husband liked the fact that he could sit and have a beer at the Rose and Crown while we did our secret agent thing in the United Kingdom. - Margaret

Epcot - Thank you for your site. It's awesome! I wanted to submit a tip for viewing IllumiNations that I haven't seen yet. I worked at Walt Disney World for four months and saw the fireworks shows almost nightly. The most important thing I learned was to pick my viewing spot based on the direction the wind was blowing. Each night, when the torches were lit, I would look at the way the flames were blowing and I would choose a location in the opposite direction (so the smoke would blow away from me). This always ensured a clear view of the fireworks each night. Luckily there are a few prime viewing spots in every direction so if the wind direction is different on a different day, you can still pick a great spot. It doesn't matter if you choose a "prime" viewing location -- if the wind is blowing toward you, you end up getting engulfed in a thick cloud of smoke and can only see the glow of the fireworks behind it. - Garrett

Epcot - Thank you for your site. It's awesome! I wanted to submit a tip for viewing IllumiNations that I haven't seen yet. I worked at Walt Disney World for four months and saw the fireworks shows almost nightly. The most important thing I learned was to pick my viewing spot based on the direction the wind was blowing. Each night, when the torches were lit, I would look at the way the flames were blowing and I would choose a location in the opposite direction (so the smoke would blow away from me). This always ensured a clear view of the fireworks each night. Luckily there are a few prime viewing spots in every direction so if the wind direction is different on a different day, you can still pick a great spot. It doesn't matter if you choose a "prime" viewing location -- if the wind is blowing toward you, you end up getting engulfed in a thick cloud of smoke and can only see the glow of the fireworks behind it. - Garrett

Epcot - NEW in 2013 is the Holiday Passport. If you visited Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival or the Food and Wine Festival you'll be familiar with this little booklet. It is available at various kiosks around World Showcase. The passport points out special holiday snacks and beverages, special merchandise, entertainment and a holiday photo op. Don't forget to get your country stamp, too! - Deb Wills

Epcot - When entering the park, be sure to pick up the Epcot Holidays Around the World Guide. - Deb Wills

Epcot - Don't overlook the Gingerbread Village set up in the upper floor of the Land Pavilion in Epcot's Future World. - Deb Wills

Epcot - The Storytellers making presentations on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa will hand out special pamphlets on those holidays -- just ask for one after they've finished. - Deb Wills

Epcot - The Epcot Storytellers will take a few minutes after the show to meet guests and pose for photos. Considering having the storyteller sign your autograph book, or your passport. - Deb Wills

Some of the holiday snacks and beverages are part of the Disney Dining Plan snack program. Look for the DDP symbol on the menus. - Deb Wills

Epcot - I'm not sure if they've already been mentioned because I'm not sure when they appeared, but for those attending anything at the America Gardens Theater, there are brand new restrooms to the RIGHT side of the American Adventure, at the back of the garden area. No more wandering down that kind of creepy "where-am-I-going?" walkway just to wait in that dreadful line and deal with the logjam through the too-small doorway to get into those too-small restrooms around the left side of the restaurant. The new ones are AWESOME! At quick count there are about 25 regular and two handicapped stalls on each of two "aisles", big entrance, they're large, immaculate, auto-everything including Dyson Blade hand dryers (but still has paper towels, too.) The cast members at the Chase Lounge said they've been asking for expanded restrooms for years and are so excited they're finally here, especially before this year's Candlelight Processional crowds, and they've already been a hit with the Eat to the Beat crowds. - Linda Masi

Epcot - I'm not sure if they've already been mentioned because I'm not sure when they appeared, but for those attending anything at the America Gardens Theater, there are brand new restrooms to the RIGHT side of the American Adventure, at the back of the garden area. No more wandering down that kind of creepy "where-am-I-going?" walkway just to wait in that dreadful line and deal with the logjam through the too-small doorway to get into those too-small restrooms around the left side of the restaurant. The new ones are AWESOME! At quick count there are about 25 regular and two handicapped stalls on each of two "aisles", big entrance, they're large, immaculate, auto-everything including Dyson Blade hand dryers (but still has paper towels, too.) The cast members at the Chase Lounge said they've been asking for expanded restrooms for years and are so excited they're finally here, especially before this year's Candlelight Processional crowds, and they've already been a hit with the Eat to the Beat crowds. - Linda Masi