Tips about Disney Dining Plan and Epcot

EPCOT - During the Flower and Garden Festival, the path leading to Test Track has a beautiful Butterfly Garden that features plantings designed to entice the winged beauties. It's a quiet spot not too far from Cool Wash misting station on the way toward World Showcase.

EPCOT - During the Flower and Garden Festival, the path leading to Test Track has a beautiful Butterfly Garden that features plantings designed to entice the winged beauties. It's a quiet spot not too far from Cool Wash misting station on the way toward World Showcase.

EPCOT - As you're crossing the walkway from Future World to World Showcase, you'll spy special lights and spouts built into the concrete on your right. Upon closer inspection you'll discover a spontaneous water fountain that sends water 20' straight up into the air. On hot days especially it's the perfect spot for kids (and adults) to cool down.

EPCOT - As you're crossing the walkway from Future World to World Showcase, you'll spy special lights and spouts built into the concrete on your right. Upon closer inspection you'll discover a spontaneous water fountain that sends water 20' straight up into the air. On hot days especially it's the perfect spot for kids (and adults) to cool down.

EPCOT - Outside the Imagination Pavillion. you'll find a whimsical *leap fountain,* where the water jumps from "pad" to "pad." It's not a play fountain, but children (and sometimes adults) can be seen trying to catch the water as it leaps around.

EPCOT - Outside the Imagination Pavillion. you'll find a whimsical *leap fountain,* where the water jumps from "pad" to "pad." It's not a play fountain, but children (and sometimes adults) can be seen trying to catch the water as it leaps around.

EPCOT - Take a look at the beautiful fountain outside the Imagination pavilion, it's slightly out of the ordinary. It's actually a *reverse* waterfall, with the water flowing up! Just watch it!

EPCOT - Take a look at the beautiful fountain outside the Imagination pavilion, it's slightly out of the ordinary. It's actually a *reverse* waterfall, with the water flowing up! Just watch it!

When at all financially possible, consider booking the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan. Yes, it's a little more than you would normally spend -- but what a great way to experience Disney Dining, without having to pay attention to the prices. I am normally a burger queen (due to the fact that it's the cheapest thing on the menu), but with the Silver Plan we were able to do a character breakfast every morning, as well as really experience the dinnertime restaurants. You can really get your money's worth by using your wishes for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue or the Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Polynesian (these are $50 per adult). Since each Magical Wish includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, and drink (or milkshake), we only ate two meals a day -- our character breakfast, and an early dinner. It was great! - Jessica Clemmons

As great as zipper-top bags are for holding snacks, you might want to think about hard plastic storage containers for them or something equally sturdy. I've witnessed a squirrel literally rip a hole in a reusable supermarket bag to get at the chips inside, no matter how many times we shooed him away. Anytime you're in a show or a ride with a long line the squirrels and birds have PLENTY of time to mess with your stuff that you've left in your stroller or scooter. - Aren

We were in Disney World last month and noticed that there are new ways that the MagicBands interact with various attractions. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, there is an electronic poster in the queue that displays the name and home city of guests. At Mission: Space, there are video screens in the post-attraction room that will display the names of the guests who finished the ride, along with their hometown and their mission projection. At Space Mountain there are video screens along the moving walkway that display the names of the guests who finished the ride. At the end of "it's a small world," look for the video screen to display the names of the guests on the boat. There may be more attractions that may also implement this technology, so keep your eyes open in the queues and in the post-attraction areas. - Brian Kehoe

We were in Disney World last month and noticed that there are new ways that the MagicBands interact with various attractions. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, there is an electronic poster in the queue that displays the name and home city of guests. At Mission: Space, there are video screens in the post-attraction room that will display the names of the guests who finished the ride, along with their hometown and their mission projection. At Space Mountain there are video screens along the moving walkway that display the names of the guests who finished the ride. At the end of "it's a small world," look for the video screen to display the names of the guests on the boat. There may be more attractions that may also implement this technology, so keep your eyes open in the queues and in the post-attraction areas. - Brian Kehoe

EPCOT - Get a Kids' Guide to Epcot. It's a small, square, blue booklet, found near the turnstiles or at Guest Relations. There's a place for the child to write his/her name, date of trip, and a list of the people they traveled with. For each ride/attraction, the booklet describes in a sentence or two what to expect at the attraction. There's a small box next to each attraction listing, so that kids can put a checkmark when they visited an attraction. Or, they could use these boxes to check off what they wish to see.

EPCOT - Get a Kids' Guide to Epcot. It's a small, square, blue booklet, found near the turnstiles or at Guest Relations. There's a place for the child to write his/her name, date of trip, and a list of the people they traveled with. For each ride/attraction, the booklet describes in a sentence or two what to expect at the attraction. There's a small box next to each attraction listing, so that kids can put a checkmark when they visited an attraction. Or, they could use these boxes to check off what they wish to see.

ALL PARKS - In regards to having bags and whatnots inspected at the parks, the best thing is to have all pockets and pouches opened. Also, if you have a dayplanner or something similar, have that unzipped, too. When we went to Disneyland recently (to see the new Haunted Mansion Holiday), my husband was asked to open his dayplanner for them to inspect. When we park-hopped over to DCA, he was ready for the inspection process and dutifully had everything unzipped and ready to be looked at. - Milady