Tips about Epcot, FastPass+, Kids and Mousecellaneous

Epcot - The new Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival in the Magic Eye Theater (in the Imagination pavilion) has a 15-minute standing pre-show that, while informative, is not very entertaining for kids. - A Reader

Epcot - The new Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival in the Magic Eye Theater (in the Imagination pavilion) has a 15-minute standing pre-show that, while informative, is not very entertaining for kids. - A Reader

Epcot - The new Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival in the Magic Eye Theater (in the Imagination pavilion) has a 15-minute standing pre-show that, while informative, is not very entertaining for kids. - A Reader

Epcot - Don't forget the single rider lines at Test Track and Mission: SPACE, especially if you're just part of a couple. This is a GREAT way to ride quickly. Even when we have the kids, we'll each take the 9-year-old (the other kids are too small) and ride using the single rider line, then we switch... oftentimes it even beats out the child swap option because you don't have to stand in the regular line. - - Sarah

Epcot - Don't forget the single rider lines at Test Track and Mission: SPACE, especially if you're just part of a couple. This is a GREAT way to ride quickly. Even when we have the kids, we'll each take the 9-year-old (the other kids are too small) and ride using the single rider line, then we switch... oftentimes it even beats out the child swap option because you don't have to stand in the regular line. - - Sarah

For my cousin's upcoming trip, I put together a booklet of coloring pages. She can color them and then have the characters sign the colored pages. It's inexpensive and you can find coloring pages online of almost all the characters now. I also added a packet of the "Puzzlers" section from old Disney Adventures magazines. These are great boredom-busters when waiting. Dania

This is something that my kids, ages 4 and 6, love to do. Whenever we are in the car going somewhere and they start to quarrel, we start a game. I start describing a Disney character and then they have to guess it. For example, "She wears a pretty blue dress and has blonde hair" -- Cinderella. Then the person who guesses it will be the next to give the clues. This worked on the plane this year to our favorite vacation place, Walt Disney World, and also when we were waiting in line or for a show to start. The whole family (there were 13 of us) all got into guessing and trying to think of the hardest character. You will be amazed at how many the kids really know. - Wooster Plumbs

For $.79 at your local Target store you can purchase a clear plastic coupon holder in the office supply department. It's 5" x 7" in size, has a Velcro closure, and is perfect for holding your tickets, money, etc. It keeps everything from getting wet on the water rides and is easy to find in your backpack! I never go to WDW without mine! - Noreen Rachuba EDITOR'S NOTE: Magic Bands eliminate the need to carry many cards, but for those you do, this is a great suggestion.

I'm a kid myself, so trust me on this one. When you wait in those LONG, LONG lines, it's nice to have something to do, especially if you are young. I'm older, so I'm a little more patient, but if you're small, like 5, it'd be easier with something to do. Books aren't always best... a little too bulky. Coloring books and crayons? OK, but the crayons are hard to keep track of. I have an easy one: mini-pads of paper (white lined or plain) available pretty much everywhere, and a multi-colored pen. They are easy to keep around (keep them in your pocket!) and very entertaining to draw with. They are also very cheap. Now they make them with kittens and puppies on them, so it's even better. It's pretty handy around lunch, too, with waiting for your food and all. - Caitie

I brought Dawn DishWipes with us and washed out our refillable mug in our room sink every night. My mug just never felt truly clean on any of our other trips when I would just rinse it well with hot water. The wipes come in a clear plastic box and are dry, so I just put a bunch in a Ziploc bag. Dina

We just returned from a great trip at Walt Disney World. It was the first time with our 2-year-old and our second time since 1995. We highly recommend using the Baby Care Center for anyone who has little ones. We were very excited to find a cool, comfortable place to change diapers. They have padded changing tables with a disposable sheet on each table for sanitary purposes. In addition, there was a water cooler where you could refill your water bottle. They also have private nursing rooms for breastfeeding moms and a separate TV room where older kids can wait while baby is changed and fed. There is a bathroom there, too, for older kids and adults. They also have some sundries, such as diapers and formula, available for purchase. The Magic Kingdom one is located next to the First Aid area, between Casey's and the Crystal Palace. They are all on the Disney maps for each park. - The Tietjes

We had great luck booking the Illuminations Cruise over the years. We have done it several times. This year we booked the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Cruise. I think it is a little more available. We enjoyed it much more. There was a lot more "cruising" before the show and the backdrop of the castle and Magic Kingdom was fantastic. - Margaret

ALL PARKS - I just returned from a trip to WDW. The 3M Company now has a new Post-It Flag Highlighter that includes both a highlighter and Post-It flags in one. It was PERFECT for marking the maps to the parks. I would circle the attraction number with the highlighter and then put a Post-It flag on the number on the map. They are see-though, so they don't cover up the number. The "pen" fit perfectly in my fanny pack! - Leah Price

I have teens/20-somethings (and my husband and my mom) who travel with me to Walt Disney World each year. Invariably we split up to do different rides or even different parks. I am the one who makes all the FastPass+ and dining reservations. Each morning I text everyone their FastPass+ times and any dining reservations we have. Not everyone wants to download the app, or has a phone that can get apps, so this makes our trips so much easier! - Beth S.

My 4-year-old son has a real problem with loud noises, but refused to wear ear plugs. We would put a pair in and he would pull them right back out. Before we left I contacted a store that specialized in hunting equipment and ordered a pair of the smallest child-sized headphones used at target ranges to muffle sound. They fit him perfectly and when we were in the parks, if there was even a hint of loud noises coming, we would just slip them on. My son actually went through the Haunted Mansion four times without a hitch. It was the best $17 I ever spent and I got quite a few comments of, "Oh, I wish we had thought of that." - Bonnie Schweizer