Tips about Food & Beverage, Kids and Resorts

This tip about tips for visitors traveling from the U.K.: This isn't specifically Disney-related, but it is important, especially if you're new to the U.S. Servers expect to be tipped; it's how they really earn their wages. Don't try to avoid it or make lame excuses, if you receive an average/good service, a reasonable tip is 15 percent, if very good/excellent, at least 20 percent. Even if you buy a beer, tip! - Phill Barnett

My family and I just returned from a fantastic trip, staying at Beach Club for the first time and loved it! Wanted to share this tip: If you want a patio or full balcony, be sure request it when booking and through the online check-in system. Many second-floor balconies are standing room only. We were fortunate enough to have a full balcony and Epcot right outside our door. - Colleen Ziemkiewicz

Just got back from our first trip to the Magic Kingdom with a toddler. He goes down for a nap each afternoon and after not getting him to nap while going around Fantasyland/Tomorrowland in a stroller (probably too much noise and visual stimulation), we were going to go back to the hotel. On our way back toward the exit we strolled through the Tomorrowland Terrace. Less noise, no visual stimulation and protected from the sun, it was the perfect place for our son to finally fall asleep! It was also a good place for an adult to rest. It probably saved us an hour round-trip to the hotel and back. - Doug Chen

One of the things we always bring is a folding stepstool for the room that fits nicely in our luggage. Great for the little guys to use the toilet, wash hands and brush teeth without Mom and Dad's help. Also serves as a time-out chair when necessary. Yes, the resort may have some available for guests, but I don't want to be the 100th person asking and find they are already all loaned out. - Melanie Drake

Most TVs in the hotels have an HDMI port. This means you can connect your HDMI-ready laptop to them if you have the proper cable. This is nice for end of the day unwinding if your little one needs a favorite movie or some such to go to sleep. - Mike Layman

I found out last week that distilled water is available to purchase upon request at the Everything Pop food court (at Pop Century Resort). Distilled water is important to the many guests who use CPAP machines. It was as easy as going to one of the cashiers at the Everything Pop food court and requesting it. They keep it stocked in the back. I'm guessing many/all of the Disney Resorts carry it, too. Next visit I won't have to pack small bottles of distilled water in my luggage! Thanks, Disney! - Catherine Ryan

Arrange for dinner at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort for the evening of your arrival. You may not want to waste a day on your ticket by going into the parks for just a few hours, especially if you've been traveling all day, but the kids want to get started. With young ones they want to SEE MICKEY and at Chef Mickey's you can see all the main characters right at your table, and get those autographs and pictures. The kids feel like they are at Disney right away and you aren't having to wait in line at the parks to see the main characters. We even had our daughter bring a picture she drew of Mickey and Minnie and they autographed it for her at the table. Very special. With little ones who want to see the princesses instead, I'd try to arrange for a princess character meal so the whole trip isn't about chasing down the characters. - Jennifer B.

When our daughter, Megan, was small, she loved receiving Mickey Mouse stickers from cast members in the parks. When she was 5, we bought her some brightly colored sticker sheets of her own: love hearts, flowers and smiley faces. Every time she received a sticker, or any sort of attention from a cast member, she gave them a sticker in return. They loved it, and so did she! By the time our holiday was finished, she was giving out stickers to most of the cast members she met. It was so lovely, for us and for her, to see their faces light up, and she got lots of attention from cast members in return. - Alison

Start saving all your and your kids' old clothes -- the ones that are stained or a little torn, clothes that you don't wear any more or don't let your kids wear to school. Rather than discarding them, keep these clothes. For your trip to The World, take these clothes -- especially for the children. No one cares or pays attention to what you wear in the parks, and that way you won't have to stress out when eating meals or snacks. Spill away! Stain away! No being careful! When you get back to the room, throw that tee shirt or pair of shorts away. When you get home: Hurray! No laundry to do! - Andrea Fisher

If you are looking to have one of the world famous Monte Cristo Sandwiches at Disneyland, you have two choices: The Blue Bayou Restaurant or the Cafe Orleans. Although the Blue Bayou has wonderful atmosphere, the cost of the sandwich is double what it is at Cafe Orleans. Cafe Orleans is more of a small bistro type of restaurant. So if you are on a budget, you can get the same thing for half the price if you are willing to forgo the ambience. Also note that the Monte Cristo sandwich is available for lunch and dinner at Cafe Orleans, but is only on the lunch menu at Blue Bayou. - Janet Sherby

A tip for UK visitors: In shops, kids struggle to work out the cost of something in British pounds, as they have to add the sales tax and then do the currency conversion. When ours were younger I made little conversion charts with the GBP equivalent (with sales tax added) of up to $20. As long as they can add up, they can then work out what things are going to cost from their spending allowance without having to ask Mum or Dad all the time. - Juli Williamson

Even though the price of a single bottle of water is now $3.00, there are 1.1 liter (51 oz.) bottles of water in some of the shops that are $4.50. They are a much better value than the single bottles sold at stands in the parks. And if you have any type of discount available to you -- such as Annual Pass, DVC, etc., you can get the 1.1 liter bottle for $3.60. - Mary Waite

Magic Kingdom - A not-well-publicized event that is fun to see for the little kids (and those kids at heart such as myself) is the opening ceremony at the Magic Kingdom. It occurs about 10-15 minutes before what Disney refers to as the "rope drop" (the time that they let people through the arches and into the park). The train arrives at the Main Street station above the floral displays with all the characters on board, with Disney music playing. They stop and wave to everyone waiting to enter the park. They let people through the turnstiles into the queue area about 20-30 minutes prior to the park opening. So get there a few minutes early if you want to see it. I believe it is worth seeing. - Mike

We recently visited Fort Wilderness for the Campfire Sing-a-long. We headed over early, and were surprised to find that they were playing games and Chip and Dale were there. My daughter was able to play with Chip for more than five minutes all by herself. She was in love! - Robin Tater

At many of the Disney Resort rooms the drapes don't always come together enough to ensure privacy, especially the ones that are right next to the entrance door or the ones on corner rooms. I always bring along a couple of clothespins to clip them together at night. Then I can use them to hang up wet bathing suits on the line over the tub, too. - Marlene Culver