Tips about Hollywood Studios and Resorts

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

If you love to raise your hands during high-intensity rides (or any that take a photo during the ride) please consider sitting at the back of the ride vehicle. If you sit at the front or even in the middle you block out the faces of the people behind you, ruining their pictures. Keep in mind this may be the once-in-a-lifetime trip for those people and they may only have time to ride that once. - Nicole

Disney's Hollywood Studios - When in doubt about the best place to stand for parades or shows, ask a cast member. We used this tip during our visit to Hollywood Studios for the Anna and Elsa Royal Welcome. The cast member told us they would be closing off the area around Echo Lake across from the American Idol Experience and to stand across from the video screen there. From this point we had a great view of the stage and the video screen to see all that was going on. As an added bonus the float with Kristoff stopped where we were standing! After the welcome ceremony was over the parade proceeded to pass right in front of us as well! By asking a cast member we were able to see the Anna and Elsa Royal Welcome without a long wait or using one of our Fastpasses. - Gail Sheehan

If you need to drive to the park to drop someone off, Disney provides very convenient guest drop-off areas at each of the four parks. It's as easy as telling the toll booth cast member at the main parking entrance that you're dropping someone off. They'll give you instructions on how to get to that park's area. At the Magic Kingdom, you need to be in the lanes on the right and they'll direct you down the road going to the Transportation and Ticket Center. At the other three parks, they'll send you into the regular parking area where you'll tell the second cast member you're dropping someone off, and they'll direct you to the spot at the front of the lot near the entrance. - Laurie Jennings

Remember, if you forget where you parked your car, tell a parking attendant about what time you parked. They can then usually tell you about where you parked within a row or so. - Fred

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

A helpful hint that hopefully also saves some tears and frustration: the new Frozen sing-along show uses a ticket system similar to Jack Sparrow. Tickets are given out starting at park opening back on San Francisco Street right by the Premiere Theater. The tickets guarantee you your seat in the show but ONLY if you return during the return time window. The window ends 10 minutes prior to show time (so, for example the window for the 2:30 show ends at 2:20). After that window has passed you are no longer guaranteed your seat. You will be directed to standby, which doesn't guarantee entry or sitting together if you do get in. This is especially a problem for the last show of the day, so don't let yourself get caught without a ticket or with a late return time! - A Hollywood Studios Cast Member

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

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

Disney's Hollywood Studios - When visiting the Disney Junior show at Disney's Hollywood Studios, do NOT sit in the front because you will not be able to see the characters very well. It's better if you sit near the back, in the middle section. Also, know that seating is mostly on the floor, so it's hard for some adults to sit comfortably or to get up. There are just a few benches along the back walls. - Darlene Clagett

Valorie McCray shares these tips for quickly clearing security at the park entrances:

1. To save time for you and other guests always have the bags that you are carrying into the parks ready for the security people to inspect.

2. Before you reach the security people have your bags unzipped, unbuckled and unsnapped. This means every bag that has any type of closure and all closures on the bag. Open the bag up for them so they can see inside.

3. Bags that will be checked are purses, camera bags, cell phone bags with any type of closures, diaper bags and soft coolers -- any type bag. If your bag is a string backpack this will also be checked. Open it up so they can see inside.

4. You MUST remove fanny packs from around your waist or camera bags from around your neck.

5. Remove all items from the stroller basket located under the seat of your stroller.

If everyone would prepare before the security check while waiting in line, the line would move much faster. We as a family will give a bag for each child to carry through the line. For example my 8-year-old grandson will carry the small camera bag and he is responsible for the safety of the bag until we enter the park.

Valorie McCray shares these tips for quickly clearing security at the park entrances:

1. To save time for you and other guests always have the bags that you are carrying into the parks ready for the security people to inspect.

2. Before you reach the security people have your bags unzipped, unbuckled and unsnapped. This means every bag that has any type of closure and all closures on the bag. Open the bag up for them so they can see inside.

3. Bags that will be checked are purses, camera bags, cell phone bags with any type of closures, diaper bags and soft coolers -- any type bag. If your bag is a string backpack this will also be checked. Open it up so they can see inside.

4. You MUST remove fanny packs from around your waist or camera bags from around your neck.

5. Remove all items from the stroller basket located under the seat of your stroller.

If everyone would prepare before the security check while waiting in line, the line would move much faster. We as a family will give a bag for each child to carry through the line. For example my 8-year-old grandson will carry the small camera bag and he is responsible for the safety of the bag until we enter the park.

I think most people going into the parks don't realize just how much they walk. I recommend stretching out all your muscles at the end of the day, holding the stretches for 20 seconds. Going hard a full day in Disney could leave you sore, especially if you're not used to walking 5+ miles a day. - Shannon Ashleigh

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.