Tips about Kids, Mousecellaneous and Security

A tip to add to some of the great ones already listed: Pack a foldable, hard plastic toilet seat cover for bathroom trips with little ones. (Available at many large discount retail chains.) - Creole Mom

I love last week's article about the Walt Disney Family Musuem - AllEars #637. We had a chance to travel out to California last summer and went to the museum. It is a wonderful place to go for all Disney fans. We spent hours there and still could have used more time. Just make sure if you go out to check to make sure the days they are open. They were closed the day we were there so we changed our plans to be there the next day they were open. It was well worth it. - Andrea

I enjoyed reading about the Walt Disney Family Museum in last week's newsletter AllEars #637. We had the opportunity to visit this past July. It was fantastic and I could have spent hours upon hours reading all about Walt, his family, and all that Walt did during his life. It was fascinating. The art you see, the history and facts you learn -- all well worth the price of admission. And yes, I cried at the end. I also enjoyed the gift shop. Lots of unique-to-the-museum items. My son was introduced to Davy Crockett that day (on the wall of TVs) and chose a coon-ish skin cap as a souvenir. I thought that was neat. Another cool thing to check out if you go to the museum and happen to have a Star Wars fan with you (as I did) is to visit the ILM/Lucasfilm headquarters just a couple blocks away. You can visit the lobby full of memorabilia -- just check in with the receptionist and be respectful. The Yoda fountain in the courtyard outside is really cool -- a great photo spot! Between the two stops, it makes for a great day! - Anna Burch

If you're going to have different sleeping arrangements in the hotel than you do at home (two kids in a bed, the whole family sleeping in one room), start preparing your kids in advance. Let them figure out who they're comfortable sleeping next to and if it will work, so they are not miserable at bedtime. Of course, they'll be so tired they may not care, but a little prep may help! Our 2-1/2-year-old pretty much only sleeps well in his crib, with a dark room, silence, and no one else in the room. So, we have to get him used to having one other person next to him in bed and other distractions in the room during the wind-down time. (Dad's snoring, too, yikes!) - Kara

Before our trip, we purchased a sports towel at the local sports store. It is about 12" x 16" and folds up into a sandwich-size zip-top bag. What a lifesaver! We used it after the daily August rainstorms to dry off outdoor tables, ride seating, benches, and even ourselves when we got soaked in the rain! These types of towels are made by Speedo, TYR and other companies that make competitive swim equipment. When they get soaked, just wring out and they're dry again. For the $11 we spent it was worth it not to have to sit on wet seats or have wet behinds all day. We got ours at a sporting goods store, but they are also available on Amazon.com. - Becky Hecker

I used the Disney Parks Mobile Magic App from Verizon for my recent trip. It was amazing. It was great for information on character meet and greet times and ride wait times, but the most magical part of it all was the ability to make dining reservations. Believe it or not, at 3 p.m. I was checking availability for Epcot restaurants for dinner while waiting for a ride in the Magic Kingdom. To my utter disbelief, I saw Le Cellier open for a spot at 5:30. I quickly chose it and got my email confirmation in seconds. A short two-and-a-half hours later, my family of four was enjoying one of the best and most sought-after meals in Walt Disney World. Can't believe we were so lucky. (Note: I saw openings on this app for Le Cellier two more times during the trip, so use it if you can.) Love the newsletter. - Chris Hellerman

On previous trips to Walt Disney World, my preschooler would never leave her 3-D glasses on during Mickey's PhilharMagic or other 3-D movies in the parks. However, we just went to see The Lion King in 3-D at the theater, and she left those glasses on the whole time. They are smaller and shaped more like sunglasses. AND, the kid's glasses are special Lion King gifts for the kids to keep. If you see the movie in the next two weeks, save your kids' glasses and take them with you to WDW! They are a fun Lion King reminder, are much better fitted to their little faces, and might actually stay on! - Rhoda Smith

On my family and friends' trips to Walt Disney World, we tend to be a bit tired when we arrive. We will get a snack and refillable mugs before heading to the pool to relax (some of us take a short nap there). Afterwards we go to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to see the animals they have there. It is a little taste of visiting one of the parks without using a park pass. We then get dinner at this resort before heading back to our own resort for a stroll around the paths and a good night's sleep. - Deb Wilde

This is a tip for anyone who is traveling to Disney World with first-timer children. We all know that the Magic Kingdom is usually children's favorite of all of the parks. How many times have I watched as miserable children are being dragged into Epcot crying that they would rather be at the Magic Kingdom? My suggestion is to consider NOT visiting Magic Kingdom on the first day of the trip. This way, the children will be free to enjoy each park without comparing it to the Magic Kingdom. I suggest Animal Kingdom the first day, then Hollywood Studios, then Epcot, then Magic Kingdom. I have suggested this to several friends who have taken children on their first trips and they were very grateful. The children appreciated the other parks so much more and plus it makes finally getting to the Magic Kingdom that much better. - Kevin

If your child has a favorite stuffed animal or toy he or she can't part with (like my son with his Duffy bear), try placing a tracking device in or on it. Most are small enough so your child won't notice and the device can be linked to your phone. We have used Tile, for example, and it works great! - Rachel

My daughter and I make Basin in Disney Springs Marketplace one of our first stops when getting to the "World." We buy soap and lotion we'd like to use while on vacation, and save the Mickey soap bars for when we're back home again. - Diane Peters

While vacationing in Walt Disney World last week, my wife and I opted to change our ride view experiences slightly; we switched seats. As a true "Prince Charming", I normally hold doors open for my wife to enter buildings or vehicles first, but on this trip she was "Princess Charming" and had me enter ride vehicles with only one entrance first (e.g., Spaceship Earth, Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan's Flight, etc.). We were amazed at the new views of the attractions we had! - Denny

I'm sharing a tip that definitely bears repeating. Everyone should sign their Key to the World (KTTW) cards as soon as they receive them, especially if the cards are valid for room charges or if any dining options are included with the reservation. If each KTTW card is signed this will help prevent someone else from using your card for food or merchandise purchases should you lose it. If you find you can't sign your card with a regular ink pen, try applying scotch tape to the signature panel (sometimes you need to do this a few times) then you should be able to sign the signature panel. If you didn't bring your own scotch tape every front desk and merchandise register location have tape available. Cast members may ask for a photo ID if your KTTW card is not signed -- be prepared! - Rob C.

My family just recently returned from our week vacation at Disney World in May. We are a family of five. We always bring one water bottle per person into the parks. This trip I bought a ball of different colored rubber bands. Each person had their own color and attached it to the neck of the water bottle. So when all the water bottles were put in the stroller, you could tell whose bottle belonged to who. With young children, this ended all arguments of "Who drank all my water?" - Karen Hopkins

For those wishing to use the web while at the resorts: If you have a smartphone, check if it can be used as a wireless hotspot (also known as tethering). Verizon charges $20/month for tethering with a hotspot-enabled 3G phone (I use a Droid X), which is a great deal when compared to the resorts' $9.95 per 24 contiguous hours fee. There is no cancellation fee for this feature, so you can activate it just for the month you'll be staying at the resort. Plus, you're no longer limited to the length of the ethernet cable. It sure came in handy on my stay at Caribbean Beach last week! A few things to consider: speed is dependent on 3G signal strength in your room, and there's usually a data cap per month (mine is 2GB). - Patricia