Tips about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mousecellaneous and Resorts

One of the best times we shared at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party was just sitting and watching. We missed the first parade, so we made our way back down Main Street to wait for the second. We just sat down facing up Main Street. The stream of dressed up people leaving the park was wonderful. We got to see Ursula, the Flintstone family and lots of pirates and princesses. The best part was this little fire hydrant that quietly roamed the street squirting passers-by. It was GREAT. - Georgette from New Jersey

With the MagicBands, you don't get a "key folio" anymore. I found that it was sometimes confusing to remember the room number -- especially for kids, or older folks. So, now I take a picture of the room number outside the room as soon as we get there. I repeat the process for everyone in our family who has a phone. This way, if you forget what room you were in, just look in the phone. - Carol Berube

In a recent newsletter a reader asked where to find Disney apparel in larger sizes. I have had REALLY good luck at the gift shop in the Beach Club Resort. It's worth a special trip or visit the shop while having a great meal at Cape May Cafe. - Debbie Wilk

On our last trip to Walt Disney World my family and I stayed at Bay Lake Tower. We noticed a little after 8:30 p.m. the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage comes down to the boat dock at the Contemporary. You can see Captain Hook and Smee lead their crew to the boats. We also went by the Community Hall at Bay Lake Tower on the way back to our room around 8:45 p.m. and noticed Peter Pan was sitting on the couch watching a movie with the kids. He would also take pictures with anybody that wanted one. I am not sure how often he is there, but it's worth a peek in to see if he is there. It is a good way to see Peter Pan with little to no wait. - Sara Bousum

We recently stayed at Disney's Port Orleans - Riverside and were shocked that we had to wait 90 minutes for a bus to Magic Kingdom! We found out later that just the MK buses stop at the South bus depot first instead of the usual bus route around the POR resort where the South depot is last (usual is West, North, East, then South), so the buses were filling up before getting to our depot. To remedy this issue, we walked to the South depot to catch a MK bus the next morning, and we didn't have to wait for a bus at all -- we boarded a waiting bus immediately! As we guessed, the MK bus filled to capacity at the South depot, so it bypassed the West, North, and East depots altogether and went straight to MK. Just wanted to share this info for guests staying at POR so they can avoid the headaches we encountered. (As a side note, we went to City Hall in MK since arriving so late made us miss one of our FP+ reservations, and they made it available for us to use at anytime that day.) - Alex and Kim

Some may not know that there's a Disney grocery delivery service for the Fort Wilderness cabins. If you're a cabin guest, you can pre-order a pantry full of fresh groceries days and even months before you arrive and they'll be ready to enjoy the moment you arrive! Choose from the pre-selected list of popular grocery items and submit your order, along with your cabin reservation details, in one of three ways: by email, fax, or US mail. Your cabin will be stocked with your selections after 5 p.m. on the day you check in. You can find the details HERE. - Erin Blackwell

We've run a tip about distilled water before, but Albert G reminds us: Before my last trip in December 2016 I looked everywhere to find out where I could purchase distilled water for my CPAP machine without going offsite. We used the Magical Express and didn't have a car. Taxi cab and Garden Grocer seemed a little expensive for a gallon of water. Even the Disney Mom's Panel said that there is nowhere onsite to purchase distilled water. I decided to ask a cast member at Pop Century and found that they indeed do stock distilled water by the gallon, it's just not out on the shelves. You have to ask and they will be more than happy to get it from the back, and the cost isn't bad. I got sick on my previous trip without water in my machine. I'm not sure if all the resorts sell it, but it's worth asking for.

Remember to ask for fragrance-free products in your hotel room if you are sensitive or have allergies. I don't know whether it was because I specified no fragranced cleaning products in our DVC villa or if Disney has switched across the board, but we had two boxes of "free and clear" laundry detergent available for our washer at Saratoga Springs during our New Year's trip. It was a very welcome touch. - Cheryl Howe

Many people do not know, but Disney now sells battery power packs through FuelRod in at least one location in every park (there are four in Magic Kingdom), Disney Springs and ESPN Wide World of Sports. They're about $30, but that price gives you a lifetime membership to any FuelRod terminal around the country. Their chargers can be switched out for fresh ones a limitless number of times per day. - Amanda

Remember to bring spare power packs for your phones. Because of so many people being in the parks, phones die quickly because they are constantly looking for a signal... even with the WiFi in the parks, it still takes up a lot of battery power. I think people tend to forget that these "smartphones" die so quickly. - Anna Kirch

MNSSHP - After making the mistake of going to another park before the Halloween party (we ended up exhausted), we now go to a water park, Disney Springs or just enjoy our resort beforehand. We go to the Magic Kingdom for the Halloween Party at 4 p.m. and everyone is ready for a fun evening. - Kathy Craig

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

MNSSHP - For those with food allergies who are worried about trick-or-treating at an upcoming Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, don't be. I have severe food allergies and wasn't going to bother trick-or-treating. However, I overheard a Cast Member telling a family in front of me that if they went to City Hall, they could request allergen-friendly candies. I took my trick-or-treat bag and true enough, there were the candies. They present you with a chart of allergen-friendly candies, from which you can pick a few or all. - Laura

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

If you're concerned about your kids sweating away under layers of Halloween costumes, make smarter costumes. Assemble or sew your costumes from real fabrics rather than the cheap non-breathable polyester of store-bought costumes; avoid uncomfortable wigs, hats, masks and props that you'll end up carrying by the end of the night; use face paint to create a memorable look instead of relying on layers of clothes; wear a costume that incorporates a bag or backpack so it does double duty; and consider costume themes that are appropriate for warm weather like safari guides or surfers... You don't have to be a seamstress (although if you are, that's great) -- you can assemble your own costumes from thrift stores, or sales and clearance items. We've been attending MNSSHP in themed, homemade costumes for 10 years. Among our costumes: pirates, sorcerers, ancient Romans, the casts of Scooby-Doo and the Wizard of Oz (OK, I'll admit, our Cowardly Lion costume was very, very warm). This past year, we used old formal clothes and lots of face paint to look like the Mexican Dia de los Muertos. Every year we've learned more about how to make costumes that are both comfortable and distinctive. What makes the MNSSHP so special is seeing all the guests in costumes, with their creativity unleashed. - Jeremy Jacobs