Tips about Mousecellaneous, Resorts and Special Needs

I was all set with extra batteries on our last trip, however finding a screwdriver was the problem. I will be packing one of the all-in-one screwdrivers I found at the dollar store next trip. - Jennifer C.

All Resorts - If you have diabetes, let the cast member know that you will need a special container for used medical supplies when you check in to your hotel. After checking in at Boardwalk, within 10 minutes housekeeping was at our door with a small haz-mat container. One less thing to worry about! - Judy Peek

I found that there is a Disney Gift Card app for iPhones. This keeps track of what's left on your cards, and what the transactions are. I believe that it is only available for the iPhone. To get it, just go into the App Store on your iPhone and search for "Disney Gift Card app." It's a free app. I downloaded it and put in the info for our wrist cards, and it showed our balance. Real easy. I'm loving it already! One thing -- you have to pick a character for each card. I do not think that you can have the same image for two cards. - Dave Adams

Wilderness Lodge - We are staying at Wilderness Lodge and have a room overlooking the pool area. We also have a couple of kids and tired grownups who like to nap during the afternoon. Unfortunately, Wilderness Lodge has a daily pool party blasting loud music, so be aware and request a garden view if this will be a problem for you. Luckily, we have our sound machine to help drown out the noise, but I wish I had known this. I might have stayed elsewhere. - Melanie Drake

EDITOR'S NOTE: The main pools at many Disney resorts feature similar afternoon parties and poolside activities, which tend to be quite noisy.

Thank you so much for your WDW at large info! Like many others, I have tons of anxiety before amusement park visits, but your site put me at ease. Since it was so helpful to me, I wanted to share my experience at Disneyland Resort. I am a 310-lb. woman with large legs, hips and bottom, size 24/26. I was able to ride everything at Disneyland just fine. Yes, some rides such as Star Tours and Goofy's Sky School weren't super-roomy, but I fit with no problem. The tip of pulling out the seat belt before sitting down was very helpful. My advice: relax and go have a magical time! - Kate L.

ESPN Wide World of Sports now offers free high-speed internet throughout the complex including in the Baseball Quadraplex, Champion Stadium, Hess Sports Fields, the Jostens Center, HP Field House, Softball Diamondplex, Tennis Complex, Track & Field Complex and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. Simply connect your laptop or mobile device to the Hotspot SSID: Disney-Guest, accept the Terms of Service and you will then be automatically connected to Disney's network and have the ability to surf the web, check your email, Facebook and Twitter. - Rick

I just love reading the "Magical Moments" section of the AllEars® newsletter. As a former Disney College Program cast member I would like to remind everyone that if a cast member goes above and beyond in their service, it is greatly appreciated if you go to Guest Relations in the front of the park to let them know that someone made your day extra magical. That way you can make that cast member's day magical, too! It is a great way to give back. - Amanda Atilano

I like to make my hotel room feel a little more special by bringing in a small bouquet of flowers. You can buy these at the local supermarket for a few bucks. I always bring an old vase from home (which I leave at the hotel when I return home) and have a nice smelling and beautiful thing to come back to at the end of every day. - Amanda Bohning

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

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

Pop Century - We arrived at Pop Century before our room was ready. We were hot, tired and in need of a shower before hitting the parks, but had several hours before our room was available. On a whim, we checked around by the pool and found that there is a restroom with showers and changing facilities at each pool in Pop. So we got our suits and toiletries out of the car, had a quick swim and then the shower we so needed, and were still off to the parks two hours earlier than if we had waited for our room! - Becky Hecker

Polynesian Resort - In late August we had a character breakfast planned at 'Ohana. When our server greeted us and offered juice and coffee, on a whim I asked about getting a French press of 100 percent Kona coffee, which they serve over at Kona Cafe. The server had never served one herself, but was happy to oblige our request! The coffee was the same price as next door, $7.99 for the pot, and worth every penny. After enduring Nescafe for more than a week, the fresh Kona coffee was like liquid gold to us! It was so good that we nearly ordered a second pot of it. For $7.99 this is a great way to perfect the 'Ohana breakfast experience. The French press serves about four cups of coffee. And remember that this is 100 perent Kona, not a blend like at the coffee bar. - Doug H.

Port Orleans Riverside - We just returned from a trip to the World, staying at Port Orleans Riverside. My daughter wanted to get a hair wrap at the station located behind the hotel. The price listed was $2 per inch. I should have asked before we even started what all the charges would be, but I didn't, and once her hair was wrapped I was informed that we HAD to purchase $5 worth of beads -- any other beads would be an additional $5. After all the hair is wrapped and beaded, THEN they measure the hair. What I thought was going to be maybe a $20 cost ended up being $30... I was really disappointed in the whole transaction. Make sure you ask what ALL the charges will be before you get any hair wraps! - Sharmon S.