Tips about Packing and Planning

For those staying at a value resort and driving, you might want to bring a small coffee maker if you have the room. Value resorts don't include coffee makers and if you are in a standard room at Art of Animation like we will be, it can be time-consuming to get that first cup of morning coffee. Standard rooms are a bit of a walk from the food court. We bought paper coffee cups and plastic spoons from our local "dollar store" and are bringing coffee, sugar and milk from home. I found a small coffee maker (5-cup maker) on clearance, so I have about $15 invested (not including coffee, sugar and milk, which I'd be using at home anyway) instead of almost $40 on refillable mugs, plus we can take the paper cups on our walk to the bus stop and just throw them out when we are done. - Lynn

Even when the weather dips down into the lower 70s or 60s in the evening, you may not feel the need to pack a jacket if you are taking a resort bus or a taxi. But if you decide to take one of the boats to a park (like to the Studios or Epcot) or resort (Port Orleans, Ft. Wilderness, etc.), it is important to bring that extra layer. The waters and the outdoor breeze make the air feel a little extra chilly! - Callie Conrad

Here's a money-saving tip: One year I made a point of packing every Disney shirt my kids owned when we headed to Disney World for vacation. My intention was that they would wear them just for fun in the parks. An unexpected benefit was that neither of them asked to buy a new Disney shirt as a souvenir! - Cathy

Here's a money-saving tip: One year I made a point of packing every Disney shirt my kids owned when we headed to Disney World for vacation. My intention was that they would wear them just for fun in the parks. An unexpected benefit was that neither of them asked to buy a new Disney shirt as a souvenir! - Cathy

If you're taking Disney's Magical Express, and having them drop off your luggage in your room, pack your carry-on bag like you would if you were staying overnight somewhere. It's so great to get to your room and take a shower, change your clothes, grab a quick lunch, and head to the parks without having to wait for your luggage to get there. Be sure to pack essential toiletries, a change of clothes, and maybe even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! - Ann Dunnington

Our most recent trip to Disney was a very busy one between extra activities and dinner reservations. Before leaving home, I prepared a schedule, which upon arrival I posted on the fridge (we stayed in a villa) with magnets I brought from home. This way, everyone knew where and when they needed to be somewhere. - Ann

Don't be afraid to use GoLynx, the public buses serving Orlando. Using the No. 50 gets you to Seaworld and I-Drive from the Ticket and Transportation Center and Disney Springs. The No. 111 is a direct bus to the Florida Mall. It's cheap, reliable and punctual, and way cheaper than shuttles or taxis. - Diane

Know the theme park closing schedule and schedule your non-hotel dinners before the buses make you route to Disney Springs to get back to your "home" hotel. We went from Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) to Disney Springs and back to All Star Music. That occurred starting at 10:45 p.m. We didn't make it to bed until just before 12:30 a.m. Fortunately we didn't have to be at Typhoon Lagoon until 10 a.m. the next day. - Rudy Costa EDITOR'S NOTE: Sometimes it is in your best interest to use the taxi service for late evening transportation from resort to resort. Cost is usually under $20.

My family has been going to WDW since 1971, so needless to say there are occasions when we are looking for things to do that are outside of the parks, but still in the World. After I read Jack Spence's article on thinking "outside the box," my family came up with this idea that we are going to do over the Labor Day weekend. Prior to our trip we will put the names of the three monorail resort hotels in a hat and each of us will draw a name. Then, on our first evening, after dinner, we will ride the monorail, stopping at each resort hotel, and the person with that hotel name will get to select a "dessert" at a quick stop location to share with the group back in our hotel room. No one knows what was selected and it continues the party well into the evening after leaving the parks. - Betsy Vancura

Pack all your clothes in your carry-on. It can be done. We did it this past spring and saved $90. I used this money to purchase stuff at Disney World. Most air lines allow one carry-on per person weighing up to 40 lbs. If you do your packing right you should be able to fit a lot in. - Cecilia Dandrea

To save on baby items and checked baggage, ship a box to your resort ahead of time with diapers, wipes, formula, etc. (freeing up the need to check another paid bag). - Angela Manzi

Everyone knows that when you arrive at Disney you want to see everything. It is extremely difficult to predict what the crowds will be like and how fast or slow lines will be moving, though. No one wants to be disappointed by missing out on the one thing they wanted to do the most. We traveled to Disney with my sister's family (at the time they had a 2-year-old) and my family (three children ages 5, 7 and 9). Each night we would sit down and look at the map for the park we were going to the next day. Everyone got to pick one thing that was tops on their list to see (usually there would be duplication) and then everyone got to make two other suggestions. We then ranked them, so everyone's top priority was on the list and then other suggestions, depending on their number of votes, got put on the list after that. Therefore, everyone got to do at least the one thing they were looking forward to doing the most and usually one or two more things that were high on their list. It did take some advanced planning but was well worth it. It also made the kids feel like they were making a significant contribution to the vacation planning. - Heidi Koll-Pio

My tip is to take a deep breath, relax, and let the magic come to YOU. So many people go to Disney World frantically searching for it and hunting it down, meanwhile they're missing it! It's passing them right by. The most magical moments happen when you least expect them. Experiencing the magic that happens shouldn't be stressful. It shouldn't be work or effort. People who have never been, hear so much about other people's experiences and memories. My tip for them is don't go looking for those particular things that you've heard about. So much can happen there -- let your OWN memories happen. Forget about what other people experience. You'll have your own stories to tell when you get back. And for people who have been a million times, they might go back trying to recapture the fond memories they've had from past trips. So my tip to them is keep those experiences as fond memories and every time you go back, create NEW memories. Just let the magic happen. Don't force it and don't rush it, because believe me, it WILL happen. - Twincess

Just wanted to mention that readers of this newsletter in the UK can use MouseFanTravel.com to get quotes or book trips to WDW (as well as those readers in the US). The prices are very competitive and often better offers or packages are available than here in the UK. It seems that some of the deals that Disney offers are not recognised by UK travel agents. - Mark Burden, Dorset, UK

For small children who are not used to a double bed, but are too big for the pack-and-play, a great solution is a "nap mat" or blow up bed that can be packed and taken to the World with you. We honor the room head count restriction, of course, but instead of making them sleep together in an unfamiliar double bed, each child gets their own familiar blow-up bed, and the extra bed becomes our gear sorting/storing/organizing area. We have done this on more than one trip, and have never had a problem. - Naomi