Tips about Planning and Water Parks

We are leaving on our 6th trip to WDW and are taking 13 others with us! Something new we are doing this year....we have made 1 reservation a day for everyone (Hoop De Doo, Crystal Palace, Fantasmic, Cinderella's Breakfast......) so to make it easy for everyone we made a spread sheet of sorts with the whole week (calendar look to it) and put all of our confirmation numbers for each day at each location with times included (hotels also). Then we reduced it to a credit card size (still readable) and laminated it. That way everyone in the party has a copy and it is easily accessible!!!! - Gaylia Laird

When planning my vacation, I got a calendar that you can write on, and put on the calendar when to call for dining reservations, reminders to buy things for vacations, phone numbers, anything related to the vacation. Anytime I thought of something related to the vacation I wrote it on. I even wrote confirmation numbers on it so they would all be in the same place. This is a great way to keep reminders for vacation planning. - Donna Rebholz

Print out adhesive address labels of everyone you will be sending postcards to on your trip. You will wind up carrying one sheet of paper with you instead of an address book, and won't forget anyone in your vacation frenzy! - Victoria L. Moynihan

I went on a Disney Trip with many people and I suggest this for anyone who is traveling in a larger group from one location. Each of us made a little gift for each person. We made notes, bags of candy, tapes with our favorite Disney songs, coloring pages, games, and pictures. Then before the flight each person put their gifts in everyone else's bags. It added a lot of excitement to have a plane packet. My gift was a little more complex, but it was great. It was a journal that had quotes, pictures, photos, maps, and brochure clippings pasted inside. Everyone on the trip wrote in them. Another tip is to have a pre-party a week or two before the trip. We did this before our cruise. We played games, had dinner, read through books and researched little things and just discussed everything. Then we had a post party to look at pictures and videos. - Lindsay

We love to visit WDW over the Christmas holidays. In fact, I've already booked our 2 week December Wilderness Lodge trip. As you know, the holiday season rates at the resorts are out of this world. A few years ago we just happened to stumble on the fact that the rate you receive for your entire stay is based upon what "season" it is when you check in. Thanks to this little known fact, we are checking in on December 20th (the last day of value season) and receiving the value season rate for our entire 13 night stay! By arriving on the 20th (instead of the 21st) we are saving hundreds of dollars. - DZNYNUT35

I was recently unable to book a room for the nights of 2/9 -2/10 to no avail. Then I started asking for the whole week and many things became available. When it became time to pay for the entire trip, I just had them cancel the other days and I kept the nights that I wanted. - Roxanne Stritt

To save yourself some money, and avoid the grocery trip on the way in, send yourself a package via UPS to your hotel. Mark on the package: hold until guest arrival xx/xx/xx (the date). Package up whatever you like to eat: cereals, Parmalat milk, crackers, juice boxes, etc! - Dorothy Kurz

At WDW, it is difficult to save both time and money. Usually you have to spend one to save the other. Figure out which is more important to you, and plan accordingly. For instance, buses will take longer than driving, but will save you the cost of a rental car and parking fees. - Jen Kitchen

I just returned from WDW and have a tip for those travelers wanting ideas on what to do outside the parks during the shortened hours! We were able to do lots of things we never found time for on previous trips. Our favorite is to play mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens! This is a total blast! The easiest way to get there for folks staying on Disney property is to take the boat from Epcot (International Gateway) or the boat at Disney's Hollywood Studios (no park admission required for either) to the Swan/Dolphin Resorts. The boat lets you off at a dock right between the two resorts. Instead of entering the Swan (like we'd done on a previous trip), walk outside, around the lake and past the little beach area to the sidewalk that leads right to the road. This brings you almost directly across from Fantasia you only have to cross the street! You easily cut 20 minutes of walking by not going in the hotel itself. No one we asked were able to give us these step-by-step instructions, even though we talked to the information desk at Port Orleans Riverside, to various bus drivers and to the people manning the boats. Lucky for us we just happened on the short cut! - Christie Falck

[Unless you have a car] don't attempt to go to the Winter Summerland miniature golf course at Blizzard Beach after BB closes. No buses travel there after BB closes (which is either 5 or 6 p.m.), so you have to take a taxi or a "short walk" from Coronado Springs to get there. But the "short walk" is 25 minutes along a highway. Go in the morning or afternoon, instead. - Jennifer Beck

I wanted to share our fantastic -- and surprising -- experience from our recent WDW visit (December 1-8). My husband and I wanted to skip the water parks because we were so focused on the "real" parks, but we were vetoed by our four children (ages 11, 9, 6, and 3). After a lot of debate, we decided to do 1/2 a day at Blizzard Beach. We got there one hour before it opened and were the first ones there!! So they told us we were the 'First Family' and that made us the Ski Captains of the Day. We got in 1/2 hour early, got a medal, a giant free refillable mug, free locker, free towels, and a covered cabana to use! Then Fred (DH) and Matthew (9) opened the park for everyone else by being the first ones down Summit Plummet. The kids strutted around like royalty! We loved the family raft ride 3-year-old Noah was beside himself with the giggles! All in all it made for a memorable day! - Kelly Schweiger

During a recent visit, we were very happy to learn that we could purchase an "all-you-can-drink" mug at Typhoon Lagoon (the cost was $9-ish). Besides saving money on the day we purchased it, we can "renew" the mug for $5.50 on return days at ANY of the water parks, and we were assured that the deal is good for life!! - Kathy Buckley of Windsor, CO

Don't throw out those popcorn buckets! They make excellent protection in your luggage for small breakable souvenirs, such as glass ornaments.- Lori Welch

I have one more tip related to Mary Cronin's idea. I hate walking on my treadmill. Has anyone actually recorded the walk from Spaceship Earth to the American Adventure to play back while walking the treadmill at home? My tape would always have to include a stop at Boulangerie Patisserie in France! YUM! - "Jungle" Jim Sirks

I read Mary Cronin's advisory to walk in order to be in shape for WDW, and I couldn't agree more. My wife and I are in our mid-50s and we have always wondered just how far we really do walk while at WDW, so we bought a pedometer and I wore it on our trip October 18-25. On the 18th and the 25th, our walking was limited to three hours each day due to our arrival and departure from WDW. Our first full day, which included Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, we logged 8 miles -- for the week we were just shy of 40 miles! Believe me, we do not race around the parks. We walk at a normal pace, and we were astounded at the total. Our advice: start walking. - William Kested EDITOR'S NOTE: ALWAYS be sure to break in any new pair of shoes/sneakers you have purchased for your trip.