Best tips I got from these boards

[Tank]

Read these boards for two months and got some great ideas and thought I would share the ones that worked best for me.
1. Get there early. By far the best tip, got more done the first two hours the park was open than the rest of the day.
2. Fastpass. After I got the hang of it used 5 or 6 a day and saved me hours(literally) of waiting in lines.
3. Kidcot. Yes it does take time but my DD5 loved it. She still talks about all the countries and can't wait to take her mask to show and tell. My DW and I would take turns keeping an eye on her and the other got to see the countries and shows.
4. Diamond parking pass from AAA. For those of you unfamiliar with this, it is a preferred parking pass given to people who book through AAA. I didn't book my trip through them but when I heard about this I called and begged my AAA travel agent and she gave me one. This lets you park up front in all the lots right next to the handicap spots. Since we were using two strollers and had a diaper bag to boot this was great being able to walk to the park instead of taking the buses or trams.
5. Roomsavers.com Heard about this on the budget board. Got a room for the night before our checkin at ASM for $34. The people checking in right before me were paying $70 for the same room. Since we were using LOS passes we were able to stay the night before, check in as ASM at 9am and get a full day out of our pass. Since the room was so cheap we did this again on our check out day. Used the full day at the park then got a cheap room before heading out the next day.
This is getting long so I will stop at 5.

 

[wedindis'00]

to steal a line from a Grease song "tell us more, tell us more"

 

[disneyfan551]

I would love to hear more about roomsavers.com. I don't think I've even heard of them!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think the best tip I ever got here was to make sure to leave enough time to get from one place to another there, the distances are big.

 

[danny1649]

One of the best tips I got was go back to your resort for a after noon rest break,put your feet up and relax a while then go back to touring refreshed and ready to stay late if you want to.

 

[Disneycamper5]

I have read this tip and will add my two cents worth walk alot before going to WDW. I have a job where I am on my feet around 6 hrs everyday. I thought that I would have no problems. Boy was I wrong. I got blisters on the end on my toes. I was so tired by the end of the day I did not want to walk to our camper from the bus stop. My wife who is a secretary was even worse. We had to cut two of our evening short because of her feet being sore. We were both wearing good New Balance shoes as well.

 

[Muffy]

My tip is bring 2 pairs of worn in sneakers and mole skin. Also pack several pairs of cool max socks (Target sells them). Your feet will thank you after a few days of walking.

 

[disneyfan551]

Since we are talking about walking, I'll add my 2 cents... If you really want to be comfortable during all of the marathon walking, I recommend going to a shoe store that will fit you for the right shoes! If you find the right place, they will watch how you walk & stand in the shoe, and, in my case, tell me that I'm a "overpronator?". This helps them find the RIGHT pair of shoes for you, rather than the "pretty" ones! Let me tell you, it is well worth it at WDW, when your feet feel good!!!

HTH!

 

[mkandk]

Here is a tip that I have NOT read on these boards.

If you are worried about blisters, get a product called "BodyGlide". It costs about $6.95, looks like deodorant, and goes on like deodorant. Runners use it to keep from getting blisters ANYWHERE. Just put it on your feet in the morning, and I guarantee, no blisters.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Where do you buy "BodyGlide"? (Wal-mart,K-mart,Target) Would it be located in with deordorant and who makes it? I'm asking because on my Sept. visit I had good shoes but this time I got blisters on almost every toe, and on pads of my feet under toes, then one of my ankles swelled-up, it looked like I had elephant foot.

 

[wdwnut2]

I'm interested in where to find "Bodyglide" too!
My best tip from these boards was just where to look for all the little details (ex: the engagement ring at HM), so many things aren't ever discussed in guide books!

 

[MarkLem]

What is "kidcot"

I've never used bodyglide for blister prevention. I race traithlons and use it to get my wetsuit on/off more easily. ANy shop that sel's triathlon gear or wetsuits may have it.

 

[Tank]

Kidcot is a program for kids in World Showcase. They have a table or two set up in every country that the kids go to get their passports stamped or make a mask. My DD loved her mask, it is a cardboard cutout on a stick. In every country they give you a symbol of that country and attach it to your mask. They also write a greeting on a Sun symbol attacked to the mask that has each country listed. All the tables have markers, paint or stamps to decorate the masks. The CM's were great, they taught my DD how to say something in their language and told her about their country. It was her first introduction to geography and she loved it.(DD is only 5). What the DW and I loved was that she was excited about WS and we spent 3 evenings there. We took turns keeping an eye on her, my DW got to browse the shops and I got to browse the bakeries, lol.

 

[Beejayjay]

Originally posted by danny1649

...One of the best tips I got was go back to your resort for a after noon rest break, put your feet up and relax a while then go back to touring refreshed and ready to stay late if you want to...

I have to agree, this is such an obvious and simple tip, yet it has never even occured to me on my many previous Disney/Orlando trips... D'OH !!

However, my lady and I are taking her 2 boys, 12 and 10, over on boxing day for their first WDW vacation, so this could be a life saver. Especially as the younger boy, like so many of this video game/tv obsessed generation, gets tired walking to the PS2 to change games...

One question - having never done this before, I'm assuming all the parks allow easy re-entry except on special nights like Hallowen nights ? Am I right ? Any restrictions ? Do you have to be back in by a certain time (depending on the parks hours that day) ?