Pro Tip 7

Pro Tip #7

Photopasses are handed out at every park; however, at the water parks they give you a smaller photopass on a bracelet that you can wear as you play. They also give you this same photopass when you visit TinkerBell at the Magic Kingdom. This is the most convenient photopass since it is easily accessible when you wish to jump in and get a quick pic. So if you plan on making a visit to TinkerBell do it early so that you can use this more convenient photopass for the rest of you trip. Remember, you do not need a photopass card each day you can continue to use the same photopass card.

If you happen to log on to DisneyPhotoPass and enter the card while on your trip, your new pictures will appear in your directory each time a new picture is taken. This is a great way to share your trip with your family and friends. Simply give them access to your photopass account and as you add new pictures, they will be able to share in your adventures during your stay!

ProTip 6 - Late

ProTip 6

Sorry this is late but believe it or not I was actually at the parks and I was just too excited to write. Here's the tip, such that it is:

Photopass photographers. Disney's photopass personal are all over the parks, and often have some primo spots staked out. One thing you should know is that even though Disney wants to sell you on their photopass system (and although the prices are high there are sone good points too) you can ask any photopass personal to take tour picture with your camera. This means you can get the same picture of your entire family, including the one who normally is always behind the lens, for free. It is great and it's a good perk. We have seen photopass people take pictures with their cameras and a stack of cameras provided by the group being photographed. Give it a try!

P.S. There ate great Photopass write ups on several different sites.


-- From the 999th ghost's mobile!

Special Events at Walt Disney World

In the past two years my family and I have been fortunate enough to attend several unique and not so unique events at the Walt Disney World Resort. We received tickets to be at the filming of the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade Filming (actually filmed on consecutive weekends in November. We were not there for the actual parade but for the concerts that are shown from the base of the castle between the parades. After arriving at the park at 6:45 AM and being crammed into the audience area for over an hour (literally having to shield my children from the mosh pit that ensued. We finally decided to get out and simply walk that park. The picture the right was taken at 4:00 PM while the filming was still ongoing. These were the choral singers who were backing up I can't remember who. Either way, we would have been in that mosh pit for ten hours by this time with no break and no way out once the filming began. We could hear them starting and stopping songs over and over to get just the right angle on the performer and just the right response from the crowd. It was awful and absolutely one of the worst experiences I was not really a part of.

The year before we attended the Epcot rededication ceremony, which turned out to be quite disorganized for a Disney event. It was performed at the Innoventions Fountain, and although it should have been fun and exciting, it was none of those. We again left and went to do something else. Although we purchased many of the once in a lifetime bits of merchandise. We saw most of the items for sale over the next few months on other trips to Epcot.

This past year we did an amazing Christmas Trip. We decided to attend the park the weekend before Christmas. Although we new the crowds would be heavy, according to the Touringplans.com website there was a brief window when most travelers would not be arriving and we would have moderate instead of insane crowds. We purchased Very Merry Christmas Tickets and planned to do MVMCP at the Magic Kingdom on Friday, Christmas Around the World and the Candlelight Precessional at Epcot on Saturday, and finally end it all with the Osborne Family Lights at Hollywood Studios on Sunday before we left.

What ensued was an amazing yet bittersweet weekend. We have decided that the special parties end up being expensive cookies and cocoa trips. Most of the unique events that are reserved for the parties are being shown to all guests on non party nights. For example, the lighting of the

icicle lights on Cinderella's Castle occurs every night, special party or not. We have been told that Christmas Wishes was conducted on non party nights, and we have found that many guests were not wearing wristbands while there suggesting that they were not ticketed for the event. They have oversold these events so much that you need to arrive at the special events very early and still there will be few decent seats. Moreover, there is less and less value for the events. The first time we attended in 2005, we received free portraits and other goodies, while the only included extra this past year was a sugar cookie and burn your mouth hot cocoa.

We faired much better at the other two events with the Candlelight Precessional being one of the most memorable events to date. So much so, that we are going back again this year. However, this time when we go, we will see John Hurley of Sienfeld and Dancing with the Stars fame since we believe he will be even more inspiring. We did book a dinner package to reserve our seats, but found that it did very little to ease the burden of waiting in line for the show. As always, the Osborne lights were amazing and truly are the one thing you can see without worry of the crowds. It was beautiful and exciting, but after walking them for about 30 minutes, that was probably enough. Too bad we sat on the Streets of America for an hour

waiting for sunset. It was the end of a busy weekend and we just didn't have the patience to stand through another line for one more attraction before seeing the show.

In that same year we hit a Pirates and Princess party. Although we did arrive with our entire party in pirate and princess dress, the party was again a let down. We collected our bag of cheap necklaces and candy (and we now understand there is no candy), went to the dance parties, waited in line to meet Captain Jack Sparrow (worth every minute though he was great) and did manage to see both the parade (excellent but not that different than the Halloween Parade) and the Pirate Wishes. The next month we were invited (translation someone else paid) to go to the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Wearing the same costumes from the previous party we trucked in to trick or treat (we hit them all), dance . . . .again . . . see the parade and wishes. Aside from the excellent decorations, we were again let down .

The parties seem to give less and less each time we go. So this year, we have purposefully decided that we will not attend another party for at least two years. We need to get some distance between us and the parties. Next we need to see that they are going to offer something more. We do plan on attending the parks during each season, and although we will not sneak into a party, we will stay late on the evening when there isn't a party just to see how close the evening without a party matches a party evening.

I will confess, the grave digger sequence in the Not So Scary Halloween Party is unbelievable especially if they are in front of you when the do their sparkling dance with their shovels. It was awesome, but not $50 worth of awesome.

ProTip 5

ProTip 5

Many hotels have a fridge with a freezer. Throw a couple of water bottles into the freezer the evening before you go. The next morning when you are packing your backpack to go, place tow bottles in the lower portion of your backpack so that when you wear it, the bottles are right up against your back. As you walk you will have a built-in air-conditioner. As the bottles melt you will also have an ice cold beverage whenever you stop.


-- From the 999th ghost's mobile!

Pro Tip 3 and 4

Tip 3

Bathroom breaks.

If you are bringing kids and your part size is more than three, you are going to spend a substancial amount of time looking for and using the potty. If you are not careful, it can monopolize your day. One way around this is to synchronize the potty. Whoever is the first person to need to go (and I would set this schedule with the smallest bladder) make a stop bit require that everyone go and evacuate whatever they have in there. Some kids will complain but the rule stands. As your party size increases this becomes more and more important.

Tip 4

Baby Care Center

Every park has a baby care center which provides large air conditioned spaces for changing babies with excellent theming and sanitized conditions. They also provide quiet rooms for nursing mothers, a small store to purchase baby supplies and high quality home styled high chairs for feeding babies. Further they have a TV room with classic movies playing, comfy chairs and a coloring table for siblings or older children who need a break. The center is seldom crowded and can be a welcome break when traveling with babies.


-- From the 999th ghost's mobile!

Pro Tips 1 and 2

Pro Tips

Going to the parks has its advantages and disadvantages. First it’s an expensive endeavor unless you are quite careful and have cooperative children. One important advantage is that you wrack up some great ideas and rituals for going to the park. In my weekly Pro Tip Column, I will share with you one or two tips every Friday to help you build a great trip.

Tip #1:

For most of the year in Florida, you are going to sweat while you are at the

park. If you have children, this means trying to push lots of fluids to keep them hydrated while doing the same for yourself. Although most people know to bring in some water bottles, by the end of the day, when you are walking out to that huge parking lot, you are probably nearly out of all your provisions and anything your brought with you is now warm. Whether you are driving an hour to get back to Tampa or fifteen minutes to get back to the hotel, dealing with tired and hot children/adults can be tough. So plan ahead. ON the way to the park, pack a small cooler with some sodas, juice bags, water bottles and some ice or cool packs. When you return to the car and get everyone situated, you can then reward them with some icy cold refreshment for the ride back. Works wonders!

Tip #2:

It rains in Florida, a lot. Disney loves to break out the ponchos at every cash register the moment the drops start falling. Trying to keep every part of you dry is hopeless. However, there is one thing I would highly recommend you consider even if you using a raincoats and ponchos. Bring several sizes of zip-lock bags. Snack and sandwich sizes are great but a couple of quart and gallon would be helpful too. With all the cell phones, small cameras, and other electronics making their way into the parks nowadays, finding some quick protection for them is really important. Whether you are about to get soaked on Splash Mountain, or if you happen to catch a surprise wave at Pirates of the Caribbean, it is no fun to get on the ride and realize you are still holding your iPhone. So keep a ziplock in your back pocket and a couple of extras in your backpack.

If you are a regular you may want to invest in a waterproof bag specifically made for your device. You won’t have to worry at all and your device is still accessible while in the bag. Aquapac makes an assortment of waterproof bags for cameras and phones

that will still allow you to use your device while stowed. You will notice in the picture that the case on the right has a small bulge. This is for those compact zoom cameras to allow the extension of their lens into the bag without damaging the camera.

Whether you are going to use a ziplock or a dedicated waterproof case, it is always a good idea to get some desiccates to have on hand. Desiccates are small pouches that contain a water absorbing material that will dry out the inside of the pouch. Even if you place your camera or phone in a dry bag, you may find that once inside that

condensation will form inside the bag. The small pouch will keep the inside of the bag dry as a bone. Besides the obvious protection this offers it also makes it easier to get your phone or camera in and out of the bag.

The Cool Club Cups

Not so secret, secrets!

This is the first of a multipart series on secrets in the parks. Most of these are not secrets at all, but having traveled with children through the parks, we have discovered some wonderful little tid bits that you might enjoy that are not particularly well known. Here is part 1.

The Cool Club

When going to Epcot, everyone needs to take some time to stop at the Cool Club. Located behind Fountain View in Innovantions West, Cool Club is one of the last stops you can have before crossing over into the World Showcase. It is across from the main fountain and has two entrances. If you are bringing a stroller through, only the main entrance has a ramp. For parents with children who can walk, you might want to note that strollers might be very awkward in this location.

The Cool Club is sponsored by Coca Cola so you will notice plenty of Coca Cola merchandise along with an assorted array of American Idol swag as well. However, the real fun is the variety of soft drinks from around the globe. There are several vending stations providing little sampling cups for you to try out as many of these little gems as you wish. The beverages go from ultra sweet to “how can they possibly drink this stuff”. Its a great spot to cool off and its fun for the whole family.

In fact, here is a great little hint. The first thing you should do if you have any child that is in a stroller is to grab a stack of those little cups. They are the perfect size for little hands and you can spend the rest of the day filling them with little snacks. When you stop at a restaurant you can break up their nuggets and put little pieces in each cup and play little cup games. I know it sounds ridiculous, but you would be surprised how handy those little cups become throughout your stay. We usually get a bunch and store them in the bottom of the stroller for using at other parks during our stays.

Now for the secret. In the back of the store they sell souvenir cups that you can have filled with their slushy drink. This is not unique to Epcot. They sell souvenir cups at several parks that have slushy drinks like the Lunching Pad at Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. However the Epcot cups are unique and can only be bought at the Cool Club. They come with interchangeable feet and hats. They feature Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Stitch, and “Princess”.

What makes these cups great is that they are slightly insulated and very rugged. If you get there on the right day they will have bendy straws as well. The cups are exactly 22 ounces and have a separate screw down top to prevent spills. With their hat in place, they are almost spill proof. Trust me, my kids have tried. The base of the cups are tapered and fit almost perfectly into all of the stroller cup holders we have tried. In fact they fit very tightly in to the tray’s cup holder for my child so there is little chance it will fall out even when bumped by unaware *cough* rude *cough* guests.

Even better, the feet come off and make a perfect bowl for snacks and are wide enough that they won’t easily fall out of the tray of a stroller. My children, especially the four year old” love this and will often prepare her cup to receive her drink and snack. If you are renting a Disney stroller, the bases of the Mickey, Stitch, and Goofy feet are wide enough that your child can set the cup down between his legs and it will be very stable for most strolling around the parks.

Since they are 22 ounces all regular soft drinks that you buy in the parks fit perfectly into the cups, and can also be refilled with water at any water fountain. So as you go around the park you can pour your drinks into these and know that you have a nice stable cup that will help keep those drinks just a little extra cool during the hot summer and warm spring days. Although they are not cheap, around $8 for them filled with a slushy, they are very reusable and the kids like to have them. It solves the “which drink is mine” debate that inevitably ensues if you have more than one, and helps you push fluids on those kids to keep them hydrated.

I have asked several Disney employees to dispense a soft drink directly into the cups, but due to food dispensing laws, they all refuse. Be aware, Disney is experimenting with some free refill stations in Hollywood Studios and Epcot, but as a rule there are no free or discount refills anywhere in the parks. When I say that these cups can be refilled, I mean that you can purchase a drink and use these cups instead of the paper cups.