Your refillable mugs are not good in the parks, only at your resort, so don’t bother lugging them.
We usually drink at the water fountains. Saves hauling anything. Plan pit stops into your touring plan and every single time you do a bathroom break get a drink at water fountain. Water is,also free at all CS restaurants. All you have to do is ask…
Autograph books? Pennies for pressing? Dollar bills for FoW? Jewels for PhilHarmatic? Any of that kind of stuff you might want to pick up?
I always fill my refillable mug with mostly ice on my way out to the bus in the morning. As the ice melts I have a few hours of water and then when it is gone I throw it in my backpack. Then, I have my mug with me when I walk by the refill station on my way back to my room on my break.
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Honestly, one of the best investments we made for our trips are HydraFlasks. Each morning before we left for parks, we filled them as full as we could with ice and then filled the rest of the way with water. They’re cold through the entire day and then we refilled them as needed (carried a couple of large bottled waters in our backpack). I know Disney does free ice water, but to me it’s always had a bit of a funny taste, so I generally buy jugs of water for the room and some large bottles to take to the parks as refill water.
We also packed a first aid kits, as I’m sure you know that sometimes things just happen with kids. We made sure we had tylenol and pepto as well.
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Oh! I didn’t know the mugs were no good at the parks. Thank you!
I think I’ll pack one water bottle, and see how the first day goes. If we don’t use it much, I’ll leave it in the room for the rest of the trip.
Pennies!!! I need to find some shiny ones and get quarters. Totally forgot about that.
And what about jewels and dollar bills? We are planning on hitting the Philharmagic…is that a secret something?
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Ah, just found a forum thread on that. Sounds cute! Hope the dollar store has some - I don’t know if I’ll be able to hunt them down in time!
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Shiny is not as important as pre-1982. Pennies after 1982 are copper coated and can look streaky when pressed. There are various pressed penny websites that can better explain this and tell you how to clean them up before pressing.
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I just read the brilliant idea in a comment somewhere of Tinkerbell “visiting” every night and leaving a surprise. I LOVE this idea, and not simply because I won’t have to use dynamite to blast the kids out of bed in the morning. But that’s a nice perk!!
I just popped on Amazon and found: Star Wars coin purses (which they needed for their spending money, anyway), Stitch keychain, Perry the platypus xmas ornament (wanted one of those a while ago), Frozen temp tattoos, and a Nemo plush. Every one around $5 and will be delivered before departure. (Hot diggity, I love Prime). I will hit the dollar store for glow necklaces or wands or something for the day we do Wishes…I need one more tiny trinket I can pack on the sly. Suggestions?
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Fortunately, you won’t be there during a hot time, so you can get by without a water bottle and just ask for water at a quick service restaurant when needed. Also, you are not as likely to get blisters or go on water rides and get wet feet when the temps are cooler, so one pair of sneakers is probably fine. I think you are good to go! Have fun!
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Thanks! We have already warned the kids we aren’t going on water rides. It just would make for an uncomfortable day.
PACK YOUR PATIENCE - and I mean that will all sincerity. As your kids are small - they will throw a big snafu in the best plans!! GO WITH IT. If they want to sit and watch the duckies - watch the duckies. If they are hungry now but the ADR isn’t for another hour. EAT NOW (as best you can). If they are tired but your break isn’t until 3 (TAKE A BREAK NOW). My wife is Awesome at staying ahead of the kids so that we did always have fun and it wasn’t a Bataan Death March from ride to ride. If the kids want to split up (Space Mountain v Winnie the Pooh) do it and just catch up later. Just be flexible and ENJOY the moment. The main focus is to HAVE FUN - not to get on all the planned rides.
We always ate in the room as well (cheaper). But it allowed people to “wake up” more calmly and chill for a bit before we went out. We also had times when one kid was ready to go and the other wanted to sleep. So we would split up and meet later. My most favorite memory of a past vacation was when my daughter and I rode Winnie the Pooh 6 times in a row by ourselves. I kept wanting to do something else - but just being with her - and letter her call the shots was so much fun. It was one of the few times it was just her and I. So be FLEXIBLE.
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Thanks for the reinforcement! I’ve mentioned before that people would be amazed at how sparse my true planning is - I was even going to forego the FP+s, but people advised that I make them, even if we don’t actually use them. I am hoping that will be a benefit of going at a slower time of the year.
We’ve told the kids that the only thing we will HAVE to be on time for is ADRs, but they are to ask for a break whenever they feel they need or want one. We are going for the experience, not the attractions. This is the “Magical” trip. (And I do NOT want to come home physically and mentally exhausted from vacation).
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