Tip Tuesday: Things to keep with you while at WDW

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Planning, planning, planning.

If you're been reading this blog, you know I'm a big fan of pre-trip planning. While I'm not one to rigidly follow a touring plan, it is a good idea to have as much information as possible on-hand while in the parks.

Here are some of the things you need to be able to quickly pull out, should the situation arise:

• ADR dates/time and confirmation numbers - Even though I've never personally had an issue with an ADR, that doesn't mean problems sometimes arise. There's a reason you are given a confirmation number when you make an ADR.
• Park Hours - It's tough to enjoy a park when it's closed. Knowing when parks open can help you make it to some of those important rope-drops.
• Extra Magic Hours (for guests staying on-property). Yes, you can find out this information once you get to the resort, but it's more helpful to have this information already recorded in some fashion.
• Rehabs/closings - some attractions may be down for refurbishment or maintenance. If you know ahead of time, it will help make your touring a bit smoother.

Before the days of Blackberries and iPhones, I used to make a business-sized card with all this information (usually heavily condensed with a lot of acronyms). This would go into my wallet so I could refer to it at any time.

Now, I just make a calendar entry in my Blackberry for each day during my trip called "Park Hours," listing the hours for each park, including EMH. I make additional entries for any ADR's and a third for key refurbs and other notes. Yes, there are "apps for that," but I think it's better to go through the exercise of adding this information yourself. It helps you to begin some of your plans for touring the parks. I'll talk about touring plans in a future Tip Tuesday post.

Where can you get some of this information? All park hours and Extra Magic Hours are listed on the Walt Disney World Web site.

This does not include some safety measures when it comes to your children. I'll talk about that in an upcoming post.

I know to some of you seasoned WDW vets, this will sound like a no-brainer. But for many who are experiencing Walt Disney World for the first (or even second, third or fourth) time, these little bits of handy information can make a huge difference in ensuring a smooth vacation.