[Meltowne]

More thoughts - just talked about our last trip with the kids.

Pack for all possible weather. Bring ponchos or something similar in case it rains, or stop at the Walmart to get them once you're in Orlando if you don't have room in the luggage. If it's late fall, bring sweatshirts, even if the forecast is for warm weather (and even if you're from an area where it's colder).

Our last trip we were there 2 weeks in November (thanksgiving week and the week before). The first week the weather was beautiful, warm enough to use the pools. Then it suddenlygot cold. It was either Saturday or Sunday morning at Animal Kingdom when we saw a family that had made a very poor choice. They were an extended family, with 26 people. None had brought a sweatshirt - can't blame the kids, as I would guess the parents packed for them or told them what to bring. Here they all were in their brand new Disney sweatshirts, all 26 of them, all bought at gift-shop prices ($20-30 each). They had blown almost their entire souvenir budget the first morning of their visit. Don't get me wrong, the sweatshirts were nice, but I suspect the kids would have preferred something else, and I don't know how often some of the adults would wear them once they got home.

Don't let the same thing happen to you. If it does, stop at one of the cheap souvenir shops outside the parks for the sweatshirts, and save the $$$ for things you really want. It's tough when you're explained to your kids ahead of time that they have $20 for souvenirs of their choice, and then take that choice away from them- even if they get to pick the sweatshirt.