Little Touches

[Raidra]

What are some small things that you do to make your vacation extra special?

Our budget is really tight so we won't be doing a lot of spendy things like character meals (TBH, we probably would have only done one TS dinner even if price wasn't an option), buying tons of souvenirs, etc. So I'm looking for small things I can do to make our vacation really magical. We haven't been on a vacation in almost five years, and it will probably be a few more years before we can do another vacation after this one. I'm not putting any pressure on the kids to see everything, but I certainly don't mind putting some effort into doing special things for them.

Some things I'm planning on doing are buying stuff at the dollar store or on clearance at the Disney Store, letting the kids help decorate our window at ASMu, letting the kids decorate Mousekeeping tip envelopes, getting lots of glow bracelets and having the kids share with others in the park. If I get any time in the room without the kids (ie, if I send them on ahead with my husband in the morning), I might try to set up their toys or stuffed animals in case we don't get any nifty stuff like that from the housekeepers.

Everything is going to be brand new for the kids, so I don't know that they'd get a big kick out of stuff like Hidden Mickeys (anything subtle will probably go right over their heads), but maybe there are other neat things to look for in the parks that they might like?

Oh, and we're surprising them (they think we're going to FL to visit Grandma), so we can't do anything Disney-related with them beforehand.

[liz]

Can I just say how EXCITED the kids were when I pulled out the glowstick bracelets out every night while we were at the parks? Seriously, Target has a package of 15 for 1$. They were a big hit.

It sounds like you have some great ideas. Honestly, there will be so much to do and see, I don't think you need to do anymore.

[alien_host]

I brought a few Disney souveniers with us that I bought at the Target $ spot or on sale at the disney store. I also brought our own glow sticks and necklaces.

I got her new Disney PJs at the Disney Store for about $8-$10 a pair. Very cute and I suprised her on two nights with new jammies.

You can also find T-shirts a lot cheaper at the Disney Store. I got her 1 for $5 that she wore down there.

Little notebooks at the dollar spot, stickers etc were great too to bring out at restaurants or to use while waiting in line. I found some inexpensive crazy 8/go fish cards in Disney themes at the Dollar Store.

I also brought down Disney themed fruit snacks for treats in the park.

I also got some small Crayola coloring sheets that had 5-6 markers. Those were fab on the plane/restaurants. They are about 4x6 inches and there are a lot of coloring pages in each set. They had Toy Story, Princess and Cars. I found it at AC Moore, but that was last winter. I think I've seen them at Walgreens near the greeting cards. I think regular price is $6 a pack and you can use a coupon at AC Moore. I found a link http://www.crayolastore.com/product_...7CSEO%7CGB%7C&.

You can ask for Mickey Head stickers at the front desk of your resort for free.

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You could play I Spy while waiting in line. Do a scavenger hunt with the kids to find certain landmarks or characters.

My DD loves the Maps that you get at the entrance. I always grab a few extra to have as souveniers. She continues to look at them at home.

I'll post back if I think of other things. Have fun!

[Raidra]

I brought a few Disney souveniers with us that I bought at the Target $ spot or on sale at the disney store. I also brought our own glow sticks and necklaces.

I got her new Disney PJs at the Disney Store for about $8-$10 a pair. Very cute and I suprised her on two nights with new jammies.

You can also find T-shirts a lot cheaper at the Disney Store. I got her 1 for $5 that she wore down there.

Little notebooks at the dollar spot, stickers etc were great too to bring out at restaurants or to use while waiting in line. I found some inexpensive crazy 8/go fish cards in Disney themes at the Dollar Store.

I also brought down Disney themed fruit snacks for treats in the park.

I also got some small Crayola coloring sheets that had 5-6 markers. Those were fab on the plane/restaurants. They are about 4x6 inches and there are a lot of coloring pages in each set. They had Toy Story, Princess and Cars. I found it at AC Moore, but that was last winter. I think I've seen them at Walgreens near the greeting cards. I think regular price is $6 a pack and you can use a coupon at AC Moore. I found a link http://www.crayolastore.com/product_...7CSEO%7CGB%7C&.

You can ask for Mickey Head stickers at the front desk of your resort for free.

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You could play I Spy while waiting in line. Do a scavenger hunt with the kids to find certain landmarks or characters.

My DD loves the Maps that you get at the entrance. I always grab a few extra to have as souveniers. She continues to look at them at home.

I'll post back if I think of other things. Have fun!

Great ideas! I especially love the scavenger hunt for landmarks (I think they'd be disappointed if they didn't find all the characters on the list). I could print out images ahead of time and maybe even laminate it (they love dry erase markers). I tried Googling a list of landmarks but didn't find anything.. any suggestions? I can figure out the big ones, but it's been over ten years since I've been, so I need some help.

Thanks!

[crl]

DS LOVED his autograph book, he had all the characters he met sign it and we got some great pictures. I bought an official one from the Disney store online ahead of time using a code for free shipping, I don't think it was terribly expensive, but you could probably find blank notebooks for even less.

Catherine

[Twoboos]

I'm watching this thread for our trip to DL in April!

Target has some Disney tshirts on clearance. And also some new ones that are regular price (I think $7.99?) I also saw that Old Navy has Disney shirts on clearance, plus an add'l 25% off clearance online so probably more in a regular store.

And the Disney store also had tshirts on clearance. (And always the ones I want are NOT in the sizes I need! ) I want to say those were $5.99.

[bubbaray]

I got about $500 worth of souvenirs from the Disney Store sale for $100 shipped. On the plane ride there, I had activity bags with various Target/WAlmart/Dollar store Disney things, coloring books, etc. On the 1st morning that the girls woke up in the hotel, they each had Minnie Mouse in bed with them (about 20" high??). I also purchased other souvenirs, can't remember. I got them a lot of clothing too, which I took with us as surprises.

The 2nd trip we did, I didn't pre-buy stuff and we spent a fortune there. Learned our lesson!

[TwinFoxes]

One thing I read about here, you can buy a "lot" of pins for trading from EBay for really cheap. Your older kids might get into pin trading.

You'd be surprised at how well kids can spot hidden Mickeys! My DDs see Mickey in any circle that had two circles near it.

Someone else here said they ran ahead and put stuffed Mickeys in the room so it looked like they were placed there by "Disney Magic".

What a wonderful dream come true for your kids!

[bubbaray]

Also, we make up binders of autograph sheets and take Sharpie pens -- they are easier for the characters to grab with "mitts" on.

[Momof3Labs]

Walgreens often has Disney light spinners with their holiday stuff for $3. More fun than glow necklaces but not the $18 park ones.

Hit thrift stores near you for WDW park plush for dirt cheap. I freeze them for a while and then wash before letting the kids have them.