Little Touches

[alien_host]

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!

You could do these customized maps....they are free. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/maps/

I guess landmarks might be hard...most of the rides are landmarks, sort of.

Maybe you could have a scavenger list with things like:

1) Someone eating a Mickey Ears Ice Cream
2) Someone carrying a Mickey head balloon in X color
3) A sleeping child
4) A green stroller

etc...

DD also adored doing the autograph books and it's been 8 months since our trip and she still looks through it at least weekly. We also bought one there but you could get something in advance.

I agree w/ bubbaray that Sharpies are great, especially the "click out" ones (like a pen) since there is no cap, I got that tip here Just be careful on thinner paper b/c the sharpie will bleed through.

[AnnieW625]

We've only done Disneyland, but I agree with all of the other posters about buying stuff ahead of time. Growing up I was all about the Mickey ears hat, so DD1 got one on her first trip to DL, and DD2 will get the same.

DH's grandma got DD1 some really cute Tinker Bell jammies at Wal Mart this past Christmas.

I think if you are going to be there for more than a day I bet one of the large soda mugs will pay for itself if you aren't doing the dining plan. I know my grandma would get my brother and I one and we'd share it all day and then it was our souvenir.

Cute shirts, JTs mom. I couldn't see DH giving into the family shirt theme, but I know I could do something like that for the girls.

[Raidra]

Ok, don't laugh, I'm not a seamstress!
http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin...ghlight=shirts

I made more last year, and they cam out a little better. Forget those detailed appliques serious PITB, but the Mickey heads are a 5 min project. The McQueen one was even easier.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2593021
This is from Disboards. If you look in the FAQ, there's a link to the Photobucket account and the password. There are a ton of cute Minnie tops

How to do applique', but you don't really have to sew them on- you can just iron on.
http://disboutique.blogspot.com/2008...-tutorial.html

Minnie with a bow
http://www.etsy.com/listing/59646695...me=sherbetbaby

Wow, those shirts you made are awesome! Definitely beyond my sewing ability. I was thinking of trying those tie-dye Mickey head shirts, but I've never done tie-dye before. Then I found some really cute designs on the DIS forums, and now I'm trying to figure out whether people use CafePress or just printable iron-ons, and if that would look cheap.

[jamesmom]

Ok, don't laugh, I'm not a seamstress!
http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin...ghlight=shirts

I made more last year, and they cam out a little better. Forget those detailed appliques serious PITB, but the Mickey heads are a 5 min project. The McQueen one was even easier.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2593021
This is from Disboards. If you look in the FAQ, there's a link to the Photobucket account and the password. There are a ton of cute Minnie tops

How to do applique', but you don't really have to sew them on- you can just iron on.
http://disboutique.blogspot.com/2008...-tutorial.html

Minnie with a bow
http://www.etsy.com/listing/59646695...me=sherbetbaby

Wow, these look amazing! You are really talented!

[JTsMom]

Thanks guys!

Seriously, I really don't know much about sewing- it's just easy stuff. The bowling shirts are a little trickier, but the pattern found here

http://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/authors/1039292498

makes it so simple. It's written in plain English, and there are none of those crazy pattern marks like you see in your typical Simplicity type patterns. I learned so much from using that pattern, I was able to convert a typical men's one for DH.

The iron on mickey heads, and the McQueen one could be made by a child. Just iron some of this
http://www.amazon.com/Thermoweb-Heat.../dp/B0010EM76A

to the fabric, cut out the shape (the McQueen one was out of the same fabric I used on the guys' shrits), peel of the backing, and iron it to the shirt.

Here's a Mickey head template if anyone wants to try it.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1690913
(enlarge to whatever size you want it)

I've seen them made from every imaginable character fabric as well, or you could use animal print fabric, a plain color, whatever.

Another idea is to make the person's initial out of whatever character print they'd like- a J out of Buzz fabric, for example. I print letters from Word to use as patterns.

If you only iron it on, it will eventually fray a bit at the edges, but that can look cool too. If you stitch it, you want to use H&B Lite.

[Corie]

You could make them each an autograph book instead of buying
them there. And bring pens (and extra pens) for the characters
to sign the books.
Lori (billysmommy) made her boys each an autograph book before
their Disney trip and their books were totally cool. I don't know
if she made them again for this Disney trip but you could PM her.

[Corie]

We're going in March, so no BTDT, but I think I am going to bring a roll of quarters and pennies for the penny press machines. Apparently there are a ton of them and DS has enjoyed making them at other places.

Before I left:

At Walgreen's, I asked for 2 empty prescription pill containers.

I labeled one for quarters and one container for pennies.

Then I went through our change jar and dug out all the quarters
and the shiniest pennies to fill up the containers.

The prescription pill containers did not take up much room in my
purse.

[Twoboos]

Corie, I love the idea of using the pill bottles for pennies/quarters!

Also wanted to share that there were classic Mickey Mouse coloring books at the Target dollar spot today, I just grabbed a couple. Also some Pooh early reader books and little board books with Alice in Wonderland and... I think 101 Dalmatians?

[alien_host]

I have read that those mini-M&M canisters are good too.

I read that pre-1982 pennies are the best b/c they are 100% copper, newer ones are copper/zinc and they can end up with streaks of darker metal. http://allears.net/btp/penny.htm

You can shine up your older pennies with vinegar and also rub them with salt.

We love doing this, I need to take inventory and see which ones we have done.

The quarters are really cool. In Disneyland they also had pressed nickel machines.

[hillview]

• Scavenger hunt before hand to guess about things (we do one every time we go -- to say we are going)
• Penny smooshing is a hit -- take quarters and pennies
• Hand out thank yous to the cast members who are extra nice (disboards has a print out in dis design forum where some nice person will customize a print out for you)
• I put a small gift on the kids beds before we all get into the room (I run ahead to check it out etc) from Mickey -- DS1 LOVES this -- it doesn't have to be anything but the fact that it came from Mickey is BIG -- you could even do a letter from Mickey with a brochure
• Find hidden mickeys (DS1 LOVES this -- everything he sees is hidden which is fine for now
• You can personalize maps on the disney.com site
• We did a count down paper chain which both kids really liked (I did 2 of them and every morning the boys would cut one loop off