Mommy & Me trip with my six year old...need some suggestions

[pl'smama]

Hi Everyone, even though I feel I know Disney pretty well this is my first trip with only my daughter and myself. She is six, loves princesses and pirates and tamer rides ( like her mama!!) So, can I ask my DIS family for some ideas, tips and suggestions as to how I can make this a trip to remember? We have four full days, two of which will be at MK. I think I will only do a half day at DHS ( our arrival day) and the other two at AK and EPCOT. My last two trips I have missed out on a major part of World Showcase and so I am really looking forward to do the whole thing this time around.

Okay, so what do ya all think? Thanks in advance!!!

Suz

[ShannonMB]

Aww, a mommy/daughter trip! I keep wanting to do one, but everyone keeps wanting to go with us!!

Since you mentioned Epcot, I would say the 2 of you should pick a pearl in the Japan pavillion. My DD LOVES doing this. Also, since your guys aren't around, spend a lot of time in WS meeting all the princesses that hang out there. Snow White and Dopey in Germany, Belle and the Beast in France, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Mulan in China, Aurora (I think in France, too), Mary Poppins and Alice in UK. The fellas might not have fun doing this, but I bet you and your DD would (I know WE did in Feb!).

Have a great time!!!

[Chelley00]

DD7 and I are leaving in less than 2 months for our Mother/Daughter trip. Once we get into the parks, I'm pretty much going to let her decide where we go and when. I'm letting her think of this as her trip. I let her pick where she wanted to eat dinner, and I've planned a few surprises for her as well. I started a thread like this in the Disney for Families, and someone threw out going to tea at Grand Floridian.

I can't wait to read the replies you'll get in here.

[LawChic]

My DD6 loves to go to the princess lunch in Norway, which offers great one on one time w/several princesses. Storytime with Belle at MK is relaxing and a great photo op after the story when you can go on stage and pose with Belle. She has always liked BBB but now that she is 6 she is "too big"....of course, we will see how she feels about that when we get there in 3 weeks!! I will keep thinking, and I look forward to getting some ideas for our upcoming trip.

[AnnMarie3]

We will be there in October for our first Mommy and Me trip. DD is 5. It is a surprise trip. She knows that we will go "sometime" but has no idea it will be so soon. I have booked the BBB for a princess makeover, a character meal at the Crystal Palace, and Mickey's Halloween party. Can't wait!

[ampc3]

Originally Posted by AnnMarie3

We will be there in October for our first Mommy and Me trip. DD is 5. It is a surprise trip. She knows that we will go "sometime" but has no idea it will be so soon. I have booked the BBB for a princess makeover, a character meal at the Crystal Palace, and Mickey's Halloween party. Can't wait!

that sounds like a great plan!! for the op don't have any advice other than to maybe try and book bbb or Crt???

I leave tomorrow with my soon to be 6yr (bday is sat) for the weekend, we are only doing the mk on saturday.. as a special surprise I have lunch booked at CRT... can't wait.... she was my baby.. but recently has turned into the middle child... just had twins in may which was a surprise~

have fun to everyone talking mommy and me trips

[roxazul]

I'm leaving next monday with DD5, I'm a single parent so it's only us.
We have 8 park days, some of the things I'v planned are :

BBB followed by CRT (on her actual birthday)
Lots of characters meals
Pick a Pearl in Epcot
Wishes Dessert Party
MNSSHP (thanks to a fellow diser who gave me a ticket)
Balloon Ride in DTD

& a lot of pictures together form the Photopass photog

[Ktharee]

what about wearing something that matches each day? whether it's matching clips, color shirts, minnie mouse ears? or you can both go to the barber shop and get glitter in your hair together. but make sure you get some photopass photos!

I LOVE my husband and we have such a fun time (all three of us) but I am slightly envious of your opportunity to have a girls trip. Maybe someday we'll go and have an all girls day. Thinking my DH would NOT be opposed to that.

Enjoy!

[jreed1920]

I am taking my 6 yr old DD on a Mommie & Me trip too. This is our second one and it is just so different and magical when it is just the two of us. SInce you mentioned wanting to explore more of world showcase I highly recommend doing the Kim Possible missions. We had a lot of fun doing that in April and my DD is looking forward to doing it again when we go together.

[mickeyclark]

My son and I are about to go on our third mom and son trip this December.
It is a surprise for him. The last two he knew about. So I am hoping he is excited, I can't imagine he won't be!

On our first trip he had his own camera(disposable). It was interesting after the vacation to look at the pictures both he and I took of the same things. They were definitely taken from different perspectives. We have some of them framed side by side. Very cool.

We wear matching shirts. on some days. It's fun and drew many comments from others. I noticed the CMs talked to us alot during these trips, moreso than when traveling with the entire family.

We played - you pick one ride/attraction and I'll pick the next one. This helped me to guide us in the order we traveled around the park while allowing him to think that he was determining our day.

We traveled out his pace ... this is a break from when we travel with the whole family - more commando style.

Pick one spot for a picture that you can return to years from now and take another one. Mom and daughter special photo spot.

I second the tea at the Grand Floridian. My mom and I did this.

If your daughter likes pirates, may want to break up the princess stuff with a trip to the Pirates League near the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Have a great time! I treasure my mom-son trips and hope we are still taking them years from now. We started when he was 4. He is now 9.

[drag n' fly]

Op I think your plan sounds good! My 6 year old son and I are taking our first Mommy and me trip soon! It is a surprise and he has no clue. This will be delivered attached to some balloons on our doorstep and he will find it sitting there when I pick him up from the school bus after school! His is the buzz lightyear one. His costume is Buzz also!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread....t=dear+bradley

[pl'smama]

Originally Posted by ShannonMB

Aww, a mommy/daughter trip! I keep wanting to do one, but everyone keeps wanting to go with us!!

Since you mentioned Epcot, I would say the 2 of you should pick a pearl in the Japan pavillion. My DD LOVES doing this. Also, since your guys aren't around, spend a lot of time in WS meeting all the princesses that hang out there. Snow White and Dopey in Germany, Belle and the Beast in France, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Mulan in China, Aurora (I think in France, too), Mary Poppins and Alice in UK. The fellas might not have fun doing this, but I bet you and your DD would (I know WE did in Feb!).

Have a great time!!!

Thanks Shannon, I love the Pick A Pearl idea. It can be something we keep for ever!

Originally Posted by Chelley00

DD7 and I are leaving in less than 2 months for our Mother/Daughter trip. Once we get into the parks, I'm pretty much going to let her decide where we go and when. I'm letting her think of this as her trip. I let her pick where she wanted to eat dinner, and I've planned a few surprises for her as well. I started a thread like this in the Disney for Families, and someone threw out going to tea at Grand Floridian.

I can't wait to read the replies you'll get in here.

I love the tea at GF idea Chelley, thank you! I really wanted us to stay at the GF, but it is really out of my budget so the tea would be a nice compromise. Plus I wanted to see their gingerbread house!

Originally Posted by LawChic

My DD6 loves to go to the princess lunch in Norway, which offers great one on one time w/several princesses. Storytime with Belle at MK is relaxing and a great photo op after the story when you can go on stage and pose with Belle. She has always liked BBB but now that she is 6 she is "too big"....of course, we will see how she feels about that when we get there in 3 weeks!! I will keep thinking, and I look forward to getting some ideas for our upcoming trip.

Wow, all these great ideas! Thanks for the Story Time with Belle one LawChic. We have never done this and I have always wanted to. This would be a great memory.

Originally Posted by AnnMarie3

We will be there in October for our first Mommy and Me trip. DD is 5. It is a surprise trip. She knows that we will go "sometime" but has no idea it will be so soon. I have booked the BBB for a princess makeover, a character meal at the Crystal Palace, and Mickey's Halloween party. Can't wait!

AnnMarie, I hope you and your DD have a wonderful time. She will love BBB! My DD did this almost two years ago, but her hair is super short now so BBB is kind of not an option. Well, that is not really true. I think she would still do it, but the hair is such a big part of it. She is into pirates these days so I am thinking the Pirate League.

Originally Posted by ampc3

that sounds like a great plan!! for the op don't have any advice other than to maybe try and book bbb or Crt???

I leave tomorrow with my soon to be 6yr (bday is sat) for the weekend, we are only doing the mk on saturday.. as a special surprise I have lunch booked at CRT... can't wait.... she was my baby.. but recently has turned into the middle child... just had twins in may which was a surprise~

have fun to everyone talking mommy and me trips

Congrats on the twins! My boy is just six months old now so my six year old, despite her love for her baby bro, is feeling a bit left out these days. I just know this trip will please her to no end ( please me to!). CRT is a must on my list. I just do not know if it will be breakfast, lunch or dinner!! Enjoy your trip!

Originally Posted by roxazul

I'm leaving next monday with DD5, I'm a single parent so it's only us.
We have 8 park days, some of the things I'v planned are :

BBB followed by CRT (on her actual birthday)
Lots of characters meals
Pick a Pearl in Epcot
Wishes Dessert Party
MNSSHP (thanks to a fellow diser who gave me a ticket)
Balloon Ride in DTD

& a lot of pictures together form the Photopass photog

I love the Wishes dessert party idea! I only hope they are still doing it in December. Your whole itinerary looks wonderful and the balloon ride would be awesome. Have a great time!

Originally Posted by Ktharee

what about wearing something that matches each day? whether it's matching clips, color shirts, minnie mouse ears? or you can both go to the barber shop and get glitter in your hair together. but make sure you get some photopass photos!

I LOVE my husband and we have such a fun time (all three of us) but I am slightly envious of your opportunity to have a girls trip. Maybe someday we'll go and have an all girls day. Thinking my DH would NOT be opposed to that.

Enjoy!

Ktharee, I love the matching idea. I can just see us in our Minnie ears!! Love it. Thank you so much. I have entertained this idea for awhile now,but I do love being with my DH on trips. Our DS is just a baby though so this will be a wonderful time for my DD and I.

Originally Posted by jreed1920

I am taking my 6 yr old DD on a Mommie & Me trip too. This is our second one and it is just so different and magical when it is just the two of us. SInce you mentioned wanting to explore more of world showcase I highly recommend doing the Kim Possible missions. We had a lot of fun doing that in April and my DD is looking forward to doing it again when we go together.

Thanks jreed, I love the Kim Possible idea! I have read about it and thought that my DD was too young, but you don't think so?? Does it involve a lot of time? Have a great time on your trip!

Originally Posted by mickeyclark

My son and I are about to go on our third mom and son trip this December.
It is a surprise for him. The last two he knew about. So I am hoping he is excited, I can't imagine he won't be!

On our first trip he had his own camera(disposable). It was interesting after the vacation to look at the pictures both he and I took of the same things. They were definitely taken from different perspectives. We have some of them framed side by side. Very cool.

We wear matching shirts. on some days. It's fun and drew many comments from others. I noticed the CMs talked to us alot during these trips, moreso than when traveling with the entire family.

We played - you pick one ride/attraction and I'll pick the next one. This helped me to guide us in the order we traveled around the park while allowing him to think that he was determining our day.

We traveled out his pace ... this is a break from when we travel with the whole family - more commando style.

Pick one spot for a picture that you can return to years from now and take another one. Mom and daughter special photo spot.

I second the tea at the Grand Floridian. My mom and I did this.

If your daughter likes pirates, may want to break up the princess stuff with a trip to the Pirates League near the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Have a great time! I treasure my mom-son trips and hope we are still taking them years from now. We started when he was 4. He is now 9.

Thanks for the great ideas MickeyClark! They are wonderful and I really like the idea of her having her own disposable camera. Children's views on things are so incredible. I am pretty sure the Pirates League will be on our list of things to do. DD loves the princess's but is totally into pirates now. Have a wonderful time with your son.

Originally Posted by drag n' fly

Op I think your plan sounds good! My 6 year old son and I are taking our first Mommy and me trip soon! It is a surprise and he has no clue. This will be delivered attached to some balloons on our doorstep and he will find it sitting there when I pick him up from the school bus after school! His is the buzz lightyear one. His costume is Buzz also!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread....t=dear+bradley

Drag n Fly, I loved your idea for how you told your son. So creative! My DD would be thrilled to arrive home and find something on the doorstep for her. She loves to get mail! Have a super time on your trip.

[queenlizzie]

ohhh fun! we took my daughter for her 6th birthday, and every day when she woke up, she had a present from a 'character'..... I made shirts (disney irons ons) for every day, added small toys (anything to keep her occupied during the waits!), tattoos, gummy snacks (disney actually makes alot of those!) and a trading pin....all of the same character (think we used pocohantas, nemo, cindy, stitch and alice) finished each gift off with a note from the character and pixie dust! (sorry about the glitter housekeeping!)

She was sooo excited about her gifts, it was hard to get her to sleep so I could leave them out for her to find the next day!