What do you do to get your kids PRIMED for Disney Trip

[honeybees]

List your best ideas for getting the kids excited for their
time at Disney.....(what special things do you do for them?)

inkbounc inkbounc inkbounc

 

[mom42860]

2 things I have done is let my DD (who is 11) read and post on the Disney for Teens forum. And second I purchased some Disney Dollars. I pay DD and DS in this for small jobs, like watching their baby sister for a few min. they are very excited to get it (and I know they won't spend it on anything else!)

 

[Meagansmom]

We look at anything from the past - home videos, maps, books. We involve them with the planning. We also reward with the Disney Dollars. They get really excited!!!

 

[rbuzzotta]

We have a big jar and fill it with spare change during the times in between our WDW trips. The day before we leave we go and cash it in for bills and my 3 DD's split it between them. That is "their" cash for the trip. Mom and Dad of course purchase t-shirts or such.

My DD's also plan out a day with what they want to do. It works out well and they get very exicited.

 

[steph73]

We're getting pumped around here! 26 days and counting..... Today, we made a countdown paper chain to hang in the playroom. DS's are 6 and 3 and had alot of fun doing this. We used black, white and red (Mickey colors) and my 6 yr old drew Mickey ears on the white ones. It looks great, and lets them know how much longer until we go. Every day, they can remove one of the chains.

Other things we've been doing is watching the planning video (pretty much every day!), various Disney movies and reading Disney books. For Easter, the kids got 2 Disney Sing-Along videos - Camp-Out at Walt Disney World & Beach Party at Walt Disney World. They really *love* these videos and it's been getting them excited to go!

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

If you have young kids and you're looking for something to help them understand where they'll be going, there's a great Disney Sing-a-long video for DisneyLand. There are lots of similarities with WDW, so kids don't know the difference. They show lots of park scenes and show kids running down the middle of mainstreet, the castle, characters, etc. My kids were 7, 3, and 1 when we went this past Fall, and they loved watching that video before we left.

Have fun!

 

[honeybees]

looking for more suggestions

 

[ceecee]

We do the videos and boooks, so she is really familiar with all th characters she will see. My DD also has the book Disney for kids by kids, that we read and she looks at the pictures and decides what she wants to do.

 

[disneymania]

WE have Disney charades that helps all of us get familiar with less know Disney characters & it gets just plain silly!!! Agree with the Disneyland sing a long video. I still can't walk down main street without that song pumping through my head "I'm walking right down the middle of Main STreet USA". LOL

There used to be a place on Disney site where you could view almost all rides. That helped the kids picture what we were talking about. Not sure if it is still there.


Have a great trip!!!

 

[We4mickey]

They are always ready to GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ohiominnie]

We tell our kids we're going to WDW. That's usually all it takes....

but for a good visual reminder of WHEN we are going we make one of those paper link chains. We usually have it 30 links long to represent the 30 days left until Disney and we hang it under a big Mickey head that we made out of construction paper. Each day they rip off another link and watch as the chain gets shorter and shorter. Helps mom too, because I think "Wow, I'd better get packing!"

ohiominnie

 

[Winston112]

We have been watching Disney videos (Toy Story, Little Mermaid, Disney World 2001, Dalmations) almost every night for the past week. My DS is so excited and so am I. My DH is a different story however. I guess he won't be excited until we get there.

 

[honeybees]

bump

 

[mainey-mouse]

My daughter first noticed a WDW commercial at 4 and asked if she could go. We told her maybe we would go when she was 7. She forgot about it more or less, except for the occassional time when she'd notice another commercial.

Once we definitely decided to go (she was 7) we told the kids about it (a few months ahead of time). At that point my daughter became convinced she had been eagerly awaiting this trip for 3 years.

We also reminded them regularily, that if we bought them something every time they asked for it, we'd have no money to go to Disney. Besides being sort of true, it helped elevate the "prestige" of this trip in her mind.

We brought home a few Disney movies to familiarize the kids with Disney characters - really, they are more into Pokemon and Digimon.

Really close to the date we went shopping for clothes, bathing suits, snorkeling sets etc.

The 7 year ended up really excited - the 4 year old didn't quite know what he was supposed to be excited about though.

But we didn't show the Disney planning video, or any movies about DisneyWorld. These things tend to show the places in an unrealistically magical light, and we didn't want the kids to be disappointed. Glad we didn't, because my daughter at only 7 commented on how unrealistic the commercials had been.

 

[Linda]

Years ago when my 16 was a toddler I bought the Disney sing-a-long tape 'A Day in Disneyland' that is still to this day the most watched tape in my house (I also have 3 more kids) . The tape shows the rides and characters so it is a great way for the little ones to get to know the park (even if it is the wrong one). When we arrived on Main St with #4 at age 2 he said "hey, we are on Main St U S A, Disney World, thanks Mom, thanks Dad" I could not believe it, what a magical moment and of course I had tears in my eyes (I'm a sap).

 

[mom42860]

Something I did last week which really got everyone excited (DD 12, DS 9 and DH) was while looking for ticket prices I came upon a site that would send a packet of Orlando info. (I know it did cost $6.95 and they are probably free in Orlando) but it was a lot of fun when it arrived a couple of days later. It was a huge envelope and had WDW, Universal, Seaworld, lots of coupons for dining, shopping, etc...we keep dumping them out and pouring over them.

 

[tiggersmomof4]

For children who can read...

when my DD was 7 we had her read Birnbaums for Kids and had her pick out her "top 5" attractions. We guaranteed that we would do these attractions! Which was a major feat because we were also travelling with our 1 & 2 yo dd's. Now every time we go, each DD gets to pick her "top 5"!!

 

[skeezixspud]

The first time (after small-babyhood) that we brought DS, @ age 2, we did all the Sing-a-Long tapes, and got the Magic in a Box promotion, which was really neat. He enjoyed watching it all and singing the songs. He still didn't quite get it, though; he wasn't jumping up and down on the plane in anticipation, and he seemed to be in sort of wherever mode, "one plane ride is as neat as the next, destination doesn't matter."

He really liked the Swan, where we stayed that time; he's fascinated by fountains, and the Swan has plenty. As to the parks, however, he was still just sort of going along for the ride until we got into the MK that first day. Walking back to Dumbo, he looked up and saw a character. "Hey??? Mommy, did you see that? Daddy!" ... And then another one, and another, and then, wonder of wonders, a Dumbo he could actually RIDE! He got up into the air and then stayed there, figuratively speaking, for the next 5 days.

On the next trip, he was excited from Day 1 when we told him, because he knew what was coming. On our next trip later that year, when the plane landed, he followed all of the rules and stayed quiet until the moment we came to a stop at the gate, then yelled at the top of his lungs: Yea! Disney World!!! ... and started jumping up and down. The whole plane erupted in laughter and applause. I'll remember that moment until the day I die.

 

[kinlaw6450]

I downloaded a poster making program and made my DD (6) and DS (4) a Disney Countdown calendar. I included several graphics with the last one being the logo of the All Star Sports since that is where we are staying.

It is great fun watching my kids get up every morning and head straight for that calendar so they can mark down another day!

We have 12 days left before we leave and this has been the best countdown/preparation of all of our trips to WDW.