1st family vacation - need help!

[Glendamax]

Hey everyone! This September will be the first time that my Mother, Brother and I will be on a vacation together - we are all adults. For some reason, we've all been on vacations, but not just the 3 of us. My Father died shortly after I was born, so the "family" vacation photos include my parents and my brother - but not me (sniff - sniff).

So I'm asking you guys (since you are the best ) to please send me some ideas to make this vacation extra special. We'll be staying at Port Orleans French Quarter for a week. All of us have been there before - this is my 8th I think - but my brother has not been there since 85 I think. So everything will seem new to him. My recent trips have been in 98, 02, 03, and 05.

The only two things I came up with was a carriage ride when we get there, and something delivered to the room from Disney's florist, but the packages seemed soooo expensive to me. So now I'm depending on the experts . . . THE DIS BOARD!!!! Please send me some ideas! Time's a wasting! Thanks!

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

DW and I have done the speciality cruises: Illiminations and Wishes, check into doing one of these, this is a good way to make your trip special. I must say, you need to book early, but you may be able to share a cruise with someone else and help pay the cost. Does not hurt to check it out.

 

[Quinn222]

This isn't something to do necessarily but I travel there with my mother and sister all the time. One thing we find makes it special is to take our time and enjoy experiencing things together and not trying to commando everything. Before we ever go we talk about the things we each really want to do most and make sure we get those things in. We also have a nice sit down dinner each evening. It's really our time together that makes it special.

 

[DeterminedOne]

You're going in September, will you be using the free dining package? What restaurants do you have planned? Just eating at Disney can be special if you're at the right restaurants. Another suggestion I have since you're staying at POFQ is to rent a surrey bike. It's lots of fun. What about tickets to La Nouba or Hoop Dee Doo?

 

[Donald is #1]

What about doing one of the special tours? I bet doing something like this together even though it will be in a larger group will be different enough to make the trip special. I haven't taken any myself, but I am seriously looking at the EPCOT around the world on a segway one. (Mostly I want to make sure that I will be under the weight limit )

 

[Glendamax]

Thanks for all of your suggestions so far! I have made all of my dinner reservations, so we will have a sit-down dinner together every night. You know what? As I'm typing this, I'm realizing that just have dinner together every night for a week is special in itself. We haven't done that since I was kid!

I did think about a cruise, and even a tour, but thought that would raise the budget a bit. Who knows, maybe if we return next year, we can do one of those!

Also, thanks for the suggestion about taking our time. I have been so busy with park strategy that I haven't given it that much thought.

So thanks everyone for responding. I will be sure to keep your suggestions in mind!

 

[DisneyDotty]

How wonderful for you! I hope you will have a most magical time!
A couple similar ideas to make your trip more magical:
Buy at least one set of matching Disney shirts for the three of you to wear. You might go to the Disney shopping website and special order some--you could even have "Our First Family Vacation at Disney!" or something like that printed on your shirts. Also, consider buying and wearing Guest of Honor badges (available at World of Disney, or at stores in each of the parks--or even you could order them before you go and have them sent to you so you're ready upon arrival.) Our family wears matching shirts and the badges, and we get a lot of special attention from the CMs. It's fun to have them address us by our names, or to hear them say, "Oh, here comes the red family!"
And, is anyone in your group celebrating a special day? Get a birthday pin from City Hall on Main Street--also gets extra special attention.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[Glendamax]

DisneyDotty I just found the make your own t shirt site today! AND I've ordered a guest of honor badge for myself - I have NO idea if I could get them to wear one. But at least I've started on the shirts! Thanks!