A mommy question about gifts/notes from characters

[kugelette]

We are leaving for our trip tomorrow. We're doing a day at each of the 4 parks, and I bought 3 mini character figurines (Mickey, Goofy, Donald - at the Dollar Tree along with lots of other disney merch, if you're wanting to save some $$) as well as a pirate-themed stuffed bear. I was planning on surprising my 7 year old son every day with one of the items and a note from that character telling him how excited they were to see him, or that they hope he's having fun, or that they heard he loved xyz ride and it's their favorite too, etc.

I was planning on saving the bear for the day we do the Pirates & Pals cruise and leaving a note from Captain Hook, but it ends up being towards the end of our vacation. I can't decide if I should leave it on the bed at check-in with a note from Hook about how he's looking forward to sailing with him on xyz day, so that he can have it to sleep with every night, or waiting until the actual night before/morning of to give it. Or if it should come from Mickey?


What are your thoughts? Anyone do something similar with their kids?


#mommyproblems

 

[claryche]

I have been doing similar things since my son was 3 and we were there for his birthday and each morning he had a birthday present wrapped and we said it was from Mickey. But soon after that the small gifts turned too gift cards, so on our last trip when he was turning 7, he got a new gift card each morning from a different character and he so believed it.

So I think it is wonderful that you are doing this for your son. I think it would be cooler to wait until the day of the cruise to give the bear and for it to be from Captain Hook. Whenever possible I have tried to tie the gifts to what we were doing. Like if we had a meal at Crystal Palace that day, then the gift card would be from Tigger. So I really think the bear needs to be from Captain Hook. The reason I say to wait is because if your son is like mine, he will have other stuffed animals to sleep with until he gets the pirate one. Just my thoughts.

Have a wonderful trip and try to remember every second of it, because time flies.

 

[scrappymel]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does crazy stuff like this!

My dd is obsessed w/POTC and Captain Jack, so last year we stayed in a pirate room at CBR. After we checked in, dh took her over to the pool area and I ran to the room and left a note from captain jack about how he was so happy she was staying at "his" resort this time and how he couldn't wait to meet her at MNSSHP with a pirate gift card (you can order them on disneystore.com in lots of themes). She was over the moon and read that note about 100 times. I think leaving the bear early might add to the excitement of the upcoming P&P cruise. Hope you guys have a great trip!!

 

[tsme]

I would leave it the first day so he can enjoy the whole time. We've been ordering stuff for our DD every year to be delivered (from Disney Florist mostly) that are from "Mickey & Pals" with a welcome & a "can't wait to see you" message. She loves it. My DH thinks she knows it's really from us now. She's going to be 12 in Oct. so she probably does. But I don't want to stop the magic of the gift.

 

[rustyfla]

We informed the CM at check-in, that we wanted to place gifts for our niece in their room. She called a bell-hop, who drove my niece and I around in a golf cart while my sister checked in and while my wife went and put the gifts on the bed in their room, with a note from Mickey.

She was so excited to see the gifts and wanted to write Mickey a thank you note, which she did.

We now wanted to go see Mickey, so we went to the MK, where she could meet Mickey and get her photo taken.

They were awesome. She handed the thank you note to Mickey and thanked him for the gifts. Mickey played it off very well. One of the CM's discreetly handed us the thank you note back while my niece hugged Mickey.

I was so impressed with the CM's.

 

[DisneyLvr55]

Thats to much sneaking around and work for me! LOL
I just put everything into a huge box, put some balloons in there (so they pop out when they opened the box) and had everything in there for them. Minnie Mouse ears, princess dresses, pin lanyards, coloring books, disney band aids for blisters in the parks (kids love these!) autograph books, pens, photo albums, etc.

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

We are leaving for our trip tomorrow. We're doing a day at each of the 4 parks, and I bought 3 mini character figurines (Mickey, Goofy, Donald - at the Dollar Tree along with lots of other disney merch, if you're wanting to save some $$) as well as a pirate-themed stuffed bear. I was planning on surprising my 7 year old son every day with one of the items and a note from that character telling him how excited they were to see him, or that they hope he's having fun, or that they heard he loved xyz ride and it's their favorite too, etc.

I was planning on saving the bear for the day we do the Pirates & Pals cruise and leaving a note from Captain Hook, but it ends up being towards the end of our vacation. I can't decide if I should leave it on the bed at check-in with a note from Hook about how he's looking forward to sailing with him on xyz day, so that he can have it to sleep with every night, or waiting until the actual night before/morning of to give it. Or if it should come from Mickey?


What are your thoughts? Anyone do something similar with their kids?


#mommyproblems

I think your idea is very sweet. I would wait until the day of to give him the bear because he going to get the other things. He will be able to sleep with the bear every night after and remember his great time. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Captain Hook doesn't actually sail with you on the cruise. He is there before during the time when there are snacks and you can take a picture with him and Mr. Smee, but he doesn't go on the boat. I know if my daughter received a note saying he can't wait to sail with her I would be listening to her the whole time wondering why he said he would and then didn't go.

 

[claryche]

I think your idea is very sweet. I would wait until the day of to give him the bear because he going to get the other things. He will be able to sleep with the bear every night after and remember his great time. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Captain Hook doesn't actually sail with you on the cruise. He is there before during the time when there are snacks and you can take a picture with him and Mr. Smee, but he doesn't go on the boat. I know if my daughter received a note saying he can't wait to sail with her I would be listening to her the whole time wondering why he said he would and then didn't go.

The captain Hook thing is an important thing to know. Knowing my luck I would have said something in the note about him being on the boat. So hopefully the OP saw your response. I almost did a boo boo on our first cruise. I had gift cards and notes ready and had one for the last morning, not realizing that the shops on the ship would be closed since we would already be in port. So fortunately the night before I realized that and didn't leave a note and gift card for my son.

 

[kugelette]

Yep, I do know the schedule for the M&Gs. Would love suggestions for what to put in the note from "Hook"; I'm feeling very uncreative right now!

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

Yep, I do know the schedule for the M&Gs. Would love suggestions for what to put in the note from "Hook"; I'm feeling very uncreative right now!

I would make it say something like:

"Yo ho ho, It's a pirate life for us! Mr Smee & I want to welcome you to our pirate adventure cruise and we are so excited that you are joining the crew! Be sure to bring your crocodile repellant and listen out for any tick-tocking! We will be on shore to see you off so don't be late! All me hardies yo-ho!"

 

[kugelette]

I would make it say something like: "Yo ho ho, It's a pirate life for us! Mr Smee & I want to welcome you to our pirate adventure cruise and we are so excited that you are joining the crew! Be sure to bring your crocodile repellant and listen out for any tick-tocking! We will be on shore to see you off so don't be late! All me hardies yo-ho!"

Thank you so much! I modified it slightly and used it. He LOVED the note and named his bear "captain jack Bear-o".

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

Thank you so much! I modified it slightly and used it. He LOVED the note and named his bear "captain jack Bear-o".

Glad you got it to work for you, I was just throwing an off-the-cuff out there for you, glad you could use it as a starting point.

 

[mummabear]

I don't think you can go wrong either way. I go towards the building anticipation and arriving or waking up to things.
Invites are delivered while we sleep for character meals sometimes with a gift.

 

[mummabear]

I would leave it the first day so he can enjoy the whole time. We've been ordering stuff for our DD every year to be delivered (from Disney Florist mostly) that are from "Mickey & Pals" with a welcome & a "can't wait to see you" message. She loves it. My DH thinks she knows it's really from us now. She's going to be 12 in Oct. so she probably does. But I don't want to stop the magic of the gift.

I bet she does
When I was a kid I asked my older brother if Santa was real and he said no but if mom and dad know that you know he isn't we won't get Santa presents anymore. so I carried on as normal each year and finally before I started middle school they sat me down to tell me very worried that they would be breaking my heart