Any ideas for "older" child at Epcot WS?

[jacksmom]

We are going in March and have already done the "Masks" and passports! I would love some other ideas for my ds (almost 9)! I was thinking of maybe getting something to have "autographed" in each country! Maybe have them write something in the official language?? Hello or something?? Any ideas?? thanks!

 

[cleo]

My son loved the Passport at that age, and was able to appreciate it in a way he could not when he was younger. You can find them anywhere in WS (as you know), and they're a wonderful opportunity to meet and speak with some of the international Cast Members who are so kind and so eager to tell guests about their homeland. Perhaps your son can use it (as mine did) to open conversations with the CM's that he may not have been 'ready' for when he was a bit younger.

For instance, my son (now 13) still remembers how to say Please and Thank You in French, Mandrin, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German and Norwegin, all of which he learned in Epcot's WS, having generated conversations from their signing his Passport.

We have also slowly aquired some of the 'traditional' items (such as the pickle ornament in Germany, which is proudly hidden in our Christmas tree each year) from each country, which is another lovely way for an 'older' child to comemorate his or her visit to the countries.

I'm sure it goes without saying, but trying things like the Kaki Gori, Rice Cream, etc, in each country is a big hit and something my son looks forward to each visit. There is so much at Epcot worth exploring with our 'older' kids, and I'm sure others will come up with ideas to make WS a true family experience for kids who are just a bit past the character autographs and the masks.

 

[aunt kelly]

On our last trip to WDW my son was 10 and my daughter was 8. They discovered pin trading and had a ball trading w/ the CMs in the World Showcase. They met CMs from all over the world. The CMs let the kids choose which pins they want to trade.

 

[momto2]

This last trip we tried to connect with at least one CM in each country. Asking them questions, etc. We asked them if we could take their picture. They must not get asked that often because you could tell it made their day. It made our day too to learn about these wonderful people and their country and their culture. Try It!

 

[Philadisney]

i also highly recommend the passport - you can pick them up at mousegears when you walk in and have a CM at the kidcot station sign it in each country. my friend & i did it when i was there as a CP - we were 20, but we had a blast! i also worked at a kidcot station while i worked at epcot, and got to write "welcome to america: home of mickey mouse!" in kids passports. plus they come with, i think, a button & stickers. really fun, i think your DD would love it!


ETA: I'm sorry, I misread the part of your post where you said you already had done the passport!!! whoops. Another thing you could do is ask CM's in each country how to write a phrase that is special to your DD in their language. i really loved it when the CM in china showed me how to write my name in chinese characters!

 

[Honeybehr1]

When I took my 8 yr old in October for school I had him go to each country and talk to one person and find out something about their home town and have them sign a book that I found on the internet. His teacher loved it.
His favorite was learning the finger cymbols in Morroco and the cute blonde in France. lol

 

[disnut8]

Have your child pick out a postcard for each country and have that signed by a Cast Member. It's simple and easy. Or, what our granddaughter did with her mother and our son (and the adults had more fun, I think). She collected the pressed pennies from each country. Some of them are hard to find and they had to ask at each main store. They made our granddaughter ask for them. We had a very enjoyable night after Illuminations tracking down the Japan one.

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

The pressed penny machines in the stores of most of the WS countries are fun to 1) find them and 2) collect the coins.
My DS (now 15) and I went from country to country last June to get as many as we could find.

 

[slp87]

I agree with the pressed pennies!! My DD was 9 on our last trip and she had a blast looking for the machine and putting the pennies in the special case we bought at the gift shop.