birthdays for 6yr old ds and 3yr old dd - suggestions?

[gapoochi]

This trip we're planning is to celebrate the kids' bdays and mine too!
I want to know if you all have suggestions for what we can do to make it more special...are there things we can plan? I can't spend too much so budget conscious things would be best.

Also, what do the pins do? They get more attention right? We went there before for my son's bday and he had the pin but didn't get any extra attention or anything. Just not sure if I'm missing something there.

thank you!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

This trip we're planning is to celebrate the kids' bdays and mine too!
I want to know if you all have suggestions for what we can do to make it more special...are there things we can plan? I can't spend too much so budget conscious things would be best.

Also, what do the pins do? They get more attention right? We went there before for my son's bday and he had the pin but didn't get any extra attention or anything. Just not sure if I'm missing something there.

thank you!

If you get the birthday button and wear it prominently and cast members happen to notice, they will wish the wearer happy birthday. Also, if you wear the button while walking through the tortilla factory in DCA and the cast member working there notices, you will usually receive a small bag of tortillas.

If you eat at a sit-down restaurant and tell the server that you are celebrating a birthday, you can often receive a small free birthday dessert.

That's about it for birthday freebies. If you want to spend money, there is a birthday celebration at Plaza Inn in the afternoons. It sounds like it might be rather expensive for what it is; we haven't tried it. It seems to be most geared for young kids. A Mickey ear hat with a birthday theme might be a fun souvenir and will be available at the hat shops and many other merchandise locations. I don't know the current price, but I would expect to budget around $16 or $18 for something like that. There is a more elaborate non-ear birthday hat also available. I think I have also seen a happy birthday themed pin you could buy if you or your children are into pin collecting.

Many of the bakeries and candy shops sell cupcakes, and there is a cupcake kiosk in downtown Disney too on the DLH end, so you could always buy one or more cupcakes to help celebrate. Then there are balloon sellers everywhere. Keep your receipt in case little hands accidentally let go, so you can get the balloon replaced for free.

 

[gapoochi]

are there activities that can be done that you guys would suggest to make it extra special? I can budget some money for it...just don't want to go overboard.

I would love to do the boutique thing for my daughter but it's too much for someone so young i think. I'll wait on that for when she's a bit older.

Any suggestions for boys especially?

thank you!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

are there activities that can be done that you guys would suggest to make it extra special? I can budget some money for it...just don't want to go overboard.

I would love to do the boutique thing for my daughter but it's too much for someone so young i think. I'll wait on that for when she's a bit older.

Any suggestions for boys especially?

thank you!

It may be too splurgy for your budget, but my boys have always loved character meals. We have taken them to Goofy's several times over the years. One year when we went for my younger son's birthday, we took a Disney themed birthday card I had bought at Target or somewhere like that beforehand and got all the characters to sign it for him. You can, of course, do the birthday card thing in the parks as well when you meet characters there if you don't end up going to a character meal.

If you decide to do a character meal, it sounds like Goofy's in the DLH or Minnie's in Disneyland would be your best bets for a boy and girl the ages of your kids. Minnie's sounds like it will have the most characters.

If the boutique thing is beyond your current budget willingness, look around for some princessy things in regular stores before you go. Then let your daughter wear a crown or dress or whatever princessy thing (sorry, I have boys) when she's there at the park. That sounds special all by itself for a three year old. You can do the princess and/or Tinker Bell meet and greets with your daughter. Make sure she's wearing her birthday button prominently, maybe even mention to the character that it's her birthday, and I'm sure they'll work it into the conversation.

We haven't tried this ourselves, but you may want to ask when waiting for the Mark Twain to get to sit in the wheelhouse as a birthday treat. You might have to wait a little longer, but it will probably be worth it. Similarly, you can ask about sitting in the front car on the monorail. It never hurts to ask. Many people have experienced these treats. The worst that can happen is that you're told the privilege isn't available right then. Just don't tell the kids in advance, then if you get lucky, it's a happy surprise.

 

[ladeeesquire]

The BBB has some less expensive options for girls --still about $50 though. ButI believe that for boys they can do the sword/shield and hair style for about $15 per child. That seems pretty reasonable to me and I'd think most boys your age would like it. Honestly, your dd may enjoy the knight package just as much as the boys and it could be really fun for the three of them. I don't think there's any reason why a girl couldn't do it also! If you think your boys may not like the princess atmosphere of BBB they do similar things at the barbershop on main street I'm told.

I'd also consider a character breakfast. They're so fun. It really depends on your budget.

susan

 

[brookies_mommy]

BBB is expensive.. BUT WELL WORTH IT! I did it for DD's 4th birhtday and she still talks about it amost 2 years later. You can do it a little cheaper if you maybe bring an outfit from home. Disney store also has cute ones and then you could just do the $50 plan opposed to the $200 plan. HTH

 

[starshine514]

If you are thinking of having her dress up (my daughters loved it when they were 2 and 5 at WDW last year), the disney store (at least the one in our town) is clearancing some of their princess dresses right now. Ours had cinderella, tiana, and ariel for $15 each (originally $39) so that is an option if you wanted to BBB, but not buy the dress there.

 

[gapoochi]

thanks everyone for the ideas! I think we'll do one character meal and then do the dress up thing with dd. She already has most of the dress up outfits plus she wants to wear her ballerina princess dresses so those will work too I guess

thanks for the ideas...i like the boat and train onces; anymore like that? little tricks like that would be great to add magic.

what does the knight thing mean? he gets a haircut?

thanks so much!

 

[chrissiecutie]

thanks everyone for the ideas! I think we'll do one character meal and then do the dress up thing with dd. She already has most of the dress up outfits plus she wants to wear her ballerina princess dresses so those will work too I guess

thanks for the ideas...i like the boat and train onces; anymore like that? little tricks like that would be great to add magic.

what does the knight thing mean? he gets a haircut?

thanks so much!

You might also consider doing something special before you go.

We are hoping to surprise DS with a special visit to DL for his bday (providing DH can get the time off work) and I'm already working on special items to make it more memorable. Of course I always do something for him for a DL trip, but a birthday is even more reason to go all out!

I'm making him a t-shirt that he will open at his family bday party. Something cute that says "Its my Bday and I'm Going to Disneyland", something along those things, you get the idea...this will be how we tell him about his surprise bday trip.

When we check into the hotel, I will also have a very special gift for him from Mickey Mouse himself. I've made an invitation to the character meal for his special bday breakfast, from Mickey and the Gang. Of course it invites DS to a bday breakfast in his honor...he's turning 6, so I can still get away with this!

And I always mail DS a postcard from Mickey and the Gang on our last day. This way it arrives a few days after we get home and it helps keep that magic alive. And since it will be his bday trip, I will make sure and make reference to that on the postcard.

Most likely I will also sneak into City Hall for a bday button while DH distracts DS. Then I will tell him that I just ran into Mickey and he wanted me to give this button to him and that he looks forward to seeing him at his bday breakfast later on...

My point is that there are SO many little things that don't cost much that you can do for your children to make it truely magical. And at ages 6 & 3, it's not like they are going to question what you tell them....hey, if Mom says Mickey Mouse gave her the bday buttons (or other things), they aren't going to argue!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Most likely I will also sneak into City Hall for a bday button while DH distracts DS.

Just wanted to mention that the line at City Hall can get rather long but you can also get birthday buttons from the CMs at some of the stores. The Emporium has them but I think they run out quicker than other places deeper in the park. We've gotten buttons several times from the little store outside of IASW. You can also get them at Guest Services (i think that's what it's called - those windows outside DL that are to the left of the main gate).

 

[chrissiecutie]

Just wanted to mention that the line at City Hall can get rather long but you can also get birthday buttons from the CMs at some of the stores. The Emporium has them but I think they run out quicker than other places deeper in the park. We've gotten buttons several times from the little store outside of IASW. You can also get them at Guest Services (i think that's what it's called - those windows outside DL that are to the left of the main gate).

Good to know!

I knew that City Hall wasn't the only place to get the buttons, but lines usually aren't an issue for us. We usually use Magic Morning for our 1st day in the parks, so I'm able to head right to City Hall with no line at all. Yippee!

 

[gapoochi]

these are great ideas! I'll be using some of those.
also thanks for the info on the other places to get the buttons...didn't know that.

 

[CrazyDuck]

When we were there for by DD6's birthday last year it was very hard to find something special for her for her birthday. I had an appointment for her at BBB but she didn't want to go... I tried to have a birthday cake delivered to our room but Vacation Planning messed that up! In the parks restaurants they don't do much... probably because every other person there is also celebrating their birthday. We ended up going to Rainforest Cafe and had dinner. After wards I ordered this volcano desert that they put sparklers on. They brought it out and sang Happy Birthday to her... She really enjoyed that.

 

[d1sneymom]

thanks everyone for the ideas! I think we'll do one character meal and then do the dress up thing with dd. She already has most of the dress up outfits plus she wants to wear her ballerina princess dresses so those will work too I guess

thanks for the ideas...i like the boat and train onces; anymore like that? little tricks like that would be great to add magic.

what does the knight thing mean? he gets a haircut?

thanks so much!

The boys get their hair gelled up and sprinkled with glitter (the thicker, confetti like glitter) and they "stencil" paint a Mickey on the back of their head. It also comes with a sword and a shield... I have a picture of my DS's hair style if you want to see. He didn't care for it though. He doesn't like anyone touching his hair... After they were done he was ok... and the ladies at BBB are super nice... it only took them like 20 min to work on him whereas my cousin who was getting the "works" it was like an hour...

I heard Goofy's Kitchen is getting renovated so they have the meals in their convention hall or something... I really like Goofy's but the last time we went to Minnie's. It. Was. Awesome! So many characters interact with you and come by your table often! And it was nice since we were already in the park!

 

[gapoochi]

I'd love to see the picture

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Also, at The Plaza Inn, they host a birthday party celebration where the birthday child gets to decorate their own small cake and Mickey makes an appearance.

 

[pixiewings71]

OP the $50 you spend at BBB is well worth it IMO. We did it (yes I did it too) after it first opened, DD11 wore her hair up in the bun for 3 days! lol So for us it was well worth it for DD. DD14 and I both took our hair down after the first day but I know we could left it alone and had it up for just as long as DD11 did.

Get the button, you can also get them at restaurants so if you don't get one before your character meal then you can get one at the restaurant as well. We got the free tortilla bag, birthday wishes, a few CM's with pins noticed and gave us a free pin, that was fun but totally unexpected, we did get a free bday dessert but not everywhere. In fact the day of my bday (after our BBB experience) we had lunch at WCT, I had my button, my birthday sash from BBB and birthday pins (pins and buttons are different) all on display, our reservation said it was my bday (our hostess said happy bday as she seated us) but no dessert, no bday wishes from our server, nothing. So it depends but it's fun to wear the button! I wore my button the day of my bday and the day after.

 

[gapoochi]

Do you think the BBB hairdo would hold up on a 3 year old? My daughter has long fine hair and even her ponies that we put in are messed up falling out within an hour. that is my biggest hesitation..that she won't leave it alone and it will be a waste. She had her nails painted at a salon a few weeks ago and she loved it but she ruined them twice while getting them done and had to get them fixed and they were half gone by the next day! LOL

It sounds so cute...I want to go to the Disney Store and buy some of the nicer gowns that I hear are on sale right now (all the ones she has are the play dress up ones that don't look as nice)

 

[pixiewings71]

Do you think the BBB hairdo would hold up on a 3 year old? My daughter has long fine hair and even her ponies that we put in are messed up falling out within an hour. that is my biggest hesitation..that she won't leave it alone and it will be a waste. She had her nails painted at a salon a few weeks ago and she loved it but she ruined them twice while getting them done and had to get them fixed and they were half gone by the next day! LOL

It sounds so cute...I want to go to the Disney Store and buy some of the nicer gowns that I hear are on sale right now (all the ones she has are the play dress up ones that don't look as nice)

My DD was 9 when she had her makeover (it was my 38th bday). Her hair is like mine, fine but there's a lot of it. I was worried they wouldn't be able to get it to stay in.....LOL Now I laugh at myself for worrying. LOL They used so much gel that there was NO problems with it staying in. Normally when I fix DD's hair it's falling out by the end of the day, not the case with the BBB! We didn't do the nails, we just did the hair/makeup package, nail polish always wears off on my girls quickly too. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the hair too much....it's almost like it's super glued in place. LOL

 

[Cagirl767]

My ds is almost 6 and dd is 3. I always tell people three things: 1. ask to go into the wheelhouse on the Mark Twain 2. Ask to sit up front on the Monorail 3. Ask at the Main Street train station to sit up front on the tender of the Lily Belle train.

There is also some really cool face painting around. I know I've seen it in Downtown Disney, but I'm not sure where else you can find it.

I second wanting to see the picture of the boy's hair from BBB! Please, please, pretty please!