Bringing a favorite toy....

[kpk89]

Bring Elmo! There's no reason he should get lost if he's in your child's bed -- just put it somewhere else in the morning so mousekeeping doesn't scoop it away. We brought "Bunny" for dd2 and he stayed in the packnplay. We also brought "Taggie" to take out and about with us. We did drop it once getting on a FriendShip at Epcot, but the captain picked it up and called out her name on the PA (dd's name is embroidered on the taggie.) Phew! But, beloved as taggie is, Bunny is it when it comes to sleeping at night.

IMO if the lovie is important enough to have this debate (bring and possibly LOSE, or leave at home and not SLEEP!) then chances are it's important enough that you won't forget to put it someplace that will be safe from the mousekeepers.

 

[Barb D]

Here's a tip if you need to take a special toy into the parks: Attach it to a small chain of those plastic links, and hook it to the stroller.

I made a special blankie for one of our trips with a toddler. It's a small "quillow" with a pocket to fold the blanket into to turn it into a pillow. I attached a fabric handle above the pocket. I attached the blankie to to stroller and it never got lost. She had it in case it got cool in an attraction or restaurant, and we had the characters autograph it. She's almost 6 now and still uses it.

 

[DizzyFORDisney]

My son has a stuffed bunny that has been dragged all over the Disney Parks twice (and countless other places for almost 5 years!) I made an id tag for Bunny out of a shrinky dink with all of our info and our resort name. It wasn't worth the tears that would have flowed if we said he couldn't have him! It also helped him nap in some of the longer lines!
I say tag 'em and take 'em!
Have fun!

 

[The Sweetness]

I agree to bring the Elmo and keep him quarantined to the room. I unfortunately left DD14's fave blanket at our hotel on vacation when she was 3. She was devistated. And has never let me live it down. (thats okay, I can just tell her friends how she used to run around the living room naked after her bath, refusing to put on pj's until the theme from the Muppet Show was over. Or about her first concert when she was 8~ Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Foo Fighters. She ate so much junk food, as soon as the house lights went out and Flea started to play Around The World, Heather had to run down the steps to the trash can and puke!

 

[Schmeck]

We always bring a few 'friends' from home on our trips, and mousekeeping has done some pretty hilarious things with them. We've come back to the room to have them set up on the bed, with the remote, watching the Disney Channel. Once, Izzybear was on the toilet, with toilet paper in his hand (Towels were protecting him from the seat/falling in)

You just have to remember to leave the friend in a chair, or on the table, etc, so it is in sight, not tangled in the bedding. I made DD11 (who brought 4 stuffed animals with her, and bought 5 more!) line them up on the daybed each morning, kind of like 'rollcall!"

 

[egoldber]

My DD has her "lambie" blanket. Lambie has been all over the world (WDW and beyond) with us! I would never travel without lambie, DD just does not sleep well without her and having lambie calms her down when she gets overwhlemed.

I try to have DD leave her in the room during the day to minimize the chances of her getting lost. But sometimes, she just needs to bring lambie and I just try to be super vigilant. And make sure to keep a close eye on Elmo in the airport and on the airplane.

 

[DisFam95]

My DS has brought his stuffed dog 2x to WDW and took him everywhere (this thing goes way beyond just a sleeptime buddy). I put a small dog collar on him and made a pet ID tag at the petstore (and 1 for DS's shoe too) w/ our cell#, last name, and DVC resort.

Then I bought a bottle holder lanyard and slipped it around his neck and that was his 'leash'. We could loop it around the stroller bar so it could not be tossed.

This dog has been an every day part of our lives so we are used to not leaving for the day, getting up from a table, leaving a store, getting in/out of the bus etc w/o saying "do we have Dodo?"

Just be prepared to monitor the lovie. If you don't think you can do this while out of your normal routine and sometimes stressful moments of vacations then you may think twice.

 

[staci]

Its been three weeks since our trip, and ds still tells me everyday of the wonderful adventures he and donald had at mickey's house. To him, donald is his dearest friend, and I am so glad he got to share in the excitement with him!