Christmas - Disney kit ideas

[averysn]

We are going to Disney World next year so instead of buying a bunch of random toys for Christmas I am wanting to make Disney Survival Kits for my kids and my nephews. They will be 1 & 3 when we go and it will be Summer, so hot. I'm thinking things like a Disney t-shirt, sunglasses, water bottle, pin lanyard, etc. what are some other ideas for kids that age? I don't want to spend too much! Thank you

 

[kcpinwdw]

I did this this year for my two and my nephew. Basically I used a little disney lunch cooler and packed things in that. Had good luck at Party City, got lanyards for $.99 and all sorts of little Mickey and Minnie things like tattoos, crayons, and stickers. Dollar tree had a lot too, like Mickey glow sticks. Mine will be for the plane and hotel room entertainment. It was fun!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Remember that for toddlers, a gift they can not enjoy right then is not really a gift and while it will be cute and nice to have next summer, it really will mean nothing to them at Christmas. Perhaps just buy less toys, just a couple budget items they can enjoy right away. If you choose to make a WDW kit, remember to keep it age appropriate. Many of the typical things that would go into a WDW kit are choking hazards for kids under 3, and they are too young for the pen trading. Maybe a disney themed stuff animal to bond with and then take to WDW?

 

[missbrooke06]

Remember that for toddlers, a gift they can not enjoy right then is not really a gift and while it will be cute and nice to have next summer, it really will mean nothing to them at Christmas. Perhaps just buy less toys, just a couple budget items they can enjoy right away. If you choose to make a WDW kit, remember to keep it age appropriate. Many of the typical things that would go into a WDW kit are choking hazards for kids under 3, and they are too young for the pen trading. Maybe a disney themed stuff animal to bond with and then take to WDW?

Yeah but at the same time, I and a lot of my friends stretch out our kids' gifts. My son's birthday is beginning of April and we usually don't get all his presents out of the packaging until Memorial Day. I always appreciate useful, non-toy gifts!

 

[gules]

Remember that for toddlers, a gift they can not enjoy right then is not really a gift and while it will be cute and nice to have next summer, it really will mean nothing to them at Christmas. Perhaps just buy less toys, just a couple budget items they can enjoy right away. If you choose to make a WDW kit, remember to keep it age appropriate. Many of the typical things that would go into a WDW kit are choking hazards for kids under 3, and they are too young for the pen trading. Maybe a disney themed stuff animal to bond with and then take to WDW?

I pretty much agree with this. The parents might appreciate it, but little kids don't understand that kind of thing well. They'll want to be able to use at least part of it right away. At 1 and 3, most things they can use for the summer need to be given to Mom and Dad: personal fans, cooling towels, sunscreen, cameras.

My suggestion is different, though. I'd say go ahead and make the kit. I'd include some kind of name tag/ID to wear on the wrist (you can make this and it will help keep them safe), sunglasses (remember to size up for growing!), maybe some kind of hat? At 1 and 3 glowsticks and lanyards are a hazard. This really depends on your budget. A ballpark number would still help. It would be hard to get Disney water bottles and other things for under $10, for instance, but easier for under $30.

Either way, I'd include a few things they can play with right off. Sunglasses count in both camps if you can afford them, but they tend to run around $5+ a pair and I don't know what your budget looks like. However, a lot of Dollar Stores have the packaged Disney hand towels that get bigger when you put them in water. You can look for sales on Disney sing-along CDs or make your own. Little dress-up items can be taken to Disney as well as used right away... Just a few ideas in a range of prices.

 

[kwdw]

I've been doing trips as gifts for my niece for a few years now, and she doesn't "get it" when I describe the trip as a gift. I'd suggest just a handful of cheap toys instead. At 1, they don't know the difference between something that cost 50 cents vs. 50 dollars. And they can't count. And they can barely open a present. But since there is also a 3 year old in the mix, I just wrap up a couple dollar store items. The adults get it.....