Gift bag ideas

[yellowcrayon]

I'm a frequent lurker, finally breaking my silence to hopefully get some fun ideas from you DISers. On all the vacations I take I like to put together fun little goodie bags for my traveling companions. I usually include small things to use on the vacation (mini fans, custom T-shirts, etc.) and things to use on the plane (gum, logic puzzles, coloring books....I'm 24 and, surprisingly, the coloring books are still what go over the best!). On my upcoming trip to WDW, my friends are flying in from different places in the country, so they will not be getting their bags until we check into the hotel, leaving the plane portion of the bags pretty obsolete. I would love any ideas for fun things to put into the bags, stuff that could be used in the parks or that might commemorate the trip.

Also, my parents are the ones taking us on the trip (poor Dad is stuck vacationing with 4 females!). I would love to do something nice for them as well, so any ideas on that end would be appreciated as well (ideas on a paying-back-college-loans budget)

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Disney Fool]

I'm assuming they're not small children. A hotel gift bag for young women? hmmm....how about going to Walmart and getting gift bags that feature disney characters (perferably their favorite), and purchasing bath salts, foot cream or soothing spray (for those tired feet), a disney wallet that will attach to belt loops (no more dragging around a pocketbook or bag) look-alike tee-shirts, sunhats, favorite teabags, or small coffee bags, character coffee mugs, disney breath mints (found at Disney store), favorite cookies (at I-Party they have tiny chinese take out boxes that would be perfect for holding teas or cookies and they fold up!) how about those washcloths that have disney characters on them and you soak them in water to make them get to full size? battery operated disney fans for kids that work great for adults too!, ...you get the idea. Anything to make their hotel stay comfy. Bring it all separately and assemble once you get there. Bring some ribbons, and scissors. go away from the family by yourself and have fun putting the bags together. Don't forget a card, too.

 

[Ricky's Girl]

Disney Fool Wow! You had some excellent suggestions! I really liked the idea of the Chinese "take out" boxes to put tea and cookies in. Also the bath salts and things for our tired feet! I'll have to remember to make a pack for myself! Thanks for sharing!

 

[pezheadmeg]

I went out ahead of time and bought the Chinese Food take-out containers at Michaels. I then got an ideas as to what type of candy everyone would be in the mood for and went to Party City for the bags of the tiny packages. I then tossed in tic-tacs, tissues, and just for fun a pez dispenser that fit each recipients personality. I picked up Dinsey mini bean bags on clearance at the Disney Store just to add a tiny amount of punch.

 

[Tink901]

Small bottles of hand sanitizer are great to have in the parks and they sell some that could clip onto your belt loop. Bengay (unscented) is great for tired feet after a long day at the parks, gum isn't available at the theme parks so some packs of their favorite if they would chew normally. You could make each a autograph book using clip art of the characters to be signed while visiting the parks, chapstick, lifesavers (individually wrapped) are nice to have in case your thirsty in a long ride line.

Make sure to take lots of pictures and you could make photo albums to remember the trip. I do that as holiday gifts just make sure you get some group photos not just some of the group. If you ask any cast member they will take a group photo for you.

Just a few thoughts have a great trip!!

 

[yellowcrayon]

Wow! Thanks so much for all these great ideas! There's so many brilliant things (foot cream, hand sanitizer, magic towels, cookies) that I would never think of, but will totally be useful on the trip. I can't wait to start putting these together.

 

[melanieewr]

I love doing gift bags for my travel companions. I have found great buys on the bags themselves at disney shopping and have filled them with lots of the items previously mentioned. I also usually put in a pack of playing cards, but I love the idea of coloring books! I have also put in adodrable mickey head bottle openers that were a hit. Tiny flashlights are also nice. This trip, I am getting chocolate colored canvas bags with the ladies names embroidered and a contrasting initial behind the name. I haven't received them yet, but the pics on the website are so cute. I found them at threelulus and they are about $13 each. A long lasting and useable gift, in my opinion.

 

[iluveeyore]

I did up two gift bags for our upcoming trip - my DS is bringing his DGF and it's her first trip - I bought some address labels, went on-line and found Disney clipart, and used my Microsoft publisher to make labels for each of their bags. I found plain black gift bags at Walmart for 97 cents, and then put labels all over them - hers has Tinkerbell and says 'Katie's first trip to Walt Disney World Oct. 22-27, 2007" in matching green ink. My DS bag has Jack Skellington and Sally and says "Trevor & Katie's first trip to Walt Disney World together Oct. 22-27, 2007" in matching colours. I also wrapped the labels around some Hersey nuggets and put them in a baggie inside with their other gifts (cheap t-shirts from Disney store, key chains, Tink dollar stuff from Target, etc.)
Very inexpensive way to personalize gifts for everyone - package of labels was $2.92 at Walmart and has 300 labels to use.
Have a great trip!