gotcha day

[mrsgus06]

I have seen this post many times, but I am not sure what it is. Is this something Disney does to celebrate "forever families"? We are going the day after Christmas and bringing in the New Year and if it can become extra special for my adopted (also my biological because they think it is so cool they have new sisters) should I mention something to the cast members?

 

[BostonTigger]

Don't know, but how about a *bump*?

 

[CEDmom]

I don't know about Disney doing anything for this. To us gotcha day is the day DD was brought to our hotel in China and we became a family. We celebrate this privately as a family. To us it's much different than her birthday.

 

[laurie31]

Most adoptive parents celebrate the day their children became part of their families. My parents, however, call it an Arrival Day, which I think sounds better than "gotcha" but that's just my personal preference. It doesn't really matter what it's called, but it is very special I am 37 and still get presents for my arrival day. When I was a child, I had a cake and everything. I had the big party with friends on my brithday, but my arrival day was the day Mom would cry and talk about how happy she was when I was placed in her arms, and she can't believe it's been xxx number of years ago, etc (the way bio moms do on their kids' birthdays). My friends used to envy me because I had two "birthdays."

I think Disney doing anything special for it would be in the same catagory as birthdays. In other words, don't expect it but you might get a card or balloons. We were there for both dd's birthdays and both did get a card at the resort, which thrilled them. (I did not request nor expect it -it was a wonderful bit of magic ) DD2 also got a little cupcake at the character meal we chose for her birthday celebration, but DD1 did NOT get one at her character meal. (we were not upset, dd1 was not upset, although if she had been, we would have purchased a dessert for her, no problem.) So, don't count on anything from Disney. Half the people there may be celebrating something, after all. It wouldn't hurt to mention it, but beyond wishing your kids a happy gotcha day, I wouldn't expect anything. You could make you kids a button or T-shirt saying, "Today's my gotcha day" or something, and perhaps be wished "Happy Gotcha Day" by CMs but it's more likely that people will be asking you what it means all day. If you want to discuss adoption with people, then go for it. However, like it is for CEDmom, this was a private thing in our family. Also, I'm not sure I would want to take time out of my Disney day to explain my whole adoption story to everyone who asks. (and sometimes people's questions can be...inappropriate, and people who are considering adoption may have long serious questions). Either way, I'd rather just have fun with my kids in the parks.

Congratulations on the additions to your family and have a great trip!

Whatever you want to do to celebrate will be fine. Depending on your budget, you could do anything from a purchasing a custom Christmas ornament at Downtown Disney to a character meal - I recomend the Ice Cream social - tons of fun and great character interaction, or even an Illuminations cruise Or you could have a cake and/or balloons delivered to your room, or to your dinner table. Ask your kids what they want to do

Laurie

 

[hipporina]

We celebrate Gotcha Day on the day the adoption was finalized. Here an adoption cannot be consummated until the kids have lived with you for 6 months, so there are really two significant dates - the date they came and the date it was done and final. We chose the latter. Our first pair were placed as foster kids, so we weren't sure we could keep them when we got them and I didn't stop worrying until we walked out of the courtroom, so the finalization date made more sense for our family. We celebrate with family and tell people about it (my kids are very proud to be adopted), but we don't do a kid party like we do for birthdays.