Help...Leaving tomorrow, budget cut in half

[leebee]

I would skip US/IOA. Although DD 10 LOVES roller coasters, she is not familiar with Universal movies so I think alot of the "theming" would be lost on her... Anyhow, while I agree the $50 seems like alot for little kids, we have travelled with extended family before and it's really hard when alll the other kids are buying whatever they want, and yours isn't buying anything...sometimes it's not the item that's important. it's being part of the crowd and doing what the other kids are doing. One trip, DD had almost no money and the other 3 cousins each had $300 for the week (guilt ridden parents who always overspend with$$, underspend with time!...gram and puppy took kids on trip, parents didn't want to go...), which is WAY TOO much. One of the things we tried to avoid was going into the shops with the other kids. DD was only 6 at the time, and easily distracted, so we'd go browse elsewhere while others were buying. Maybe you could do this and then work in a little something you brought with you...maybe get a disney bag from someone else's earlier purchase to put your "buys" in, so the kids think they have something from the store, too. I know, it sounds deceitful, but I can understand the pressure of doing what the others are doing. Some other things to consider: Disney washcloths are aroud $2.50 at TDS, 3.50 in the parks. Lots of fun at bath time, easy to transport. There are some great disney straws, curly ones with resin characters on them, also somewhere in the parks they give out Mickey-shaped swirl straws, maybe at a chatracter meal at CP? I know, charac b'fast isn't a money-saver, but there'd be a souvie afterward...I think $16 for potato-head parts is expensive, but there ARE computers at the potato head store where the kids can design and make their own Mr. Potatto Head post cards, and print them out, for free! My nieces (5&3) think this is the BEST...every night, leaving the parks, they'd BEG to go make a Mr. Potato Head! Pressed pennies are great, and somebody has a link to a map of all the places in the parks to get them. Maybe you could make a scavenger hunt from Cinderella for DD, to find specific princesses, or something. Also, as mentioned before, you can hit the outlets. I can't remember our favorite, but it's in a mall and there is a Universal outlet there too. Towels for $5, tinkerbell necklaces for $1, tee shirts and stuffies for under $5 each. Maybe you could check this out (Factory stores at LBV? maybe, not Belz, can't remember the name) without the kids on night #1, or have someone keep them distracted while you purchase. Then you could do the "smuggle the gift into a Disney bag" thing and present it to them after "shopping" with the others. Good luck...fortunately my DD has always been reasonable about souveniers, she thinks pressed pennies are the BEST! Whe also understands the choice of a mickey bar or a washcloth, usually goes for the snack as a gift rather than something to lug home with her.