I want to make this the MOST it can possibly be!

[dreaminofdisneyx7]

Long story made as short as possible...

We booked and paid for this trip two days before my husband was laid off of work. We thought about changing it, but really would lose too much money PLUS, we haven't been on vacation in a very LONG time...like EVER with our 5 kids. My DH is a student and is graduating in May. He is going to be a Pastor. It could take a while to find a job. ETC. All that to say that this may be our only vacation for a very, VERY long time.

I want to make the absolute MOST of everything we can for the kids. The whole just BEING at DW will be enough for them really, but I want them to have the FULL experience. I have heard rumors of being able to get balloons to be placed in the rooms for them. I have heard about buttons. I ave heard LOTD of stuff, but I dont know WHAT I need to do to make those things happen for my kiddos.

Can you all give me any tips or tricks or PHONE NUMBERS that I need to call and request these romoured things.

Thank you folks!!

I...can't...wait....to surprise my kids on Sunday morning with the news that we will be in Disney for the week!!!!!

 

[jenlynn0808]

Check Disneyflorist.com

 

[Frankiesmom]

Disney Florist rocks! I always have a basket made up for the kids to be placed while we're there-I like the baskets better than the balloons-with the baskets they have a souvie.
Also character meals and a trip to DTD for a little shopping with some ghiradelli ice-cream makes for a special rememberence. Hope that helps!

 

[dogodisney]

If you go over to the DISign board there are lots of DISigners that Disign Welcome letters, etc.
You can print out letters for to Welcome the family to the World, the Resort, the parks, whatever, from whatever characters you want, then put one out in your room each morning for the kids to find.

Don;t count on Disney leaving balloons in your room. You can get First Visist buttons at any of the parks at guest relations. If you are staying on property, your resort may even have them.

Have a great trip!

 

[laughinplace199]

My youngest was given a First Visit button when we checked into our resort. The kids were also given balloons when we checked into OKW. I don't know if the other resorts do that as well. Maybe call your resort and ask?

I'm sorry to hear that your husband was laid off and I understand that you want to make this trip extra special for your family, but please don't stress or worry if the extra things don't work out. You are going to have a wonderful time on this well deserved family vacation. Enjoy!

 

[GoofyFairie]

Disney Florist is going to be expensive and I think you are going for not breaking the bank here since you need to be thinking about the future. Talk to your kids before hand and set a limit for souveniers. Take lots of pictures, they make a great souvenier in itself. My kids also like to have the park maps to look at and they are free inside the entrance of each park. Get the first visit buttons at guest relations for free. Sometimes people take their own souviners with them that they have gotten at Disney store or Walmart and leave them out at night after the kids have gone to sleep- they call it Tink leaving pixie dust I think. Be creative here. This is your family and you can create the magic yourself. I bought a Disney postcard and wrote a note on it from Mickey and Friends and mailed it home on my way out of the resort at check out. My kids were thrilled when it arrived home a week later. Another thought would be to order stuff after you get home and when it arrives tell the kids that Mickey sent it! Little things can have a big impact!

 

[jnzimm]

All things are possible with the right amount of cash. I am confused as to your other post that says you hadn't made your last payment on your trip prior to your DH being laid off ? I recall you were waiting for your income tax return for the final payment. I am just sayin..........

 

[PrincessKsMom]

So you're looking for free stuff? Outside of a pin (but for what occasion) or a towel animal, nothing is free in Disney.

 

[teglazer]

where do I find this disign board???

 

[rabx5]

where do I find this disign board???

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=105

 

[dreaminofdisneyx7]

Thanks to all of the kind people who gave suggestions. We are looking to do as much free or cheap stuff as possible. The welcome letters are exactly the type of things that will be PERFECT for what I am planning. We did buy a bunch of Disney items and have them packed to go and will put them out each morning.

Thanks again for all of your input. I am sure we ill ahve a FABULOUS time!!!

I am confused as to your other post that says you hadn't made your last payment on your trip prior to your DH being laid off ? I recall you were waiting for your income tax return for the final payment. I am just sayin..........

Maybe I'm a little sensitive, but I totally too this as harsh. I was trying to be breif in my explanation. TECHINICALLY, we had already put a good chunk on our trip before DH lost his job and didn't want to lose a penny of it. We did pay for the rest with income tax, but I am not sure why I am even explaining this to you. I guess you didn't have anything better to do, so there you go. My point of this post had very little (if anything really)to do with my financial status or to seek YOUR opinion of our choices and more to do with planning my trip. "I'm just sayin...."

 

[rabx5]

Thanks to all of the kind people who gave suggestions. We are looking to do as much free or cheap stuff as possible. The welcome letters are exactly the type of things that will be PERFECT for what I am planning. We did buy a bunch of Disney items and have them packed to go and will put them out each morning.

Thanks again for all of your input. I am sure we ill ahve a FABULOUS time!!!




Maybe I'm a little sensitive, but I totally too this as harsh. I was trying to be breif in my explanation. TECHINICALLY, we had already put a good chunk on our trip before DH lost his job and didn't want to lose a penny of it. We did pay for the rest with income tax, but I am not sure why I am even explaining this to you. I guess you didn't have anything better to do, so there you go. My point of this post had very little (if anything really)to do with my financial status or to seek YOUR opinion of our choices and more to do with planning my trip. "I'm just sayin...."

Wow Yeah, a bit sensitive I would say. You asked for advice and this poster asked a simple, non snarky question and you jumped her/him.

 

[verlee]

Maybe I'm a little sensitive, but I totally too this as harsh. I was trying to be breif in my explanation. TECHINICALLY, we had already put a good chunk on our trip before DH lost his job and didn't want to lose a penny of it. We did pay for the rest with income tax, but I am not sure why I am even explaining this to you. I guess you didn't have anything better to do, so there you go. My point of this post had very little (if anything really)to do with my financial status or to seek YOUR opinion of our choices and more to do with planning my trip. "I'm just sayin...."[/QUOTE]


Don't take it personally. For some reason, some people feel the need to be critical. I am sure you know your situation better then anyone else. Have a good time with your family. There are lots of ways to make your trip special without spending a fortune.

 

[crisi]

Free and cheap is rare - other than the "free" shows and attractions you get for purchasing your ticket in the first place.

Some cast members (but not all) carry stickers and will give them to your kids. They are easy to get at DVC booths generally - sometimes the boat drivers. But its a right place right time thing.

Birthday buttons - and some other types of buttons - are available at city hall.

The balloon thing is really rare - that's the first time I've ever heard of being given balloons at check in, and towel animals do not happen to everyone. Much time has been spent on this board trying to figure out how to make towel animals happen.

Magic is something that doesn't happen by asking for it, or by expecting it. And Disney generally DOESN'T give it to you by asking for it. But a lot of people make their own magic.

The dollar store usually carries cheap glow bracelets and such - bring them with you saves a ton over buying them in the park. The dollar store is also a good place for finding cheap Disney souvieners - some people create "Tinkerbelle gifts."

Autographs are free - autograph books are expensive. Find an appropriate book before you go - we've used craft store scrapbooks.

Your fellow DISers can be a good source - if you ask someone will likely send your kids a postcard "from Mickey" before your trip. I don't have one or I'd drop one in the mail for you.

There are some other things - waking up Tinkerbelle at Tink's Treasures, finding the paintbrush on Tom Sawyer Island. But because these are magical things that happen to one child a day - and there are usually dozens of people trying to be the one, in my opinion they are not worth pursuing. My kids have gotten "year of a million dreams" treats the past two trips - they got to announce the train leaving at AK and found a dragon that earned them a certificate in England, my daughter got a certificate for finding something else in a shop and returning it, my daughter got a Tinkerbelle pin from a CM on a barely travelled path in the MK early one morning....but those are right place right time things that you can't make happen.

 

[dreaminofdisneyx7]

Thank you verlee. I posted too quickly and should have just rolled my eyes and disregarded it

Thanks! I am SOOOOOO excited! Have I said that?!?!?!?!

 

[Perditamarie]

Wow...is this a surprise for the kids??? How wonderful!

Definately check out the Creative DISigns board...you can make Autograph books (or even use inexpensive books from home...like load a 4X6 photo album w/plain index cards and leave one side blank to fill w/pics when you return home) and there are some very nice passports for World Showcase in Epcot you can make as well. It is also fun to collect autographs on items like pillowcases or picture mats or plain white bucket/baseball hats.

One of our favorite fun things to do is the kidcot funstops in World Showcase...kids color a mask and then collect a themed charm from each country to hang on the mask...kids can win a small "prize" after they visit each country. There is a similar set of Kidcot funstops in Future World at Epcot, where you color/collect tags to hang from a lanyard/necklace.

After all that kidcotting around Epcot, we enjoy the free soda samples from all over the world at Club Cool in Epcot...there are some pretty tasty sodas out there, and this is the only time my kids get soda!

Another favorite is to collect pressed pennies....only costs $0.51 and is fun to do...there are machines all over WDW w/many, many different themes and characters.

Once on the boat from POR to DTD the boat drive let my boys steer for 1/2 a second and gave all the kids some old buttons he had...we're still wearing them! Also, occasionally, Disney resorts seem to have regular balloons to give away...this is random and seems to be more likely in the morning.

There are also places at Epcot where you can send family/friends/yourselves a free e-mail to say hi!

Don't forget to ask to ride in front w/the monorail driver..sometimes you have to wait for the next train, but it is a treat for the kiddos....only 4 can fit tho.
Hope you have a great trip and a wonderful vacation from day to day stuff!

 

[crisi]

The monorail ride in front is a great idea! Sometimes when we see a monorail at the station we sort of hang back while everyone else rushes to catch the waiting monorail. We've had good luck getting to sit up front this way - though we haven't managed it the past few trips.

Epcot has passports with buttons and stickers - they are sort of pricey. But you can ask to have the CMs at the kidcot stations sign and stamp your autograph book rather than buying a passport. They'll write something about their country - this isn't great for toddlers, but its really nice for elementary school kids.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Just remember--the front of the monorail only holds 4 guests. So, you might have to do it twice to get everyone to have a turn. When we did it, they let our 4 kids ride, and DH and I rode in the front car. But, we had two middle schoolers, so everyone was comfortable with that. I don't think they'd let little kids ride up there unescorted.

 

[Hodder]

Maybe I'm a little sensitive, but I totally too this as harsh. I was trying to be breif in my explanation. TECHINICALLY, we had already put a good chunk on our trip before DH lost his job and didn't want to lose a penny of it. We did pay for the rest with income tax, but I am not sure why I am even explaining this to you. I guess you didn't have anything better to do, so there you go. My point of this post had very little (if anything really)to do with my financial status or to seek YOUR opinion of our choices and more to do with planning my trip. "I'm just sayin...."[/QUOTE]

You are being a little sensitive, I'm not saying don't go, by all means you know your budget better than anyone here, however you have put your financial status out there in more than one post. You are the one asking for free cheap stuff to do, as you are on a tighter budget due to your husband's layoff.
Go have a good time, do all that was suggested here. When we went on our first trip, we didn't worry about any of that stuff, just there to drink in the magic...and it came to us..Pixie Dust sprinkled on my family by a waiter at Tony's Town Square (just for being polite and asking him how his day was going), 2 towel animals left on the bed just for having our beds already made up. I look at it this way, your kids will have an awesome time whether or not they get buttons, towel animals or anything else. You have done that by just taking them to Disney.

 

[dreaminofdisneyx7]

Thank you to everyone who has offered helpful suggestions to my questions.