if you went/or are going to wdw for baby's 1st bday...

[lynetteSC]

will you have a party at home? Our family thinks we are terrible since we haven't planned a party for our ds's bday at home. We will be at WDW the week of his bday. Anyone else have this "issue"?
sorry, I know this is off topic for this board!

 

[GEM]

We went to Disney for Paul's first birthday, but we also had a party at home. We knew our friends and family would feel cheated if they didn't get to be in on the celebration. They wanted to do presents, messy cake all over his face, and all of that fun stuff. So, we did both. It was lots of fun.

 

[justhat]

Well my daughter just turned 1 on 2/26, and we're not going back to Disney till 4/18, but we will be there for her 14 month birthday and I plan to get her a cupcake! But I'll answer what we did do since we don't live near our family. We had a small party at the Rainforest Cafe (can't fit people in our home) with our close friends and their kids. My mom came down, but that was it. Other family wanted us to come back to my mom's house and have a party there, but we did what we thought was best.

Anyway, not that I've been in this situation, but my suggestion would be to have something small at home either before or after his birthday. Invite your close family over and let them watch your little guy dive into his cake (which is probably what they all want to see!). That should appease everyone, and you can keep it really cheap, just getting snacks, finger foods, and the cake. Or maybe even just a cupcake for the baby, not a full cake.

 

[Stimpy]

We also got a bad reaction from DH's family when we said we were going on the Disney Cruise during DD's 1st birthday. So we're having a "small" family party the weekend before her actual birthday to make them happy. Since DH has a large family and I have a large extended family that we "have to" invite, the small party will wind up being atleast 30 people I'm not too happy about it, but it will keep the peace in our family.

 

[CEDmom]

I haven't had this issue. However, I think if my family were close by I'd at least invite them for cake to celebrate even though we'd be away for the actual birthday.

 

[DebIreland]

... I'm sure you could do without that kind of pressure from your family. It's totally 100% up to you what way you'd like to celebrate your child's birthday. Even if you weren't going to Disney, there is still no need to have a party unless you want to! My daughter will be one next Sunday 13th and we're just having a nice family lunch at home... by "family" I mean our own family... me, DH, my two sons and the birthday girl plus her two grandmothers. That's it! Having said that, I'll get in extra food so if my brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces etc. want to call on the day they'll be welcome but there'll be no set time and no set party. I am so tired these days I just can't take on a big party and I *know* that my daughter will be thrilled to just have her parents, brothers and nanas there to help her blow out her candles, if I start inviting other people it will get out of hand and my baby won't get a look in with all the noise and chaos. We've been down that road before and I was totally stressed out! It all depends on how you define celebration, to me a celebration for a 1 year old is a cake, a present, a candle, some goodies and those nearest and dearest to her to give her lots of hugs and kisses !! Good luck!!

 

[ErinInCT]

We were in WDW close to dd's 1st b-day. I was so busy planning the trip I never planned a party for her. But I did a little family party with a Disney theme! That way I used some stuff I bought at WDW. For the invites I took those paint swatches from Home Depot that are Mickey head silhouttes & peeled them off. I glued them on card stock with a little rhyme that said "It’s time for a party, Kate is turning one. Please say you’ll join us to celebrate the fun!" I made a cake in 2 round cake pans. I took one of the rounds & used a round glass (spray with Pam) to "cut" holes in the cake. I put the other round down on a platter & used my 2 little rounds (cut with the glass) at the top so it looked like a Mickey silhoutte. I attached them with frosting & then frosted the whole cake. It looked just like the heads from the paint swatches. I then took crepe paper & glued the paint swatch "heads" onto the crepe paper & took a Sharpie & spelled "HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY KATE", one letter on each head. I hung that & hung other crepe paper around. That was it (she is only 1 after all). It was fun continuing our Disney fun after our trip. I made my poor family watch our video from the trip (as soon as I got home I put it on a tape since the b-day was a week later) to keep with the Disney birthday theme. I bought some stuff at WDW that I used as goody bag favors for the kids at the party. I thought it turned out really well for something I threw together at the last minute!!!

 

[lynetteSC]

Thanks guys - I am glad I am not alone. I felt so bad last nite, we have been so busy trying to get prepared for our trip, we hadn't even thought about something at home! I like the idea of the disney theme party ... maybe after we are home, then we could show videos, pictures,etc. Anymore ideas, let us know! Thanks bunches!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

We're going for our ds's first b'day in Nov., and I've been trying to answer some of the same questions...for us, we know we will have a separate party since we'll actually be in the World 2 weeks after his b'day (going during Value Season and also so we can spend Thanksgiving with my parents who live in Orlando). Most of the people he knows live up here in New England so we'll have a party the week of his actual birthday, but we don't know how "big" or small the party will be yet. Probably something at MIL/FIL's house involving cake and tons of guests who buy him stuff he doesn't need, LOL. Sad that I'm trying to figure this out so far ahead of time, but it's fun to plan, which is how I got addicted to WDW planning in the first darn place!!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

Look at it this way, there are so many people that love your little one and want to help celebrate his special day. I agree that simple cake and ice cream would be a kind thing to do. Simple is best anyway. Our DS was very premature and that first year was a night mare. By a year old he was a healthy child and we threw a big bash to thank everyone for there love and support that year. DS hated it! He cried for most of the party. It's funny watching the video now but it was not that day when DS screamed if anyone got close to him!!!!

Enjoy that special trip and birthday!!!
Jordans' mom

 

[MrsPete]

Keep in mind that a first-birthday trip is really going to be for the parents, not the child. The child will enjoy swimming in the hotel pool and may enjoy the characters (varies from child to child).

Regardless of what you're doing, I'd suggest having a small extended-family birthday. Everyone else wants to celebrate the little one's first year too!

 

[Gillian]

Do whatever you think is best! But sometimes it's good to make family happy by throwing a little party so they can see you & the baby.

We had planned to be in WDW for DS's first birthday, but that was around 9/11 so we took a road trip instead. I had a huge first birthday party for him when we got back. I invited pretty much everyone, because he was the first grandchild. It was good to see everyone and to let them see DS.

We did a Winnie the Pooh theme! Very cure and very easy since I could buy everything I needed.

We went to WDW for his second birthday the following september and I also had a party when we got back. This time I scaled way back on friends without little kids but still invited our families.

 

[MAGICX2]

DD first bday was Jan.16,05. We had a breakfeast party with the Princesses at Norway,a dinner party with Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare and then a family party two weeks after her 1st bday at home. Some people said we were silly, but you know what?! it's my kid and my memories, don't mess!

 

[KristinU]

Funny you should ask...

We met my parents and my grandfather at WDW for DS's first birthday where we celebrated in the morning with a late breakfast at Chef Mickey's then had a birthday dinner with everyone at our BW villa that evening. Then once we were home we had a party for friends (we live out of state from family). NOW, two months later, we're visiting DH's family this coming weekend and they're having a birthday dinner for DS - so in all that will be four celebrations!

 

[swilphil]

My youngest son had both his 1st and 2nd birthday parties at WDW. We didn't do anything at home, but we definitely will for his 3rd since he will be a little more aware of what the whole birthday thing is. His birthday fell right after July 4th and 3 weeks after his older brother's birthday, so there was a lot of celebrating. The birthday is for the child, not for the other members of the family. He seemed very excited about celebrating with Pooh and Mickey instead of at home.

 

[justhat]

My youngest son had both his 1st and 2nd birthday parties at WDW. We didn't do anything at home, but we definitely will for his 3rd since he will be a little more aware of what the whole birthday thing is. His birthday fell right after July 4th and 3 weeks after his older brother's birthday, so there was a lot of celebrating. The birthday is for the child, not for the other members of the family. He seemed very excited about celebrating with Pooh and Mickey instead of at home.

Like I said already, go and have a great time. But I kinda disagree that the birthday is for the child at age 1. My daughter had no idea at all that it was her birthday, no idea why I kept putting her birthday crown on her, why she got to eat cake, why we were surrounded by our friends and their kids at the Rainforest Cafe, etc. Her party was totally for us, and basically a chance to get together with our friends. We don't live near any family so only my mom was at the party, so we invited our friends instead. My daughter's been to Disney 4 times and will be back for her 5th next month, but she has no idea where we're going, so if I told her she'd be celebrating with Pooh she'd stare at me like she does when I tell her she has to get dressed, or whatever other thing she doesn't understand. And she loves the characters!

With that said, since it's really more for the parents, celebrate where you want. But like I said and others, other family members want to share in the joy of the baby's 1st birthday so why not let them? Your son will have fun both in Disney and at home with his family so celebrate twice!

 

[PatricenPete]

We will be in WDW for our DS's 1st birthday, but we are definitely going to have party for him when we get home. I think that celebrating the 1st year of life is so special.