Items to leave in room as a treat?

[Lambert808]

I remember reading over someones post about items they left in the room as a surprise for their child - and it being 'left' by a character. What kinds of things did you put in the room, and how did you package them?

 

[peanutzmom]

I haven't done this yet because we usually just do two night/one park day trips (Florida residents), but for our week long trip in November I plan on doing this as well. Here's what I have planned so far :
First night (we'll be going to MK in the morning) -- Mickey will leave pin lanyards (that I got from Kelloggs cereal for around $4 each several months ago)
Second night (we'll be going to Animal Kingdom the next morning) -- cheap disopsable cameras left by Puumba and Timon to take pictures of the animals
Third night (we'll be going to MGM in the morning) -- glow sticks & glow bracelets that they can use in the dark rides (like Tower of Terror) and at Fantasmic, left by ?? (haven't decided yet)
Fourth night (well be going to EPCOT in the morning) -- the Goofy scavenger hunt booklets that you can get free at the gate to EPCOT and Mickey Ear pens to write in them (I'll pop over and grab them one evening without the kids) left by Goofy

That's it -- don't know what we'll do the 5th and 6th nights (going back to MK one morning and EPCOT one morning), but I still have ample time to plan it. If I find other small goodies like lollipops & Mickey pretzles, I might pick them up to throw in with the goodies. Haven't decided how I'll wrap them yet, but I'll probably just decorate paper lunch bags with stickers & stamps.

 

[turnlisa]

I did this during our last trip. I was a bit elaborate though with the size of the gifts. We were celebrating my DS's 7th birthday so the gifts got a little bigger than I had planned. The only good thing was that I had gotten a lot of them on eBay so I saved a lot of money. It also meant that the kids didn't have to buy as much for souvenirs.

I didn't wrap anything just left them sitting on the bed. My oldest DS is a video game junkie so for his birthday we got him a GameBoy SP. That meant for the other days he got a couple of video games, an Atlantis adventure set, stuffed animals, etc. My younger DS is only 2 so I left things like stuffed animals, coloring books, tattoos, stickers, etc. Things seemed to go over really big and the kids never questioned who left them. They thought it was all a surprise from the characters and the great people at the Poly.

 

[Rapunsel]

I was just at my local Big Lots and they usually always have cookies, crackers, cereal that is Disney. So In the past I have left those as a treat. Like after my DS2 comes out of the bathroom in the morning. I tell him that he just missed Peter pan, Mickey, Goofy, etc.. Becasue he took to long. But they wanted to leave him a snack to share for the day. Also I get the fruit snacks when they go on sale. Yes.. I take up room to take them down, But the smile on his face is worth it. he also doesn't mind sharing..

 

[Lambert808]

Rapunsel- My dd would be SO MAD at me if I told her she had just missed one of the characters! LOL!! That is too funny

Thanks for all the ideas - I like the idea of giving little things she will use the next day on our trip for the day. I don't want to give her too much 'stuff' but fun things she will get use out of and enjoy/eat. Maybe I will put together a goodie bag for the airplane on the way down also.........

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I'm doing this for the first time on our next trip in July. I bought disney mini fans, stuffed characters, disney markers and crayons, mini Disney water game, stickers, light chasers, glow necklaces and bracelets, big Mickey lollipops and more junk. I'm wrapping them in DIsney paper and leaving them each night from Tinkerbelle. I went all out this time because 1) we're celebrating dd's birthday and 2) the whole trip to WDW is a surprise. The kids think we're going to US/IOA and then going home. We went to DIsney last year and told them we couldn't come back until 2005. I'm more excited about the surprises than anything and can hardly wait!

 

[vmkids]

My kids are teens and they still like their surprises! Make sure to look at birthday party favors section of target and such. They have Disnay stuff sometimes clearance that are princess and such. We also bought balloons with tigger and such on them and blew them up. I also check out salvation army and such for anything disney and have tons of stuffed toys that way to place all over the hotek room. I also love those Dinsay stick ups that don't hurt the walls and put them up. Found the Mickey ones that temporarly stick to bathroom tiles. The window clings look real cute on the mirrors and such too. My kids loved the mickey parachute party favors.... not so sure the people below the balcony did!

Check for the disney kleenex boxes too! For your little ones they have Pooh dixie cups too!

 

[Lambert808]

Thanks for all the great ideas!

 

[disneyfan551]

I did this for 2-2yo's on our trip in April. However, I made tent-type cards on the computer with the characters note, and pasted them onto cardstock (folding the card over). Then, each morning, we would place these cards signed by characters we would have seen the previous day, with the new 'goody' near their bed. I think this helped get them up more quickly & they loved the surprises!

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

I collect all sorts of Disney themed items months before our trip. That way, in addition to little gifts each morning, I have a stockpile of little things to pull out during wait times in the parks, restaurants or anytime my kids need a motivation for "good behavior.

This week I found Mickey tablets with stencils to make rubbings, princess markers/crayons and Pooh colored pencils at Walmart.

 

[ThatNiceComputerLady]

If you have time, you can also scope out garage sales and thrift stores. We're going in August, and I already have most of the treats ready for our 4-year-old and our 7-year-old. Just picked up a Minnie Mouse fanny pack for a quarter today!

 

[disvaclub92]

Thanks for the idea's. I was looking for something unique and different for them.

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

Anything you can find at the Disney store for 50% off is a great idea. Plus, the t-shirts are a great idea, and they are $5.99 right now !! I'm already collecting things for our trip in May 2005. The kids loved their surprises "from mickey" last year in Disneyland !!

 

[Sydnoahmom]

My kids love the Disney-themed Pez dispensers.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I went to the local Dollar Tree Store and they had those Big Disney Lollipops, and the glow necklaces. Than I picked up things for the pool. Then we hit the Disney Store which by the way that 50% off Sale was WONDERFUL!! Cute Tinkerbell bathing suit, shirt and coverup will round up my surprises.

Happy hunting.

 

[bobcat]

I fill disney themed party bags, get them on clearance, with little goodies and snacks/candy. I pick up items on clearance throughout the year and start assembeling the bags about a week before we leave. I have included disney candy and fruit snacks, beeanies, pez dispencers, temporary tatoos, disney themed party favors ( I used the mickey parachutes a couple of years ago and the last two from the package will go in this years bags), disney books and stuckers etc. I just put them on top of the dresser when I get up and the kids find them when they wake up.

I also do a travel bag for each kid before we leave. I have puzzles, books, cross words, new music, maybe a travel game, and snacks or other essentials they might need on the drive (tissues, lip balm, lotion). I found great plastic notebook holders/binders/file folder combo a couple of years ago and I load it up with puzzles and games I print off.