Letting Kid Plan Trip?

[boo72]

DH and I are thinking about going to WDW with DSIL and niece in October for 4 days. We would let DN plan the trip, (where to stay of value resorts, where to eat, which parks to go to and when), she is 8 and has been to WDW a couple times already.

Has anyone else let their kids plan their Disney vacation, even if just part of it? Does anyone have any tips for us? Should we offer her 2-3 choices on things? I don't want to overwhelm her, we just want it to be fun!

Any tips and/or thoughts would be great!!
Thanks!

 

[debbiedoo]

We plan the resort being with DVC and we let our daughter choose one character dining.

 

[Magic2000]

We always let our kids help us plan the trip! It makes it so much fun for them! My youngest DD (9) loves planning trips!

In choosing the hotel, I'll narrow down the choices. Last summer, her choices were any of the All Stars or Pop Century. She chose Pop Century, and we did a split stay between Pop Century and Wilderness Lodge (DH loves WL)

When we're going to the park, she'll pick which area we go to first and which rides. In MK, she loves to go to Fantasyland first! We all get to pick at least one favorite restaurant - and I fit them in our schedule!

This past Dec, it was just DH, me and DD(9) and we let her pick almost everything (we chose Artist Point and Jiko for two of our dinners though!) She picked Pop Century again!! Then, she and I looked over the maps and I gave her some choices for meals and she had a blast "planning" our trip!

Have a great time!!!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

We have always given DS lots of input but never total freedom. One year it was a budget trip and we let him choose which value resort. We let him choose which charater meal when he was little, and now which country he wants to eat at. I decide which park which day and he gets to choose which ride first in each park. You can give her lots of freedom and choices and still have some control over the flow and cost of the trip.

Jordans' mom

 

[boo72]

These are great, thanks!

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

My kids love planning for WDW! For their first trip (DD then 8 and DS then 4), I bought the Birnbaum's Disney For Kids By Kids for them to look at and we made lists of the attractions each wanted to see, with the understanding that we would not be able to do everything on the lists. Then we compared our lists and made a family itinerary of all the things we all agreed on, plus a few that each of us really wanted. I also used the Unofficial Guide to decide which attractions we'd see first and so on, just to minimize argument at the parks.

For meals, I made those decisions based on where we'd be each day and my own children's likes and dislikes; for example, CRT for DD and Restaurantosaurus for DS.

My children now give me much greater - yet more casual - input on our trips. DS has asked for a new copy of Birnbaum as their old one literally fell apart from use - it became a great souvenir because they loved to look at it and relive the moments.