Making a Disney Birthday trip on Thursday - tips? Advise? Ideas? Feedback?

[Melb]

My daughter turns 5 on Thursday. I plan to be at my sons day care center at 6:30 am when the doors open so me and Dani can have a girls day at the happiest place on earth!

So question 1 - I have to bring her birth certificate - any tips on how to carry this and keep it safe?

Question 2 - our AP's expire in July - can I hold on to the fun card and apply it towards a new AP when we renew in July?

Question 3 - I plan to ditch the poor baby at 6:30 AM - and run up to Anaheim - I hope to get there by 8:30 - 9ish. My plan is to go to City Hall for the Fun Card - and then make a run for the teacups - then Small world.

We saw small world at Christmas - will the lines be long for it now that it's refurbished? We haven't met the fairies at Pixie hollow either.

I have reservations for Blue Bayou at 11:40 and Ariels Grotto at 1:50 - haven't decided which one yet. My dd has her heart set on Ariels but she's been there before and it's a bit spendy. We can probably make it out cheaper from Blue Bayou... I kept trying to talk her out of Ariels and she kept insisting that she wanted to go there - but when I told her we might not have enough money for Ariels - she said OK mama - gave me a hug and melted my heart... She's such a sweet kid - and daddy's ship is out this week - he's missing her birthday - and when we dropped him off at the pier she started to cry and she told me she gets worried when he's gone.

My parents will be picking up the baby from day care so we have no hurry to get back. Do we want to wait for Fantasmic?

Am I missing anything?

 

[dleyel]

I can answer #2. We just went for my mom's birthday on 2/1. We told the CM that we wanted to get the one-day ticket to apply later toward her renewal. The CM suggested getting the Fun Card just in case she wanted to use it for something else, as the Fun Card can also be applied toward renewal. The one-day ticket is only good for one year, but the Fun Card has no expiration. We'll be going on the 25th to do the same thing for my son's birthday.

I'm going to bring my son's passport, so can't help you with #1.

I think waiting for Fantasmic might end up depending on the weather and how tired your DD is.

Have a wonderful mom and daughter day!

 

[BeaniesMom]

So I take it your husband is in the Navy stationed in SD? My husband is in the Navy and we transfered to NV from SD a year and a half ago and we'll be going back when he's done with shore duty. I dont have any advise for you about your trip, but I can sympathize with you about Daddy being gone for birthdays. We've certainly been down that road before. It breaks my heart that your daughter said that. I hope she enjoys her birthday and the two of you have a wonderful day

 

[Kayla's Mom]

It sounds like you have a lot of fun things planned already, but you could also do the birthday party celebration at the Plaza Inn. Everyone gets a little cake to decorate and Mickey and Minnie make an appearance. It's really fun!

 

[pixiewings71]

I'd keep the ressie at Ariel's and then either take her to the Plaza Inn or to BB for dessert. You may not need her birth certificate, she has an AP so her bday should be in the DLR system, carrying my girls' BCs around is going to make me nervous too.....
Have fun!

 

[Melb]

I'd keep the ressie at Ariel's and then either take her to the Plaza Inn or to BB for dessert. You may not need her birth certificate, she has an AP so her bday should be in the DLR system, carrying my girls' BCs around is going to make me nervous too.....
Have fun!

Ohhhh good idea - do you think if I call or email I might get an answer tonight?

I suck at losing things - I had to pay a small fortune to get this copy of her birth certificate when I registered her for preschool....

 

[Melb]

I called DL and they told me the AP was good enough - and to just go to the ticket booth so I could get her fun card!

Dani is doing better - she has such a hard time when Daddy goes away. She's going to be really miserable later this year when his ship deployes for 7 months - and I'll probably overdo it trying to make her feel better as always...

THANKS guys!

 

[pixiewings71]

No problem, I'm glad you found out the AP is enough. I hope she's OK when Daddy has to leave and I hope his time away is over quickly. Please tell him Thanks for his service to our country. And Thanks to YOU as well.

 

[drgsjh]

We were just there for DD's 6th. Of course get the birthday pin. Get the I'm Celebrating one for you as well. We went to an open ticket window and the gal there was able to do everything - fun card and pins for everyone - so we skipped City Hall.

They sell It's My Birthday shirts, which I did not discover till the end of the day. They are at that first shop on the right as you enter Main St. Also had a few other things. But that can get pricey (totally understand there).

We went to the Plaza Inn Birthday party and then had supper at Ariel's Grotto. Also can get pricey but we don't live there so we were splurging! The Plaza Inn was fun but I felt a little rushed. In and out in 30 minutes to include decorating a cake (everyone gets their own), pictures with Mickey/Minnie, games, etc. We were still trying to eat our cake and they were cleaning the tables. We had to ask them to bring a wet wipe back to our table b/c they had already cleaned them up. But it was fun and DD loved being the birthday girl.

At Ariel's Grotto, I did order the treasure box cake but we didn't even eat a bite of it with all the other yummies they serve. But, again, DD loves a party and loved that they sang to her. If you don't get the treasure box cake (an added cost), they will still bring a cupcake if you tell them and sing to them so it's still big fun. They did that the night before at Goofy's Kitchen.

Even if you don't go to the Plaza Inn, if you follow the hedge outside it, you can find a sign that says something about "Happiest Birthday on Earth". Makes a cute picture. And it's free! And be sure you get one in front of Mickey with the birthday hat on at the entrance.

Oh! Yes! We were in the Emporium toy area that night and the gal at the counter saw my DD's button and picked up the phone, dialed a number and gave it to my DD. She said it was Goofy wishing her a Happy Birthday. Don't you just love Disney?

Pixie Hollow is cute. DD loved Tinker Bell. Go early. That was the longest line we waited in our whole trip.