I'm collecting $5 bills to leave for mousekeeping.)
Yep, I forgot. I'm usually making tip envelopes for mouse keeping, bell services, and the magical express at the last minute.
I also create coupons for the kids and place those plus any other spending money or locker money in labeled envelopes marked by the day. It makes it so easy once we get there for everyone to know exactly what they can spend, and I've already budgeted out the little stuff this way as well.
Some ideas of things I did after all the regular planning was done:
Plan a scavenger hunt in World Showcase or an "around the world" game with a book or shirt to check off your progress. I've seen ones done for drinking, desserts, snacks, and candy.
Plan a GeoHunt app scavenger hunt game located in one of the parks, or for a real challenge in multiple parks.
This app is really cool. It lets you create scavenger hunts anywhere in the world with just a phone or tablet. Basically, you have a real satellite map and you mark locations on it and assign each a clue and a radius. For instance, you click in the middle of your public library and set a radius say 50 feet. Then you create a clue - Where the books live. Fast forward to game play. The player opens the game you created on their phone. They read the clue. Then when the phone's GPS registers that they are within 50 ft of the point you set, so in this case, when they physically enter the library, it unlocks the next clue. You can set it up to give cold and hot clues to help, so if you were driving away from the library, it would tell you you are getting colder, toward the library warmer. It's easy to use it to mark attractions in Disney. Fun way to tour going from ride to ride unlocking the next clue each time you get there.
Ordered pins ahead of time for me to hand out after we completed a special activity or attraction. For instance, the kids first ever roller-coaster ride was Everest, so I ordered the little Everest pins and gave them to them so they could remember that. Could I buy these in the park later? Yes. But, I'm able to get them discounted ahead of time, avoid wasting time waiting to checkout, don't have to worry about them being sold out, and can hand them out right during the activity they go along with.
If you hadn't already figured it out, here's where you can really tell I'm really a type A crazy planner.
I wrap small gifts and put them in a bag or box to be opened on specific days of the trip. Everything relates to something we will be doing that day or the theming of that days park. For instance, on a day we go to a waterpark, it might be goggles, Disney themed flip flops or towels, or an underwater camera. Each person has their own bag or box. Disney themed of course. I usually do 2 or 3 small things per day. I do this for two reasons. The whole family, even the other adults, get really excited about opening the surprises and since I try to anticipate things we might need or spend money on that day, it cuts costs by purchasing ahead of time at discount. This also cuts down on the constant souvenir wanting because the kids are getting new things to entertain them everyday. I make a list a few months out. Then keep an eye out at discount stores and buy the stuff as I find good deals.
Research little known Disney secrets, hints, and tips.
Go grocery snack shopping. Then I have the kids help me pack 2 large zip locks person. One contains breakfast items, cereal, groans, oatmeal, and one contains snacks for the day, crackers, cookies, jerky, etc. Each child gets to pick out one item for each day of the trip per bag. This makes it so simple later on when it comes time for grabbing snacks to take to the park or finding breakfast. No one is complaining someone else ate the last ... No ones asking me to find stuff for them. Did it this way for first time two trips ago, and it was great.
If we have a kitchen, I plan out our meals and make the grocery list.
I also collect small toys and travel games for the car which get distributed every hour there is peace and quiet.
I research places to stop along the way, fun parks and such. We then have picnics on the way down if lunch ends up near a cool spot. Sometimes we take two days, so I research activities or places to visit in the city we spend the night in if there's time.
So you can see, you can really go crazy with all the planning if you want to and find any number of things to keep you busy until it's time to go. I'm sure just searching this forum, there's still a number of other crazy things people do to get ready besides the ones I mentioned.
So cheer up.
And of course there is always the next vacation to start planning for!
Once we have made all reservations and planned our trip DW likes to shop, I like to research and read. When we go on non-Disney vacations I get depressed at the lack of information.
