"Rules" for the kids

[Thing 1]

I love the fun factor, but i know for us....we need a bit of real structure to make the fun stay fun. We have one REAL rule and that is
''no one can whine or complain about anything"...they CAN tell us what the problem is and we will find a way to fix it. Hungry....we will feed you, tired....we will rest, whatever. It works wonders. Our DS is 9 and we have a adult son as well. Rule applies to everyone. One additional fun "rule" we have sometimes is that the kid can choose any one ride to do first at each park, even if its a low line choice we end up doing very first. We also have a policy that this is a family vacation and we do things together. Everyone gets one or two passes at each park that they don't have to ride or do and the rest of the things we all do together. Adult son and I do everything so its just a couple rides for two of us. Just a FYI, a surprise trip would really throw my youngest. He would worry about everything he had not taken care of at home

 

[roseaster]

O think the Pokemon Go thing is fine, especially if it keeps him occupied in lines, and he isn't walking into people playing it in the park, or doing it Instead of doing other things.

ToTing in MK at MNSSHP is HUGE part of the fun for my kids, even after th ages when they would have ToT'd at home.

We really try to relax the rules on vacation. We don't worry about bedtimes, we don't worry about what they eat. You want donuts for breakfast, go fo it, you want to eat chicken nuggets and fries for every meal, have at it. That is part of the fun where the MNSSHP candy comes in. Nothing like being on vacation, having your own big bag of candy, and eating it when you want. We also let them spend their money as they please. Depending on the kid they might buy total crap, or they might save their money and make a good purchase. We say nothing about it.

The only "rules" good or bad we go with is no arguing/whining/complaining. I tell them that if they are whining or complaining they must be tired and it is time to call it a day and head back to the room to get some rest.

Like a PP said. If you are hungry we can eat, thirsty we can drink, feet hurt we can rest. If there is a ride you really, really love and/or want to do we will try our best to make it happen. Just ask. Don't whine or complain or try to make everyone else miserable.

 

[DrunkJam]

We can't do surprises. DS is on the spectrum, and it really doesn't work.
At home, when we need to change things up (honestly, we can't spring too much on vacation, the vacation is enough) we have a backwards food day. I don't know if it is OK with Disney offerings, but, we have dinner for breakfast, and breakfast in the evening. My son finds this incredibly exciting and rebellious.
If you are familiar with the parks etc, you can do a holiday scavenger hunt (collect x signature, take a picture at x, eat an x, ride x, take x boat, find x hidden mickeys etc etc etc) maybe offer a small prize if the whole hunt is completed by the end of the trip?

 

[Nancyg56]

We can't do surprises. DS is on the spectrum, and it really doesn't work.
At home, when we need to change things up (honestly, we can't spring too much on vacation, the vacation is enough) we have a backwards food day. I don't know if it is OK with Disney offerings, but, we have dinner for breakfast, and breakfast in the evening. My son finds this incredibly exciting and rebellious.
If you are familiar with the parks etc, you can do a holiday scavenger hunt (collect x signature, take a picture at x, eat an x, ride x, take x boat, find x hidden mickeys etc etc etc) maybe offer a small prize if the whole hunt is completed by the end of the trip?

We could not do surprises for our DGD either. It would totally send her over the edge. We used to discuss ahead of time things that would be fun that we would never go at home.

She is still not s candidate for surprises, but if my dd lets get make the plan she really puts effort into it. That would be fun gif her.