Some fun ideas for large group Disney Trip

[missesdisney]

On our upcoming October trip, two sets of friends will be going with a total of 7 children (plus my 1 is 8 children). Ages 10 down to 3.

Cost is an issue for so many kids each family so they are planning to limit buying in the parks for souveniers and such.

What I'd like to do is find some great fun unique things we can make in advance to surprise the kids and make it fun and special. I am quite a crafty girl, as long as it doesn't involve sewing And I have a cricut expression and I know how to use it

We've done mickey tie dye tshirts for our family in the past and will do that again for this group for sure.

I also have learned to do a name fill and am going to do some pillowcases for each of the kids with their name on them (using transfer paper and such) and parents will set those up on the beds to surprise them.

I was also thinking we could do some inexpensive backpacks and do some vinyl transfers with the cricut. The kids are small so those nylon backpacks with strings not so much for them. Any cheap decent small backpack suppliers anyone uses?

What other ideas? I am open to lots of ideas and certain others could benefit too.

Thanks in advance!

Maria

 

[shannon3021]

Maria,

Congrats on your upcoming trip! We are hoping to go next December (every 5 years). Anyway... mine does involve sewing, sorta. I just purchased plain t-shirts for everybody, then embroidered characters on each one. We all wore them when we went to the Magic Kingdom. It was REALLY cute. Each family can match!...

For souveniers, each park has a TON of penny presses. Each press containing different pictures. We had a lot of pennies, and lots of quarters, and my kids each got a penny from each one. It was a great souvenier from each park, and they each got like 7-10 pennies from each park if I can remember right. Everybody has pennies in a penny jar at their house, or laundry room in my case.....

Good luck on finding what you are looking for and have a WONDERFUL, MAGICICAL time!

-Shannon

 

[Elianor]

What do you do with the pennies after they are pressed? My daughter has a few but they seem to just get lost in her room.

We are taking a trip in September and I saw that one of the crafty people on here had made holders for markers/crayons (again sewing) but I know my kids are going to be getting a set for the plane ride with two individualized notebooks with names and disney icons on the front with activity sheets.

I was also going to decorate a couple of heavyweight ziplocs for snack bags for the trip with stickers and such.

I figure anything I can do to keep them happy during the trip is worth a little effort. We are on a budget too and I've already started explaining how the shopping is going to go, so that there won't be any surprises when we get there.

Also, my kiddos really enjoyed the pins (DD is 8 and refuses to trade hers off with anyone). She won't wear a lanyard so we put the pins on her hat last time. This time I am going to make her a little felt book to put her pins in because they won't all fit on her hat anymore! This way she can decide who she's wearing and put the rest away in a "safe" place.

 

[shannon3021]

We put a little hole on them and strung them out, so they kinda look like gypsy coins. They decorate my DD's desk.

Have fun!

 

[tyniknate]

We did autograph shirts. We loved doing one design for the front of the shirts and then using fabric markers to have the characters sign the shirts. They signed all over the front and back of the shirts in different colors (black for mickey, red for minnie, green for Jiminy Cricket, blue cinderella, etc). It turned into a beautiful souvenir that the boys loved wearing a couple times and then packed away for the next trip. And the characters seemed to take an interrest in the shirts and did special little extra designs for the kids. Very cute!

As for the shopping, we purchased Disney Dollars in advance last time and the kids earned them as part of their allowance. We also handed them out as rewards for things such as report cards and good behavior, and the easter bunny brought some in their easter baskets. They come in denominations as small as $1 and up to $50. Before we left for the trip the kids counted their money and knew exactly how much they we able to spend. When the Disney Dollars were gone, that was the end of their souvenir purchasing.
If you don't want to buy the Disney Dollars (They are $1 for a $1 Disney Dollar, $5 for a $5 Disney Dollar, etc), there was someone on the creative community board who had a design for their own dollars. The kids earned the dollars like I've mentioned above and then turned them in to mom & dad before the trip begins for actual dollars. It was a really fun incentive and allowed them to earn the money over several months instead of having to come up with all the spending money right before the trip. Grandparents even got involved and have disney money for birthday, valentine's day, etc. The boys each had about $100 by the time the trip came around.

Hope this helps!

 

[catluver01876]

Anyone have any good recommendations on brands for fabric markers so that the characters can sign tee shirt for my daughter. We tried Sharpies but they don't write smoothly enough for the characters (we tested out). Help?? Thanks.

 

[scrapycruiser]

Try the Setaskrib fabric pens. I ordered mine online from Dharma Trading Company