Sometimes it is about what you give...Stories anyone?

[tinkerlisa]

That is such a kind gesture!!! It's going to make me cry too!



I've never even thought of stickers. That's great and I'm going to try that this next trip. What a cheap, easy, and fun way to spread the magic!

They had some for a dollar at Micheals today. They were glittery and over by the cash registers in a spinning bin for anybody that is interested! I thought they were confetti at first but quickly realized they were stickers when my 7 year old started begging for them!

 

[kristytru]

We went all out one year and made up business cards that had pics of characters and sayings like "a bit of Capt. Hook's treasure" with Peter Pan or "a jewel from Cinderella's crown". Then we used a hot glue gun to attach or "jewels" (actually decorative stones for fish tanks). My kids had a lot of fun handing them out. A lot of times, they would put them on a table while the child was at the buffet or bathroom. My son especially enjoyed being "sneaky" about it. As we were leaving we placed them on strollers parked outside of rides. the kids had a great time giving them out.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

We went all out one year and made up business cards that had pics of characters and sayings like "a bit of Capt. Hook's treasure" with Peter Pan or "a jewel from Cinderella's crown". Then we used a hot glue gun to attach or "jewels" (actually decorative stones for fish tanks). My kids had a lot of fun handing them out. A lot of times, they would put them on a table while the child was at the buffet or bathroom. My son especially enjoyed being "sneaky" about it. As we were leaving we placed them on strollers parked outside of rides. the kids had a great time giving them out.

This is a really innovative idea! And what fun to be able to create them with the kids and get them involved!

 

[fers31]

We went all out one year and made up business cards that had pics of characters and sayings like "a bit of Capt. Hook's treasure" with Peter Pan or "a jewel from Cinderella's crown". Then we used a hot glue gun to attach or "jewels" (actually decorative stones for fish tanks). My kids had a lot of fun handing them out. A lot of times, they would put them on a table while the child was at the buffet or bathroom. My son especially enjoyed being "sneaky" about it. As we were leaving we placed them on strollers parked outside of rides. the kids had a great time giving them out.

This is a great idea. I bet your son had a great time doing that. My wife and I use the baby swap. She normally goes on the ride first and then when it's my turn, I have the baby swap ticket which allows the rider to bring 2 (or possibly 3) more people with them. I normally look for a nice couple who's either waiting in line or about to get a fastpass and offer to bring them through the fastpass line with the baby swap ticket. It's great to see people's faces when you offer to give them a little extra magic. Reading all the stories about the glow bracelets, I think I may have to go out and buy some this weekend. I know when I was a little kid, I loved those.

 

[jenn-n-okla]

Everytime we go, I always give our double stroller to a family just coming in for the day/evening. I always pay for the whole week so I figure why not. They are making pure profit off the things anyway.
You have to return them to the same place you pay for them basically so it is always nice to find a family that can get use out of it. We leave around noon each day and then return for the evening.
People have "payed it forward" to us with various things too (seats on bus (dd7 wears oxygen so this was a biggie to us, stickers for the kids, handi-wipes, laundry soap)
It never hurts to pay it forward, because you never know when you will be the one getting the gift.
Jenn

 

[englishteacha]

What fun ideas! I love the sticker idea. Everyone loves stickers! I wonder, though...DH and I are childless...would people think I was creepy if I gave a sticker to a sad child?

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

What fun ideas! I love the sticker idea. Everyone loves stickers! I wonder, though...DH and I are childless...would people think I was creepy if I gave a sticker to a sad child?

Most people wouldn't think that at all. Sometimes reactions are 'are you crazy to give away something?' to 'is there a catch to this?' but once you tell them it is just your way of spreading the magic, they are fine. While my kids will give something directly to another child, I always ask the parents first because I don't want them thinking I am luring them with treats but they have always been fine with it

 

[dgrissom17]

Reading all these posts have literally brought me to tears! What beautiful acts you have all performed! It's good to know there are still giving people in the world.
And we can see it doesn't take much to bring a smile or a bit of relief to kids and parents!

 

[extreme8]

I'm big on giving away the glow bracelets.
I usually order 1,000 before our trip and do a pretty good job of getting rid of them during the week we're there. My kids enjoy sharing them before a show like Fantasmic! or waiting for Wishes or Illuminations. We also give them away at home - night ballgames, fireworks, all kinds of events.
People seem to have a hard time believing that we're just giving them away, no strings attached. Many confused looks.
I'm sure you've seen the look. It's the same one you get when you try and give away fastpasses . Sometimes we need to try 3 or 4 times before someone takes left over fastpasses from us. They give you a weird look, decline, then wait in the standby line while the next lucky group takes my passes and walks on. I don't get it.

On our last trip, just before Fantasmic! the sky opened up and it just POURED. The show was canceled and needless to say, there were many soggy disappointed kids on the bus ride back to the resort.
about 5 minutes after the bus left MGM (it was still MGM then) I broke out the glowsticks and shared them with every kid - and most of the adults - on the bus.
I have some connectors that allow 8 or 10 of the bracelets to be put together like a little beach ball, about 8 inches around. I made a couple balls and let the kids pass them around the bus during our ride.
The atmosphere turned about 180 degrees in minutes. From soggy, quiet and dejected to laughing, talking & playing. It was great.
When I got off of the bus everyone was thanking me, shaking my hand, then they all applauded.
Now, I'm sure there has been applause when I've left places before but they're usually kind enough to wait until I'm out of earshot.

If you want to share the magic, you can usually get the glow bracelets on Ebay, or illuminationz.com between 4 and 6 cents per piece.

 

[Mick West]

I am retired military. We normally stay at AK or BC but on every trip we make at least one visit to the Shades of Green resort. That's a "military" resort on the property. As an ex enlisted guy that, at one time, could only go to Disney because of this resort, and really had to pinch my pennies on these past trips, I have an appreciation for this palce and those who stay there. Not rich now, but I do have a few more pennies. So the wife and I are very good at spotting some young, enlisted family and buying them a meal, having a meal with them or buying their children something when we see them in the gift shop. It's very easy to do this in a way that makes them feel good, normally it's just a matter of telling them how much we appreciate what they do. They really appreciate this - but the wife and I get more out of it than they do.

 

[newtowdw1]

I buy glow bracelets in bulk, and DH carries a tube in the park bag. I've noticed that part of the joy is the 'cracking' of the glow stick. My kids give them away all night long.

My DD is a master. She usually ends up with a dozen little ones surrounding her, she asks their parents if she may give them glow bracelets, then leads them through 'cracking' and 'attaching' them. She is the sweetest child. Future careers? Preschool teacher, home daycare, Disney princess.

My son is much more straight forward. Finds a guy his age (or pretty girl of any age), taps them on the shoulder, and hands over a glow stick. Nods knowingly, and moves on.

We've given out Purell wipes, fast passes, safety pins, 2 quarters and a penny to the longing... really anything we have extra is up for grabs!

 

[cannonballer]

That and a cooler full of beer and wine.

I hope we run into you on our trip.

 

[SassyTink213]

I'm so going to do the glowstick give! I just found tubes of 12 in each tube (bracelets) at Target in the dollar bins right when you walk in. There were also pirate and princess stickers if anyone is looking. I love sharing the pixie dust! Can't wait to make ppl smile!

 

[reservations4five]

I am retired military. We normally stay at AK or BC but on every trip we make at least one visit to the Shades of Green resort. That's a "military" resort on the property. As an ex enlisted guy that, at one time, could only go to Disney because of this resort, and really had to pinch my pennies on these past trips, I have an appreciation for this palce and those who stay there. Not rich now, but I do have a few more pennies. So the wife and I are very good at spotting some young, enlisted family and buying them a meal, having a meal with them or buying their children something when we see them in the gift shop. It's very easy to do this in a way that makes them feel good, normally it's just a matter of telling them how much we appreciate what they do. They really appreciate this - but the wife and I get more out of it than they do.

Aww- that is soooo awesome!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I am retired military. We normally stay at AK or BC but on every trip we make at least one visit to the Shades of Green resort. That's a "military" resort on the property. As an ex enlisted guy that, at one time, could only go to Disney because of this resort, and really had to pinch my pennies on these past trips, I have an appreciation for this palce and those who stay there. Not rich now, but I do have a few more pennies. So the wife and I are very good at spotting some young, enlisted family and buying them a meal, having a meal with them or buying their children something when we see them in the gift shop. It's very easy to do this in a way that makes them feel good, normally it's just a matter of telling them how much we appreciate what they do. They really appreciate this - but the wife and I get more out of it than they do.

This is such a kind gesture!

 

[P&L@WDW]

I am retired military. We normally stay at AK or BC but on every trip we make at least one visit to the Shades of Green resort. That's a "military" resort on the property. As an ex enlisted guy that, at one time, could only go to Disney because of this resort, and really had to pinch my pennies on these past trips, I have an appreciation for this palce and those who stay there. Not rich now, but I do have a few more pennies. So the wife and I are very good at spotting some young, enlisted family and buying them a meal, having a meal with them or buying their children something when we see them in the gift shop. It's very easy to do this in a way that makes them feel good, normally it's just a matter of telling them how much we appreciate what they do. They really appreciate this - but the wife and I get more out of it than they do.

As the daughter of an ex-military enlisted man (for 27 years), THANK YOU. My family never got to visit Disneyworld until my sister was 20 and I was 21 because we could never afford it. I can imagine how much your gesture means to these families - almost as much as the simple 'Thank you, we appreciate what you do.' means to them!

 

[MEG&MINNIE]

The last few times dd and I have visited we have enjoyed passing along the Magic!
We have passed out Glow Sticks from the Dollar Store to a few kids each nite we were there (with their parents permission ,of course).
We have bought those tiny little wedding bubbles from th Dollar Store too, and passed them out to fussy/overtired kids. Once we had a long wait with other families at Crystal Palace for seats and the bubbles were a nice distraction while waiting outside.
DD has given away her Arcade tickets on each trip as she really was too old for the little prizes that you could trade them in for....but she stilled liked playing the arcades !
We have also given away Fast Passes,sometimes to someone just entering the park ...and it feels so nice to Pay it Forward !
Can't wait till August !

 

[MEG&MINNIE]

We were at Cindy's castle for dinner with a reservations for two. We were waiting to check in when we saw an older couple, who didn't have ADRs, trying to get in. The host told them no, that there was no room. They were celebrating their 50th anniversary. My fiance and I told the host to give them our ADR's. They were sooooo happy. We ended up going to T-Rex that night.

This is such a nice thread to have!

So Sweet....what a nice thing to do!

 

[3_disprincesses]

While planning our trip for last fall I ordered a rain cover for our umbrella stroller. As time got closer we decided to take the larger stroller so ordered the larger rain cover. Thank goodness we had the cover...it rained terribly on us one afternoon. I carried the extra cover with me every day and it just so happened on this storming afternoon there was another family exiting the monorail just in front of us with a child in an umbrella stroller with nothing to shield her from the rain. They were astonished when I told them to wait and I pulled the cover from my backpack to give to them. The adults were all getting soaked but the princess was dry and comfortable! It helped me feel a little better about the day knowing I had helped this family. They offered to pay for the cover but I asked them to just pass it on to another family before they left for home.

 

[Indychick]

We have gone to Disney more times than I list on here. I have taken everyone in my family that I can take. I cannot begin to count the fast passes I have given away. We have also given up our spot in line many times to those behind us who appear to be worn out or who appear to need a "cut" in line. It is so magical to see the looks of gratitude on people's face when you do something nice for them in the parks! I don't think you can share the magic enough!