what can i do for the kids?

[livie1205]

MY HUSBAND AND I ARE TAKING OUR 3 KIDS TO DISNEY IN DECEMBER FOR A CHRISTMAS / FIRST B-DAY FOR OUR BABY GIRL : : .THE BOYS 8 & 9 DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF A BUNCH OF USELESS TOYS OR VIDEO GAMES THAT THEY WANTED A FAMILY VACATION......SO WE ARE GOING FOR A WEEK WITH A MYW W/ DINING PACKAGE, WE SAVED ALL YEAR AND MY HUSBAND WORKED ALOT OF EXTRA JOBS ( HE IS A COP) TO PAY IT OFF AND TO SAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SPENDING MONEY...WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE WOULDNT NORMALY DO ( DO TO MONEY) SO I WAS HOPING I COULD GET SOME IDEAS. WE ARE FROM NORTH FLORIDA BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN DECEMBER, AND WE HAVE NOT STAYED THIS LONG. WE ARE STAYING AT POFQ AND 1 DAY AT UNIVERSALS ROYAL PACIFIC (GOT FREE TICKETS IN THE MAIL SO WHY NOT?) SO ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT!

 

[safetymom]

Welcome to the DIS. I am sure the kids will have a great time at the parks even if you don't do something special.

Please don't type in all caps. That means you are shouting on the internet.

 

[JPN4265]

MY HUSBAND AND I ARE TAKING OUR 3 KIDS TO DISNEY IN DECEMBER FOR A CHRISTMAS / FIRST B-DAY FOR OUR BABY GIRL : : .THE BOYS 8 & 9 DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF A BUNCH OF USELESS TOYS OR VIDEO GAMES THAT THEY WANTED A FAMILY VACATION......SO WE ARE GOING FOR A WEEK WITH A MYW W/ DINING PACKAGE, WE SAVED ALL YEAR AND MY HUSBAND WORKED ALOT OF EXTRA JOBS ( HE IS A COP) TO PAY IT OFF AND TO SAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SPENDING MONEY...WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE WOULDNT NORMALY DO ( DO TO MONEY) SO I WAS HOPING I COULD GET SOME IDEAS. WE ARE FROM NORTH FLORIDA BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN DECEMBER, AND WE HAVE NOT STAYED THIS LONG. WE ARE STAYING AT POFQ AND 1 DAY AT UNIVERSALS ROYAL PACIFIC (GOT FREE TICKETS IN THE MAIL SO WHY NOT?) SO ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT!

No need to shout.

 

[OHIODISNEYFAMILY]

If you've never been in December, I'm thinking that is probably special enough! If you want to add on the Christmas party one evening at MK, that is very nice.

Have a great trip!

Laurie in OH, mom to

Alex, 11 years old
Julianne and Leah, 10 years old
Audrey, 2 years old

WDW visits in 1973, 1986, 1987, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005!
Currently planning a December 9-16, 2006 trip!

 

[powellrj]

they might like a day at disney quest at DTD. Do you have lots of character meals planned? Thats something they will like.

 

[okeydokey]

What about Cirque de Soleil? We loved it.

 

[shellybaxter]

There are so many special things in December. At the Disney Studios they have an amazing Christmas lights display. In Epcot they have a Coral presentation of the Christmas story (the Candlelight Processional), and at the Magic Kingdom they have a special night time party call Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (this requires you to purchase a ticket separate from your admission).

Of course their are the regular special things too like character meals, the pirate cruise (might be fun for your boys), Disneyquest, the Hoop De Doo Review, getting hair cuts (or just styles with gel and confetti) at the Main Street Barber shop, and face painting.

Whatever you do I'm sure you will have a great time. When in December are you planning to go?

 

[livie1205]

we are going the 13th-19th . i have ohanas planned as well as the breakfast at park fare & dinner at park fare.my husband says he will take the boys to disney quest one night and i will go shopping (for chocolate lol) at downtown disney.i thought about the pirate cruise but i think it will be a liitle cold.

 

[rstamm]

We've never done it, but have the Wilderness Lodge "Sleigh Ride" booked during our Christmas trip. It is very reasonably priced--only $35 for a half hour ride, and you should be able to fit the whole family in according to what I read.

Be sure to take the kids over to the Osbourne Lights at MGM--it's really beautiful and this year the lights are supposed to be choreographed to music as well.

 

[barneythebassett]

My kids and I enjoyed the Santas of different countries in EPCOT. Each of them told a story. If you take time to "stop, look and listen", there are many experiences that add to the magic. The ladies in our group took my kids (4 & 6) one day...ditched the men in Futureworld....and watched the street shows, Santas, and living statues.

The snow in MGM and the Osbourne lights are fantastic....there is much spontaneous fun to be had without planning out every minute.

We always do at least one character breakfast and I wish we had gone to the Main Street Barber Shop for a haircut....that sounds like fun!

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family...sounds like a great plan

 

[GOODoldPAL]

No advice for new things at WDW

But someone helped me last year with this tip when we had to sub a Family Reunion trip for Christmas presents. We couldn't afford to spend $$ on presents for my DD, then 12 yr old, after we paid for airfare and had to buy presents for a family of 21 at reunion.

She understood & expected nothing (and was thrilled to spend time with her family!) but still we felt guilty having NOTHING for her to unwrap.
So I printed large, fancy coupons for a number of free family activities we would normally do and wrapped them in seperate boxes with small items:
New gloves + coupon for "Family Sledding"

Hot Chocolate & mug + coupon for "Family Snowman Contest"

Facial Products + coupon for "Invite 3 friends for sleepover"

Well, you get the idea...you could substitute a day biking, hiking, swimming, and appropriate inexpensive accessories. (All coupons had a disclaimer that required one week notice & parent approval for redemption)
Also, we HAD already bought an Ipod shuffle ($40 off special) and stashed it before trip plans. So when we went Christmas shopping for family we lucked out finding 3 items that included free $15 itunes card w/ purchase!

I think she had about 10 presents for under $40 in total. I swear she looked like she was about to cry when she realized we did our best to provide something that made her "No presents Christmas" special.
We plan on doing something similar in May as our WDW trip will need to substitute for her birthday and graduation presents.

 

[dixiedizfan]

I was going to suggest something similar to the above poster. I know you want to do special things on your trip, but don't spend all your money there ... save some to buy a few little things to put under the tree. Even though they say they don't want anything but the trip ... hey, they're kids, they really do!

 

[KCMiller]

I agree with the above posters. Kids are great, but it's quite a while before Christmas for little ones, and what they say now about not wanting any 'useless games' (did they really say that? Wow!) won't keep them from being sad when there's nothing under the tree. I know - we did this once. Once. Wow, it was an odd Christmas - they were trying to be brave, but when I saw how sad they were, I reminded them that we were taking a trip instead, and that they agreed to it - and then everyone cried. Oy !

We don't do that anymore .


KC

 

[I'm No Fool]

Since you're staying at POFQ take the boat to DTD one night and go to Ghirardelli's and have ice cream for dinner. Yes it's unhealthy, but it's only once, and you can still make sure they eat healthy during the day. The only problem is afterwards they're going to tell you and everybody else that their favorite meal on their trip was the brownie sundae.

 

[livie1205]

yeh, we are still going to get them something small.the thing that i failed to write was that the two boys will not be with us on christmas...lets just say his, mine & ours(livie) we gave up christmas so that we could take them for a long vacation.but we will get them something small.

 

[taragl]

For the older boys, it would be a lot of fun to head to Downtown Disney and let them fill up a cup at the Lego Store. From what I remember, it was reasonably priced, and my son (7 at the time) had a wonderful time searching through all of the Lego drawers for just the piece to add to his growing cupful.

I'd also second a show like Mickey's Very Magical Christmas Party or Cirque du Soleil. We're doing both this year... can't wait!

 

[kangaroodle]

The Family Magic Tour at the Magic Kingdom is a lot of fun and the 2 older kids will think it's really fun!