What "extras" do you do that make your trip magical?

[01Sweetpea]

Other than the resort you pick & the type of tickets, what do you do to make the trip MAGICAL?

I've been planning alot of "extras" knowing it will make the trip magical, but it is QUICKLY adding up.

HDDR
Candlelilght Processional Package
IllumiNations cruise
Day at TL
DQ one evening
Maybe Minigolf

What do you do that doesn't COST SO DARN MUCH???

 

[mandy200587]

I went to boardwalk and just looked around there but DTD.

 

[DanPadavona]

The Boardwalk at night is amazing! I also like to do Splash Mtn and the Haunted Mansion after dark.

 

[Evil Genius]

We like to take carriage rides. It's $35.00 plus a tip. We've done the one around Fort Wilderness and through Port Orleans resorts. It is so relaxing and nice. The drivers are fantastic to talk to.

We like to ride BTMRR and Test Track at night. OH!! And EE at dusk is really pretty to ride until you get into the mountain!!

 

[mikesdisneymom]

Last trip
HDDR
Poynesian Dinner Show
MVMCP
Conceirge service (spelling)


This trip
MNNSHP
TL
BB
DTD
Disney Quest

 

[Windy City Heather]

TOT is really cool at night too.

I know your kids are a littler older but gifts from Disney characters left in the room are fun. I try to get stuff they can use that day and I bring everything from home. Your kids are old enough to know that Mickey did not leave it in the room but it still fun. Or a gift basket in the room when you arrive.

Trying different snacks around EPCOT. Ice Cream on Main Street and Dole Whips are really good too.

I think taking the time to find just the right spot for parades and shows makes them even better. I am willing to sit on Main Street for 1 1/2 for the Electric Lights Parade because it is what makes Disney special for me.

We are for the first time getting the Kitchen Sink for Beaches and Cream. With 3 kids you might be able to do a really good job on it.

Jee, everything is food related...I just started a diet. I don't think I am doing too well. All diets are off for me when I am at Disney.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

Well I am trying to make the whole trip as magical as I can. We have character meals planned, Aurora's Tea Party, BB Boutique. Maybe Grand Adventure in Cooking. We also have MCMCP and hopefully CP too on the night before we go home.

 

[ms.ojo]

Other than the resort you pick & the type of tickets, what do you do to make the trip MAGICAL?

I've been planning alot of "extras" knowing it will make the trip magical, but it is QUICKLY adding up.

HDDR
Candlelilght Processional Package
IllumiNations cruise
Day at TL
DQ one evening
Maybe Minigolf

What do you do that doesn't COST SO DARN MUCH???

WOW...that's a lot of stuff. How long are you going for? For us, we try to do one special thing like from your list above on any given trip. The rest of the things that make our trip special are "priceless". i.e. watching Wishes from near the train station...Fantasmic...eating at Crystal Palace....watching the joy in our children's eyes as they experience things for the first time...or anew! i.e. at DTD they spent almost an hour in the interactive fountains laughing and having a blast. They had never seen anything like that before...it was so funny listening to them laugh w/ such abandon. Talk about magical. Another way to keep the magic going for our family, is not to overschedule. If we don't come back for an afternoon break, then we never tour more than 2 days w/out taking a day off. It just keeps everyone well rested and happy. Hope you have a wonderful vacation!!!

 

[ssleblanc]

DTD the day we arrive (we aren't doing a park that day, until MK that night for MNSSHP). I am having a basket delivered with surprises for the kids our first day. I am going to decorate the window after the kids go to sleep the first night (so another "surprise" that will just "appear" when they wake up in the morning). Also, I am going to let the kids pick out Halloween costumes at DTD the day we arrive. They have NO IDEA about MNSSHP tickets (they even saw it on the DVD but it said "in October" and they pointed out that we are going to be there in September ... and I didn't correct them, it will add to the surprise factor). I know I'll pay an arm & a leg for the costumes on Disney site, but it is one of those "magical" fun things that I want to do and am just biting the bullet and planning on that big expense.

Character meals (we are not on the dining plan so this will add up).

 

[ssleblanc]

***oops - double post, sorry ***

 

[newholidayx2]

This vacation is our first time staying at the AKL
and DHs first time staying at the BCV (he's joining DS & I our last night at AKL and then we're staying at BCV 6nights)
Celebrating DHs birthday (which is today!) and his one year being cancer free (which is tomorrow)!
and our first time eating at Chef de France, Alfredo, Boma brkfst, Boma dinner, Tonys with many returns

 

[loralie]

We are planning a trip in may of 2007 for 10 nights/11 days. We are going to start with Chef Mickeys for dinner on our arrival day and on our last day before we leave we are going to have Chef Mickeys for breakfast. I am also going to plan a CP breakfast during the week before MK opens so we will be on Main Street with only a few people. We are also going to do the water parks and Disneyquest. We will be on the dining plan so we will have a few more character meals and fun meals like WCC and Sci-fi Dine in.

This trip I am going to try to be more relaxed and schedule in the parades. Last time we went comando and it was all about the rides. I am also planning some rest days where we just hang out at the resort and then maybe go to a special dinner.

I want to try to go parasailing at the CR but we will see about that.

It's so much fun planning.

Loralie

 

[smnornes]

STAY ON SITE! Our second family trip to WDW is coming up. Last year we stayed off-site at Nickelodeon Family Suites. Boy, did I learn a valuable lesson on the benefits on staying on site! So worth it!

A few other things we have planned this time...

*9 days so we definitely have "resort" and "relax" time. Our kids love to swim.
*Princess Storybook Breakfast (did CRT for breakfast last year)
*Pirate Cruise from GF
*lunch at Sci Fi
*breakfast at Chef Mickey's
*MNSSHP
*parades and fireworks (we didn't catch ONE last year! Can you believe that???)

We also went with another family of 4 last year. This year it is just us.

 

[MickiMouth]

We always do Chef Mickey's. This trip we also have HDDR, Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast & Crystal Palace 8:05 am. Also, I ordered a gift basket from Feralpeg for my 2 DD's and the card will be signed from Mickey, welcoming them back. We also rent a pontoon boat one day at POR and take a nice ride to the DTD area.

 

[shyjade]

This will be our first trip in 5 years (last time DD was 3) so I have several "special" things planned since we don't get to Disney often:

MNSSHP
Albatross Treasure Cruise
Staying at AKL (first time on site!)
Dinner at CRT (never had the pleasure...I always wanted to as a kid)

We wanted to take a carriage ride but since we are only staying 3 nights, there just isn't enough time. My wallet is saying "whew!" since we can't do as much as I'd like to with the time restaints.

I have spent months on DIS reading lots of tips, hints, etc. and we will do a lot of "off the beaten track" things like looking for the hidden paint brushes on Tom Sawyer.

No matter what we do, it will be magical!

 

[AdventureGuru]

We are doing:
KTTK Tour
Cirque
HDDR


Hidden Mickeys is probably the free thing we are doing...

Thats all we have planned for now...as I find things on this site I add more to the little things list...

I also plan what I want to bring home with me...for example...
We need another ornament for this year
I think I want a watch...
The Pearl in Japan
Photo Pass CD

Since we have free dining and arent doing the cruise like we originaly planned, we cut our cost in half and can do more that we want...but of course probably dont need...

 

[madge]

What do you do that doesn't COST SO DARN MUCH???

we don't do a lot of the extras - we find that there isn't enough time to enjoy what we love about the parks as it is, LOL! Some things we do that aren't terribly expensive:

~ walking around the Boardwalk (we stay at the Swan, so that's an easy one). We LOVE to grab a snack and enjoy the entertainment. you can see a lot of the Illuminations fireworks from there, too.

~ making masks at Epcot. my kids always insist on this, every trip. It gets us back into the countries to explore things we might not ordinarily take the time to do... and we've had some fun surprises while we're at it! Once, we were in Morocco, looking at the tiles and there was no one around, exceot our family. We looked up, and there was Genie! He stopped and played with my kids for a few minutes before heading over to the official meet & greet area. We couldn't have planned it better if we tried.

~ getting Mr. Potato Head parts at DtD. It's a family tradition.

Our big splurge is MNSSHP. That's about it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Not for young kids (a couple are for them), but I try to do a tour each visit. very informative, well worth the time and cost.

http://allearsnet.com/btp/tours.htm

 

[loralie]

Maybe Grand Adventure in Cooking.

That sounds interesting...Can someone give me info on the Grand Adventure in Cooking?

TIA


Loralie

 

[gigi1313]

our special things have included HDDR, Kids' Fishing, Wishes Cruises, and a little gift-y left on each child's bed each morning... last trip they each got one big goody bag the first morning...

this upcoming trip we have a few things planned... one of which is not disney (dinner at Buca di Beppo in Orlando! a fave restaurant since our trip to seattle and there are none in our vicinity at home)... but back to WDW! a family fishing excursion... hair app't for dd... MNSSHP...

and something i do for every trip... matching shirts... this trip's will be thanks to the awesome designers on the Creative DISigners Board!