[mahs1123]

Gifts for my 4 year old at WDW!
Just thought I would pass on my plan for our upcoming trip to WDW!

I hit the Disney Store Sale this past summer (most of the store was 50% off) and loaded up on small merchandise (tee shirts, little toys and dolls and such).

I just finished making small cards with Disney characters (which I downloaded from the Disney Site) and wrote personal little notes with some sort of detail from our day (that I have already planned!) and some sort of praise (nice manners today, you sure were great at having listening ears on, etc. etc. you all know the drill!)

When we get to Disney I will sneak one out before we leave the hotel for the day and when we get back SURPRISE a fab little gift and card from the character!

I am hoping this will cut down on "Mom can I have that" but the main reason is to add that little extra magic to my childs day.

Just thought I would share since all of you have been KEY in planning my trip
;)

[DisneyTeacher]

I had a bunch of Disney Store gifts for my DS too. He thought it was way cool that Mickey came to his room. However, it really didn't cut down on what he got in the parks, he still got a lot of stuff. Don't forget Disney Dollars for them, my DS had fun with them.

[Mr. Incredible]

I just have to say to ALL THE PARENTS on DC....

YOU GUYS (and GIRLS) ROCK!!!! You have got to be the COOLEST parents EVER!!! IMHO :D

[Leigh]

mahs1123 that is the coolist idea i have heard. I bet your little one will be so surprised. Have a Great trip.

[llama]

Originally posted by Leigh
mahs1123 that is the coolist idea i have heard. I bet your little one will be so surprised. Have a Great trip.

Would this work for 18 and 19 year olds? When my kids were little we had a rule. One small gift a day and one large one for the trip. On day l my youngest fell in love with a large stuffed "Figment" and I naturally caved and bought it for her. Her father, made of sterner stuff, said that that would be her big present. Of course, every day for the rest of the week she would see things she wanted and couldn't have. One day at the resort she was a little bored, so I said, Why don't you play with Figment. In her best 5 year old voice she said Don't talk to me about Figment - he's ruined my life! (we still have him and never miss an opportunity of pointing him out to her when we're at Epcot.:laugh

[MickeyMac]

Llama, that is the best story!! :D :D :D

Mahs, that's a really cute idea... wonder if I could convince DH that I'm included in the shopping trip, too... (gold earrings are little, bracelets are little... you *did* say 'little' gifts, right?? :D :D )

[Leigh]

I'm with you MickeyMac little presents. I'll just have to tell DH about that. They won't take up space in the luggage because i would be wearing them. HA !!! HA!!!!

[jsluvcinderella]

Where can I get disney dollars? Our disney store closed. Can I get them online? I want to use them as stocking stuffers since we are leaving in January for WDW. :p

[Dana]

Originally posted by jsluvcinderella
Where can I get disney dollars? Our disney store closed. Can I get them online? I want to use them as stocking stuffers since we are leaving in January for WDW. :p

Try calling down to the big Disney store and buying them by phone. I know they ship products, perhaps they will ship DD for you too. I don't have any other suggestions for that one. I can grab some at my Disney Store and mail them to you if you want. How many do you need?

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by llama
Would this work for 18 and 19 year olds? When my kids were little we had a rule. One small gift a day and one large one for the trip. On day l my youngest fell in love with a large stuffed "Figment" and I naturally caved and bought it for her. Her father, made of sterner stuff, said that that would be her big present. Of course, every day for the rest of the week she would see things she wanted and couldn't have. One day at the resort she was a little bored, so I said, Why don't you play with Figment. In her best 5 year old voice she said Don't talk to me about Figment - he's ruined my life! (we still have him and never miss an opportunity of pointing him out to her when we're at Epcot.:laugh

that is soooo very cute !!!! dont you just love things like that, they will give you a smile when things are not so good :)
While we use to do the same when the girls were small, buy things ahead of time, the also got things in the parks ..but (and I dont want to sound like I am bragging) they always accepted no when there was a no (of course grandparents hardly ever say no *grin*)
now they save their money through the year and yes ..we still give them spending money ..and we still buy them stuff when they run out of their own money. What I love is how they always remember to buy gifts for others too ..even for us. which is also why I give them more money.

[Dana]

I kinda to the same thing Janice does with my DD. She is allowed one "gift per day" and I get one too. If she finds the thing she wants in the first five seconds we are at the park, which has happened more than once, I make her wait until the end of the day to buy it. MY reason is this, she is going to find something else she swares she wants more and try to get me to buy her two things that day. I do not say no well at WDW. After dinner and before the night time shows, I let her pick her "thing" and I pick mine. I am not a rich woman so these things are usually in the $15 range no higher. At the end of the trip, I let her pick one BIG thing and of course so do I. Last trip I bought myself a silver and gold Mikey Watch and she got a useless $85 interactive cat she never plays with....:laugh :laugh :laugh I am so excited about this upcoming trip.