marklodi
11-27-2002, 04:41 PM
As many of you already know, I've begun posting stories of our recent trip to WDW (11/9 to 11/22) over in the WDW forum as "Tales from WDW". However, this particular topic made more sense here.
This was the first trip to WDW for our two kids (7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son), as well as their first trip out of California. It was also the first real vacation with just the four of us. It had always been either my wife and I go somewhere and my parents take the kids, or we'd all go (including my mom & dad).
I was really looking forward to this "family experience"...and dreading it.
To start, I wanted to share two tips that really worked out well for us. I've actually mentioned them before, so forgive me for the repeat, but I think they're cool enough to mention again.
First, 3 months before our trip, we started a "Good Point" program. Basically, each week a "Good Point" - a small square with the Sorcerer's Hat on it printed on my color-printer - was awarded to one, both or none of the kids based on their behavior, school work, attitude, etc. At the end of each month, the child with the mods Good Points won a "Ride Pick" - another small square, this time with Mickey, inserted into a plastic trading card sleeve and put away with their collection of Disney Dollars. These Ride Picks would enable the child to pick which attraction we went to first for that day.
My daughter won the first Ride Pick, and chose Alien Encounter at MK. My son won the second, and chose Test Track at Epcot. The third and final went to my daughter, who chose Pirates of the Caribbean.
Second tip: Each of the kids had earned or received $150 in spending money before the trip. $100 of it was in Disney Dollars, and $50 in cash (for Universal or Disney - their choice). Now you can imagine how quickly this would disappear at WDW. My kids are the king and queen of impulse buying. That money wouldn't last past the Disney Store at Orlando International!
So we inserted into each child's fanny pack a small stack of index cards. And the cash went into Mom's pack. Whenever they saw something they really wanted, it was not purchased. Instead, they were instructed to write down where they were, what it was they wanted and how much it cost. Then, on the last day in that park - designated "Souvenir Day" - they could purchase the items on their card that they had the money for. Eliminates impulse buying and encourages some thought and budgeting.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
Well, it worked, but required equal parts of child psychology and parental resolve on our parts. We purchased several things for them: their autograph books, fat pens for the characters, Guest of Honor pins (more on this later), matching t-shirts for all of us, etc.
My son seemed to grasp the concept better than my daughter, but even he had challenges. Like how he wanted to know how - upon counting - he only had 4 things and his sister had 6. We explained that he bought a very cool t-shirt at Universal with Spidey on it that cost $20 while his sister bought a small Cat in the Hat that only cost $10. She bought small and more often. But his stuff was really cool too.
As for our daughter, it was more trying to explain that writing down 20 stuffed animals at $18 each just wasn't going to help her get them all.
We also made a requirement that whatever they bought, it had to say somewhere on it the park we were at. Otherwise we would have come home with three spinning flashing thingies and a box of legos. All of which we could by for 50% less at Toys R' Us.
Still, it made our job of staying on budget MUCH easier and the kids got some very cool swag.
Other highlights/topics from the trip:
*Kids and Airplanes*
30 minutes before departure, one tablespoon of Children's Benadryl. Amen.
*Kids and Going to the Parks Early*
Worked out better than I had hoped, and I'm very proud of them. They had no problems getting up each day around 6am. We made sure, no matter how late we got back, that they took showers before bed. So getting up in the morning became a routine of going to the bathroom, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. The only real challenge was the fact they had to share a bed, and I often had to stop them from fighting at night when going to bed. I just used the tried and true "Stop it or we'll stay here tomorrow!" Snoring inside 5 minutes.
*Kids and Food*
Chicken Strips and Fries. No matter where. 'Nuff said.
*Kids and Epcot*
The biggest challenge we had here was in World Showcase. My daughter would constantly ask where the next ride was. She didn't care what the ride was, as long as we were either in line for it, on it, or heading to the next one. Hard to do if you made the right-turn from Future World instead of left. And my son - now known as the "Map Keeper" would have his dogged-ear, half-folded map out from his back pocket, and would routinely remind me of the location of every Attraction, no matter what it was or where we were headed.
Still they did fairly well, especially with the use of the Epcot Passport program and the Kidcot Stations. We purchased these passport kits first thing and spent the whole day getting them all stamped and signed. My daughter also created a mask-on-a-stick, where a new item is added to the mask in each country. We occasionally had problem extracating her from a table where there were almost as many crayons and markers as in her bedroom at home.
Also a big recommendation: stand in line early for Miyuki, the candy artist in Japan! She made my daughter a blue doggie and my son a golden scorpion. She'll pose for pictures and the kids loved it! But you have to get there early! 30 minutes minimum, and just stand right in front of her little cart. She usually only has time for 4 or 5 animals, so again get there early!
*Kids and Character Breakfasts*
Do it! It doesn't matter which one, despite what many will tell you. It doesn't have to be Cindy's or another expensive location - the kids just want to have fun. We did 3 while we were there: twice at Donald's Breakfastasaurus in AK and once at Hollywood & Vine in MGM. The food was all good, and the kids had a ball with the characters....and the servers! Of course this is just my opinion, but I think they had a great time and we didn't incur any of the stress of prime slots at the Castle. We were first in the park with the earliest PS's for the breakfasts, and we had a great time (and it gave me an excuse to totally stuff myself....) But whatever/wherever, please do at least one. The pictures I have of Goofy eating my sons pancakes, of Chip & Dale playing with my daughter's pony tails while she tried to eat a banana (and laughing hysterically), and even with me as Minnie kept coming by and kissing my head are, well, priceless.
*Kids and Autograph Books*
Learn from our mistake, and do NOT mix Universal and Disney Characters in the same book. We tried to save money, but instead we ended up running out of room (especially when you needed two parallel pages for chip & dale, or mickey & minnie), as well as some strange looks from face characters when asked to sign next to Spiderman or Popeye. If only Woody Woodpecker would just sign his first name, we might have gotten away with that one...
*Kids and Guest of Honor Pins*
GET THEM!!!! No ifs, ands or buts people! Go to MGM Studios and the 5 & 10 Store. Either buy the ready made red badges (shaped like a cast member's oval pin) if your child has a common name, or have them customize your child's name for no extra charge. We had the whole family done, and it really paid off.
The cast members greeted the kids by their first names (and us to). One of the bellhops at TOT told my daughter her room was ready using her first name (freaked her out - I loved it!). My son heard his name called, spun around, and received a handshake from Bert standing next to a practically perfect Mary Poppins. Many of the characters personalized the autographs in their books simply because they KNEW their names. And my wife and I started some very cool conversations (and friendships) with cast members simply because we all knew each other's names. Don't deny yourself this bit of magic: GET THE PINS! :)
*Kids and Mickey Ice Cream Bars*
Okay to buy. Will often change attitude or subject quickly and effectively, but bring a bib or tuck napkins over expensive souvenir t-shirts. For all kids...even those of us who are 34....oopsie...thank goodness for eagle-eyed wife with stain stick.
All in all, they had a great time. And so did we. If I could offer one last piece of advice, it's this:
Take a gazillion pictures and/or video. I bought a digital camera and two 128-mb compact flash cards before going on the trip, and almost maxed out the cards. I now have over 700 pictures that can never be replaced (and have been backed up on CD immediately upon return). We're showing them after Thanksgiving dinner to their grandparents. They're little pieces of memory that will never disappear and brings the magic back with each view.
Thanks for your patience and I hope you found this post (and the others I've made) entertaining and informative. Please share comments, questions or your own stories. And thanks for letting me and my family be part of this great community! :)
This was the first trip to WDW for our two kids (7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son), as well as their first trip out of California. It was also the first real vacation with just the four of us. It had always been either my wife and I go somewhere and my parents take the kids, or we'd all go (including my mom & dad).
I was really looking forward to this "family experience"...and dreading it.
To start, I wanted to share two tips that really worked out well for us. I've actually mentioned them before, so forgive me for the repeat, but I think they're cool enough to mention again.
First, 3 months before our trip, we started a "Good Point" program. Basically, each week a "Good Point" - a small square with the Sorcerer's Hat on it printed on my color-printer - was awarded to one, both or none of the kids based on their behavior, school work, attitude, etc. At the end of each month, the child with the mods Good Points won a "Ride Pick" - another small square, this time with Mickey, inserted into a plastic trading card sleeve and put away with their collection of Disney Dollars. These Ride Picks would enable the child to pick which attraction we went to first for that day.
My daughter won the first Ride Pick, and chose Alien Encounter at MK. My son won the second, and chose Test Track at Epcot. The third and final went to my daughter, who chose Pirates of the Caribbean.
Second tip: Each of the kids had earned or received $150 in spending money before the trip. $100 of it was in Disney Dollars, and $50 in cash (for Universal or Disney - their choice). Now you can imagine how quickly this would disappear at WDW. My kids are the king and queen of impulse buying. That money wouldn't last past the Disney Store at Orlando International!
So we inserted into each child's fanny pack a small stack of index cards. And the cash went into Mom's pack. Whenever they saw something they really wanted, it was not purchased. Instead, they were instructed to write down where they were, what it was they wanted and how much it cost. Then, on the last day in that park - designated "Souvenir Day" - they could purchase the items on their card that they had the money for. Eliminates impulse buying and encourages some thought and budgeting.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
Well, it worked, but required equal parts of child psychology and parental resolve on our parts. We purchased several things for them: their autograph books, fat pens for the characters, Guest of Honor pins (more on this later), matching t-shirts for all of us, etc.
My son seemed to grasp the concept better than my daughter, but even he had challenges. Like how he wanted to know how - upon counting - he only had 4 things and his sister had 6. We explained that he bought a very cool t-shirt at Universal with Spidey on it that cost $20 while his sister bought a small Cat in the Hat that only cost $10. She bought small and more often. But his stuff was really cool too.
As for our daughter, it was more trying to explain that writing down 20 stuffed animals at $18 each just wasn't going to help her get them all.
We also made a requirement that whatever they bought, it had to say somewhere on it the park we were at. Otherwise we would have come home with three spinning flashing thingies and a box of legos. All of which we could by for 50% less at Toys R' Us.
Still, it made our job of staying on budget MUCH easier and the kids got some very cool swag.
Other highlights/topics from the trip:
*Kids and Airplanes*
30 minutes before departure, one tablespoon of Children's Benadryl. Amen.
*Kids and Going to the Parks Early*
Worked out better than I had hoped, and I'm very proud of them. They had no problems getting up each day around 6am. We made sure, no matter how late we got back, that they took showers before bed. So getting up in the morning became a routine of going to the bathroom, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. The only real challenge was the fact they had to share a bed, and I often had to stop them from fighting at night when going to bed. I just used the tried and true "Stop it or we'll stay here tomorrow!" Snoring inside 5 minutes.
*Kids and Food*
Chicken Strips and Fries. No matter where. 'Nuff said.
*Kids and Epcot*
The biggest challenge we had here was in World Showcase. My daughter would constantly ask where the next ride was. She didn't care what the ride was, as long as we were either in line for it, on it, or heading to the next one. Hard to do if you made the right-turn from Future World instead of left. And my son - now known as the "Map Keeper" would have his dogged-ear, half-folded map out from his back pocket, and would routinely remind me of the location of every Attraction, no matter what it was or where we were headed.
Still they did fairly well, especially with the use of the Epcot Passport program and the Kidcot Stations. We purchased these passport kits first thing and spent the whole day getting them all stamped and signed. My daughter also created a mask-on-a-stick, where a new item is added to the mask in each country. We occasionally had problem extracating her from a table where there were almost as many crayons and markers as in her bedroom at home.
Also a big recommendation: stand in line early for Miyuki, the candy artist in Japan! She made my daughter a blue doggie and my son a golden scorpion. She'll pose for pictures and the kids loved it! But you have to get there early! 30 minutes minimum, and just stand right in front of her little cart. She usually only has time for 4 or 5 animals, so again get there early!
*Kids and Character Breakfasts*
Do it! It doesn't matter which one, despite what many will tell you. It doesn't have to be Cindy's or another expensive location - the kids just want to have fun. We did 3 while we were there: twice at Donald's Breakfastasaurus in AK and once at Hollywood & Vine in MGM. The food was all good, and the kids had a ball with the characters....and the servers! Of course this is just my opinion, but I think they had a great time and we didn't incur any of the stress of prime slots at the Castle. We were first in the park with the earliest PS's for the breakfasts, and we had a great time (and it gave me an excuse to totally stuff myself....) But whatever/wherever, please do at least one. The pictures I have of Goofy eating my sons pancakes, of Chip & Dale playing with my daughter's pony tails while she tried to eat a banana (and laughing hysterically), and even with me as Minnie kept coming by and kissing my head are, well, priceless.
*Kids and Autograph Books*
Learn from our mistake, and do NOT mix Universal and Disney Characters in the same book. We tried to save money, but instead we ended up running out of room (especially when you needed two parallel pages for chip & dale, or mickey & minnie), as well as some strange looks from face characters when asked to sign next to Spiderman or Popeye. If only Woody Woodpecker would just sign his first name, we might have gotten away with that one...
*Kids and Guest of Honor Pins*
GET THEM!!!! No ifs, ands or buts people! Go to MGM Studios and the 5 & 10 Store. Either buy the ready made red badges (shaped like a cast member's oval pin) if your child has a common name, or have them customize your child's name for no extra charge. We had the whole family done, and it really paid off.
The cast members greeted the kids by their first names (and us to). One of the bellhops at TOT told my daughter her room was ready using her first name (freaked her out - I loved it!). My son heard his name called, spun around, and received a handshake from Bert standing next to a practically perfect Mary Poppins. Many of the characters personalized the autographs in their books simply because they KNEW their names. And my wife and I started some very cool conversations (and friendships) with cast members simply because we all knew each other's names. Don't deny yourself this bit of magic: GET THE PINS! :)
*Kids and Mickey Ice Cream Bars*
Okay to buy. Will often change attitude or subject quickly and effectively, but bring a bib or tuck napkins over expensive souvenir t-shirts. For all kids...even those of us who are 34....oopsie...thank goodness for eagle-eyed wife with stain stick.
All in all, they had a great time. And so did we. If I could offer one last piece of advice, it's this:
Take a gazillion pictures and/or video. I bought a digital camera and two 128-mb compact flash cards before going on the trip, and almost maxed out the cards. I now have over 700 pictures that can never be replaced (and have been backed up on CD immediately upon return). We're showing them after Thanksgiving dinner to their grandparents. They're little pieces of memory that will never disappear and brings the magic back with each view.
Thanks for your patience and I hope you found this post (and the others I've made) entertaining and informative. Please share comments, questions or your own stories. And thanks for letting me and my family be part of this great community! :)