Pixie Dust for the kids

[3Princesses1Prince]

What kind of "extra pixie dust" do you do for the kids either before or during the trip? I'm talking along the lines of fairy godmailers, notes from Mickey or Tink, invitations to special meals, autograph books waiting in the room, etc. I don't think we will do any before our trip since it's a surprise (unless they think we are going to DLR instead), but maybe a surprise in their backpack on the plane or in their room during our trip....

I know we have some super creative and fabulous parents on these boards....throw out your favorite ideas.

[candles71]

CVS had a bunch of disney fans, and the twirly light up toys like you get at DL but smaller, for 5 bucks or so.

[rph13]

When my girls were younger I always filled small backpacks with new books, coloring books, crayons, puzzles, little people (action figures of sometype always called little people in our house no matter who or what they represented). Almost all of these things would be purchased at the DollarStore or Target dollar section, if something cost $3 that was an expensive item, and it was usually the crayons because I will only buy crayola crayons.

The backpack was for the plane, snacks were included as well. For the trip it self in checked luggage was an assortment of light up bracelets and flashlights, either new or from the last trip if they got to purchase a "real disney light up toy". We always made our autograph books from small notebooks, that way they had enough pages to color on while in line or at a resturant.

One year my older daughter was maybe 7 or 8 and she got her own digital camera (someones cast off, I think my DH's??) and she was "making a documentry" and she spent that trip taking a picture then writing in her journal what she just took a picture of!! I don't think she touched anything else we took with us that year.

When youngest was about 2 1/2 what kept all of us sane that trip was the assortment of "little people" I had. I went around the playroom two days before the trip and got together the disney character sets we had and she was allowed to pick one set per day to take with her to the parks and she was "rewarded" with a different character upon good behavior or if she listened or used manners etc. of course she was very good at entertaining herself with her "little people" for hours and hours so this worked great for her, not so much her older sister.

[dopeyd73]

Per request, I'm reposting some of my ideas from another thread...

About 30-25 days from departure for the world, little bits of Magic start appearing around my house.

1. Every few days, a note with the latest countdown appears along with either a new Disney item or an old familiar toy (like a stuffed Mickey, etc.). The notes will say something like: A little MOUSE told me that you are going to be at Disney in ## Days!

The first note was covered in Pixie/Fairy dust, too. It's a nudge to clean up, but exciting to see!

Mickey sent the first note and revealed that he has a "Countdown to [child's name] clock" of his own. So Mickey is counting down the days until my son arrives at the World. Cool.

Notes are from various characters (Mickey - of course), Yoda, Mater, Lightning McQueen, Buzz, Woody, etc. Some appear in the house and some arrive in the mailbox. Yoda left a note on top of my son's Lego Death Star.

2. Some of the notes may include a Gift Card or Pins for trading. My son just got interested in pin trading, so Mickey started off the countdown with a Pin Trader starter kit and some extra pins.

3. Taking a tip from the Disney Magic that occurs in the Guest Rooms at Disney Resorts: my son's Disney toys will magically move and appear around the house for no reason, some may even be watching TV or a Disney movie when he wakes up in the morning.

At the World:
1. Invitations appear in our guest room from various characters inviting my son to their special character meal on that certain day. IE - Tigger sent an invite for breakfast at the Crystal Palace; Leo sent an invite for the lunch at Hollywood Studios, Mickey sent the invite for breakfast at Tusker House. Chip and Dale sent the invite to the Liberty Tree Tavern character dinner (but that's not available any more... )

This year, Captain Jack is sending a rolled up, scorched scroll of parchment inviting my son to the Pirate's League, with a treasure map to the location at the park.

If Jedi Training was a firm reservation like Pirate's League, I'm sure R2D2 and C3PO would be sending an invite for that. Although, they may send a notice for my son to come and -try- to get selected. But I'm not sure if they would want the disappointment if he DOESN'T get selected. hmmmm... that's one to mull over...

If I had a girl, we'd probably get a special invitation from a favorite princess for some time at BBB.

As AAA members, we also have the free option for the Story Time. It's a nice "rest stop" I have to admit. But we won't be participating this year, but if we were, I'm sure we'd get a special invitation for that too.



And we're starting a new tradition this year to try to watch a Disney movie every week. We watched Sorcerer's Apprentice last week and we LOVED it! We watch Star Wars so much, it doesn't count.. LOLOLOL!!!

There may be a few more surprises in store. I'll be sure to post them once they've happened!

[3Princesses1Prince]

Thank you Dopey D. It's easier to have all the ideas in one spot so it can be referred back to later on.

[dopeyd73]

By the way, much of this was also reported by other parents on other threads and discussion boards, so some of these events are pretty prevalent around WDW and their visitors.

on a side note, when I moved from the west coast to east coast at the age of 9, my father and I drove across the country. My Aunt had prepared a small brown bag of goodies for me for each day of the trip - complete with small games, trinkets and treats to eat.

So I may pass along the tradition and have a little "goodie bag" ready for each day of our vacation...

[dopeyd73]

Thank you Dopey D. It's easier to have all the ideas in one spot so it can be referred back to later on.

Glad I could help! Anticipation is half the fun!!!

[3Princesses1Prince]

So I may pass along the tradition and have a little "goodie bag" ready for each day of our vacation...

I like the goodie bag idea.

[dopeyd73]

I hope this worked. But I took a picture of the Magic this morning. Some of the Disney toys were caught watching Monsters Inc this morning. Notice Mickey in charge of the remote.

My cat decided she liked the crunchy feel of the plastic baggies from the pins and plopped herself right into the picture as I was taking it.

[3Princesses1Prince]

I hope this worked. But I took a picture of the Magic this morning. Some of the Disney toys were caught watching Monsters Inc this morning. Notice Mickey in charge of the remote.

My cat decided she liked the crunchy feel of the plastic baggies from the pins and plopped herself right into the picture as I was taking it.

That is so awesome! I love it. I'll have to do this while we are there with their toys. And I think Tinkerbelle will be leaving surprises here and there.