Building Disney Trip Anticipation

[Emme]

What do all of you do to build up anticipation for your upcoming Disney trips? I have heard of watching Disney movies, building paper countdown chains...

What is your favorite? Can you please share? We have 78 days to go and I want to start doing some fun Disney stuff on the weekends and evenings. Thanks!

~Emmy

 

[Thumper's Dad]

Once a week, plan a Disney-themed dinner. I seem to remember seeing "Mickey Macaroni" at World of Disney when we were there--maybe you can order some for in soup or to make Mickey Mac & Cheese. There is always Disney paper plates and napkins. You could also get Mouse Ears and wear them for dinner, or for a game night.

Put "Hidden Mickeys, Donalds, Minnies, Plutos" etc. around the house--among the plants, tucked into underwear, "wrinkled" into bedspreads or pillows. Trace a Mickey Mouse head on the bathroom mirror with your finger before shower time. When the room steams up, the mirror will too (??), except where you had your finger

Do a family night (or whole day ) themed around your family's favorite WDW park or attraction. Maybe let each member of the family pick and/or plan one around their favorite.

OK, who else? Gee this is fun Makes me wish I had young children and/or was in the position to plan trip back to the World soon myself

 

[Thumper's Dad]

bumping!

 

[QuickGold]

If anything, getting hyped up when you have two or more months ahead of the trip just makes me more anxious about going I've downloded a Disney Countdown program for the computer which I keep running to see when Im doing my usual things. Kind of nice.

 

[PixieBelle]

Im a list person, so I start making lists of things I need to get done before we leave....chores at home, things at work.

Then I start listing things to pack.

Then I start getting on the DIS again...gotta love these boards.

Then I start reading my Birnbaums Guide...I have every issue from 95, so I just read read read and then I know it all by heart by 2001.

Then I watch my vids and I get chill bumps when I see a Disney commercial

Then about a month before we leave I start packing!

By then, well, Im a basket case cause IM READY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[carone0318]

First off, I read these boards everyday and that helps get me ready. I often wondered if I was the only freak who obsessed about Disney and when I come here, I don't worry about that anymore, I feel right at home!

We also play Disney monopoly.

We watch the Disney planning video. I get it every year.

I look at my scrapbooks from previous years.

We watch our videos that we've created on previous trips.

I have a folder that I keep all of my Disney stuff, tips, confirmation #s and stuff in and carry it with me all the time. I also look at all the stuff and day dream at my boring day job!!!

We talk about what rides we want to go on when we get there. Dd is 5.5 yrs old and we include her in the conversations. We also talk about what we think our ds will like. It will be his first trip he will be 16 months when we go. We always do this at dinner time.

We leave our the Birmbaums book so that dd can look at all the pictures and tell us what rides she want to go on.

We watch disney movies and the disney channel all the time with the kids.

We have disney music in the cars too.

We do the Disney Store trips too.

This Sunday we are having the big meeting with the other families who are going to discuss PS and where we want to eat. Our dd is the only girl, so we know we will be trying for PS at CRT. Wish me luck, we will start trying on Tuesday. Fingers crossed.

I love this thread, great topic!

 

[Mickey76]

Piglet203 and I have done a few things for our vacation in May. We have watched Disney movies, played Disney CD's, and watched the vacation video about 5-7 times. My favorite though was a project that we did because we had nothing to do one day. We bought a mini-sized calendar and cut out all of the months up to and including May and June(the time of our trip). We cut out different pictures of Disney related items, including some photos of our resort(the Coronado Springs). We then pasted all of these things onto a blue posterboard. It is our countdown board to what we know is going to be the best vacation that either of us have had up to this point in our lives (there will be more ). Wih only 37 days to go, our excitement is growing more and more. Witihin a few weeks, we'll start watching more and more Disney movies, looking a pictures from past vacations, and do some more planning. Oh yeah, and spending a lot of time here on the DISboards!

Mickey76

 

[Emme]

These are great! Let's keep them coming!! I love the idea of the calendar and pasting hte pics all around it! Mickey we are neighbors I am in Putnam County, NY!

~Emmy

 

[madge62]

Planning! That's what keeps me anticipated. I read lots of boards, make lots of lists and drive my family crazy. My most recent bit of craziness is to use a dry erase marker (bright blue) on my bathroom mirror to count down the days until our trip! We're down to 254 days now!

 

[pennyplanner]

Well before our trip, I scout out the Big Lot/Dollar store types and the Disney Store markdown shelves for any Disney stuff. You'd be amazed at what you find. Our favorite was a Mu Shu beany size plush that spoke his favorite phrases.

Then I start our 7 day countdown. Each morning, there is something on the kitchen table with a rhyme to match. I know it sounds corny, but the kids love it. The rhyme somehow keys in on what we will be doing at the parks.

The whole thing adds just the right hype. We enjoy it and they're off to school. We go in November.

Another bonus is that they already have some Disney trinkets before the trip begins!

--penny

 

[StilesMom]

madge62 - I love the bathroom mirror idea! I might try that for our final week's countdown! The kids would love it!

pennyplanner - Tell me more about what types of things you leave on the kitchen table. ???

As for us, we have the countdown paper chain going. We also created a "Disney Box", which I have heard mentioned on these boards before. We decorated a large cardboard box and for the past month or so we've been putting things in it for the trip. It is a convenient place to start pre-packing those things that you know you won't need until the trip.

 

[pennyplanner]

Stiles Mom,

I have found pencils, pads, erasers, Tigger Soccer style shirts for nightshirts, "past" movie figures from Mulan, change purses, etc.

My biggest coup was a lovely Mickey sweatshirt in bright purple - high quality and dirt cheap at Big Lots. That one was for me!!!

I love the mirror countdown idea. My kids are used to me writing on the mirror when the UCONN women's basketball team do great things!

Anticipation is a wonderful part of any vacation.

--penny

 

[RobinMarie]

I'm not sure what I like to do more, go to Disney or plan!

Here are some things I do to build the anticipation, I hope you enjoy them:

* Watch the Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Video - a rather simple thing, but it really helps me to plan for the people who will be going with me. What part of the video caught their eye and how can I build on that?

* Have a Disney Meeting! When 20 family members were planning on going in the year 2000, I planned a meeting at my house. I wanted to know what PS to make and what things were a priority for people. I played Fantasia on the VCR, brought out all sorts of Disney items, hung my Fantasia Poster in the meeting room and wore my Mouse ears of course!

*I am attending a conference in May. The Amercian Association on Mental Retardation will be doing their annual conference so we decided to take a couple of clients with us and a staff and make it a big shabang! Since neither of the clients have ever been to the WORLD, I booked cabins at Fort Wilderness and sent them items such as: Mickey Mouse soaps, pictures of Chip n Dale and explained via note that we would see them at a camp fire our first night, pictures of previous visits of my daughter and I.

* After making PS for the Crystal Palace, I purchased a couple of beanie-baby type characters of Pooh and Eeyoe with a note attached, "See You for Breakfast in the Magic Kingdom"

* We have a Rainforest Cafe about 45 minutes from home, and we associate it with Disney World so we go there to gear up for the trip.

*Send emails to whomever is going about updates and stuff. Our latest announcements via emails to eachother is: Figment is coming back! I'm so excited because my daughter has never seen/experienced him live!

*Watch Disney Movies

* Listen to Theme Park Music on CD in the car.

* Read the latest editions of Disney Planning Guides, despite that I could probably write them down from memory.

* Read these message boards and share the latest info and tips.

* I do a daily count down ... 37 days til Disney!

 

[KJMAX1]

Our biggest thing is listening to the music. Since our daughter is only two, she needed to know who these characters were before we go. I figured listening to the music would help her know the songs on the rides, and it would make it more interesting for her and less frightful.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We read a good Disney Planning book together. I kept it in the car and when we were driving all together I would read about the different attractions and rides and shows. To tell the truth, I had more trouble keeping us from getting too excited rather than the other way around. By the week before the trip ,we were flying high. DS failed his spelling test the friday before(he ALWAYS makes a 100) and I just laughed. Who could think at a time like this.LOL.We also all helped with the planning and making PS's etc. I still ended up doing all the washing and packing and shopping but that was ok too!


jordan's mom

 

[Popie_]

As Granparents who take the tribe to WDW every few years we have several things that seem to work for us. We send weekly Email "Teasers" to each of the five grandkids from Minnie or Mickey telling them about one of the meals or activities that are planned. We also make up pre-trip packages for each one with a guest badge, resort mug, chubby pen and autograph book.

We are planning our trip in October for MNSSHP and the big decision for them all is what costume to wear. Minnie and Mickey are sending them ideas every week

 

[Emme]

Popie,
I think that is sooo wonderful that you take your granchildren to Disney. What an absolute blessing for you and them! What a great idea the e-mail teasers are...very cute. Enjoy your family and thanks for sharing!
~Emmy

 

[Snow Shoe]

I create a Disney themed countdown calendar with the days remaining for my daughter to mark off. We aslo in the last 30 days start getting the suitcases down, pre pack some items like first aid kits, extra hangers, stuff like that. These are visual reminders of our up and coming trip.

 

[pennyplanner]

Calling all Disney planners:

Just returned from my local (NW Connecticut) Big Lots store. It is a favorite place to find Disney trinkets for our countdown. There were treasures to be had. Some a bargain, some mediocre prices.

Two die-cast mini Fisher Price vehicles- Cool Cruisin'Mickey and Wave Rider Donald @ $1.75 each. They will provide the lead-in to the MGM vintage auto parade and Blizzard Beach rhymes.

Two Mickey tee shirts, made in USA, WDW labels for $3.99 (10-12) and $4.99 (adult sm). Wow!!!

A Tramp Disney classic star bean "beanie" for $2.99 as a lead-in for our MK dinner at Tony's.

And okay, I couldn't resist - a Goofy, Mickey for Kids Thermos soft lunch box , with his floppy ears that velcro together as the handle. It has a small thermos bottle iside. That sold for $5.99. I'm not sure how I'm going to use it but I'll figure something out.

There was lots more stuff but some was out of my price range or wouldn't be of interest to my family. Although the "beanie" Cinderella mice (Gus and Jacques) were darn cute! A tin Dumbo classic lunch box was also neat.

The stockpiling has begun!
--penny

 

[wmears13]

I found Mickey and the gang cards at Hallmark and had "Mickey" sign and mail the cards to my nieces and nephews. Also made my own cards by copying a postcard (one of the infamous great rate postcards), glueing it onto cardstock and had Mickey "wish you were here!").

Tinkerbelle could fly into the rooms of small children (or big "kids") and leave a small gift or card. (You basically need pixie dust for this idea.)

I also got on Deb Will's site and found out interestin facts about DW and emailed them to everbody who went on our family trip.

My niece and I made her own count down calendar-went to the Disney site and got into the kids/craft section. (She thought she was soooo cool. She was the official "counter" for the family and would announce the remaining days each morning at breakfast!)