What to Get a Child with an Upcoming (or Postponed) Disney Trip for the Holidays

 

For many families a Walt Disney World vacation is much anticipated. With so many trips cancelled or postponed this year due to travel restrictions, it may feel like you have to wait YEARS for your next Disney vacation.

With more and more families favoring experiences over things as holiday presents here are some great ideas to answer the dreaded question from extended friends and family. Confidently answer “What Can I Get Your Child For Christmas?”

Gift Cards

Gift Cards can be used for just about anything in the parks. From bottles of water to breakfast and snacks to souvenirs. Hotel, airfare and accommodations are expensive enough, this is a great way to take the burden of budgeting for in park expenses off of the parents. It also gives children a sense of responsibility when it comes to their souvenirs, if they have a certain amount of money to spend they will be a little more selective when it comes to what they want. I found it even eliminates some “I Want it Now” tantrums.

Disney Homeschool Lessons 

A great way to learn about budgeting and how to figure out if the gift cards have enough money for the item they want is with the Math Lesson in my Learn at Home with Disney Magic Lesson Series linked here. I created this digital product with ten lessons done for you to help families struggling with distance learning to replace stress and anxiety with Disney Magic, but it also serves as a great way to get families excited about their upcoming trip. All of the lessons have an independent workbook to give parents some time to finish their tasks when distance learning wraps up early and a fun activity for the whole family to do together. 

Cookbook 

One of my favorite activities in the homeschool lessons is in the chemistry workbook where families make a copycat recipe of an in-park favorite. They also alter the recipe to see how the difference in the chemical reactions changes the end product – but if you are just looking for something fun to give a family, a Disney cookbook is a great one. A lot of times before a trip my family and I will plan fun themed dinner and movie night to build anticipation. Pick your favorite Disney movie and make dinner to complement your choice.  If you need some inspiration check out A Magical Kingdom Called Home, my friend Esther is the Queen of Disney themed movie nights.

Countdown Calendar 

Another great way to build anticipation is with a countdown calendar. I like to make my own which you can find here. But you can also get some beautifully customized ones on Etsy or Amazon.

Ears 

Another fun item you can get on Etsy are Mickey ears. I find the ears in the parks start to hurt my head after an hour or so, so I prefer ears from small shops like OnceUponAPixieCo. There are a ton of options on there so look for ears inspired by your child’s favorite character or to match their outfit. Shop some favorites here.

Apparel  –

Disney inspired clothes are a great gift. You can find some great character shirts at Kohls, Target and ShopDisney. For something a little more unique you can check out BoxLunch or support small shops like QueenofHeartsCo, The Main Street Press, and my favorite PolkaDotPixieDust. Shop some of my favorites for both adults and kids.

If you are shopping for a little princess you may also want to check out Taylor Joelle Designs. She creates the most adorable character-inspired dresses that are not costumey so they are a little more comfortable for a day in the parks.

Costumes

If you have a child who does love to go all out, a costume is a great option. You can go the traditional route and purchase a character costume from ShopDisney, but I find the official costumes to be itchy and VERY glittery. I love LittleAdventures which was created by Moms who were frustrated that they couldn’t throw the dress up clothes their children wore all day every day and got covered in snacks, dirt and more into the washing machine.

Call from Princess 

If your child is missing their favorite characters as much as mine is you may want to consider a virtual call with a princess. My friends at Starlight Events have created some amazing virtual visit options including a personalized message, zoom calls and storytimes.

A Special Experience 

With so many cancellations and postponements I have been trying to help each and every one of my travelers find ways to make their rescheduled trips even more magical with ideas you can find in my blog post on 7 Ways to Re-Do Your Missed Trip Even Bigger! With an extra year to save we have been able to upgrade to higher level resorts or add in special experiences, but that is not something you have to shoulder yourself. Tickets to a holiday party, reservations for a dessert party or a place on a VIP/backstage tour are great gift. 

Have your trip booked but feeling overwhelmed with everything that goes into planning a Disney vacation?

Planning a family vacation to Disney World can be overwhelming! I understand how you’re feeling, I know all too well how easy it can be at the beginning to start researching online, just to find yourself 3 hours down the line more confused than when you started. But don’t panic! I can help you plan your dream Disney vacation without any of the stress of hassle – starting with the ‘A Disney Trip without Overwhelm, 5 Easy Steps’ Guide. These 5 steps will help keep you focused on organizing the best trip ever while giving you peace of mind that everything will be done, and nothing will be left out.

 

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