I think I might be over doing the magic making.... Any thoughts? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I think I might be over doing the magic making.... Any thoughts?
I haven't taken Scarlett on our annual trip since December 2008 and we have missed WDW. We are going to celebrate our unbirthdays while there, she is getting a huge basket from Memories by Betsy, and I'm having Gifts of a Life time do a crowning a princess event for her while in MK. She is going to the Pirate League, taking a pirate ride at the GF, and doing wishes dessert party. Is room decorating by Disney Florist overkill? I really want this trip to be the best we have ever taken but am now thinking I may be over stimulating her if I add the deco. Plus, its an added $300. I'll have the gift card but I was planning on using it for food. Maybe next time we go, I'll not do so many extra suprises and just do the room deco???? Someone please help my mania!!!!!!
I think the Magic of a Disney vacation (or any vacation) should be the time you spend together as a family. I never did any of the expensive extras with my kids and we always had and still have a great time-just being together and making memories. Watching a lizard or ducks can be just as memorable. The greatest memory two of my kids have from Disneyland (they were 7 and 10 at the time) is seeing different species of birds, particularly American coots.
My question is are you missing the simple pleasures by doing so many extras.
I think the Magic of a Disney vacation (or any vacation) should be the time you spend together as a family. I never did any of the expensive extras with my kids and we always had and still have a great time-just being together and making memories. Watching a lizard or ducks can be just as memorable. The greatest memory two of my kids have from Disneyland (they were 7 and 10 at the time) is seeing different species of birds, particularly American coots.
My question is are you missing the simple pleasures by doing so many extras.
Disney World itself is a pretty magical place. Sometimes the most magical experiences are those you don't plan on at all.
With Scarlett, we tend to do the same things every trip. Eat at the same places, do the same rides, everything is the same. This trip I though i could get a lot of new things in and try some different stuff. The GOAL event will only be an hour long in the park, the basket will be a feverish opening the first night we are there. The GF boat ride for her is down time for me and a new experience for her?? Pirate league will be something for us to share together??? Wishes is for my own selfish sweet tooth...... I think we will still have the simple things like enjoying our cinnamin bun at main st bakery, lunch sharing at Caseys, Sitting at Pinnoc. eating lunch and waving to te small world riders, and strolling through the aquarium in Epcot. I think I just feel terrible what she went through when I insisted she move in with my ex and I and it blew up in our faces. He put her through hell and I had no idea until it was too late. She gave up a lot to make me happy and not fight me on moving......
WOW, that just turned into a therapy session. Sorry
Personally, I would not pay $300 for Disney Florist, or anyone for that matter, to decorate our room. But that's just me. I think the more you try to 'force the magic' the less magic you will acutally find. What you have planned sounds nice I would keep it like that and let the magic find you in other places - like watching her as she watches Wishes, or while having a hot dog and watching a classic cartoon at Casey's.
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Just remember that the more you do this trip, the more you have to live up to for the next trip. "Mom, this trip isn't as fun as that trip when we had the gift basket and the pirates and the room decorated and, and, and...." I think you are doing plenty right now and it might be a good idea to save something for the next trip. Guilt can be a huge motivator, but is she going to equate you spending an extra $1000 (or whatever it's going to come out to) with 'now it's all better'? I hope that makes sense...
Just remember that the more you do this trip, the more you have to live up to for the next trip. "Mom, this trip isn't as fun as that trip when we had the gift basket and the pirates and the room decorated and, and, and...." I think you are doing plenty right now and it might be a good idea to save something for the next trip. Guilt can be a huge motivator, but is she going to equate you spending an extra $1000 (or whatever it's going to come out to) with 'now it's all better'? I hope that makes sense...
TOTALLY makes sense. I do feel terribly guilty and have been doing as much as I can to make it better. I think I'm handeling it worse than she is. She doesn't even talk about it any more but it still makes me mad and I think about how she feels all the time. Thanks for putting it into perspective
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When we took our family on our last trip, it was UNDERSTOOD that even though it was their first trip, it was prob going to be our last as a family. My teens are getting ready to graduate and begin their lives. That being said, We did everything we could do. We did a split stay, 16 days, baskets at BOTH resorts as well as a christmas tree, MVMCP, Candlelight Processional, waterskiing and parasailing at the contemporary, richard petty for DH, Wishes dessert party, and we got picked for Veteran of the day at MK AND Flag Family at WL. We did A professional Photopass portrait session, had the Deluxe dining plan, ect. But I knew that was it. I wanted to make a memory that would last into my husband's next deployment, ect. Even with all of this, there was more magic like DS doing VERY well at IDOL and getting to open Frontierland, ect. Now, my DD wants to go back just her & I for a graduation present. I am doing baskets again, and probably the dessert Party and the halloween party, but or dining will be the basic and I am worried about it not being as "magical". Ironically, it was my DD that said "Mom, the magic comes from us being together". Now I'm not worried. I'll look for the magic in all the other little things. I say if you can afford to do it all, then do it all. But make sure you can save a least a little bit for next time! I think the WORLD has enough magic to be had on every trip anyway! Go for it!
i'm all for lasting memories, like photos. photo session as a family and any and all photo opportunites in the parks, but that's just me. my family humors me.
I think you have good reasons for what you've already planned, so you don't need to add extras. The trip itself and time with Mom will be what really counts. On the trip, you may even be able to start putting the past behind both of you and that feeling won't be from material things, but experiences - and the ones that last may surprise you.
You know the old saying about when you're ready to walk out the door, look in the mirror and take off one item of jewelry, so you don't have too much? You may want to consider that with this. I know you have reasons, but my first read-through of what you have planned really sent my brain into overload. I can't imagine doing that much. If you break it down:
- The pirate ride, with downtime for you, makes sense, since it may be your only chance for a break.
- As does the basket, as a "welcome to WDW, we missed it" sort of thing.
- The princess crowning GOAL could be that one truly special, can't duplicate it, do it while she's young enough to be thrilled by it sort of thing.
- Then, you have the Wishes Dessert, which is more something YOU want and is a nice, special bonding moment.
So, do you need a second Pirate experience just so you can do something together? The entire trip will be you two doing things together. If you're feeling like you're piling things on out of guilt, then it's time to take a step back and realize that now that you're feeling that way, then it may have been "too much" a bit ago. If you feel like you can, take that "extra piece of jewelry" off and get rid of the Pirate League. And don't pay for the room decorating - if anything, bring stuff with you and you guys can have fun the first night putting things up to dress up the room.
You guys will have a great time no matter what! If you're comfortable with it, then go for it! But, like others have said, the truly magical moments are many times the ones that weren't planned.
I would use the money for something else. I would take her to World of Disney an tell her she has $300 to spend on anything she wants and turn her loose. It can only be spent on her no one else. You could also find a really nice charm bracelet and have her pick something from the jewelry section and you could add a charm each trip.
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Melanie
June 1985-off site/March 2004- Pop & OKW
Aug. 2004- Hurricane Charlie POR & FWCG/July 2005- Grand Villa OKW
Feb. 2006-Pop/Feb. 2007- AS Music, WL, AS Movies
Sept. 2011- Disney Med Cruise
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I think I might be over doing the magic making.... Any thoughts?
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Disney World itself is a pretty magical place. Sometimes the most magical experiences are those you don't plan on at all.
Jen
I would keep it like that and let the magic find you in other places - like watching her as she watches Wishes, or while having a hot dog and watching a classic cartoon at Casey's.
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