What do you do to get your family in the Mood?

[coxsarmy]

This may sound a bit corny... but with 8 children we have a lot of "opinions" about what should be done when at Disney World. We are headed there in less than a month. About one month out I begin to take time to ask each child separately for a list of 3 things that would make this vacation a 10 to them ( on a scale of 1 to 10 - 10 being the best of course ). It's funny the things they suggest. They see me write these things down..... and so when Carter ( my oldest- 21 ) Says, eat an icecream while standing on the bridge leading to France 30 minutes before Illuminations...... I plot that into the plan. When we are there and they see that we are doing what they had requested..... it makes the Vacation unique to them. Asking them one month out gets them thinking.... and really helps them consider what they really love. They usually start out with a ride..... and by the time we go.... they've narrowed it down to more of an experience that involves time with each other.
Ahhhhhh
I love going to Disney
with those I Love.
MomCox

[wewantsdaredhead]

8 kids!!!? yikes!
I can't even imagine. It must be quite an organized chaos with the whole crew.

I'm speechless!

[sandi]

How are you able to get all 8 kids to go on vacation at the same time??????

[Amy]

Great idea coxsarmy! That is an awesome way to make each child feel special and remember their vacation as being perfect
I teach piano to several large families and am always trying to convince them that they need an extra pair of hands on vacation but so far there have been no takers...sigh

[Mamabaminjamin]

All we have to do is mention disney and the kids are ready. The favorite actvitiy was started by GRMA. She counts down teh number of sleeps until Disney. The kids love even if they are not going they want to know "How many sleeps until Disney?"

[disneylizzy]

we order & watch a disney travel dvd

[jlpeaches255]

We always do countdowns and stuff like that. We also try to watch some Disney classics ahead of time to refresh the kids memories about the characters they will be seeing and the rides they will be riding. For the last trip I rented Swiss Family Robinson before the trip and that really got my son excited to see an attraction that most kids just don't understand anymore.

Now this time we are trying to keep the trip a secret and not tell them until we are driving to the airport. Let me tell you, it is killing me!!! Although with as much as I talk about Disney you would think they would suspect something but my kids are just used to seeing me looking at Disney websites and listening to Subsonic all the time.

[Amy]

Oooo! Surprise trip ~ that will be a fun one!
I remember being quite excited to go to the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse after having read the book and then watched the movie. It was a little more interesting to me after I knew the story

[LITTLEBIT]

We always do countdowns and stuff like that. We also try to watch some Disney classics ahead of time to refresh the kids memories about the characters they will be seeing and the rides they will be riding. For the last trip I rented Swiss Family Robinson before the trip and that really got my son excited to see an attraction that most kids just don't understand anymore.

I need to see about getting the DVD of Swiss Family Robinson. I have the VHS but our VCR died so we can't watch it.

Now this time we are trying to keep the trip a secret and not tell them until we are driving to the airport. Let me tell you, it is killing me!!! Although with as much as I talk about Disney you would think they would suspect something but my kids are just used to seeing me looking at Disney websites and listening to Subsonic all the time.

I feel your pain! I did the same thing 3 years ago and it killed me. I was just getting into all of the Disney online communities and there were so many stories of people planning with their kids it drove me insane that I couldn't. But it will be worth it. We didn't tell the kids until we were driving through the gate, we did the surprise in two parts, first we told them we were flying down to see their grandparents who live in Florida as we were driving to the airport and then once we got down there and to Disney, we told them the rest.

[LITTLEBIT]

Oooo! Surprise trip ~ that will be a fun one!
I remember being quite excited to go to the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse after having read the book and then watched the movie. It was a little more interesting to me after I knew the story

My DS12 will really get a kick out of it after he watches the movie. He's the 'engineer' in the family.

Amy, it looks like you and I were posting at the same time. Are you just getting up like me? I needed some subsonic to get through the day.

[Amy]

I've been up for a while. I have very early lessons on Tuesdays in the summer. I like to pop on and see what I have missed overnight Sadly I very rarely remember to start the stream
But as soon as I get into my car, the Disney music starts and keeps turning throughout the day
Have a good one

[LITTLEBIT]

I've been up for a while. I have very early lessons on Tuesdays in the summer. I like to pop on and see what I have missed overnight Sadly I very rarely remember to start the stream
But as soon as I get into my car, the Disney music starts and keeps turning throughout the day
Have a good one

Thanks. It's going to be a hard one because I had planned to take a mental health day but am going into work because they need me. I'll have Disney music with me but only a small amount because I can't stream at work and have to rely on my one CD.

You have a good one too.

[jlpeaches255]

We didn't tell the kids until we were driving through the gate, we did the surprise in two parts, first we told them we were flying down to see their grandparents who live in Florida as we were driving to the airport and then once we got down there and to Disney, we told them the rest.

We won't make it that far before they know. I think they will know as soon as we get near the airport since we have never flown anywhere else before! Our surprise is two parts also. We are arriving on Sunday, and then my mom is flying in to join us on Wednesday. We live close enough to my mom that the kids see her about twice a week but they just adore their Granny and they will be sooooo happy to have her with us!

[Amy]

We won't make it that far before they know. I think they will know as soon as we get near the airport since we have never flown anywhere else before! Our surprise is two parts also. We are arriving on Sunday, and then my mom is flying in to join us on Wednesday. We live close enough to my mom that the kids see her about twice a week but they just adore their Granny and they will be sooooo happy to have her with us!

So you can still keep Granny coming to meet you as a surprise right?!

[jlpeaches255]

Yup sure can! And even if they figure out the Disney part on the way to the airport, that is enough of a surprise for me!