Oh, Suzy, when you hear Cast Members greet you with "Welcome Home," I know you will feel it deep in your heart! What a special gift to return to the Most Magical Place on Earth with your granddaughter. The moments you will share will be core memories for you both.
I wish I could arrange a phone call to start your celebration early. Captains Mickey and Minnie do this for
Disney Cruise Line, but it is not available for
Walt Disney World Resort. Luckily, Mickey and Minnie have people like you who can help share their excitement that your granddaughter is coming to celebrate her birthday with them.
You are only a week away, and I do not know how old your granddaughter is, so all my ideas may not be on point, but I'll share a few in hopes some of them work.
At one point in my career, I was authorized to sign photos on behalf of an elected official. I had to show I could mimic the signature, but I think Mickey is a little more enthusiastic about sharing his joy. You could pick up a postcard at a local store and use a search engine to see how Mickey signs his name.
You could have a Mickey balloon from a local store when you meet her for your grand adventure. I like to buy balloons and have them greeting my kids on the morning of a trip. As Winnie the Pooh says, "No one can be un-cheered with a balloon."
If you are planning to
meet all the princesses and characters you can, an autograph book is a classic souvenir for a young Mouseketeer. I have taken this idea and had a picture frame mat autographed. It is perfect with a photo from our family trip.
We were at
Magic Kingdom Park on my mother-in-law's birthday and asked
Ariel to sign her birthday card. It was a few days late, but she understood that sometimes mail takes a little longer when it's coming from under the sea. You could ask a character to sign a postcard to keep the magic going after your trip. Mail it from the Chamber of Commerce in the Magic Kingdom, and they add a special postmark.
Don't forget to get complimentary celebration buttons! They have pins to celebrate first visits and birthdays! You can ask a Cast Member in just about any merchandise shop or your
Disney Resorts Collection hotel. If you would like to make them extra special, you can have an artist write her name on them at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in the Magic Kingdom. It requires a small fee, but it is stunning!
For my first trip to Walt Disney World Resort, my grandmother gifted me $10 (it was a lot back then) to spend however I wanted. As a five-year-old, it was everything. I got a leather purse with Mickey and Minnie painted inside a heart on the front flap. I can still picture it, and my sister and I still talk about how magical our purses were. Talk about core memories. My grandmother was generous and loving and still probably had no idea just how meaningful that small gesture was. I share this to say that even without a phone call, as a grandmother, you will create memories and show her love that she will carry with her always.
Suzy, I am all kinds of excited thinking about your upcoming trip! I hope the time reliving your memories and creating new ones is everything your heart dreams! If we can help with any other planning or ideas, come see us again at
planDisney.
Thinking of the Happiest Things!
Jana