Tips For A Disney In-Room Celebration That Won’t Break The Bank #DisneySide

My son turned 3 last month, and my husband and I knew it would be awesome to celebrate it in Disneyland. So I spent months (yes, months) planning and preparing for our Disney vacation. I wanted my son — actually, I wanted the whole family — to have a blast at the happiest place on earth that’s why I scoured the internet (and even bought the Official and Unofficial Guides To Disneyland) for ideas to make it a vacation to remember.

There are a number of things that you can do to celebrate special occasions, and you can find suggestions on the “Birthdays at Disneyland Resort” page of the Disney website. But the one thing I really wanted to try was the In-Room Celebration packages provided by Disney Dream Makers. Unfortunately, their packages are so expensive!

The In-Room Celebration Package that I wanted costs $395 and the other package is $210! WOAH! That’s just waaaaaay out of our budget! While a lot of people say that the In-Room Celebrations by the Disney Dream Makers are worth it, I just couldn’t fit it into our budget because we’re already spending more than what we usually spend on our hotel stay (we usually stay at a Good Neighbor Hotel but we decided to stay at the Disneyland Hotel this time).

So what’s a mom to do? Research, of course! I spent days, maybe even weeks, looking for photos online of actual In-Room Celebrations. And here are my tips if you want an in-room celebration but don’t necessarily have the budget for the Dream Makers’ packages.

TIP #1: Before anything else, check the Disney celebration packages so you can see exactly what’s included in each.

Don’t forget to check the individual gift baskets as well. Decide if the cost is worth the convenience for you. Many say that it’s totally worth it so if you have the moolah, I say go for it! Just be sure to check that they deliver to your hotel!

TIP #2: Take note of the specific items included in the Disney celebration packages that you would like to have for your celebration.

Not everyone will enjoy everything in the packages (for example, a “Hidden Mickey” book is included in the celebration package but I don’t think my 3-year old son will appreciate it at this point) so identify items that you or your kid/s will love.

TIP #3: Shop for party decorations and supplies online!

I received some party supplies from Birthday Express. Party supply websites like Birthday Express have a wide range of products for any party and almost any theme! Since I wanted a Mickey Mouse-themed in-room celebration for my son, I got the following:
– Disney Mickey Mouse Standup
– Disney Mickey Happy Birthday Foil Balloon
– Red Matte 11″ Balloons
– Sky Blue Matte Balloons
– Bright White (White) Latex Balloons
– Disney Mickey Mouse Hanging Swirl Value Pack (2 packs)
– Bright White (White) Curling Ribbon
– Birthday Balloons Giant Banner
– Disney Mickey and Pluto Small Removable Wall Decorations
– Disney Mickey Mouse Tumbler
– Disney Mickey Fun and Friends Centerpiece
– Disney Mickey Mouse Mini Bubbles

Party supplies I got from Birthday Express. Not in photo: Mickey Mouse Standup and Birthday Banner.

TIP #4: Bring their favorite Disney toys.

Now this won’t work for older kids but it probably depends on your “presentation”. In our case, I brought my son’s Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck plush toys and set them all in the middle of the bed. It kind of made us feel like the whole gang is present (although they’re technically not). And it worked for our in-room celebration because ours was Mickey Mouse themed anyway.

If you don’t already have toys or goodies related to your theme, be sure to browse through the favors and goodies at the Birthday Express website!

TIP #5: Be creative!

Because it’s an in-room celebration, you aren’t really preparing for a huge party. This gives you some creative flexibility because you just really need to think about what your family wants. And if something doesn’t turn out quite as you expected, your family probably won’t mind.

I didn’t have to prepare any food because I already had a reservation at Goofy’s Kitchen so all I really had to take care of were the room decorations and the goodies. I also placed all the stuff we bought inside the Disney Parks at the center so he can readily play with whatever catches his eye first.

Our Mickey Mouse-themed Disney In-Room Celebration. The little boy loved it!

What’s even nicer when you create your in-room celebration yourself is that you can set it up again when you get back home!

Ours was a very simple yet very memorable In-Room Celebration that didn’t cost too much. And because I personally chose the goodies and the decorations, every single thing I included was targeted to my son’s age and preferences — and that made it worth every penny!

Are you planning a Disney-themed party or celebration? Here are some posts from around the internet that can give you some awesome ideas!

Party Ideas:
– Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party
– Mickey Mouse At Home Celebration
– Mickey Mouse Birthday Party
– Minnie Mouse Dream Party Celebration
– Frozen Playdate Party
– Disney Princess Cinderella Party
– Disney Cinderella Party Ideas
– Disney Princess Tea Party
– Little Mermaid Beach Party
– Little Mermaid Viewing Party Ideas
– Disney Tangled Rapunzel Party Ideas + More Photos
– Disney Cars Birthday Party
– Disney Planes Party Ideas
– Sheriff Callie Party Ideas (+ Stick Horse)
– Ultimate Cars Dream Party
– Avengers Super Hero Birthday Party
– Disney Super Buddies Viewing Party Ideas

Crafts/Decors:
– DIY Mickey Mouse Balloon Dart Game
– Mickey Mouse Party Favor Lollipop Wrappers
– Captain America Shield
– Olaf Craft
– 20+ Disney Planes Crafts & Party Ideas

Recipe Ideas:
– Olaf Treats
– Monsters University Monster Popcorn Balls

* I received some of the products mentioned above from Birthday Express. I purchased the rest of the other products shown in the photos. Thoughts are my own.