Hi Kim,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Celebrating birthdays at the Walt Disney World Resort inspires me to break out in my happy dancing!
I always recommend making a dining reservation at a character restaurant. Some of our favorites are Chef Mickey's, The Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Be sure to note the birthday celebration on your dining reservation. On our last visit, we were celebrating my husband's birthday and he received special mini cupcakes at several restaurants. At The Crystal Palace he also received a special birthday card signed by the characters. Be sure to make that dining reservation as soon as you can because restaurants fill quickly, especially for character meals!
We have also ordered balloons for our girls from
Disney's Floral & Gifts. On both occasions, we had the balloons delivered to Cinderella's Royal Table. There are a number of other experiences you could consider with the
Enchanting Extras Collection. If your child loves animals, you might try one of the nature experiences. On our last visit we did the Caring for Giants Tour which fit within our budget and allowed our girls to have a great experience learning about the elephants at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Kim, if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, do not forget to pick up a celebratory button at the front desk. Remember also to capture the memories. We love Memory Maker because it gives us access to all of our digital photos with Disney PhotoPass photographers. Smile!
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse Hugs,
Donyell