Planning a trip and NOT telling the kids! [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

N&B'smom

10-19-2006, 05:57 PM

I don't know how I'm going to do this! We just got back from Disney on 10/7 and we're already planning next year's trip for late Sept. We decided this time to keep it a secret and surprise our kids. I just don't know if I can do it. I have butterflies in my stomach right now just thinking about it, how am I supposed to keep it all bottled up for 11 months!??!?!

Anyone else not tell your kids until you were about to leave?? I don't plan on telling them until we wake them to go to the airport! :banana:

Shelby

mouseketeer_mom

10-19-2006, 06:18 PM

I've been "keeping the secret" since February of 06 and our trip is planned for March 9th through the 17th of 07. My kids are fairly young, 6, 4.5 & 4.5, so hiding the logistics is easy. Hiding the excitement and anticipation is hard. We will tell them the morning we leave.

When you feel yourself ready to "spill the beans" because you are so excited.... just imagine how they will always remember the surprise. Can you imagine??? Getting up and getting ready for school. On the way out the door, mom and dad say maybe today isn't the best day to go to school, nope, definitely not a school day today... today feels more like a... a... a DISNEY day to me !!!!!

Your kids will never forget it!

PirateKitty

10-19-2006, 06:44 PM

My parents did that to us when we were kids! :teeth: My mom did all the packing and the only thing they told us was "we're going on vacation". It wasn't until we got to the airport that they spilled the beans! :banana: I remember me and my brothers jumping up and down screaming with excitement in the airport. :woohoo: I love my parents for keeping it a secret and will never forget that magical trip! :goodvibes

tmt martins

10-19-2006, 07:04 PM

Not that the trip is a secret but I haven't told DW or DD that I changed resorts .

This was to be just a quick MNSSHP trip for DD's B-day at PopC but after the AP rates and a fridge fee POFQ was just a bit more so I switched it.

It's been a tough month trying to get info for POFQ and not letting on about it.

No way could I keep the entire trip quite

sPaRkLeSpAz

10-19-2006, 08:36 PM

Hehe, my mom and dad have done that about 4 times!! [=, once my mom said that she was going to take my dad to work, and that's why he was riding with us.. but we ended up going to Disney World! I was soo suprised!! All our other Disney trips have been suprises too, but I sorta found out about them, hehe, FIRST someone called the house when my mom was sick, and when I asked to take a message she said something about our reservations.. The other time I saw something in the mail [=. Lol, then on Christmas for the trip we took last year I heard her telling my cousin that we were going to go to Disney World on the 28th.. [=. Suprise Disney trips are always a lot of fun though!! [=

bdink921

10-19-2006, 09:03 PM

We're doing it for our upcoming WDW/DCL trip!! It's been a secret for almost a year now and by the time of the trip, will be just over a year :thumbsup2 . It was easy to keep secret--we keep telling DS7 'Maybe we'll go to WDW or a Disney cruise next year" plus we took a beach vacation this summer so he has no clue!!. I finally let him in on the fact that he'll be getting a big surprise soon. I couldn't stand it anymore :crazy: !! I made a chain out of construction paper with 26 links--one for each day--and he can rip one off each day AND he gets to ask 1 question about the surprise :scratchin !! So far he's thinking--a video game or a pet, something like that. I started last weekend about 26 days out. We leave on Thursday 11/9. He'll break the last link on Wednesday after school and instead of a question, he'll go on a scavenger hunt that will probably lead to his suitcase that will have his autograph book and pen and all of his other WDW stuff--he'll get it then!!! I haven't figured out the details of the scavenger hunt but it's fun to plan it out. And he's sooo excited--he just doesn't know why LOL!!! :goodvibes We were going to wait til the day of but it's so much fun to see his excitement. Even after he knows about the trip, we're doing the dolphin encounter in Nassau and THAT will be a HUGE surprise--he loves dolphins!!! You can definitely do it--have lots of fun planning!!! :)

N&B'smom

10-19-2006, 11:14 PM

If I can pull this off it will be an absolute miracle. Right now we have the kids convinced that since we just got back from Disney our next trip won't be for 2 years. They have no idea!! Not only that but they will be so surprised to find out that other family members may be going with us, there could be 12 of us! :bounce: :woohoo:

Okay, I CAN do this. I know I can, I know I can...

Shelby

Disney_Mama

10-20-2006, 07:46 AM

We are going end of Nov. and the kids have no idea. This is an extra trip to celebrate my dad's 80th. Not telling the kids is the fun part. We live in Canada and will be driving into the States to catch our flight. I will pack everything myself and when the kids get home from school we will just start to drive. If they ask where we are going we will just say that it is a secret. We will spend the night at a hotel and once we get to the airport they will most likely figure it out. The hard part is not being able to discuss stuff with my DH. When you don't want the kids to hear something they can hear everything :listen: . But when you want them to hear.....all of a sudden they lost there ability to hear! :rolleyes1 Good luck. :wave:

cybrkitn

10-20-2006, 09:00 AM

Yep! DH and I have been keeping this from our son since August! DH is leaving tomorrow (yeah, I'm jealous) for his business trip at Swan & Dolphin. DS4 and I leave on Wendesday to meet up with DH.

I'm not telling my son until Wednesday morning. Wednesdays are his early days anyway; it's the day I take him in to pre-school. So it's nothing new for him to get up early. However, sometimes he does give me a problem and tells me "just a few more minutes" :sad2:. Now I can tell him, "Ok, fine, you stay in bed while I go to Disney World with Daddy and have fun." Watch how fast he gets out of bed! :rotfl2: I also have a Disney Enchanted call from The Mouse scheduled for 7:30 am.

I just started packing my suitcase last night and I'm almost done. Can't finish DS's because he needs clothes for the next few days. I'll finish his up Tuesday night. I can't wait to finally finish and put those yellow DME tags on our luggage! Just 5 more days :woohoo: :cool1:

the john

10-20-2006, 09:42 AM

Say that your takeing them to some store they don't like and drive to the airport instead. If your flight leaves early in the morning say they have an early morning sale.:rotfl2:

disnygrl30

10-20-2006, 09:47 AM

I am doing this on our upcoming trip 11/30 to 12/10/06. My DD6 knows we are going on vacation but she doesn't know where. We have her convinced that we can't go to Disney again until she is 10 because we are buying a house........blah blah blah..... I've asked her where Disney is just so I can get an idea of how long I can keep the secret. She has no idea that it is in Orlando. So I might be able to pull it off at least until we get the the airport in Orlando. We'll see!!!!

Good Luck keeping the secret. It hasn't been easy for me.

N&B'smom

10-20-2006, 09:53 AM

I just got off the phone with my father in law, he's decided to join us!! I'll be booking this in a couple weeks. I'm so excited.

Our plan is to tell our kids when we wake them for our flight. We always take the earliest flight which means getting up at like 4am. So, our kids will go to bed like normal the night before. We'll wake them at 4am and say, we're so sorry to have to wake you but we need to get to the airport because we're going to DISNEY WORLD!!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :teeth: I hope we can pull this off.

Now we have to find out if the other people we've invited are going to go too. (my mom, dad, grandmother, brother, sister in law, niece and nephew) Oh my gosh! I have to wait almost a year!!!! I love planning a trip!! :sunny:

Shelby

MomofCKJ

10-20-2006, 09:55 AM

We booked in Feb and our trip is in 8 weeks (Dec 15-22) and our 3 kids have no idea! It will be their first time to Disney and they have wanted to go for SO long! I decided since it is their Christmas gift that it would be best left a suprise. We are telling them the night before, just so they have some time to think about it and not get any sleep! :goodvibes

I thought there could be no cooler thing for a kid than being told you are going to Disney the next day! How fun!

My kids are 9,7 and 4. It has been hard to keep it from the 9 year old, I have to hide certain things from her, like my lists of ADRs and such. The other 2 are not as observant. We talk about going to Disney "someday" alot and watch the planning DVD all the time. So they don't find it odd that I am on the DIS boards or have Disney guidebooks in my room. They think we are going in March 08 and so it is not odd to them when the subject comes up.

They are going to go through the roof when they find out though! So worth the wait!

Allyson

betsywdw

10-20-2006, 10:06 AM

Plantlady

10-20-2006, 01:27 PM

My husband and I plan on joining DVC.. we were talking last night, that perhaps next Christmas, Santa's gift for the family can be a trip to Disney World.

We are going for a quick trip to the ocean this year, for the day after Christmas.. but, to think of the looks on their faces, if we can pull this off... to surprise them with a gift on Christmas day, that we're leaving the next day for Disney. We have a bit over a year to get it worked out.

That will also save us money, from not having to buy a big gift for the family from Santa!

2bearsmom

10-20-2006, 02:24 PM

My dh and I are surprising the kids on Christmas Eve with our first WDW trip. The boys will be 18mo and 5yrs, we are going Jan 6-Jan 13. It was a surprise for me to as our Christmas gift, my dh had planned everything but my MIL (who is coming with us) told my SIL but forgot to tell her it was a surprise so she called and told me! Anyway, I am sooooo excited for the kids. More for our 5 yr old because he will be so excited. I love the idea of not telling them until you get to the airport. I would even like to just not tell him until we land and show up there! I just know for 2wks after Christmas I will hear a million times if we are leaving yet. I just can't wait to see the look on his face!

I forgot to mention this. My sister was in on the surprise, as dh asked her to stay at the house with the pets while we're gone. So she is getting the boys Disney Dollars for Christmas. I think I'll tuck some DD in their stockings too! Now I really want to wait and not tell them until that morning or at the airport. Maybe I can talk my dh into waiting.

MASIGNS4U

10-20-2006, 02:25 PM

:cool1: I am with you too I can't wait either. We are planning on going on DCL in August. My son is going to have Cochlear Implant surgery the day after Christmas. (My son l5 and daugher l2) We thought we will needed little rr after his surgery and going to doctors. Just to get away. I am sooo excited for him. :cheer2: We don't know when we are going to tell them or how to tell them. I just want to burst out and tell him after the surgery, but I am going to have to wait. Gina

N&B'smom

10-20-2006, 03:22 PM

So, I'm not the only one that has a hard time keeping a Disney related secret. I am about to burst but I know I can keep the secret. Just picturing their little faces when we do tell them brings me such joy. They will be 8 and 4 when we go again.

I'm also so excited to share this with my father in law. I know he'll have a truly amazing time seeing Disney through the eyes of his grandchildren. :teeth:

Just posting here about it, I get all these butterflies in my stomach. Geez, I better chill out. I've got quite awhile to go! (next Sept!)

Shelby

cybrkitn

10-20-2006, 03:22 PM

I think that a surprise is such a wonderful idea. I just had my first baby and she is 7 months old. I cannot wait for the day that I can surprise her with a trip to Disney. I was watching America's Funniest Home Videos one time and they showed a little boy being surprised as he woke up to be driving towards the welcome sign at the World and he went crazy! Ever since I knew that I had to do it!

Awww, that sounds so cute! Over dinner last night DH and I were talking about his business trip to Dis tomorrow morning. DS4 piped in and already said he is going to miss daddy and does he have to go. I then asked him if he would like to come with me Wednesday to "pick" daddy up from the airport. Of course he said yes, but unbeknown to him, he's going to fly down to meet up with daddy (I love being sneaky :goodvibes ) :rotfl:

maelstrom

10-20-2006, 03:27 PM

One year when I was little, my parents told me we were going to New England. We drove all the way to South of the Border and stopped for the night and I still didn't know we were going to WDW instead. My mom finally told me in the hotel room that night and I cried. Playing tricks is not nice!

Magic Man

10-20-2006, 05:20 PM

We just did this last July. We were on the road for 3 hours before we told the kids we were NOT going to the beach...we were going to the Beach Club! The Disney Beach Club! They were a little shocked that my wife could plan the trip without their input, especially DS10. DD8 said she couldn't go because all her princess dresses were back home. DW said "No, they are in my suitcase where they have been for a month!" We had as much fun keeping the secret as the kids did finding out.

Kat in GA

10-22-2006, 09:16 PM

We just went the last week of September -- and are already planning another trip the first week of January that is going to be a surprise. Originally I wanted to not tell my girls (8 and 5) at all -- just put them in the car and go -- and use it as a surprise for my oldest's birthday (which is New Year's Eve)...but after a little more thought, I think this will be a Christmas gift for both of them (I don't need my youngest expecting a trip to the world on her birthday, too!). But...I haven't figured out the logistics of it all. I am awful at keeping secrets -- so I have you all to conspire with (and to tell all my secrets!).

paper1225

10-24-2006, 09:56 PM

I am right there too. I am HORRIBLE at secrets, but want to keep this one! We only have 57 days until we leave and I still do not know how we will handle it all-they have school until 11am on 12/21 and during that time, DH and I will pack their clothes. We are thinking about sending them on a scavenger hunt and then giving them a box of disney presents to open. Since we will be there for Christmas, we still have that part to figure out also-DS is 5 and still believes. Disney is our present to them, but Santa will bring a few others. I just hope I can do this-I have found that if I just do not talk about Disney to them, it seems to be easier......

Rudy6

10-24-2006, 11:01 PM

We did it two times. The first, they did not know until we were in Orlando. We told them (then 4 & 7) we were taking the plane to Valleyfair. Of course we were taking the plane from Minneapolis/St. Paul, but they did not realize we could have driving to Valleyfair in a half hour or so. We do not live right in MSP. The next time, only a year later, we told them we were flying to Six Flags - our son only needed to see the Orlando sign at the departure gate and called our bluff. It is fun.

tinkertastic

10-25-2006, 03:02 PM

Just love all you parents out there that are surprising the kids with a trip!!!!! We don't have any little ones of our own just yet but reading this thread takes me back to the days when my parents would pull these surprises on me. I just loved it. My mom would just run in the room and drag me out to the car, saying we had an errand to run and the next thing you know we're on the turnpike heading to WDW. One time she even surprised me while I was in the middle of a shower, she ran in yelling "honey i'm sorry i got called into work, have to drop you off at the sitters"!!! I totally fell for it. I just LOVED being surprised.

CathrynRose

10-25-2006, 05:23 PM

Kat in GA

10-25-2006, 07:20 PM

YAY! Im doing this too!!! January 25th - 28th!

We *just* got back from WDW on October 4th - there's no way he think's we'd head down again, so soon.

Plus - it's just going to be my 10 y/o and me! My 15 y/o wasnt as "into it" anymore... teenager. :rolleyes: And my fiance? Well he's jealous... BUT someone has to watch the 15 y/o, right??? ;)

So, just me and my son! I cant WAIT to see the look on his face. I cant decide: night before or morning of???

I am having the same issue of night before and morning of...I am actually leaning towards night before -- I just think it will be calmer and I should get a better reaction then (and of course any Disney trip stuff they get for Christmas will now make sense!). I'd love to hear HOW people are going to tell -- especially if it's a Christmas gift.

lazydazy8

10-25-2006, 08:18 PM

I am holding so much nervous excitement for our surprise trip in THIRTY SIX DAYS!!! My DD7 and DS5 had NO IDEA. NOT A CLUE. I feel like a freak... it's all I think about! My DH thinks I am losing it. I bring the subject up of "THE" surprise and I start sobbing. SOBBING. My shoulders start to jump and I have trouble catching my breath. I watch the Million Dreams ad and feel the tears coming on. We have had this trip in our minds since our honeymoon 8 years ago. We vowed to come back the same week, with kids!

Anyway, we've been officially planning it for about a year and a half. Booked last April.

Most of my kids' friends have been multiple times. They frequently ask, "Mama, when will WE get to go?" We simply say, "someday". Last weekend, we told the kids to get into the car we had a surprise. I get out to the car and I hear the word "Disney". I asked them what they were talking about and my DD said, "I told TJ that if we started driving right now, we could get to Disney in a couple of days." Then, my DD7, in a very somber tone, said, "Mama, do you REALLY promise you'll take us to Disney someday?" I had to fight back the tears to say, "Mallory, it is Mommy and Daddy's favorite place on earth. I PROMISE you, we will take you... SOMEDAY." I wanted to tell them SOOOOOOO bad!

I am channeling my excitement into getting ready for the trip! Are you crafty? I have been sewing and scrapbooking (not to mention shopping) to get ready. I made my DD a dress to coordinate with Minnie. I am in the middle of making both my kids' autograph books.

As for the shopping, I have been buying pins on eBay for them to start trading with, Disney mini-fans, clothes from the Disney store and from disneyshopping.com so they'll have a new Disney wardrobe while we're there...

Our flight takes off at 7:30am, so we'll be yanking them out of bed around 3:30am to get to the airport on time! We are hoping to tell them on the plane... I don't know if we could POSSIBLY drag it out until we are just about to board the Magical Express! That would be so cool...

Thank you N&B's Mom for letting me go on and on about it! It's such a relief to talk about it, isn't it?????

CathrynRose

10-26-2006, 10:21 AM

I am actually leaning towards night before -- I just think it will be calmer and I should get a better reaction then .

Im leaning towards night before, as well. This way my fiance can see his reaction, too. And he can pack what HE would like to bring - any pins he may want to trade, etc.

I think I might do night before. How am I going to explain to an 11 y/o (I wrote "10" yesterday.... ???? :confused3 ) to an eleven and a half year old, why I'm getting him and me both up at 3am??? He's not THAT naive.

I usually - the night before school tell him "Lunch and Outfit"

I think THAT night, Ill say "No lunch and outfit tonight... youre not going to school"

He'll be confused - and Ill say "I need you to pack your bag for 4 days"

And THEN Ill tell him. And he wont beleive me...cuz Mom has been known to be a practical joker, quite often. :rolleyes1

So, Ill whip out the reservations, and plane e-tickets...

I cant wait!!! :woohoo:

Mrs.PrinceCharming

10-26-2006, 09:04 PM

I've been keeping the secret since last Feb as well. We will be going to WDW on Dec 26 and dd11 and ds14 have NO Clue. We will be visiting other relatives so we will tell them our family Christmas will be a little late. Then we won't tell them until we leave to go to the airport.

I paid the last payment on the trip last night and went to the local Disney Store alone today to celebrate by picking up Disney Dollars for thier spending money. I bought them each rolling duffles in their school colors that I will pack with Disney shirts I bought for 4.99 each at the Disney Store sale and have had hidden in my closet since July. We will give them those gifts and head to the airport. I am so so so soooooooooooooooo excited.

N&B'smom

10-26-2006, 09:25 PM

I'm so glad I'm not the only one!! I am so excited about this but I have so far to go! You all only have a little while yet before you get to spill the beans. I have 11 months! I'll be booking on Monday!! The day I book will be the hardest day not to say anything. Then when I start making ADR's it'll be really hard again not to speak up.

On our last trip we went to Ohana and Chef Mickey's for breakfast. My son was disappointed that we couldn't go again during our trip. I explained that you have to arrange it far in advance. So, I know he'll be thrilled when he finds out we'll go again next year!! Too bad I won't be able to tell him!! :rolleyes1

This actually adds to the excitement. I won't tell them until I wake them for the airport. It took my son so long to fall asleep knowing the nxt day was a Disney day. So, this way my little ones will be well rested for their surprise! :Pinkbounc

Shelby

lpbm4

10-26-2006, 09:33 PM

I've been planning our trip since January and we leave in 5wks. OMG...I almost blew it today!!!! We're not telling them until we leave either.

tinker-belle

10-27-2006, 07:34 AM

Last January we completely surprised the kids. We were taking auto train to florida. We had told the kids our friends had a baby in Baltimore (which is very close to the auto train station). I even had a 'pretend' phone call from the people who had the baby to give me decorations to the party.
We packed the car while the kids were sleeping. I wrapped two pal mickeys in baby wrapping paper that said 'congratulations' on it.
We drove...
We got to the auto train station & my son says, 'do you think they have a bathroom, I need to go.' So we 'went'. When he was done & he saw the car had been 'loaded' onto the train he still didnt get it, he thought it was an accident. We went on board the train & the kids still thought we'd be getting our car off and leaving & we were just looking around.
When we told them, they STILL didnt believe us. I pulled out our park tickets and the train tickets and they freaked out. It is a moment I will never forget.