2 week countdown. Need ideas to surprise the kids

[tl2]

we have 3 kids 10, 8, and 4. We decided not to tell them until either the night befor or the morning we leave. We have told them we are going to the mountains that weekend (Live in Colorado)

Any ideas on fun ways to surprise them?

 

[DisneyAngel05]

Congrats on your upcoming trip!
We surprised our kids by doing a treasure hunt through the house. We put numbered clues all around the house (I think there were about 6 clues) and then at the end their final task was to put all the clues in order and turn them over. Each clue card had a word on it which spelled out We Are Going To Disneyland California! (we had to be specific as we live in Australia!)
My kids are twins - aged 6 and they absolutely loved this. We filmed it and they have very cute surprised faces when they read out the message!

 

[Meldev]

I did the treasure hunt for our wdw in 2014

Last year we sat down and watched Mickey's Christmas carol and I handed them cards with their magicband color options for our holiday trip.

 

[Monstropolis]

Congrats on your upcoming trip!
We surprised our kids by doing a treasure hunt through the house. We put numbered clues all around the house (I think there were about 6 clues) and then at the end their final task was to put all the clues in order and turn them over. Each clue card had a word on it which spelled out We Are Going To Disneyland California! (we had to be specific as we live in Australia!)
My kids are twins - aged 6 and they absolutely loved this. We filmed it and they have very cute surprised faces when they read out the message!

I love this! This is what we are doing for our 7 year old twins for their main Christmas present this year. It'll be our second trip so I know they'll be so excited

 

[JABRacingOne]

Did you get the free Disneyland trip planning DVD? You might be able to use that if you got it. I will be there in 6 days. I've watched it 3 times since it came in the mail.

 

[casagray]

Our first time was a Christmas present, and we bought a Disneyland Tshirt for our son (7) and a Disney Blanket for our daughter (12) and then watched the DVD. It wasn't until the DVD was going that it really clicked.

You could make up a home made 3-piece puzzle with the word Disneyland, make sure to give the 4 year old the "land" and then other two Dis and ney and have them put it together...

And if you want them to sleep, I'd tell them in the morning.... I guess it depends on your kids, mine would stay up tossing and turning all night!

Edited to add: Do you put out their clothes for them to get dressed in, or do they pick out their own clothes? If you help put put clothes (or if you do this one time because of the drive), you could while they are sleeping swap our their tshirts for Disney tees ... and then see if they realize it when all three have them on ...

 

[heffalumpz]

My aunt and uncle literally just put my cousins in the car and started driving, and eventually one of them realized they were in Georgia when they weren't supposed to be. He happy-cried when his parents told them they were going to Disney World!

 

[LaVon]

We are surprising out kids (3 boys oldest is 6 and the twins are 3 3/4) We leave in 12 days and we wont tell them unless we have to (if they catch on we are driving by disneyland since we arrive the day before we head to the park) Otherwise ill tell them at the gate

 

[lorijohnhill]

My mom and I surprised my daughter for her birthday in October 2014. We told her we were driving to San Diego and visiting all the missions as we headed back to Sacramento. When we got to the Disneyland area, we decided to stop for dinner. My mom slipped an envelope to our server and he delivered it to my daughter. It was a letter from Minnie and Elsa telling her she would be going to Disneyland for her birthday. At first she didn't understand it. She knew we were going in January, so that it was strange to get a letter now. I had her read it again and her chin hit the floor. "You mean we're not going to San Diego???" She was ok with that!

 

[fsjking]

We are not telling our Daughter till the morning we fly out. It's a Christmas trip, so we are probably going to wake her up when she'd normally get up for school and just have a big Christmas package for her in the living room to open up. When it opens we are going to have balloons pop out and a Disney sign.

 

[brandimay412]

We just surprised our 2 kids (6 and 4) with a trip about 2 weeks ago. We also told them we were going camping to the "mountains". So to surprise them I had printed photos of the Disneyland Mountains like Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Grissly Peak. When we were about 20 minutes from our hotel I showed them photos of the "mountains" we were going to. It took a few photos in for my 6 year old to figure out we were actually going to Disneyland! My 4 year old didn't quite catch it until we showed her photos of the Disneyland castle. it was fun to watch them try and figure it out. Have a fun trip!

 

[Xenorye]

We only had one kid to surprise for our last trip. We pulled her out of school early the day before her birthday, and told her that she got a card from someone in the mail. It was from Ariel (signed like her name and everything) inviting her out to Disneyland for my daughter's birthday. Flew out that evening.

 

[disneyfirsttimer18]

We surprised our kids(9,7 and 4) in August. We went on a road trip, they knew for months about the road trip, even knew we'd be in LA.

We got off the 5 freeway on Harbor and told them to look for somewhere to eat dinner. My 7 year old said,"Look Mom it's the Monorail", but it didn't click, then my 9 year old saw the DL sign. They were excited, but still hesitant until we pulled in the PPH parking lot.