Any ideas on how to surprise the kids?

[maine_jennifer]

Originally posted by eeyoresmom
Great ideas everyone.I'm thinking of telling the kids we're going to Cocoa Beach or The Space museum,but maybe pretending it's "too early "and suggesting to hubby that we drive to the docks and "check out the ships".I've sailed from Port Caneveral before so I know you can't just drive up to the boat,but I don't remember if security asks you if you're a cruise passenger when they check your ID>

Good idea, but remember, kids are smart! When I was little, must have been 7 or something, I really wanted to go see E.T. Well, my parents said we were going to Scarborough Downs, a horse track. That wouldn't be abnormal, as my parents were always taking me some place new for some new adventure. Except we were bringing candy, and a small chair that just happened to fit between the seats of my dad's pick up and a pillow. I figured it out pretty quickly, though they kept denying it.

And yes, when you pull up, they ask to see your ID and ask if you're sailing that day.

 

[jbbt]

Originally posted by babsnabbs
I'm opposed to the idea of surprising the kids. Isn't part of the fun in the anticipation? The surprise will last about two seconds, but the planning and excitement can last for months.

This will be our second time this year that we are going to Disney. In total we will have spent 1 month in Florida this year. It's also the 4th trip (total) to the parks (and we usually spend 2 weeks each time). The anticipation isn't the same as the first time you go so we were looking for something to spice it up and decided on a Christmas visit and a cruise and to make it all a surprise. We don't want the parks to be anticlimactic so we're going there first. We're not telling them until we're well on the way and then we want to sneak in the cruise as an extra bonus. I think their awe and surprise will be worth it. If I had kids that didn't handle surprises well I wouldn't do it.

I disagree that the surprise will last for 2 seconds, I think it will last the whole 4 days of the cruise and beyond!!!

As an extra bonus to the children, I'm never even tempted to say, "If you don't...., we may not be able to go to Disney." I shouldn't do that anyway, but this whole surprise thing helps me not to be tempted to do it.

I realize they may have a good hunch, certainly when we arrive at the terminal they will have, but I think it will be worth it in the end. I am an overplanner, so I if I told them I would be sharing with them every little detail about the cruise. This way EVERYTHING will be a surprise. I'm even limiting what I'm telling my DH because I want it to be magical as it can be for him too. I must say that I've been very tempted to show him the cruise DVD, but I think that may have taken a little away from my excitement, being able to see some of the details I had only read about, so I think I will show self-restraint and just wait!!!

Thanks for the great ideas and great discussion!!
Brigitte

 

[eeyoresmom]

Logan
Yes we are on the Jan 16 cruise with you and also have an 8 year old son.Don't know our cabin #'s yet as we had to book GTY.Does any one know if that info will come with my cruise docs or will we find out at embarcation? As far as surprising the kids,I'm going with a trip to Cocoa Beach with a visit to the Space Center before we check into our new hotel.Now if I could only get a copy of the DCL dvd to "bait" the kids!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Jennifer'
thank you,I sent you a pm

 

[Mr. Bill]

All of these surprises sound like a lot of fun, but …

Half the fun of the trip is the anticipation of the adventure. I booked the cruise for my granddaughter and me 10 months ahead of time. She learned of the trip by giving her the promotional video at Christmas. We sailed the day after her (second grade) school ended in May.

Along with the video, I gave her a “backward calendar” and she marked off the days and announced every morning at breakfast how many more days ‘til we sail.

This calendar was in a notebook that had many promotional pictures of the ship, on-board restaurants, shows and characters, etc. The main insert was LOVE! It even had the material about the Dolphin Encounter that we enjoyed in Nassau.

I included a diagram of “our” room and showed our location in relationship to everything.

The notebook went to school with her for “Show & Tell”. One can only imagine the excitement that created.

I spent a lot of time putting the book together and it was worth it. Devina and I were able to become familiar with everything before getting on board. I’m sure this enabled us to start enjoying the environment much sooner.

By telling her about it ahead of time, she received post cards from Mickey & Minnie - WOW, now that was a surprise!

When she saw the ship for the first time, her little arms came to her chest and she (literally) screamed with delight and said, “Mr. Bill, it is sooooo big!". She grabbed the phone and called her mother. She was so excited she could hardly talk.

I feel that her pleasure was doubled by the anticipation. She was able to "go on the trip through imagination" before actually boarding the ship.

Bill