how to suprise my kids

[Rosenichole]

let me start off saying i would have search for an answer but my search thing is disabled.

so i am looking for ways to surprise my kids that we are going to Disney they are 8B,4B,and 2G and were going at the end of June. thanks for the help

 

[vming]

We are planning to do the same with our 3 kids (10-8-5). So far, I'm planning on picking them up at school early and telling them then- literally on the way to the airport! It's going to involve a lot of sneaky packing and planning! I am also planning on giving each of them a disney gift card at that time so they can buy their own souvenirs and also get a little lesson on responsibility and budgeting.
Good luck! Can't wait to hear any more ideas!

 

[theAfamily]

For our last trip in August we did a scavenger hunt around the house for our kids! The older kids helped out the little kids so it was great! There was little clues and notes everywhere, and none of them were expecting the big surprise! the last thing was to open this closet door and when they did a bunch of red, white, and black balloons came out with a big sign that said- "WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY TOMORROW" they all loved it and screamed in joy. It was very cute and a pretty easy idea! Good luck and have fun

 

[scrappinginontario]

When my DD was two I did a photo scavenger hunt with she and my 11yo niece. They both enjoyed it as even the 2yo could participate and find the next picture. (ie. showed them a picture of the washing machine and when they got there there was a picture of the bathroom, etc). My 2yo had fun collecting the pictures and kept them for months.

It was a good way to encompass 2 very different ages.

 

[FlaGrl38]

we are surprising our kids (ages 6 and 2) with their first Disney trip in 3 weeks! We are lucky enough to only live about 2 hours from Disney, so we are just going to pick them up from school, have the car already packed, and just go once we all get home. We are going to put a Disney movie on in the car for them, and they won't know anything until we get to the resort. We did however make welcome bags full of Disney goodies, and when we get there and they see them, we will let them know that we'll be staying for 4 days

It helps that my oldest thinks that "Disney" is the castle....and that's it. He doesn't realize what all Disney encompasses, so its going to be super easy to surprise him

 

[Pesky]

I think part of it depends on the timing you want. Day of? Advance? That might determine it right then and there.

Day of:
* wake them up day you are leaving and surprise them by:
* character call to tell them they are going to WDW;
* mickey pancakes, Disney music in the background and a surprise delivery from Mickey with some items for the trip and a written announcement
* treasure hunt (if you have to leave early, that's not going to work)
* tell them at the airport if you are flying and tell them before you are flying elsewhere

Advanced:
* by way of cake -- some folks have done reveals on a cake. Cake plus finding out you are going to disney is always good.
* treasure/scavenger hunt around the house -- this can be more leisurely and you can start off with broad clues about doing something fun, then going somewhere and finally with the Disney reveal
* use the Easter basket! You can do a combo treasure/scavenger hunt and Easter basket with eggs full of clues leading to a basket announcing the trip with some stuff for the trip for all of them (movies, flip flops, sunglasses, beach towels, swim suits, etc.)
* if you live near a Disney store, you can go in and they will announce it in the store and on the screen there.
* get a neighbor in to ding and dash and leave a box on the front door from the main mouse himself and have it filled with balloons and a note that says they are going to WDW

I'm not sure there is a bad surprise for this kind of thing! Have fun!

 

[Rosenichole]

Thank you all for the great ideas

 

[TarrahA]

Our kids found out already b/c planning it with my BF's sister was impossible to talk about without them around, but this is what I had planned: my daughter (10) loves puzzles. I found a 3D puzzle of Cinderella's castle at an antique mall. They sell them in most toy stores though, too. I was going to have all three (ages 9, 10 & 13) sit down & tell them if they could build the castle they'd get a special prize - once it was completed I'd give them something useful for the trip but confusing at the time - fanny pack, water bottle carrier, etc & then after a few minutes of them making guesses at how they could use the stuff, tell them about the trip.

I'm still going to have them do the puzzle, just gotta think of a different surprise now that they know we're going...

 

[wdc2wdw]

When my DD was two I did a photo scavenger hunt with she and my 11yo niece. They both enjoyed it as even the 2yo could participate and find the next picture. (ie. showed them a picture of the washing machine and when they got there there was a picture of the bathroom, etc). My 2yo had fun collecting the pictures and kept them for months.

It was a good way to encompass 2 very different ages.

That is such a cute idea!