How to surprise the kids the night we leave?

[WDWstu]

I'm looking for any cool ideas for how to spring it on my kids that they need to go get in the car because we are headed to Disney. Here is the lead up to the moment:

We leave Friday night to drive down from NJ for our annual family trip to the World. This will our 7th year in a row. My kids are 10 and 4. This is also the first year we did not tell the kids we are going. We actually told them back in December when they asked that we were not going to have a May 2012 trip because we just bought a new house. When we decided to book the trip, we figured we would not tell them and keep it as a surprise.

My plan is to have the truck packed up Friday morning while they are in school and drive it to a friends house so they don't see it when they get home. It will be "at the oil change place." Every Friday night is family movie night in our house. So we will all watch a family movie (Disney movie of course, probably Dumbo as the kid's have not seen it). Before the movie, I'm going to go pick the truck up and bring it home and they will be ready for the movie so they will not go out and see it. Then after the movie, I want to spring it on them. We usually leave at 9 at night anyway so after the movie it will literally be like "ok kids go get in the car!"

So any one have any good ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I think you have a great plan already! Maybe after the movie is over you could say, "Man! Watching Disney movies sure makes me 'homesick' for Disney World!" And when your kids say "Yeah, me too! When are we going to get to go again?" you can say, "Let's go NOW!" and run to the car.

 

[WDWstu]

I think you have a great plan already! Maybe after the movie is over you could say, "Man! Watching Disney movies sure makes me 'homesick' for Disney World!" And when your kids say "Yeah, me too! When are we going to get to go again?" you can say, "Let's go NOW!" and run to the car.

LOL. That's a great way to say it. It wouldn't be hard to lead them to make that statement. My kids talk about WDW all of the time all year.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

LOL. That's a great way to say it. It wouldn't be hard to lead them to make that statement. My kids talk about WDW all of the time all year.

Mine too! They ask at least once a week when we're going back and we don't have a trip in the works.

I did a surprise trip once for the kids - they didn't know until the day we were leaving. I did a treasure hunt with clues for my oldest (he was 6 at the time) and it was a lot of fun for him to get that final clue and realize we were going to WDW that day. Have fun!

 

[gingerbcop]

That's awesome. We surprised our two boys once at the airport in Atlanta. They thought that they were tagging along to a nursing conference for my wife and while waiting for a connecting flight to Orlando, we sprang it on them. My 12 year old still wouldn't believe us until we actually boarded the plane to Orlando.

 

[dananbethany]

During the movie, drug them, put them in the truck, and when they wake up they'll be in DisneyWorld!

 

[NJtoATL]

Have them get ready for "bed". Have them put on their new Disney pj's. Say you have to run an important errand. While every one is in the car announce that the important errand is going to Disney for vacation.

Have a fun trip!!! Whatever you decide they will be excited.

 

[Camshell]

Wonderful, I think your plan is just perfect! I wish my husband would suprise me this way one Friday night.

 

[Pesky]

You could always ask them to go grab something from the truck and that both need to go because there are multiple bags in truck so all hands needed. Have a sign taped up on the back that says "WDW or Bust!" that they'll see when they get to the car.

Honestly, I don't think there is a bad way to tell them. Although drugging them would lead to a very peaceful drive....