I am soo angry!

[mainewmn]

WOW, I never expected my little problem to get this much attention!

Let’s see our next vacation is budgeted due to the increase in bills (read new house, new furniture, new truck, etc, etc) and us refusing to use credit cards for majority of our spending/purchases in Florida. We want the plane tickets, hotel and park tickets paid for before we leave, since the trip is only 4 ½ months away that don’t leave us much time to do that. Hence instead of purchasing another pile of Christmas gifts that are forgotten after 1 month we wanted to give the boys something that a) they asked for b) we knew they would enjoy, along with smaller but modest pile of gifts under the tree. Its sort of like anyone ales planning to give a special gift to someone and specifically stating to not mentioned it to anyone ales just to find out 5 days after you make the purchase that the gift recipient found out “accidentally”. Thank you to those that understand my frustration. To those that don’t sorry you don’t, I’m not sorry for feeling the way I do but I’m sorry you don’t get it. I posted my dilemma here in order to vent which I’m glad to see some people understand and for some suggestions as to how recover what we have left in the surprise. Mission achieved with both! I’m still mad today about what happened but I’m don’t feel like spitting today, LOL, and I have a feeling I will feel better about the next day, and the day after and day after that, etc, etc. We got some wonderful suggestions on how to keep this as much of a secret as we can some of which we will use some although greatly appreciated would not fit us or our situation.

So again I would like to thank everyone for the great suggestions and/or understanding with my “little” problem.

 

[NCombs]

Sorry about your plans being a bit spoiled. But I would fake an event happening. Let the boys think in the next two months that you guys are planning a trip. Heck, I would even get involved with the boys and start planning the days out. But something happened : medical bill, death in the family, etc. Something that your kids wouldn't know too much. If you're going to fake a "medical" thing, I would have DH drop the kids off at family/friend's house, than be out for five hours, come back and tell them that someone had some sort of medical problem and a lot of the money for the trip will have to go to the medical bill. Or something like that. Maybe I'm a bit weird like that, but that could work.

Sorry, I would have to say I don't agree with making up something about a death in the family or a medical problem. I wouldn't want to worry my kids that way. No surprise is worth that.

 

[*Fantasia*]

mainewmn, it sounds like you're moving on... and tomorrow will be a better day and tomorrow after that and .... And by the time it's time for your trip, you will forget about the "accidental no longer secret trip". You will have a great big smile on your face.

If you really want to surprise your boys.. how about changing your Disney trip to Universal Studio/Island of Adventure trip! That would be a great surprise, especially if they have never been there.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Just a possible suggestion for people trying to do this in the future. If you absolutely don't want any mail going to your house, why wouldn't you just give the CRO (or whoever) your business/alternate address. It's not like they are going to be doing a home visit to make sure you live at the address you give. By doing this there is no possible way for the mail to get misdirected.

And IMHO I think it is OK to be dissapointed that something you planned didn't work out, but I agree that lying to the kids now is a bit silly and they will figure you out anyway. I think it is also an opportunity to show them that there is a positive way to deal with disappointment (the lemons/lemonade adage was mentioned I believe )

Anyway, hope you have a great trip in any case.

 

[missypie]

I do think that quite a few customer service types will tell the customer whatever they want just to get them off the phone, with no intention of doing it.

When we got our first home computer we didn't have internet access for a while. Whenever we called for tech support, the guys would always promise to "mail us a patch." We'd call back later and find that a patch had not been mailed or even requested. The tech people just knew that they could end the call by promising something, so they did.

 

[Chicago526]

I think Disney's computers store your name/address/e-mail/DNA info on their computers. I called once to book, I had just moved. They already had my NEW address!!!! How on earth they knew my new address when I called, I have NO idea!

So once you give your name, I think they have someway of figureing out WHO you are, and pulling up your existing data. How it gets changed is anyones guess. They had my new address without me giving it to them, but then they goof up others after being told repeatedly that it's changed.

Very odd!

 

[gppnj]

Let me start from the beginning, we been planning our January trip as a Christmas gift to our boys. We just got a new house so that they had NO idea about the trip as our finances are a little tight right now. We managed to get the plane tickets, hotel booked etc. When booking the room directly with Disney I specifically made a request that NO confirmation be send out as this was a surprise trip for my boys. I was told that they would be happy to send the confirmation to alternative address to which I agreed and gave them my work address. Yesterday I get home from work and both my boys have this smirk on their faces and ask me flat out about the Disney vacation…! I was like what vacation. Come to find out Disney send the confirmation directly to the house, as if that was not bad enough on the front of the envelope it said “Enclosed is your reservation confirmation” or something like this. All the planning is down the tubs the boys are 15 and 13 so no more tricking them. No matter how much DH and I assured them we wore NOT taking any trips this year they boys just nodded their heads and said “sure we not”. I’m so mad I could spit!

Go without them. That'll take the smirk off their faces.

 

[eeyore0062]

No my boys know better then to open mail addressed to others (me in this case).

No matter how hard we try now the surprise is gone, I’m sad, disappointed and really starting to wonder if we shouldn’t just stay offsite instead.

Why ruin your vacation (one I am assuming you have looked forward to) by staying offsite, when you really WANT to stay onsite anyway? Why punish yourself and your family?

You can get in touch with Guest Communications at wdw.guest.communications @ disney.com
Don't know that they can do anything to rectify the situation for you at this point, but at least you will have let the correct people know about the problem, in case there is a problem with the system that sends confirmations. If they don't know there is a problem, they can do nothing to fix it!

I am positive that it was not anyone's intention to spoil your surprise, and I am sure that the Castmember with whom you made your reservations would be very upset to find out what happened.

 

[plutospup]

At least your sons are happy about the upcoming vacation.

Last winter I started to plan our "surprise" after Thanksgiving vacation. I went ahead and bought airline tix & APs. Of course DW soon uncovered "the plot". She went ahead and told DD7. DMIL found out about this, and decided it wasn't a good time of the year for her . At least DD and I are looking forward to our AKL vacation!

 

[kkozma]

I can see why you are upset, but being from Maine and seeing that you are getting to go to Disney in January seems like more than enough to forget your disappointment.
I am sure you will forget all about the surprise being ruined once you go from minus 20 to 70 degree temps.
Have fun...We just went with our 16 and 13 year old and the older they get the more enjoyable the vacation. Never thought I would say that but there is so much freedom as the kids get older. No way could I ever surprise my 2, they are too aware of all that is going on. But I have to say I would enjoy that look when they found out they were going.

 

[Nuts4Disney]

Just a possible suggestion for people trying to do this in the future. If you absolutely don't want any mail going to your house, why wouldn't you just give the CRO (or whoever) your business/alternate address. It's not like they are going to be doing a home visit to make sure you live at the address you give. By doing this there is no possible way for the mail to get misdirected.

And IMHO I think it is OK to be dissapointed that something you planned didn't work out, but I agree that lying to the kids now is a bit silly and they will figure you out anyway. I think it is also an opportunity to show them that there is a positive way to deal with disappointment (the lemons/lemonade adage was mentioned I believe )

Anyway, hope you have a great trip in any case.

Good luck trying to outsmart Disney's computer system. I've had address issues too, like others have posted.

I think Disney's computers store your name/address/e-mail/DNA info on their computers. I called once to book, I had just moved. They already had my NEW address!!!! How on earth they knew my new address when I called, I have NO idea!

So once you give your name, I think they have someway of figureing out WHO you are, and pulling up your existing data. How it gets changed is anyones guess. They had my new address without me giving it to them, but then they goof up others after being told repeatedly that it's changed.

Very odd!

 

[canada_ang]

We are planning a surprise trip at the end of September for our DD10. We are planning to tell her on her birthday, which is 10 days before we leave. The surprise has almost been ruined a few times already - first the TA called to tell us that the flights had been changed (the TA we had originally booked eith was on holidays, so the lady covering for her didn't know about the surprise). Anyways, DD answered, I wasn't home, so they left a message that our flights had been changed. When DD told me, I was able to cover by saying it was flights for a conference in Sept (which is actually happening as well). Then last week, she went to get the mail and found a DW envelope. Fortunately, DH was able to cover and say that since we went to Disneyland last year, they keep sending us stuff to get us to come back. She bought it (and told me I should write them a letter telling them to stop sending us stuff cause we can't "afford it" - she's learned well), but I don't know how many more times we'll be able to cover. I'm sure she'll start putting every little slip together. Fortunately, only 27 days left to go until we can tell her...this little secret is killing us!

 

[skuttle]

I'm so sorry your surprise was ruined! UPS ruined a surprise for my DH once (didn't know they would deliver a package so late during the holidays!) and it crushed me, too.

 

[BostonMouse]

IMO it was great that you were going to surprise the kids. Unfortunately, the surprise came a bit early. My advice is - don't lie to them, change plans or do anything else like that.

BLACKMAIL, thats the answer. Next time the kids don't want to mow the lawn, hold the trip over their heads. Don't want to walk the dog, no DisneyQuest.

Actually, all kidding aside, enjoy the fact that they know and discuss the trip with them, build up the excitement.

As for Disney, they need to be contacted & informed of their error. Try to work it to your advantage, maybe get an upgrade or some other perk from them.

 

[Beachangel]

Finding out now in in January - wasn't it still a surprise to the boys???

 

[mainewmn]

This is the thread that doesn’t end… its just goes on and on my friend… LOL Sorry I had to.

Here is the update, after lengthy discussion between DH and I we decided to roll with the punches. We are afraid of what ales “could happen” with our reservations and what ales could slip… So we are going along with it by telling the boys now that we are trying to do a Disney vacation. For now we keep talking about how expansive and out of our range everything is. Eventually we will just stop talking about it without either telling the kids yes or no, if they ask about the trip meanwhile we will remind them of our bills, and how much the trip would cost, blah, blah, blah, neither denying nor admitting to it.

As for contacting Disney I already did this. Disney’s take on it is I’m sorry but too bad so sad, they still don’t know when they going so its still a surprise, etc, etc. This is a conversation I had with the supervisor. Still debating if I want to take it any further or let it drop.

 

[missypie]

Finding out now in in January - wasn't it still a surprise to the boys???

That's what I always say in the debate of whether to find out if you're having a boy or a girl, and people who don't want to find out say they want to be surprised. I always say it's a surprise when you find out, whenever you find out!

 

[Bonnie40]

This is the thread that doesn’t end… its just goes on and on my friend… LOL Sorry I had to.

Here is the update, after lengthy discussion between DH and I we decided to roll with the punches. We are afraid of what ales “could happen” with our reservations and what ales could slip… So we are going along with it by telling the boys now that we are trying to do a Disney vacation. For now we keep talking about how expansive and out of our range everything is. Eventually we will just stop talking about it without either telling the kids yes or no, if they ask about the trip meanwhile we will remind them of our bills, and how much the trip would cost, blah, blah, blah, neither denying nor admitting to it.

As for contacting Disney I already did this. Disney’s take on it is I’m sorry but too bad so sad, they still don’t know when they going so its still a surprise, etc, etc. This is a conversation I had with the supervisor. Still debating if I want to take it any further or let it drop.

I'm sorry to hear that your 'surprise trip' was out of the bag a little early. I also agree with most posters that you just need to go with the flow at this point. My only suggestion would be to not go on and on about lack of $, etc. I believe that puts undue stress and guilt on children unnecessarily. Let them enjoy the build up instead of a roller coaster ride of uncertainty - JMHO, but I don't think it's worth it!

Also, making a call to Disney probably makes you feel better, but 'taking it further' doesn't seem fair. People make mistakes. It's a lesson learned to only use an alternate address if it's that important to keep the surprise.

 

[Belle5]

I'm sorry to hear that your 'surprise trip' was out of the bag a little early. I also agree with most posters that you just need to go with the flow at this point. My only suggestion would be to not go on and on about lack of $, etc. I believe that puts undue stress and guilt on children unnecessarily. Let them enjoy the build up instead of a roller coaster ride of uncertainty - JMHO, but I don't think it's worth it.

Well said!!! As a mom with lots of mistakes and experience under her belt (and 6 sons) --I could not agree more. I would not put the kids under that kind of stress. I remember on my fourth birthday my father decided to get some kind of kick out of sending word that I had better get down to the garage NOW because dad was home and I was in BIG trouble. I remember my little heart racing and being so terrified at what kind of spanking I was going to get--all to have my dad pull out my first bike. Sure, I put on like I was excited but it took hours for me to calm down inside and get over the trauma my family put me through just so they could enjoy "my surprise" more. I would just enjoy the planning of the trip together and let go of all the emotional manipulation to make the trip seem more valuable when it arrives. Kids have enough stress at school!

 

[missypie]

Well said!!! As a mom with lots of mistakes and experience under her belt (and 6 sons) --I could not agree more. I would not put the kids under that kind of stress. I remember on my fourth birthday my father decided to get some kind of kick out of sending word that I had better get down to the garage NOW because dad was home and I was in BIG trouble. I remember my little heart racing and being so terrified at what kind of spanking I was going to get--all to have my dad pull out my first bike. Sure, I put on like I was excited but it took hours for me to calm down inside and get over the trauma my family put me through just so they could enjoy "my surprise" more. I would just enjoy the planning of the trip together and let go of all the emotional manipulation to make the trip seem more valuable when it arrives. Kids have enough stress at school!

I totally agree. It wouldn't phase two of my kids, but it would ruin the trip for my middle child if she thought we couldn't afford it.