Surprising the Kids

KEmum · Nov 3, 2012

We are booked on the Disney Wonder for September 9 and want to surprise our kids with the trip. I'm not sure whether I want to do it once we get to the cruise terminal or while we're driving there (only a 30-45 minute drive).

Thoughts or ideas on how to spring this on them? They'll be 5 and 7.

Bear3412 · Nov 3, 2012

Kimmiebr80 · Nov 3, 2012

We just woke up on the ship, on the last morning of our surprise cruise. My girls were already crying because its over, last night while walking back in from ice cream and swimming at 11pm!!! I have 6 yr old twins. We live 6+ hours from the port and drove in the day before. We just told them that we were going away for the weekend. That daddy had some work to do and we were going to tag along. Here is our video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O9VLWJyL20&sns=em

racingfandj · Nov 3, 2012

DH and I were just talking about this. We were going to surprise the kids with a Christmas present and leaving 12/31. I had to let a little on to the older one as she was making plans for a day we would be gone. So now trying to figure out how to extend the torture for her. We've talked about not telling them anything, packing the night before we leave and the next morning getting them in the car by telling them we're going to the amusement park (which we do often and is in the same direction as the airport).

For our timing, I also liked the idea I read in another post (probably in links above). They thought the kids may be expecting something as a present, so were going to do everything else and later in the evening find something "hidden" behind the tree that was missed earlier.

JimGA · Nov 3, 2012

KEmum said:
We are booked on the Disney Wonder for September 9 and want to surprise our kids with the trip. I'm not sure whether I want to do it once we get to the cruise terminal or while we're driving there (only a 30-45 minute drive).

Thoughts or ideas on how to spring this on them? They'll be 5 and 7.

Last Fall we booked a 4 night pixiedust:

Disney World vacation and surprised our kids when we picked them up from school,they had no idea we were going, the car was packed and ready to go. When they got in the car we had the video camera rolling, we tossed them their Mickey Mouse stuffed dolls and said, "Hey kids, we are going to Disney World!" They both started to cry a little with excitement! Oh, they were 7 and 9 at the time.

We liked suprising the kids, we especially liked them not knowing we were going, seemed easier that way

vcunning · Nov 3, 2012

Just don't tell them your going to Chucke E Cheese's place . . .

http://youtu.be/UcgNBezKyZQ

cypressmom · Nov 3, 2012

vcunning said:
Just don't tell them your going to Chucke E Cheese's place . . .

http://youtu.be/UcgNBezKyZQ

Hysterical!

KEmum · Nov 4, 2012

That is too funny! I can see my little guy saying something like that!

I was worried since there are so many videos on YouTube and stories from these forums of the surprises going horribly wrong. Oh well, I think we will take our chances and go with the surprise... if I can make it that long!

bbwex · Nov 9, 2012

We took our DGD a few years ago -- we are taking our twin GKs this year. The last time we told her nothing. First we said we were just meeting at the airport to have lunch (our daughter dropped her there). Then we said we were just shopping at the mall at the airport -- she didn't know you only get through security with a boarding pass. Then we admitted that we were flying south. When we got to Orlando, we told her we were going to WDW for one night before we went camping. When we got up, I told her we were taking a bus to get to a rental car to go to a cabin. She fell for it even though the driver and others kept asking if everyone was ready for a cruise. Finally about ten minutes from the port, she said that ships had cabins and realized that we were going on the ship. When we got back, and were going back to WDW for several days, we didn't tell her, and we let on to the others in the van that she did not know, and they never said a word.

It was one big series of surprises.

Why say anything other than "we are going on a trip," or "we have a surprise trip," etc.

Tami0220 · Nov 9, 2012

Lots of people have reported great experiences with surprises. There have been quite a few with less than happy results. I think that the anticipation of waiting for the actual day is part of the excitement. I suprised ours by making a poster of cruise related activites and such. Then I cut it up into puzzle pieces. I gave each of 4 kids some pieces and said they had to put the puzzle together to see what their Christmas gift was. They loved it.

Now, if the kids are very young I wouldnt make them wait more than a week or two before we left. With older kids it is easier to let them know a month or two ahead so they can build the excitement as the day grows closer.

kimmypie1 · Nov 9, 2012

We suprised our kids with a Wonder cruise in February, they were 3 and 6. Because we live close to Disneyland we went to Disneyland on Saturday (excuse for having luggage). We spent the night Saturday night, then woke up Sunday to get ready to "go home". We had scheduled a call from Mickey Mouse (you can do this on the DCL website) which told them they were going on a cruise. Surprise!

twindaddy · Nov 9, 2012

The girls in this video are quite cute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tuWJmkXAlE

I hear their parents told them they were going to Disneyland that day, but stopping somewhere first. On the freeway offramp they made them close their eyes while the handsome daddy pulled into a parking lot across the street from the ship.

This was in LA, I have never been to Port Canaveral so I am not sure if there is a similar vantage point.

wannagoback · Nov 9, 2012

My kids are 2, 6, & 7. The older ones LOVE watching the Disney Cruise behind the scenes video I got on iTunes. They love all things Disney and speak often about wanting to take a cruise. However, as discussions became more real about actually taking the cruise, they both became very nervous. The oldest is on swim team, yet nervous about sleeping on the ship and says she wants to sleep in her life jacket. DD6 is nervous that the little one will fall overboard. Some kids can handle surprises but mine would definitely need a heads up!

I love the element of surprise and we were going to surprise them for Christmas with a June cruise. We're instead surprising them with a trip to Disneyland (which will happen in February). I did the jigsaw puzzle surprise a year ago. I photoshopped our faces into an airplane flying over the castle. DD6 was so disappointed that daddy's face was not on the airplane that she wasn't excited about Disneyland!

Now, anyone can surprise me with a trip anywhere at anytime!!

syrumani · Nov 9, 2012

It would have been nice to surprise my kids, but my son (9) keeps getting out of bed at night, and reading over my shoulder! :scared:

KBT35 · Nov 9, 2012

I recently surprised my DS. With our May cruise! He knew nothing until we were almost in port! I had a post card sent from Castaway Cay from Mickey. Everyone from our hotel to our shuttle driver were in on it! They picked us up last & everyone knew what was going on, the driver gave them the heads up! As we pulled into port the driver pointed the Fantasy to our left & I took out the post card! He was so confused & stunned! Then when we woke up at Atlantis he was again perfectly surprised!!! Video below!! Enjoy!

realityland · Nov 9, 2012

KBT35 said:
I recently surprised my DS. With our May cruise! He knew nothing until we were almost in port! I had a post card sent from Castaway Cay from Mickey. Everyone from our hotel to our shuttle driver were in on it! They picked us up last & everyone knew what was going on, the driver gave them the heads up! As we pulled into port the driver pointed the Fantasy to our left & I took out the post card! He was so confused & stunned! Then when we woke up at Atlantis he was again perfectly surprised!!! Video below!! Enjoy!

We'll be doing a surprise for DS9 on Sunday. First cruise ever. Has no clue - thinks we are packing to go to grandma and grandpa's house. We typically pass by Canaveral on the way to their house. He'll be clueless until we literally pull up.

Homefixitguru · Nov 10, 2012

We actually drive from Phoenix to Nebraska in March to do work. We are going to tell the kids that we have to take the sothern route to avoid winter. We will stay in Galveston for the night, the kids won't know till they see the ship and I drop them off at the terminal

KBT35 · Nov 10, 2012

realityland said:
We'll be doing a surprise for DS9 on Sunday. First cruise ever. Has no clue - thinks we are packing to go to grandma and grandpa's house. We typically pass by Canaveral on the way to their house. He'll be clueless until we literally pull up.

Yup he thought he was going with me for work that week! I told him I'd do my best to do something fun! We arrived Saturday, then Sunday I told him he were switching hotels! Now we've both caught the rise bug and have 2 more planned!!! Can't wait!

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