anyone ever successfully pull off a surprise trip? UPDATE- TRIP FOUND OUT!!!

[tuckerkeys]

i am in the works for a short trip march 30- april 3 this year. i am keeping it from my husband and 3 yo son, and i am wondering if anyone else has been successful in keeping this a secret! it is killing me not saying anything! i am wondering what i will do to let them know...i am thinking of just waiting till the morning of the trip-the alarm will go off extra early & i'll just spring it on them then, with everything packed & ready to go! they will be none the wiser, as i can pack w/o them knowing a thing. work is easy we own the company & i'll just make sure our office manager is filled in on the dates.... if you have done this before, how was everyones elses reactions to the surprise? did you ever wish you told them earlier? or was it just great!

 

[Freiden8]

My brother and I were "victims" to a surprise Disney trip!! .. it was our first time visiting the world .. We were on vacation in South Carolina and our parents told us we were leaving to go home. When we were on the road they told us we were going to WDW!!!!


BEST. SURPRISE. EVER!!!!!

DH and I can't wait to plan a surprise trip for our kids... I'd bust a gut and definitely tell DH. As long as he'll enjoy this surprise vacation, try to hold it!! GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[Golliwobbler]

Not a surprise for adults, but we surprised our DDs with a Christmas gift trip just this past December...by the time it sank in, we were on the plane and they were thinking about MK, so the surprise part for DH/DW evaporated pretty quickly.

But it was a GREAT trip!

 

[mrsmom]

We are doing this for 3 of our 4 kids the oldest dd 19 has to work.
The kids think dh and i are going on a cruise and we are driving them to their grandparents in indy. but we are stopping at indy airport because their grandparents are picking them up while we are getting on a plane . But they can't make it until in the morning ,so we are staying at the airport hotel and when we wake them up at 3:00am, We are having disney t-shirts layed out for them and just telling them to get up and get dressed because we are going to disneyworld. We can't wait but it will be worth it.

Kim

 

[mousketeer]

I always wanted some one to surprise me!!!!!








STILL A PRINCESS

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

We are planning a surprise trip right now, so we have not pulled it off yet. I don't think that we will spill the beans, but someone else might. At first we were going to tell them on the way to the airport, then when we really looked at the flight, we have leave our house at 5:00 AM and they will be too tired to even know what is going on. We made the decision to tell them the day before we leave with a treasure hunt. We thought it might be part of the excitement searching for clues. Anyway, the final clue will be two wrapped boxes, with a Mickey Mouse T-shirt, autograph book, and disposible camera, with a note saying surprise we are going to Disney World. I plan to video tape the event and can't wait to see the look on their faces.

 

[we3disneygo]

We tried to surprise dd12 this year and all was a secret till last week, she was snooping in some plastic tubs in the basement and found a huge tin I had made for our surprise trip....it was full of a matching t shirt for each of us, a plush animal, luggage tags with tink, mickey, etc. light sticks, etc. I had the tin decorated with disney scrapbook paper and stickers and our names and the date..... dd said....I found something and just started laughing .........she also said you should see your face.....does dad know....I'm calling him at work?? so.......I am now thinking of some other twist........to really surprise her !!!

 

[iluveeyore]

We surprised our DD (4), DS(8) and DS(10) (their ages then) in '99 for Christmas - picked them up after school and said we were running home to leave winter coats and get some sweaters because we were going Christmas shopping in the mall and didn't need winter coats. Had them change into matching zip-up sweaters and sit in front of the tree for an impromptu photo - have a before and after photo of us telling them the car is really packed and we're going to Disney! - priceless photo of open-mouthed children!!! Only thing I felt bad about was we told the teachers to give them any extra assignments and my DS (8) got in the car crying because he got more homework than any one else (they missed a week of school). But he got over it real quick!

 

[Gales4Goofy]

DW and I surprised the kids in 2004. (DD4, DS6, and DD 8 at the time). Told them they were going for a weekend at their grandparents, packed them up in the car at 5am and started driving south from Philly. We waiting until we were arounf Washington DC to tell them "oh no, we're driving in the wrong direction! Maybe we should just keep going south all the way to Disney World?"

We put the video camera on them, and it was really a terrific moment. But, like someone else said, before long it wore off. We're going again next month, and just told the kids last week. This time they have a whole month to live with the building excitement. They have made a "countdown to Disney" chart and they're crossing off days every night at bedtime. Plus, they're earning Disney Dollars for chores around the house.

Having done it both ways, I think I like the second way better. Its like getting a whole month out of the vacation.

 

[luvmy2sams]

DH and I surprised DD7 on her birthday in January. We managed to keep the secret for months, which was a great feat for us. We told DD that we were taking her to Dallas for her birthday so she could have her birthday celebration at the Rainforest Cafe and Build A Bear. We purchased a Build A Bear t-shirt and embroidered "Disney World January 7th-17th, 2006" on it and gave it to DD as her final present. She didn't get it at first, but as the realization swept across her face, she began shaking and saying "no way!" Her reaction was worth all those months of keeping our mouths shut.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

What fun ideas!

 

[mamaprincess]

We're surprising our twin DDs (7) and DD(2) with a trip March19th - 26th.
We've been keeping it a secret for months so I am really about to pass out!

We are just going to wake them up and drag them out at 5:00a.m. because we have an 8:00am flight I think we are going to tell them we have to go on a business trip with dad which we have done in the pass so perhaps they won't begin to figure it out until we land but if they here or see Orlando anywhere they are going to know! I can't wait! They are so desperate for a trip to their favorite place. They think it will be a long time before they go again and we've really been letting them believe that.

We have a suit case full of Disney Shirts and princess gowns and costumes to further surprise them when we get to the hotel !

 

[RUDisney]

Our surprise trip is in 2 days. DD knows and hasn't slipped up at all. The trip is for DS's 11th birthday. We're picking him up from school at 12:30 on Wednesday. His teacher knows that we will do that. A limo will be waiting for him outside for our ride to Laguardia. We're going to tell him that we are taking him on a surprise birthday trip to NY.... not a lie since LGA is in NY. When he sees that we're going to Orlando, he'll think WDW or USO. We'll fill his head with beaches, cruises and Caribbean destinations. He won't know until we pull up at Portofino Bay Hotel that we're going to USO. We have other surprises planned on his birthday while we're there.

The surprise that was pulled on us is that DD may have broken her ankle last night. We'll find out for sure later today. In any event, it looks like she'll be in a wheelchair this trip. Not what we expected, but we'll make lemonade out of the situation anyway.

 

[tuckerkeys]

oh well TRIP FOILED!!
my husband saw my dates written on a pad of paper, inside my underwear drawer, turned upside down and said " now what is this???" !!! then he went snooping in my email. i am SO MAD i am seriously thinking of cancelling the trip. what was he doing in my underwear drawer, you ask? well, it was the ONE TIME he decided to help me put the laundry away!!!! i have been snippy to him since he found out. he knows how mad i am.... uugghh!!!

 

[dsnymomof4]

I am so sorry that your surprise was ruined. I think if I went through all that trouble trying to plan such a nice surprise and my DH found out by snooping,I would be mad at him too! However, looking at the big picture, you are still lucky enough to be going to Disney! I am sure you will still have a wonderful time! Besides, you can still surprise DS3!

 

[RUDisney]

UGH! My Mom ruined her 40th anniversary surprise trip. We were all so mad. She was sly about it. They knew that they would be receiving a trip from us because we had to make sure that Dad had enough vacation and no restrictions on when he could take it. They just didn't know when or where they were going.

My Mom and I go to my SIL for haircuts. I had been there the night before and I told my SIL what all of the arrangements were. Mom goes in the next day and said, "so, did you hear the kids are planning a cruise for us?" Mom didn't know, but was just fishing... she got it right. My SIL thought that my Mom had found out, so they proceeded to snip, color and talk about the arrangements. Mom went home and found out what sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale and figured it out.

We were so mad. The only thing they didn't know was what airline they were flying to get there or that they were staying in an airport hotel the night before they took off.

It turned out for the best. Because Dad knew about the cruise, he finally bought the new sport coat Mom had been after him to buy.

In order to not be outdone, we all planned a surprise dinner party for them. They thought they were going out to dinner with one sister and her family. When they got to the restaurant, all of us, including the out of town kids and families were there to celebrate with them. I think Mom liked that most of all.

Punch your DH in the arm for us and if you want to still go (I would... and I'd keep reminding him that he spoiled the surprise to get a lot of mileage out of it) maybe you can surprise him with something once you're there.

 

[Shagley]

After you get back from this trip, I would tell him that he owes you a suprise trip to WDW to make up for the suprise trip that he spoiled.

 

[tuckerkeys]

ooh shagley i like that idea!! Although i don't trust him to do a good job!!! i know, it's not nice, but at least when i plan a trip i know i got the best deal possible, with the hotel codes as well as airline pricing... he'd just take whatever & go..and we'd be on the evening flight there, and a morning flight home..he just doesn't think of things like this, therefore why i do all of the planning...can we say control freak!!!! i still am on the fence about going..i love a surprise, and to me this was half the fun!!! oh well....we'll see....

 

[Vickie46]

I think I would go anyways! I really think the fun of a disney trip is the planning too and the excitement leading up to it.. if it was a surprise.... you wouldn't give the others all the enjoyment too... I think you should go anyways! Have fun.. what did he say anyways???

 

[camdensmom]

I surprised DH for his 30th birthday.

I told him he needed to get some days off from work, but that is all I would say.

Then I set him up to think that he was secretly discovering my "surprise ski trip" plans.

First my sister asked him in secret about what kind of skis I had been thinking about buying because she was thinking about getting them for me as an early Christmas present so I would have them for our trip. He then told her that the "trip" was supposed to be a surprise for him and she acted all upset and made him promise not to tell me that she had "ruined the surprise.

Next, I had a teacher I work with call the house and leave a message on the machine when I knew DH would get home first. She pretended to be from a ski resort in NH and called to say that there was a problem with my reservation and that she needed to confirm the expiration date on my credit card.

Finally, my birthday is 4 days before DH's. My mom mailed a card with money in it and wrote, "For your trip...just don't go breaking any legs."

DH read it of course. However, he totally pretended that he knew nothing.

He pretended like he knew nothing and I instructed him to pack some warm clothes. Meanwhile I bought him new tshirts, shorts, etc and wrapped them as bday gifts and packed them. While he was in the shower that morning I switched everything in the suitcase and loaded the car. I told him he needed to wear a blindfold until we got onto the highway so he "wouldn't see where we were going." Knowing how much I love surprises he played along.

Needless to say he was SHOCKED when 15 minutes later I parked at the airport. The whole weekend he just kept saying, "I can't believe I'm in Florida." It was so much fun! Not to mention it was December and perfect 80 degree sunny weather...a far cry from sub zero temps on a ski mountain!