Anyone with Teens? Help with surprise trip..

[disneydreamerinny]

I know alot of people on this board have little ones but I need some advice for teens.
Our trip in April is a surprise trip. My two girls, 13 & almost 16 dont have a clue. We told them we are going to an indoor water park that is about 3 hours from our home for a long weekend. They both rolled their eyes.
Most of their friends are going either to Mexico or Florida for April break.

My dillema is I'm not sure how or when to tell them.
It is eating me up. But I am having a ball planning the whole thing.
My husband is playing it up as well, like, everytime I mention something to the girls about our Florida trip that we are "planning for next year", my husband chirps up and says, dont tell me I'm going to have to listen to Disney for the next year and a half"...

Anyway, I was going to wait until we were in the car on the way to the airport, but part of me wants to tell them on their last day of school before the trip so they can tell all of their friends.
I cant think of anything creative to do either. I want "shock and awe"

Soooo... any suggestions?

 

[LizzySwan1022]

Oh, I know exactly what water park you're talking about! If they know the way to the water park then tell them when someone first notices that you're not going to the right place. If they don't know how to get to the water park, then tell them when you can't contain yourself any longer.

 

[minnierocks]

I would definitely tell them before...half the fun is the anticipation and being able to tell their friends. Besides, I would think that they would want to pack their outfits, knowing that they were going to WDW.
What about making a special Disney-themed dinner? You could get Disney plates, napkins and so on. Get some recipes from allearsnet.com, play some background music (Disney, of course). We bought each of ours a new suitcase (with wheels) for the airport. Fill up some goody bags with sunscreen, new sunglasses, etc. Write a little poem or riddle on a place card.
Have a Disney movie to watch together...

They will think you are nuts...but that's a fun part of having teens. Being able to throw my teens a curve, gives me great pleasure!

 

[bluesaturn]

i would tell them a few days before. i am sure they will want to pack their own clothes for the trip, lol teenagers don't like mom packing for them. they might also want to do some preparations stuff, get their haircut, paint their nails etc. and preparing for disney is much different than preparing for a trip you're not excited about. definitely tell the in a fun way though!

 

[MeMom]

I'd tell them before, too, so they could do their own packing and so they could share the excitement with friends. I don't have creative ways to tell them-maybe send a package on the mail and act like you don't have a clue who it is from, and then watch their excitement grow as they open it up to a box of Disney goodies and something that says when they are really going. Make a cake and announce it in icing, and have them take the cover off the cake pan to see it. Get fortune cookies and put the news in theirs, and open them up after bringing home Chinese food. Write it on the bathroom mirror, and they can see it when they get up in the morning. That might really wake them up! I'm not good at ideas, especially when I don't know the people involved, but hopefully someone will give you just the one that feels right for you. When it comes to Disney, I sure would be horrible at hiding a trip, because my daughter and I get so ridiculously excited. I even asked my youngest son one day if he thought I would ever be able to hide a Disney trip, and he quickly said, "Yea, right," with all the sarcasm he could muster.

 

[Hannathy]

I agree with telling them the anticipation is better than the actual thing some times. The other thing is what you take for a week at Disney is totally different than what you take for a weekend at an indoor waterpark. One thing for sure is they need shoes they can walk long distances in, for a weekend the may just take flip flops. Another thing is souvenir money they may want to take more to Disney than to a waterpark. It would be nice to let them in on some of the planning and picking restaurants, My DD 14 last yr picked all of our restaurants.

Oh tell them and let them feel excited too!

 

[Vannah]

You should definitely tell them.

As for ways to tell them, try going to the disney store and looking around for some of their favorite disney character merchandise. We were in our local one a couple of weekends ago, and I saw some of the cutest stuff in there.

Good luck!!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I love the bathroom mirror idea!

Or what about an official-looking letter from the indoor water park saying that they regret that they will be closing for repairs that week. When the girls look all dissapointed, say "Oh, well, guess we'll have to go to Disney instead" and pull out some sort of trip-related gifts (Disney T's or something.)

 

[swillis]

I am taking my kids in June for a surprise trip. They are a little younger at 11 and 12 years old. I say let them pack like they are going to the indoor water park. Tell them you're gonna stay for a few days, so they can pack their own stuff. (You may need to pack an extra bag on the sly, or be prepared to buy some stuff when you are there...if you want to keep the real secret going)

And then don't tell them...let them see you drive right into the WDW resort. Maybe when they get there, or once they have figured out the secret, you can give them each a box to open with some of the "essentials" inside such as....autograph books, pins/lanyards, disney dollars, cool sunglasses, disposable or digital cameras...whatever you think is appropriate for them.

For my own surprise I plan on surprising them with the boxes the night before we go. That is my birthday, and I will give them each a "present" to open. Inside will be a poem from Mickey inviting them to visit (the next day!!) and some tshirts, pins etc.
My best friend is joining us, and I really wanted her to be there when we revealed the surprise, so that's why we will tell them the night before.

 

[tiki23]

Since you're having them help you plan a trip for "next year" you have some ideas of what they like so you can schedule activities and so that you can book your ADR's ahead of time. My teens were really involved in picking restaurants for our trip - eating is important to them!

I think you should tell them ahead of time. My DD 13 and DS 17 would just die if they weren't given time to pack their own stuff. (DS 15 could probably care less!)

Do your teens have email or are on myspace? That might be a fun way to tell them. You could send them links or hints.

For real shock and awe factor, I'd send them a Disney balloon with a small stuffy of their favorite disney character holding a card - to their school! You wouldn't be there to see the reaction but my DD would just love getting something delivered at school and all her friends would be screaming along with her when she found out about a surprise trip.

Just my $.02

 

[kmccain]

I have a 15 year old girl and I have to agree, I think I would definately tell them.

I think I would surprise them with the trip some how, but don't be upset if they are not as excited as you. It is very hard to be cool and like Disney.

I got my teens pins to trade this year for the first time to make this trip different. I think they are looking forward to our trip but are definately not showing it!

Good Luck!

I hope this helps!

 

[rgribik]

I say don't tell them.... We are doing this for Christmas 07. We have 5 kids,(15,12,10,4,4) and I plan to pack them all and put their stuff in the van, get them from school and not tell them what we are doing until they see the airport and figure it out for themselves. Everyone needs a major surprise once in their life. We have been to Dis many times, but never at Christmas to see the party and decorations. It is so hard to keep a secret, but I know I would have loved to have had a big surprise like that just once when I was a kid(and I didn't have a cell phone to jump on and call all my friends and tell them I was just kidnapped to Disney! ). Have fun however you do it....but I won't tell