Can I surprise family (we're all in MDE)?

[sarahbella1230]

My husband is usually the trip booker, but we're both turning 40 in 2021 and I want to surprise him with a Disney cruise (only our 2nd, kids' first). My question is how would I be able to do that when the family is all on MDE? I have to enter each traveler's information when booking, which of course is connected to our accounts. Does anyone know how to do this or has done this? I don't want to book just to have him get a popup notification on his phone saying "congrats! you booked a cruise!" Thanks!

 

[BarlowFamily]

Would you all be in one stateroom? How soon before the cruise would you reveal the big surprise? If you plan on telling them around PIF, you could book a room with nameless passengers. In the past, I've booked a room with the correct headcount but "TBD" as the name for the other guest besides myself. I was just trying to lock-in the price, not surprise anyone. I had no problems adding names later on (right before PIF)

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

I don't think cruises show up in MDE - just WDW stuff. I think you have to specifically log into the DCL site to get your cruise information - at least for me it works this way. I just tried and the WDW login had my upcoming resort stay, but no mention of our upcoming cruise. To see the cruise info, I had to log in to the DCL site separately and there was no mention of the resort stay.

 

[Marc D]

DCL information does not appear in MDE, unless your plan involves a previous-night stay on property or a stay after the cruise.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

I did get an email about our cruise, so you may want to make sure the email address you use when you book is not the one that he will be using or checking.

 

[sarahbella1230]

Would you all be in one stateroom? How soon before the cruise would you reveal the big surprise? If you plan on telling them around PIF, you could book a room with nameless passengers. In the past, I've booked a room with the correct headcount but "TBD" as the name for the other guest besides myself. I was just trying to lock-in the price, not surprise anyone. I had no problems adding names later on (right before PIF)

I'd reveal the morning of the surprise, so I'd need to keep this quiet for a year (and through our next regular Disney trip!)

 

[sarahbella1230]

DCL information does not appear in MDE, unless your plan involves a previous-night stay on property or a stay after the cruise.

I would probably look into doing a couple of days at WDW since we'd be flying in from BOS and it's Feb, so I'd want to make sure we get there in time and enjoy the warmth

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would probably look into doing a couple of days at WDW since we'd be flying in from BOS and it's Feb, so I'd want to make sure we get there in time and enjoy the warmth

I would just set up a completely different MDE account with a new e-mail address and link everything for this WDW trip to that account.

 

[greensombrero]

One other thing to consider with a surprise DCL trip. They do mail some things so when we surprised our kids we had our mailing address be my office rather than home since they check the mail frequently.

 

[SDKMom]

We are doing this next week, and none of the cruise info appears in MDE, even though we're staying at a Disney resort. Maybe if we were taking the Disney shuttle it would show up, but we are using private transportation. It is true that things get mailed ahead of the cruise (e.g., luggage tags) that will say "For your upcoming cruise!" on the OUTSIDE of the envelope, so you'll need to plan accordingly.

Good luck!

 

[Marc D]

We are doing this next week, and none of the cruise info appears in MDE, even though we're staying at a Disney resort. Maybe if we were taking the Disney shuttle it would show up, but we are using private transportation. It is true that things get mailed ahead of the cruise (e.g., luggage tags) that will say "For your upcoming cruise!" on the OUTSIDE of the envelope, so you'll need to plan accordingly.

Good luck!

Even DCL transport will not show up in MDE. DCL and WDW are two separate entities and communicate together just like two separate companies would.

 

[Disneyfamforsure]

The biggest concern is how in the world are you going to make it until then without spilling the beans! I think I would explode from the excitement.

 

[ahain]

Several years ago, we were going to surprise DDs friend with a cruise (she thought it was just going to be a WDW trip). However, she ended up receiving her own cruise doc/luggage tag package in the mail because they had her address.

 

[Miffy]

Another question: will your DH/family appreciate being surprised about something like this? Not everyone loves a surprise.

 

[Canooknic]

I would just set up a completely different MDE account with a new e-mail address and link everything for this WDW trip to that account.

This is what I would do too. No chance of them finding out that way!

 

[sarahbella1230]

Another question: will your DH/family appreciate being surprised about something like this? Not everyone loves a surprise.

It's for MY 40th birthday, so they'll have to deal with me surprising them for once

 

[wilafur]

It may be harder to hide the charge for the cruise.

 

[diznymom]

I would use a Travel Agent and tell them it is a surprise and everything would go through them.

 

[Dug720]

Do be aware that there will be mail - I got a booklet a few weeks after booking and then closer to embarkation you will get the folder with luggage tags. So unless you are the only one who ever gets the mail there is a chance those could be seen.