Christmas Cruise Surprise

[cruisecrasher]

Good question on the character call ... I am curious if you can request a specific date and time or if it is immediate

You can do a date and time. Or you can do immediate.

 

[garrisonwa]

Sweetpee -- can I be one of your kids too? I'll be your daughter. : )

I love your idea about the ornament and saying how nice the last cruise was and then adding something later on. I may have to borrow that idea. I am getting ready to surprise my 3 daughters (16, 14 and 10) on Christmas morning. I know what you mean about being hard to surprise. No way will we get past one or two clues on a scavenger hunt type of thing. I can't wait to tell them!

It's hard to surprise 2 teenage boys at the same time. We've thought of all sorts of things but we know they'll figure out what's going on immediately so we can't really pull things off like scavenger hunts and that sort of thing. That said, we got a model of the Magic off Disneystore.com. I'll wrap that in a box with a little tag tied to it that says something along the lines of, "It was a lovely cruise, wasn't it?", since we sailed on the Magic in May of this year. Then there's going to be a message in a bottle also in the box that starts out, "Here we go again....", with the rest of the itinerary printed on it. They'll love it, I'm sure. The kicker is that we're not going to give them this together gift right away. We're going to open all our other gifts first then continue on like that's the end of it. Maybe later in the day we'll somehow "discover" a missed gift kinda like Ralphie's dad in 'A Christmas Story'. Teenagers are hard to pull anything on. Well, mine are anyway. Up until this point when we talk about cruising it's in the context of the cruise we have booked for May on the Fantasy. They have no idea they'll be sailing on the Magic in January, too.

 

[Kimbo71]

Here are our clues leading up to the BIG surprise-the model of the Magic DH purchased a few months ago. Just thought this might help a few of you prepare a treasure hunt, if that's the route you choose to go.

The innitials after each clue stand for the kid whose turn it is to read the clue. I am sending the kids to our mailbox (quite a walk) for the next to the last clue, so DH can have time to get the video camera/model set up.




Treasure Hunt
1. No matter how far you travel or hike
You’ll never find two that look alike. (A) Our snowflakes hanging in a window

2. A place where water falls down like rain
after it falls on you it goes down the drain. (R) Shower

3. To find the next clue, you’ll have to think
you’ll use one of these if you need a drink. (N) Glasses cabinet

4. What has four legs and a head, but doesn't walk? (A) Bed

5. You put it on bread with butter or honey.
It’s good on a spoon, but better in your belly (R). Peanut Butter

6. This room is for the guests to sleep
when staying for the night.
Let's hope the bed is comfortable
and sheets are clean and white.(N) Guest bedroom

7. Communicate with family,
research, shop, and play games.
Since this invention swept the globe,
our lives have really changed. (A) Computer

8. They’re round and flat and used to hold food
that is, until all our food has been chewed. (R) Plates

9. Where is Baby Jesus in our house? (N) Manger scene

10. Our clothes keep returning to this same station,
I know it NOT my imagination. (A) Washing machine

11. What gets wet when it’s drying? (R) Towel

12. With red & white stripes, it’s something you lick. (N) Candy Cane

13. This box is mostly filled with things
that rarely bring you glee
Like bills, and junk, and other stuff
you'd rather never see. (A) Mailbox

14. You’ll need to think hard to solve the last clue
Find a *Christmas* covering for your foot, but it’s not a shoe. (look in this room). Family room where Christmas stockings are & THE MAGIC!!!!

 

[erinsmom03]

Very cool treasure hunt!

I wish I could figure out how to post an attachment, I would post the countdown calendar I made...it's not that great, but I think it's cool. Even better is how the beach chairs pic (with everyone's name on it) turned out, and I am going to make that the cover of a book, with each page inside covering what is in store for DD on her trip/cruise! Can't wait to finish it all!

 

[Kimbo71]

Very cool treasure hunt!

I wish I could figure out how to post an attachment, I would post the countdown calendar I made...it's not that great, but I think it's cool. Even better is how the beach chairs pic (with everyone's name on it) turned out, and I am going to make that the cover of a book, with each page inside covering what is in store for DD on her trip/cruise! Can't wait to finish it all!

A countdown calendar sounds super cool! We did do this to count down to Christmas Eve when we tell the kids. We have given them a ton of hints, but they have been so good, even our 11 YO still has no idea what's in store for her as a Christmas present. The 6 YO & 5 YO are completely clueless as well!

 

[JimGA]

We're doing a "treasure hunt" with the model of the "Magic" as the treasure. Christmas Eve morning. (because they usually open one present Christmas Eve, & I won't be able to STAND it a minute longer, lol!!!!)

Can't stand waiting any longer either!! we booked our first ever cruise back in Febuary and I am so excited we get to surprise our kids Christmas morning. We got the plush dolls, DCL T-shirts, some door magnets and some "tickets" all in a box.

We are making sure our kids know that Mom and Dad got the cruise as their gift, no way is Santa getting any credit for this!!! LOL

 

[JimGA]

Love it!

 

[Greenfairy]

Ooh!! I will be following this thread as we are doing the same thing on Christmas morning for our girls (for our 2/2/13 cruise). Let me preface this by saying they KNOW dad and me are going (for my 40th b-day, but they don't know they are coming too).

First: we asked all our family to give them cruise related stuff (they will open it after our Christmas morning)

Then, when they wake up, we are going to do a couple of treasure hunt things:
1. A replica figurine of the Fantasy (get it on DisneyStore.com)
2. Got personalized Tervis cups for the familly.
3. Putting a gift certificate for a pedicure dated 3 days before we leave.
4. Personalized tshirts with something along the lines "Guess who got surprised with a Disney Cruise on Christmas morning."

I hope other people have great ideas I can totally steal!!

Oh my goodness, it was like reading about me. HAHA
We are also on the 2/2/13 cruise for my 40th as well.

We have 2 trees. The big main one is in our living room and that's where all of the presents will be. We have a small 3 foot one in the family room where we will watch the Disney parade later. Under that tree will have a huge stuffed Mickey holding a gold box. Inside the box will be a Donald and a Minnie cruise vynalmation, the Navigator from my neighbor's cruise from Nov. the itinerary and a picture with Disney script saying "who's going on a Disney Cruise!" I have then set up a call from Mickey as well.

This is our first cruise ever and I am so excited. Following up with 2 park days. I can't wait to see their faces!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

 

[Meeshell78]

These are such great ideas. We are also telling our kids Christmas morning for a March cruise. I packed a box. We wrapped up bathing suits and sunglasses. The next layer has Disney lanyards and Pirates of the Carribean pins. Then a layer of streamers and a chalkboard that I made in the shape of Mickey Ears that says 94 days until your Disney Cruise. I'm so excited for their response.

 

[erinsmom03]

I finally have the surprise box almost ready! Just have to pick up the balloons tomorrow! I ended up with the following things for the cruise surprise box:

1. Mickey and Minnie balloons will pop out when the box is opened.
2. There is a poster printed with a personalized countdown to the cruise.
3. I ended up making a book that details day by day what we will be doing on the cruise, and who is going with us. (numbers 2 and 3 grew to bigger projects when my printer wents bonkers on me, and I had to use plan B...Walgreens to the rescue!)
4. Stuffed Pluto Plush wearing a Castaway Cay necklace
5. Disney cruise line book for kids
6. A Minnie Mouse shirt
7. A DCL hat for Dad
8. A DCL bag for Mom
9. Customized Disney Tervis tumblers for the whole family, with our names printed on them


I think that is everything! We'll put in for a character phone call during the Christmas morning festivities, too! Can't wait!!!!!

 

[erinsmom03]

Well, the cruise Christmas surprise was a hit with DD! She is thrilled! Says it is the best Christmas ever! I managed to get everything in the box except for the Tervis tumblers, they were in a separate box, those balloons took up too much space! Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[kdeans1010]

Wow! That sounds like an amazing way to surprise your kid.

I had this whole cute surprise when I got the reservation for my mom and I to cruise. I was going to give my sister her souvenirs and say something cheesy like "Mom I couldn't find you anything..." And then hand her the book with the 2013 cruises and a reservation with her and my name. I was going to be like "So I figure I can take you to find one..." That didn't happen. I was calling her from the Atlanta airport, while on a layover right after we got off the previous cruise, and worried because she wasn't picking up. When I got a hold of her she told me my dog sat in our cuddle spot a week ago and has been there whining ever since. At that point I spilled. I had an... emotional, nervous golden retriever, I know he whines. I was like "I booked you a cruise." And she was like "What?" then they called our flight. And I was like "I booked you a cruise, call you later." Not a big moment.

 

[Paigeanne]

Yay!! Such a great surprise!!