Crossing the border by car, but trip a surprise

[tamarabannon]

Hi, I'm new here

We just booked our first trip to DW. We are flying out of Buffalo, via Air Tran (still $160 cheaper with better times for us after bags etc.).

We leave Sept 23 and return Oct 2.

My question is this: We plan to surprise our children by not telling them where we are travelling, however, we need to cross the border and cannot lie to them.

Has anyone got any suggestions? Someone suggested a sticky note on our passports that says "we're off to Disneyworld for 10 days, but the kids don't know. We'd like to keep it a surprise, but we will discuss it now if you'd like".

I'm thinking that a note attached to passports might be seen as potentially threatening? If they don't know what it is? I am just concerned about being detained, etc. or missing our flights.

We cross the border 1 - 4 times a month, in any given month.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions?

 

[Lewisc]

Can you have your kids wear headphones. Video game? DVD?

When were you planning on telling your kids? Boarding a flight for Orlando may be obvious.

Letting them know while you're crossing the border might be as good as time as any.

You cross the border more then I do. Isn't it usually enough to just say you're going to the United States for a family vacation?

I don't know what kind of sense of humor your kids (and customs) have. We're going to Orlando. You're going to Disney? No Disney is too expensive. We're going to tour the Tupperware museum. If the kids don't behave better I'm going to feed them to the alligators.

 

[twokids0204]

Hi, I'm new here

We just booked our first trip to DW. We are flying out of Buffalo, via Air Tran (still $160 cheaper with better times for us after bags etc.).

We leave Sept 23 and return Oct 2.

My question is this: We plan to surprise our children by not telling them where we are travelling, however, we need to cross the border and cannot lie to them.

Has anyone got any suggestions? Someone suggested a sticky note on our passports that says "we're off to Disneyworld for 10 days, but the kids don't know. We'd like to keep it a surprise, but we will discuss it now if you'd like".

I'm thinking that a note attached to passports might be seen as potentially threatening? If they don't know what it is? I am just concerned about being detained, etc. or missing our flights.

We cross the border 1 - 4 times a month, in any given month.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions?

to the DISboards...

You don't have to tell them you are going to Dinsey World. They simply want to know where you are going, and for how long.

i.e
Boarder Patrol: Where are you going?
You: We will be at 1050 Century Drive Lake Buena Vista, Florida (That's the address to the POP Century Resort). Just a family get away for a week.

Do you thing your kids will know that 1050 Century Drive, is WDW?

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

I would think a note laying on top of the passports would be a good idea...let's face it, these guys are human..I go over ALL the time..my family is in the states, and sometimes I get into the funniest conversations with these guys!! Don't worry about it looking suspicious, the only problem you might have is if they are concerned about custody issues..as long as both parents are in the car with the kids they should go along with the charade with you!!

 

[tamarabannon]

Oh good thought on the address!! We are staying at Pop Century, too

My kids are only 4 & 7, so I'm not sure that they would clue into Disney = Orlando. They certainly wouldn't know the address.

I think I might do a note, another friend suggested handing our airline tickets over with our passports with a note that says it's a surprise on it.

The border would be awesome, too, I'm sure :-D

What do people use to carry their "stuff" in Disney?

My mom suggested a collapsable bundle buggy (aka the one's people who walk to grocery stores might take).

Also is there a grocery store or somewhere cheap to stock up on water or juice or something? I don't feel like having a $100 drink budget

 

[glendalais]

If CBP asks, just say you're headed to Central Florida, it's the quasi-official name for the Orlando region and they should be able to figure it out. At the same time, your kids probably wouldn't understand it.

 

[twokids0204]

Oh good thought on the address!! We are staying at Pop Century, too

My kids are only 4 & 7, so I'm not sure that they would clue into Disney = Orlando. They certainly wouldn't know the address.

I think I might do a note, another friend suggested handing our airline tickets over with our passports with a note that says it's a surprise on it.

The border would be awesome, too, I'm sure :-D

What do people use to carry their "stuff" in Disney?

My mom suggested a collapsable bundle buggy (aka the one's people who walk to grocery stores might take).

Also is there a grocery store or somewhere cheap to stock up on water or juice or something? I don't feel like having a $100 drink budget

We used a ROOTS backpack that we got at Costco (Less then $25.00). It holds alot, and has padding on the shoulder pads so it doesn't get (to) uncomfortable, and if it becomes to heavy we take turns (wifey and I).

As for Grocery's.
a) People have them delivered to the resort (from Garden Grocer I believe)
b) POP Century does not have fridges, but there are free fridge swaps for DISboard'ers over on the budget boards. So if your week is not yet booked, put your name down.
c) ALL counter serve locations will give you free Ice Water if you ask.
d) At the Resort, you can buy a refillable souvenir mug (good only at the resort) for the length of your stay for about $12.00 (It may have gone up)

Good luck, and enjoy your trip.

 

[twokids0204]

POP Century Fridge Swaps:

Here's 2 of them...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2236566
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2287976

There are more if you search.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

b) POP Century does not have fridges, but there are free fridge swaps for DISboard'ers over on the budget boards. So if your week is not yet booked, put your name down.

Pop Century (and all value resorts) rent fridges on a first-come-first-served basis. Price was approximately $10/day when we used it in December 2008. The fridge cost more than the food were keeping...

I'd never heard of the fridge swap -- might have to look that up on our next vacation with kids.

 

[snickerboo]

When dh buys me a gift in the US and has to show the guard the receipt he says, "I'd appreciate if you keep this one between us, it's for my wife." So, what I'd do is, when he/she asks where you're going, hand over your pre-printed boarding passes and say, "these are our boarding passes, we're flying out of Buffalo, but the kids don't know where exactly we're going yet and we want to keep it a surprise".

PS: I also use a Roots backpack. Love that it clearly says "Roots Canada" and it's sentimental since I've used the same pack on every trip.

 

[grover]

can you cross when they would be sleeping..very early in the morning?
if your kids are car sleepers then they would not be awake to hear anything!

 

[Tower]

Hi, I'm new here

We leave Sept 23 and return Oct 2.

Hi Tamara,
Welcome to the board. You'll find this very informative and fun as you do your planning.
Just one idea that you may want to remember when posting on the board. This is a very public board that anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can read at their own leisure. You just gave everyone some very specific information about your trip. While you did not give your names, I'm normally very cautious about detailing too much publicly. You don't want another person in your town to find out when your house will be empty for the average thief. You never know sometimes.
Have a great vacation!

 

[twokids0204]

Hi Tamara,
Welcome to the board. You'll find this very informative and fun as you do your planning.
Just one idea that you may want to remember when posting on the board. This is a very public board that anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can read at their own leisure. You just gave everyone some very specific information about your trip. While you did not give your names, I'm normally very cautious about detailing too much publicly. You don't want another person in your town to find out when your house will be empty for the average thief. You never know sometimes.
Have a great vacation!

Don't we all do that? You included... with your ticker?

I don't know where Tamara lives (nor is it important to me), so far all I've picked up is she is somewhere in Canada.

 

[tamarabannon]

It's always good to be careful! Thanks for the advice!

Thanks for all the help -- we wouldn't be leaving at a time when they are normally asleep. My 7 year old Aspie hardly sleeps at all, it seems!

I think we will provide our tickets with a note that says it's a surprise. Hopefully, they will be helpful, if not, then the kids find out then instead of when we get to the resort.

(we planned on telling them the shuttle was just one of the ones Florida uses to advertise for Disney)

 

[dancin Disney style]

Lots of great ideas !!!

I just wanted to throw in that on numerous occasions my kids have been questioned in the car as to how we were and where we were going. We have also said we were going to 'Florida' and then had the guard ask for many details about where we are staying including asking for hotel confirmation. So just be prepared for the surprise to be blown.

I would hand over a note with the passports that includes that you hope they will help to keep the surprise, the hotel particulars and travel dates.

 

[SaraMc]

It really depends I think on the border gaurd you get and the time of day you cross.
Last two times the border gaurd has asked me to put down DD's window ( she's rear facing on the passenger side and gone over and actually said her name trying to get a response.
I literally had to say, she's 11 months old and has never seen you before, of course she is not going to respond to you saying her name.

Other times, Ive had the gaurds joke and were great. Have all your paperwork ready just incase and have the sticky note. You never know. We once had one ask if they could come along.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I just wanted to throw in that on numerous occasions my kids have been questioned in the car as to how we were and where we were going. We have also said we were going to 'Florida' and then had the guard ask for many details about where we are staying including asking for hotel confirmation.

My kids are always questioned. The guards ask us to open the door and turn off any videos so that they can talk directly to the kids. I suspect this happens as I don't have the same last name as my kids. But for whatever reason, it's been happening for the past few years and at more than one border crossing.

So I would say hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Customs might just blow your secret.

 

[GrUvGrL]

Hi Tamara,

I agree with the person who said tell them before hand and here is why... kids get excited.

If the border guard asks questions and they find out in the car. You will be disapointed that they spilled the beans and your vision of how they would find out gets squashed!

If you are waiting till actually getting there... be prepared that they may clue your kids in on the plane during decent announcements, not to mention the other 90% of the plane that is SUPER EXCITED about going to disney.

Have something planned out at home before you go so that you can actually enjoy the moment and video tape it to keep

But hey, that's my one opinion in a thousand and I don't do normal

 

[GrUvGrL]

I was trying to post this before... but as it were I was still too wet behind the ears to post links...

These pics are actually basic we did ALOT more to the van before leaving, including writting DISNEY WORLD EXPRESS in Huge letters on the side windows, yet we rolled up to the border in this and been asked where we were going....

I had to bite my tongue so I wouldn't blurt out "6 flags... isn't it obvious?"

 

[StDS]

I wouldn't recommend it. My sister thought she would do the same thing and it didn't have a happy ending. She put the sticky (a Disney one) clearly on the front passport. The border guard insisted on questioning the kids and since they didn't like the answers they got, they were detained. Passports were checked and double checked. They were all separated and asked questions. It took 3 hours for them to get through what should have been 15 minutes. They missed their flights (which border services didn't care) and it was the last available flight that day. They had to stay a night in Buffalo and then take a flight the next day - with an added expense of $75. per person for the flights. Luckily Disney was good and held the reservation for them, but they missed out on the first night dining (Chef Mickey's) and couldn't get in the rest of their stay. Border services explained to them that just because someone gives them a note doesn't mean they are legitimate travellers. Anyone can pass a note - even child abductors. Me personally, would rather surprise them before than have the surprise of dealing with disappointment (mines and the kids) of being detained. Just my opinion...