Exciting ways to tell the kids??

[peanut67]

my dd is 11 and ds is 15 we booked for xmas back in March and had not planned on telling them about it until the weekend before we go, but my dad died in April and the kids were quite down so we told them, well sort of...we told them we had booked to go in april 2005 so the surprise will still be there but they get to help to plan thinking they are going in April.
I think I will be doing some kind of treasure hunt and I like the cake idea so may put that in their as well...99 days and counting.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

On our first trip in 2001 it was a spur of the weekend trip and we just told the kids that we were going on a long car trip to Florida. As we got closer my daughter said "oh, look, that sign says we're close to WDW, can we go there sometime?" and dh and I just said "we'll see". When we got to the hotel it was late so we went to bed (we were off-site) and got up and ready to go to MK and my dd saw the pool and said "I don't want to go to some little Mickey park, can we stay here and go swimming?" Obviously we said no and we have never let her live that down!!

This trip we have told our kids about it (it's ds wish trip) and have gotten more of an idea of what they want to do down there, what they're looking forward to so we have alot more planned.

I have loved reading the ideas of how to surprise them with the trip, that cake was great, it makes me wish I could have kept it a secret!

 

[Arielle22]

We went in Oct 2001. DD's were 8 and 6. My MIL also went. We told the girls we were driving Nana to the airport as she was going with a friend.

My sister drove my dds and mil to my work (dh also works there). When they got to my office I told them. At first the 8 yr old didnt believe us.

They still talk about how fun the surprise was.

 

[emo6565]

We surprised our kids at Christmas time and it worked out great. Our boys had no idea it was coming. We wrapped up boxes and filled them with candy and one word in each box( WE ARE GOING TO) and in the last box we had the reservations, tickets and some Disney cash for both of them. Our youngest caught on before the oldest. After quite a bit of cheering and jumping up and down they were more then willing to help pack. What an amazing Christmas morning. They didn't even miss not getting any new toys for a second.

 

[denverdi]

Okay this is the way we are telling our two kids. First off we are going to DW for our first trip Dec 3 - 11. So far the kids know we have planned on going to DL in CA during the Christmas holiday. This would be true, but DH finally caved in and said lets go and have fun.

So this is what I have planned. I amnot going to work on Dec 3 of course not. Any way I am going to get the kids up and tell them they have to get dressed up we are going to have our family pictures done for Christmas. (Our more relaxed pictures. this time. Formal pictures will be done way before) DH works nights so when he gets home and gets cleaned up we will go. Nothing new that we would have to stop at the airport to pick up one of DH friends from work. Only thing is we are going this time!!!!!!!! When we get out of the car, then we spill the beans.!!!!!!!

Well this is the plan. DS and DD teachers all know and are going to work with us on getting all of their work turned in.

This is my dream trip. I am just so thankful that DH has decided that this year will be better than next fall!!!


Hope you have fun!!

Denver DI

 

[llij]

There are some neat ideas here! We are going this December and I'm trying to think of some ways to surprise the girls with the news. I thought of waking them up and telling them that we are leaving that day, but I know it would be too much for one of my daughters. (She would be worried about making sure everything is in order, that her teacher knew, etc...) So the latest plan is to tell them the weekend before we go so the news can settle in a bit and the girls can still be surprised. I love the idea of a scavenger hunt!

 

[miche61]

llij- you could do what we did. One of our surprise times, we told them we would be going to WDW, but we wouldn't give them an exact date. As time got closer, we would tell them to make sure and have everything caught up- we would take care of the teacher end, packing, etc. We also told them they could wear their new tennies the day we went to WDW. You could do something like that, and lay out their new tennies (or Mickey Mouse shirt, Princess t-shirt, etc.) the night before you go. You could let them figure it out the night before, I know- no sleep.

Good Luck!

This year's trip isn't a surprise for once, but I am surprising them with a Chef Mickey breakfast. I won't tell them til we get there why we're at the Contemporary. I can hardly wait!!! I always want one little surprise for them on each trip.

 

[llij]

Great idea, Miche61!

Thanks!

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

When I was 9, my parents secretly planned a trip to Disney World. The last day of school we were asking if we could go somewhere the next day, since it was the first day of summer. My parents were all like,"We'll discuss it in the morning..." At 5:30 the next morning, my mom woke me up and said, "Wake up honey, we're going to Disney World!" I was like, "What??? No, your lying! ...Really?! I can't believe it! Yes! I am so happy! Thanks!" It was so thrilling and the feeling I got was soooo special. My Mom and Dad said the had a blast planning and surprising us.

 

[MsLefty]

Last Jan was our kids' first trip to the World. We "gave" them the trip as a Christmas gift. I orderd the video and purchased one of the Dusney guides that's geared towards kids. I also purchased Disney name badges so the CMs would know their names. I wrapped everything in a shirt box with tissue paper hiding it inside the box. On a very sparkly, colorfully decorated piece of construction paper I wrote "In just 23 days...." and put it on top of the tissue, before putting on the lid. Then I wrapped the whole thing up and stuck it under the tree, with no name on it.

On Christmas we couldn't "figure out" who the gift was for so we saved it for last. When the kids opened it up they were stunned and silent. You could almost see the little connections working in their brains. Suddenly my then 9-yr-old jumped up and this sound came out of her that I'd never heard before, this little squeaky "Really? Really? Really?" What followed was a celebration of the biggest hugs like we've ever gotten.

We will never forget it.

We're giving them the same gift ths year, but now I have to come up with a new way to surprise them! Sometimes it IS good the get the same gift two years in a row!

 

[simba928]

You could tell you kids they have a doctor's appointment or something else they hate (dentist maybe?). When you pick them up, you make sure someone (your husband or another adult your going with) is at the airport or at home with the bags ready to go. That's what my parents did. My mom picked me up from school for a doctor's appointment and instead, we went to the airport. She told me she had to stop by her office first (she works in the airport).
Another time, my dad told me that my mom had to stay at work late (it was a friday). Every friday, we have pizza at my gram's house so we ate there as usual. When we got home, my mom said that we had an early x-mas present in the dining room (it was december). When we went in to look, we saw our suitcases packed with disney lugage tags attached. My brother didnt quite get the concept of going to Disney, so he was a little confused to I explained to him what they meant.
Wow! just thinking about this makes me want to be surprised with a trip to the World again!

 

[Luvmyfam3]

About 5 years ago, Christmas morning, I wrapped a present address to all three of my girls with a clue inside (they LOVED scavenger hunts at the time!) leading them to different parts of the house with more clues. The end led them to the garage where there was a trunk (which was my mom's Christmas gift). When they opened it, balloons came out and inside there was Mickey confetti and a big poster that said, "You're Going to Disney World!! Merry Christmas!! Love, Santa" Then, there were gifts for each girl with Disney dollars, Disney video, Disney shirt, etc. Our trip was for January. We've been to WDW many times since then, but they still talk about the great way they got a Disney trip from Santa for Christmas!

Kim

 

[chrisck2]

My brother and wife came round pretending to rub our noses in it by telling us that they were going to Florida. Myself DW,DD,DS & DB all sat down with their Uncle & Aunt to watch the Disney planner dvd. The kids looked gloomier and gloomier as the Dvd went on - 'ITS NOT FAIR, WHY CANT WE GO....? ' etc.
When this had finished we put on the '2nd Dvd' (but there is no 2nd dvd I hear you cry) Well I had created on the pc, 'A Disney Fun Quiz' Dvd complete with authentic label, appropriate background wallpaper, 'when you wish upon a star' backing music and questions that i had put onto the wallpaper using microsoft 'paint'....
For example: 1/would you be excited if you could go to florida and have the time of your life? (fading into next page...) 2/ Would going to Florida be one of your life ambitions? etc Until Finally saying 'If you answered yes to both questions , we would love to have you!' - with a big picture of all 3 kids+their names above!
'Yes' it said, 'We are ALL going to Florida!
But it didnt end there...as they started to smile in disbelief and realisation, the Video we had created of Myself,Wife,Baby Daughter, Brother & Wife (running aroung the front room celebrating like Crazy people) kicked in! The kids smiles turned to laughter as they 'joined in' with us to celebrate (with ourseleves on the tv) again! All this to Manfred Manns fast moving hit '54321' playing in the background! Hugs allround - it was a fantastic moment that we will all never forget and they said it was the greatest surprise ever! (We told em we might struggle to beat this one....) We kept that secret for 18 months after booking May '03 and told them Oct 1st '04 that we are going Oct 26th! I hope this gives someone an idea or two - its not easy but worth it in the end to see their faces.....6 days to go until 16 nights of the best that Orlando has to offer-can't wait!

 

[suz72]

chrisck2-

Wow, great idea!

Susan

 

[crzy4mickey]

here's what we did... I found these great gift bags at Wal-Mart. They were blue with the castle on both sides with all the Disney characters on them. I then bought a single use camera, some Disney activiey books and i found these great compatc, magnetic board games, ie. chinese checkers, chess, hangman etc. and put it all in the bag. Then I took the ticket for the MVMCP and put it in an evelope. We told them we had a little something for them. When they sat down and looked at them they said "thanks, but why are you giving us these things? It's not our birthdays." So i told them there was something at the bottom in an envelope. When they opened the envelope the shock and surprise on their faces were wonderful. They were so excited! I'll have to post the picture! It was priceless. It took about 2 days before the shock wore off and now are counting down! My ds kept walking around the house saying "i can't believe we're going to Disney", "thanks for taking us to Disney"! It was just AWESOME!

 

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

Chrisck2 -

all I can say is Wow - what a great way to tell them --

my jaw was literally slack and agape in awe and amazement!!

I never would have thought to do that -- but I will remember and if/when we take the girls again -- we will use your idea to tell them.

My hat is off to you!!

 

[llij]

I got this idea from this thread about breaking the news to the kids with a puzzle. So I went online to a puzzlemaker and they made up this puzzle to break the news to the girls. I can't wait to tell them!!

I hope that you can see the poem in the puzzle!

 

[suz72]

Jill,

Can you give us the web site address of the puzzlemaker you used? Did you create the layout, or did they?

Really cool!


Susan

 

[llij]

Hi Susan,

I got it from www.jigsaw2order.com. I e-mailed them the pictures and the poem and they did the rest....layout and all! I can't wait for the girls to do the puzzle and find out that they are going to Disney!

 

[drumflower]

My kids always know something is up because I am on this site non stop! lol They always figure it out! I guess it is a good thing because I don't think I could keep a secret like that!