Have any of you ever done a surprise trip to Disney?

[mamaprincess]

In thirteen days we are surprising our 3 daughters with a trip to Disney World. I am practically bursting at the seems wanting to tell them! They moan and whine about how they miss Disney so much all the time. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces!

We have shopped and packed the suit cases (they are in the basement which is no mans land). We have made their fav ADR's. We will be waking them up at an unholy hour to catch our 8 am flight and we are not telling them where we are going. They will probably figure it out when they see the planes over head when we get near the airport. I am hysterically excited!

Tell me how you managed to surprise your kids with a trip to Disney World.

 

[mommyrom]

We went on a 10 day trip in May last year and had a blast! Then, we were looking to go to New Hampshire/Storyland in September. Well, guess where we ended up instead!!! Rates were cheap ($46/night at ASSP and we got the SWA $49 each way deal)....Soooooo, to WDW we went on a surprise trip for the kids...DH and I had a hard time containing ourselves between July and September, but we managed to keep everything a big secret, until the morning we left! We got the kids up just as if it was any other morning and told them we had to take the car to the shop with DH for a quick check on something...The kids were fine walking to the van and did not even notice me with camera in hand...When we opened the side door of the van, they began to figure out the secret! We had green Mickey mobiles hanging all around inside the van and they each had a Disney toy with Guest of Honor name badges in each seat for each child...As we drove off and filled them in on our surprise, our oldest (7) child was in complete shock and could not stop grinning...Our middle (4) child was all silly and gitty! Our youngest (2) had no clue, but joined in on the excitement!

Off we went to the airport to leave for 6 days with Mickey and, of course, had an awesome time again! And, we managed to pull off the surprise ...The kids are still talking about it...Although, DH and I cannot stop talking about and planning our December '06 venture to see Mickey....3 days WDW ...4 Day Wonder ...4 more days with Mickey !!!!! (The kids know about this trip...No keeping a secret for over a year!!!)

 

[eblack0409]

That is awesome....DH and I don't have kids yet, but we can't keep secrets for anything.....hopefully that will change once we have kids!

 

[mamaprincess]

That is awesome mommyrom! I've got there gifts in the suit cases. I went to the disney store on saturday and loaded on on t-shirts plus I bought them princess gowns for the trip. They have a whole new wardrobe for this trip. I've been keeping this secret since we booked our trip a few of months now and I am so excited the closer it gets!

 

[Kevs mom]

We surprised our three children a few years ago with a trip to Florida - at the time they were 4, 7, and 10) we waited for them to arrive home from school that day and had them all sit down on the couch so we could "talk" to them and then we asked them if they would like to pack the van up and take a trip to WDW. The looks on their faces were priceless, I will never forget it. I already had the bags packed and everything ready to go so off we went. That was one of our most memorable trips as a family ever, what a great time we had. I know you will too, Congratulations on being able to keep the secret, I know how hard it is to do!

 

[angel's momma]

For our first trip in Dec. 2004, DD (6 at the time, now 8) knew & helped with the planning. It was supposed to be our "one & only" trip, but while we were there we decided to upgrade to APs & go back for MNSSHP. We kept this trip a secret from DD. It was hard to keep it a secret for nine months, but we managed to do it. We planned to drive, but at the last minute we decided to fly - we had never flown anywhere before. My parents picked us up at 4 am to drive about an hour to the airport (we're rural). We frequently go to the city to shop or do something special, so that's what DD thought we were doing, but she didn't understand why her grandparents picked us up, or why it was so early. When we got to the airport, we told her we were going to Minnesota - we had a layover there. Now she was totally confused. My parents played along & told her to have fun in Minnesota & they would pick us up when we got back. DD didn't figure it out until we were waiting for our second plane, and she noticed a wdw luggage tag on a bag. Then - she CRIED! She didn't want to miss school! I couldn't believe it! After I convinced her that I had arranged everything with her teacher, and that she had actually done all of her make-up work (her teacher & I were sneaky), Then DD was finally excited - 2 whole weeks at wdw, including MNSSHP, F&W, and free dining! . She was even more surprised when my parents joined us for 4 days in the middle of our trip.

Like mommyrom, we're going back in Dec. My parents enjoyed it so much that they're taking the entire family. So our "one & only" trip has turned into going every year for three years. And this time it's FREE!

 

[darlene9947]

This past December was a surprise trip for me and my grandson!! We spent 3 weeks outside Houston after Katrina, so Sean was used to seeing cows. He loves the Little Einsteins movie. He's always singing, "Spiders & bats, bat & spiders." If anyone has not seen it, the kids are looking for an invite to a butterfly party. They have to search for the invite in different places. One of the places they show is Houston, TX. Now I don't know why they showed cows for Houston, ya think they would have shown NASA or oil rigs, but anyways, it's cows.

Well, Sean's parents decided on a Sunday to go to MVMCP on Friday. We left Slidell around 10:30 PM on Tuesday night. We just told Sean we had to take a ride somewhere. He just went back to sleep in his car seat.

We drove straight thru. He woke up around 7:00 AM and we were between Ocala and Orlando. I was sitting in the back with him and I asked him where he was. He looked around and happened to see some cows in a pasture and said "Houston!" It was so funny.

When we drove up to the gates by Downtown Disney and he saw Mickey, he was so excited!! The look on his face was priceless. Surprising kids is the best. Even MiMis. I was totally not expecting to be at Disney after Katrina and I'm just glad my son and daughter in law decided spur of the moment to go!

 

[bairdbeth]

I told my daughter we were going to see her Aunt Stephanie in Jacksonville.She was young enough not to know the layout of Florida so she asked if we could pass WDW on the way so she could wave at Mickey. I said that we would see. As we approached WDW I told her I had to stop in a resort to use the bathroom. She was very upset because it was late and she was afraid Aunt Stephanie would be in bed and not let us in! As we walked into All Star Sports I told her we are staying here. She did not believe me even when I checked in!! When we got into our room, she looked at me and said "We really are staying here?" When I said "Yes" she jumped up and down and squealed. We went to a MNSSHP and I had packed her Jasmine costume. It was a great trip!

 

[joshsmom]

Our January 04 trip was a complete surprise to DS. His birthday is in early January. We had the family party and he was disappointed that I didn't get him a gift. I told him I had a surprise for him when everyone left. I had arranged an in-home scavenger hunt. Each room held a clue and a "key" (the ones babies use to play with). Each key had a Disney-type clue on it (keys to the kingdom you know!). He didn't get it. The last key was in the family room on the DVD player. He pushed play and the Disney Vacation DVD was in there. He STILL didn't get it. I was a little crushed. I asked him if he understood what it meant (he was 8 at the time) and he said "I guess we're going to Disney World." It was just stated, no emotion, no excitement. Then I said, "yes, we're going to Disney World TOMORROW!" That was it--the dam burst and he couldn't contain himself. He ran all over the neighborhood telling his friends. It was priceless.

Planning another surprise for May. We've (grandma and I) had it planned since November 2005. The wait is KILLING us. I told DS that we were planning a surprise trip to Chicago for Grandma. We have relatives there and I told him we are going to fly because the relatives are going to be picking us up and taking us everywhere. He helped me look up flight information, hotel rooms, and tourist information for all over Chicago on the computer. I told him our flight leaves really early, so that won't be a problem. He's all excited about Chicago and about planning something behind grandma's back!!! I don't know when he'll realize we're actually going to Disney. I would LOVE to keep it a secret until we're actually ON the plane!! He's 10 now, but I don't know if he'll be observant enough to look at the flight information at the gate. It's going to be interesting!!!!

 

[mamaprincess]

Thanks for all the great responses! I will definitely have to take pictures of their faces! They are so Disney crazed and desperate to go. It is so exciting but so excruciating keeping this humongous secret!

 

[DLANGE3386]

3 Years Ago We Surprised Our Children (then 7,4,and 4). We Woke Them Up At 5am And Told Them We Were Going To Disney. We Had Evrything Packed And Loaded In Car. We Awoke Them W/ Camcorder In Hand And Nobody Wanted To Wake Up!! I Was So Disapponted In Their Reaction! We Had To Dress Them And It Wasn't Until We Were On The Plane That They Seemed To Finally Get It!

 

[DLANGE3386]

3 YEARS AGO WE SURPRISED OUR CHILDREN (THEN 7,4,AND 4). WE WOKE THEM UP AT 5AM AND TOLD THEM WE WERE GOING TO DISNEY. WE HAD EVRYTHING PACKED AND LOADED IN CAR. WE AWOKE THEM W/ CAMCORDER IN HAND AND NOBODY WANTED TO WAKE UP!! I WAS SO DISAPPONTED IN THEIR REACTION! WE HAD TO DRESS THEM AND IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE ON THE PLANE THAT THEY SEEMED TO FINALLY GET IT!

 

[pennyplanner]

Your suprises sound like lots of fun.

For one of my DSs, surprises generally mean misery so the kids have always been in on the planning. We build excitement with a day by day count down until the big day. Anticipation plays a big part of the whole trip for us.

Thanks for sharing your best kept secrets!

--penny

 

[DisneyDotty]

We surprised our kids with a Christmas-time trip to Disneyland. I had to keep quiet about it for about 5 months and would find myself giggling uncontrollably--furiously biting my lips to keep me from spilling the beans. The kids just thought I had lost it, as usual.
Finally, the evening before our trip I had the kids open some early Christmas presents--all Disney related and all clues to the trip. DD11 didn't want to "ruin Christmas," and was all pouty about it. DS7 was eager to open the gifts. We recorded their faces--pricesless. It was a HUGE surprise for them because we had to pull them out of school two days--and I NEVER pull them out of school (Goofed up--long story.)
Both spent the next several days saying at random, "I can't believe we're at Disneyland."
The kids loved the surprise and the trip, and DH and I felt the surprise really added to the magic of Disney. We'd love to surprise them again, but I think they're on to us now.
Good luck keeping quiet--and have a great trip!

 

[mnasf]

Tell me how you managed to surprise your kids with a trip to Disney World.[/QUOTE]

We've been able to surprise them a couple of times. It gets harder as they get older (mine are 11, 6, and now 2). We did surprise them the week of Thanksgiving. We did a stay and fly package at a hotel because it included parking, etc. So even though it was the weekend, I said that dad was going on a trip. Would they like to go and stay a night at the hotel with him before he flies out. Of course they did and they packed their backpacks for the night with things to do in the room. It came time for dh to "leave" on his trip. The kids didn't really question all of his luggage. Then dh said, would you like to go with me? They said sure - where? We said Ohio. They figured it out at the airport check-in since they can now read. They were excited!

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I attempted this for our upcoming april/may trip but I couldn't bear the secret anymore and spilled the beans to ds lol. I think it was so hard to keep secret because we've had it planned since May of 2005. I think 10 months of holding in the secret was as good as it was going to get coming from me. All ds knows is our dates, the resort and other things I have planned are all still surprises. All your surprises sound great!

 

[CinderellaIam]

In December 2004 I surprised my DD (18 at the time) with a trip to WDW as her Christmas gift. It was a very hard secret for me to keep, luckily it was a last minute decision and I only had to keep the secret for two months.

WDW is my DD's favorite place on earth and the trip was just for her and I, to spend some time together before she grew up and didn't want to go with me anymore. We were leaving on 12/18 and returning at midnight on 12/23 - just in time to spend Christmas with the family.

On 12/17 she was getting ready to leave for work when I said to her let's start Christmas a little early, open this gift. She said no, I want to wait for Christmas. I calmly told her that if she waited until Christmas Day to open that package she would be very, very upset. Since she was going to a party that night, she thought maybe I bought her a new pair of shoes. She oppened the box and there was my copy of the Unnoficial Guide to WDW with a note attached that said "Get packing! We leave in 18 hours, just you and me". She was confused, then she was ecstatic, then she was paniced because she only had 18 hours to pack and she had to go to work and a big party to go to. Let me tell you that girl packed in record time! This was by far one of our best trips.

For this coming December I am planning a surprise Trip for my niece. She's turning Sweet 16 and has declared that she does not want a party. My sister and I decided that since she loves WDW and is dying to go on a cruise that we will surprise her with a "weekend trip" to WDW. On Sunday she will think we are heading to the airport to go home, but the car service will be bringing us to Port Canaveral for a 4-day DCL cruise, where grandma, grandpa and the rest of her aunts, uncles and cousins will be meeting us! This one is so far off it is going to be tough to keep quiet about!

 

[DLANGE3386]

3 YEARS AGO WE SURPRISED OUR CHILDREN (THEN 7,4,AND 4). WE WOKE THEM UP AT 5AM AND TOLD THEM WE WERE GOING TO DISNEY. WE HAD EVRYTHING PACKED AND LOADED IN CAR. WE AWOKE THEM W/ CAMCORDER IN HAND AND NOBODY WANTED TO WAKE UP!! I WAS SO DISAPPONTED IN THEIR REACTION! WE HAD TO DRESS THEM AND IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE ON THE PLANE THAT THEY SEEMED TO FINALLY GET IT!

 

[hipchickie]

We suprised my almost 5 yo w/ our last trip in January.

We had gone the year before and he loved it, but we had other plans this year. When they fell through, we decided to go back to disney.
I wasn't going to tell him until that day, but dh pointed out that that was cheating him out of the "getting excited" part, and I agreed. (I might have kept the suprise if he was older, but I realized for him at this age 1/2 the fun would be planning/packing/anticipating)

So I arranged for a fairy godmother mailing, planning to just give it to him when it came in the mail, but it was getting later and later and the postcard didn't come...anyway, on christmas we got him a mickey mouse xmas card and told him where we were going in a week!

It was great, he asked us 1000 times if it was true! Then he asked 10,000 times when we were leaving
Now he is an addict, and wants to go again next year

 

[PaulDavid's mom]

I LOVE this thread. It is so wonderful to hear all the great ways you surprise your loved ones. I cannot wait until the day I get to surprise my little one! Great job everyone!!!