Help me surprise the family!!!

[makewifehappy]

OK Folks. I even stumped Disney on the best way to do this, so I'll ask everyone here as well to get an idea on what to do.

My wife and I have started planning our next trip, which we plan to make in June/July of 2008. We are wanting to do a 10-13 day trip, which will make it a real vacation. (a week just doesn't do it, no matter where you go.) Our current plan was to stay at an All-Star Resort, which I don't see any problems with.

But I want to make it extra special. I want to stay at the Wilderness or at the Poly, or if I can't afford that, the Coronado. I've got a stash of money that will pay for the upgrade to a moderate, and if I save more, I can have the money to pay for a deluxe resort easily.

So, has anyone ever done this when you've done a joint planning of a vacation, and if so, how did you get around not letting your spouse know about the upgrade?

I called Disney on this last night, and got silence on the other end of the phone. Then they followed that up with the statement "I don't know the best way, but it sounds wonderful!" Sure, it's wonderful only if I can pull it off.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

A couple of suggestions here ...

There's Disney's Enchanted Call; you could schedule the call the morning of your departure or even to your wife's cell at a specific time.

You could send your wife on some errand while you "pretend" to check into the value and the bring the CM in on your conspiracy and, look, oh, we got upgraded! How did that happen?

You could not say anything and just suprise them when you drive/ME by the values on your way to the Poly ... lol.

Or, why don't you do a split stay. Maybe keep the value for the first night, discreetly check out the next morning without your family knowing, and when you head back from the parks, instead of taking them back to the value, hop on the monorail to the deluxe?

Just some thoughts, but in any case, I'm sure you're going to have a blast and a very surprised and delighted family!

 

[gigi1313]

here's one way that might work...

book the vacation, as far in advance as you can (like w/in the next month when the '08 rates come out) and then, after your dw has received all the paperwork confirmation in the mail, call and change the plans but be sure to intercept the next packet that comes w/the new info on it (bribe the mailman if you've gotta!)

then continue making plans, ADRs, etc, and when the final packet comes w/the DME tix in it, just put it in your 'safe place' w/out her looking it over too closely (no easy task if it were dh trying to surprise me! LOL!) and voila! arrive at a diff't resort!

another option would be to book two separate ressies, at two separate resorts and do the first half of your trip at the all stars and then switch over to a deluxe for the second half of your trip... send dw out for a massage... pack up all your belongings... call bellservices to transfer them... decide to visit the new resort for a meal or a drink and then stop by the front desk while your dw is shopping and check in and then take a walk thru the resort and go to your new room w/all your stuff already in it (this is what dh and i did to our kids when we switched from POFQ to AKL, ds' "dream resort!")

of course, you could stick w/your plan to stay at an All Star and do a bunch of extras instead... i.e. if meals are important upgrade to premium plan, other extras would be see LaNouba, do some water sports, take a wishes or illuminations cruise, spa time, golf, maybe Victoria & Alberts, etc...

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Will she be seeing any of the information that comes to the house? Is that what you are worried about?
I don't understand the "joint planning" .
How many people are going?

 

[gigi1313]

joint planning = dh and dw equally involved in the plans...

 

[makewifehappy]

DW loves to plan. Therefore, it makes it harder to hide.