Her Surprise Anniversary Trip

[macbitt]

I'm planning (well in advance) a surprise anniversary trip to WDW for my girlfriend and myself. We'll be going in early February which will be our third year together. This will be our first trip to Disney World as adults. We've both gone before as kids; she last went in 1981 and I last went within a year or two of Hollywood Studios (then MGM Studios) opening.

Thanks to various Disney dedicated sites, including lurking on these forums, trip planning is going well. There is one point I was hoping to get some feedback on, though:

When do I tell her?

My idea right now is to tell her we're going on a trip for our anniversary, give her just enough information so she can pack comfortably, and then not have her find out until we get to the airport. I'm assuming the Orlando boarding pass I hand her before security will give the rest away. If that doesn't I have a video I'm preparing using Disney's own promotional material for the flight down.

I'm normally the trip planner and she's always happy with the results so I know I can get all the important stuff handled. She has to make her own arrangements to take off from work and she needs to pack herself, I'm not that good My concern with not telling her it is Disney World in advance is she may want to have time to prepare on her own. We will be there for 7 days so I'm not worried we'll missing seeing something she really wants to see that she's isn't aware of existing yet.

Whatever I tell her there is also a question of timing. Due to some ambitious dinner reservations I want (window seat at California Grill during the fireworks on our anniversary night) I have to start making reservations and putting money down by August. I'd rather not clue her in to a trip at all until much later, maybe tie in a Christmas gift with the announcement.

So do I stick with the "not until the airport" plan or maybe give her the full details around Christmas time or maybe tell her right before I make arrangements so I don't have to contain the excitement all on my own? Thoughts and personal experiences welcome. Thanks.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

I vote Christmas....show her the video at that time.

Give her a Birnbaum's Official Guide (pretty pictures) so she can read and study it! That will give her enough time to get excited and organized. Tell her to bring mostly comfy clothes, but something a bit more dressy for "a night out". Make sure she brings 2 pair of comfy walking shoes.

Have a Magical Time!

 

[Kae]

I vote not until the airport. but you know your GF best. Could you get some help for packing. The reason being since she is the planner & you are doing it all by yourself she might go crazy trying to figure out where you are going.

Kae

 

[macbitt]

I vote Christmas....show her the video at that time.

Give her a Birnbaum's Official Guide (pretty pictures) so she can read and study it! That will give her enough time to get excited and organized.

I must say I do like that idea. Maybe bookmark where we're staying and eating in the book ahead of time.

I vote not until the airport. but you know your GF best. Could you get some help for packing. The reason being since she is the planner & you are doing it all by yourself she might go crazy trying to figure out where you are going.

I'm much more the planner. Even if she knew about this trip from the start I'd still be the one researching and booking I have a general idea of what she needs to pack (general types of clothing, the comfy shoes, her swim goggles for the lap pool, which purse she prefers of active days out) but just not enough to pack her entire suitcase. She will try to figure out what's up once I tell her to take the days off, I've had to deal with that when I let slip there is a surprise coming I'm considering a diversionary tactic: leave a variety of brochures and web pages in view for all different places we've talked about visiting. While telling her in advance has its advantages I'd also like to see what a last minute surprise would be like.

Thanks for the replies, would like to hear more thoughts.