How do we cross the border without ruining the surprise?

[mamajojo]

We are surprising our kids with a trip to Disney world for a week and then a Disney cruise for a second week. We are driving down. We drove down last year (they knew that they were going then) so if we tell them at the border crossing that we are heading to Florida, the kids will figure it out pretty quick (they think Florida IS Disney World!) Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[dancin Disney style]

There was a thread on here a few months ago about the exact same thing. The parents told the kids they were going to spend the weekend in Niagara Falls shopping. They then wrote a note to give to the customs officer explaining what/where/when and that it was a surprise for the kids.

Sorry, can't remember who's thread it was. I'm sure someone will jump in here with that info.

I'm not sure how you would drive all the way to FL without telling your kids. Could you just tell them you are going on a cruise from Georgia? I think too, it depends on the age of your kids.

 

[candielips]

I would try the note idea to the US Customs official & hope he/she isn't a total sour grape.
Good luck!

 

[mamajojo]

There was a thread on here a few months ago about the exact same thing. The parents told the kids they were going to spend the weekend in Niagara Falls shopping. They then wrote a note to give to the customs officer explaining what/where/when and that it was a surprise for the kids.

Sorry, can't remember who's thread it was. I'm sure someone will jump in here with that info.

I'm not sure how you would drive all the way to FL without telling your kids. Could you just tell them you are going on a cruise from Georgia? I think too, it depends on the age of your kids.

Our kids are 6 and 7 when we go. We will be leaving at 3oAM, the kids will be asleep when we put them into the car (we have done this many times and they don't wake up) and they will sleep until we cross the border. From there we will tell that we are going on an Adventure. We have planned lots of trips like this before (just not across the border) They have all kinds of guesses and it's really fun.

 

[My 2 princesses]

There was a thread on here a few months ago about the exact same thing. The parents told the kids they were going to spend the weekend in Niagara Falls shopping. They then wrote a note to give to the customs officer explaining what/where/when and that it was a surprise for the kids.

Sorry, can't remember who's thread it was. I'm sure someone will jump in here with that info.

I'm not sure how you would drive all the way to FL without telling your kids. Could you just tell them you are going on a cruise from Georgia? I think too, it depends on the age of your kids.

Britsmom I think did that! Sorry, can't find that thread but I sure do remember it. Maybe she will see your thread and jump right in.

Good luck.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

It was us - we surprised our kids at Christmas with a Saturday to Tuesday trip to the world. We gave the border guard a note saying we were surprising the kids with a trip to DisneyWorld and it included the dates we would be gone, flight numbers, where we were going to be staying. Worked like a charm. Pulled into the Buffalo airport parking lot early and handed them each a letter that said surprise we are going to DW for the weekend and what we would be doing each day - our 14yo believed us and got excited but the 9yo didn't actually believe us until we got to the gate.... he kept saying with a confused expression 'but what about the lego store and shopping in Buffalo??' it was fun!!

Good luck and hope it works for you too!

 

[Disney_Mama]

I would do the note..... We tried to surprise our kids and when we got to the border my DH tried to whisper to the border guard and the kids overheard. Have a great trip and good luck.

 

[mamajojo]

Thanks for all of your help. We will try the note. Did you hand them the note with your passport?

 

[foxeh]

We are surprising our daughter too we were going to drive but are flying now. We told her we are taking daddy somewhere special for his birthday maybe for a couple of nights. I have made up a special crossword puzzle that has all the words related to Disney to give her when we stop for coffee on the way to the airport.
I think the note at the border and going shopping sound like a great idea good luck!!

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

yes - we just handed them the note with the passports - he asked us where we were going and we just told him we included all the information on the paper.

 

[calgarygary]

It is really going to depend upon the customs agent. We have crossed in the middle of the night and the kids were allowed to sleep and we have crossed and had to wake the kids up so they could answer questions. I think another thing that may determine when you tell them their surprise, is how many times you can handle their asking "Are we there yet?"

 

[AndyMcV]

Last June we flew out of Buffalo with our DS8 and DD4. I totally forgot about the border asking where we were going. We got up to the border and there were 2 officers standing in the booth. We hand over all our passports and the one officer starts asking me.... to which I answer

Is your trip for business or pleasure?... Pleasure, we're going on vacation.
Where are you headed?... To Buffalo and then Orlando
Where is your final destination?....

uhh... I kind of paused here and said (realizing here I could blow it for my kids)... "I'd really rather not say". Yeah, I can't believe I said that too.

Now I said this with a smile on my face and he could see my wife and kids in the minivan. My DW looked at me like I had 3 heads.

The officer looked at me and smiled, and then continued without missing a beat. He opened the side door to the van and asked our kids where our parents were and they pointed to us. He smiled at them closed the door and told us to have a really great vacation.

Perhaps you might have a better plan than me because I think I got really lucky with a nice border official. He could have been a real jerk to what I said and wrecked it for us all.

Andy

 

[roscoepc1]

I'll probably get slammed for saying this...but I'd just say somewhere else to the Border Guard. It's NOT like they actually track your car through the States!

Most of the time, they don't even enter any info into the computer. I'd say Thomasville, Georgia...or pick somewhere else that is near Florida but doesn't involve that word, lol....

And yes, I cross the border quite frequently, so I do know what and how they ask things. My husband is a professional driver and crosses at LEAST twice per week.

If you go the secret note route, chances are you'll get a jerk who yells the info out loud, just to see your face fall. I think the pp who did it got VERY lucky!

 

[mamajojo]

yes - we just handed them the note with the passports - he asked us where we were going and we just told him we included all the information on the paper.

I think we will try this and hope it works. I just saw that you are from Guelph. I am from Kitchener!

 

[rewok]

I'll probably get slammed for saying this...but I'd just say somewhere else to the Border Guard. It's NOT like they actually track your car through the States!

Most of the time, they don't even enter any info into the computer. I'd say Thomasville, Georgia...or pick somewhere else that is near Florida but doesn't involve that word, lol....

And yes, I cross the border quite frequently, so I do know what and how they ask things. My husband is a professional driver and crosses at LEAST twice per week.

If you go the secret note route, chances are you'll get a jerk who yells the info out loud, just to see your face fall. I think the pp who did it got VERY lucky!

I don't know about lying. I've been grilled a few times: question repeated in a slightly different manner many times, they asked to look at my hotel reservation, many details. If I had been lying, I'm pretty sure I would have tripped myself.

Now, I let my boyfriend drive when we cross, even if his English is not as good. He's never been grilled, I guess the girl driving is suspicious!

 

[roscoepc1]

I'm casual enough, they wouldn;t trip me up...but I know some people get nervous, etc....plus, half the time, I make my hotel ressies over the phone, so they couldn't "look at it" even if they asked...kwim?

I don't really look at it as lying....more of a "none of their da** business" kwim?

 

[Sillyminny40]

I totally suggest a note saying:

Surprise trip to Disneyworld for the kids. We are staying at ________ from _____ to ________. Thanks.

If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

 

[calgarygary]

I'm casual enough, they wouldn;t trip me up...but I know some people get nervous, etc....plus, half the time, I make my hotel ressies over the phone, so they couldn't "look at it" even if they asked...kwim?

I don't really look at it as lying....more of a "none of their da** business" kwim?

Try that approach the next time you are going through U.S. customs - be prepared to turn back!

 

[calgarygary]

I'll probably get slammed for saying this...but I'd just say somewhere else to the Border Guard. It's NOT like they actually track your car through the States!

Most of the time, they don't even enter any info into the computer. I'd say Thomasville, Georgia...or pick somewhere else that is near Florida but doesn't involve that word, lol....

And yes, I cross the border quite frequently, so I do know what and how they ask things. My husband is a professional driver and crosses at LEAST twice per week.

If you go the secret note route, chances are you'll get a jerk who yells the info out loud, just to see your face fall. I think the pp who did it got VERY lucky!

There is a consequence to lying to a border official if you are somehow caught in the lie, being denied entry possibly for ever.

 

[roscoepc1]

And just how would they catch me? Follow me in a little car all the way to Florida? The chances of "getting caught" on something THAT obscure are slim to none. If you're nervous, don't do it...it's as simple as that!

Calm down- good grief! I cross the border regularly, as does my dh...in fact, crossing the border is part of his job! He knows almost all the guards at the entry point he uses.

The point I'm making is this.....it's NOT that big of a deal to calmly say another destination....as long as it's IN the U.S. and you're not planning anything nefarious.

I did NOT say to tell the guard it's none of their business, that's just how I feel about it! People have to use some common sense too.