How to surprise 5yo boy

[Shellee999]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I figured I'd try.

I want to find a fun way to tell our 5yo DS about our upcoming Disney trip. I don't want to tell him the morning of, as I think some anticipation is good. So we'll tell him about 10 days in advance. I have done searches, but nothing seemed right for his age. I'm not sure he'll understand a scavenger hunt. Any ideas? The more specific the better! Thanks!

 

[PSUGuy]

Disney used to have a web page where you could create and print a map of a park or parks, personalized as to the attractions you wished to do there with the family name on it. We treated our grand kids to a Disney vacation as a Christmas present so on Christmas we gave them these. Not sure if this option is still available but if you have some lead time you can send for the Disney vacation planning DVD and give him this without explanation. Have him play it and let him figure it out.

Bill From PA

ps. You don't want to tell him the day before, he won't get to sleep.

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I figured I'd try.

I want to find a fun way to tell our 5yo DS about our upcoming Disney trip. I don't want to tell him the morning of, as I think some anticipation is good. So we'll tell him about 10 days in advance. I have done searches, but nothing seemed right for his age. I'm not sure he'll understand a scavenger hunt. Any ideas? The more specific the better! Thanks!

We stuffed a big box full of balloons - one of them was a giant Mickey - the others were regular balloons but we wrote on them "YOU ARE GOING TO ..." The box was addressed to him. After much calling he finally came downstairs and opened it ... he was super excited.

 

[Laketravis]

A bit of advice having gone thru this myself - let him know in advance, but let him think you are leaving a day or two after you really are.

That way, he can actually sleep the night before. And boy, will he be surprised in the morning.

 

[Serrina89]

When I was younger, my mom used a travel agent to book, so she played the final conformation left on the answering machine. My sister and I were so happy we ran around the house screaming with joy

 

[PanamaMike]

Leave him behind.

He will definitely be surprised.

 

[Shellee999]

Those are some really cute ideas! (Aside from leaving him behind lol). And that's a great idea to tell him it's a day or 2 later. So he can sleep. And it's like 2 surprises!

 

[hcox31]

Those are some really cute ideas! (Aside from leaving him behind lol). And that's a great idea to tell him it's a day or 2 later. So he can sleep. And it's like 2 surprises!

We are going in February, so we are surprising my son on Christmas morning with a gift from Mickey under the tree. It will have a Mickey plush and a couple other disney themed things he can use on his trip like Mickey Pjs and some fun activities for his carry on, And we will start the countdown on our fridge.

 

[MacDalt]

Leave him behind.

He will definitely be surprised.

Haha! That's so awful, it's funny!!

 

[gules]

You can have someone you know mail you a card from Mickey with a printout of his signature, inviting your son (and his family!) to come visit. To add to the excitement, you could also include an RSVP card that he can "mail back" to make it official. Then he can feel like he totally had a say in it.

Another idea is to let him wake up one morning to either pixie dust or mouse tracks (use an Exacto blade to cut a template out of cardboard, then sprinkle glitter or baking powder in the shape of tiny fairy feet or Mickey feet) leading him to something that will give away the surprise. It could be an autograph book, the Magic Bands in the box, a customized map, a picture of Minnie and Mickey, etc. Tie balloons down to make it extra-festive!

 

[ande2428]

Ha Ha - last year we told them the morning we left....got NO reaction as both boys were still half asleep.

 

[KrisSoFla]

You can have someone you know mail you a card from Mickey with a printout of his signature, inviting your son (and his family!) to come visit. To add to the excitement, you could also include an RSVP card that he can "mail back" to make it official. Then he can feel like he totally had a say in it.

Another idea is to let him wake up one morning to either pixie dust or mouse tracks (use an Exacto blade to cut a template out of cardboard, then sprinkle glitter or baking powder in the shape of tiny fairy feet or Mickey feet) leading him to something that will give away the surprise. It could be an autograph book, the Magic Bands in the box, a customized map, a picture of Minnie and Mickey, etc. Tie balloons down to make it extra-festive!

 

[Jimsig]

Ha Ha - last year we told them the morning we left....got NO reaction as both boys were still half asleep. ��

Did the same thing with my then 3.5 yo DD. But she was very excited when we told her. She had been watching the Disney DVD you get from them quite a bit in the month or two leading up to the trip.

We leave again in just about 2 weeks and she is now 5. As of right now we don't plan on telling her but will see how long it takes until she figures it out. I'm guessing when we get to the airport. Though I have dropped some hints such as asking "What do you want to do then next time we go to Disney" and stuff like that. My DW and say "Paris" as a code when she is near us.
A friend took her DD and while eating breakfast that morning she told her she was going to let her skip school that day and wanted to know what she wanted to do. Her DD came up with a few ideas and she finally said, "How about we go to Disney?" Went over really well

 

[cybrkitn]

When DS12 was 4 we surprised him with his first Disney trip on the day of. Someone here on the DISboards suggested doing a Disney Enchanted call for him. It costs $2.49 per call, but DS loved it! Here's the website for it if you want to give it a shot: https://secure.v-blast.net/uvoxnetworks/disneyenchanted/landing.php

 

[Jimsig]

I was 17 the first time I went to WDW and I found out because I stayed home sick one day from school. I had gone back to sleep and woke up again and walked down stairs. My dad was on the phone and he motioned to me to acknowledge my presence and continued on with his conversation as I stood about 2 feet from him. I then hear him say "Oh before I go wanted to let you know we are taking the kids to Disney in Jan as a Christmas gift" and hangs up. I looked at him and said "Way to go dummy, nice surprise" and laughed. He said "don't you dear tell your brother (15) and sister (11)." Which I did not. Christmas morning rolls around and the airline tickets (remember those?) we in our stockings. I acted surprised, but it was great seeing my brother's and sister's reaction's. It's never really bothered me the way I found out and have laughed about it every since.