How to tell kids?

[ShaunaM]

We are booking our third trip, first trip was a complete surprise told them that morning that our airplane destination was DL. And not Edmonton.
The second time we had them cover the eyes and played the music from the disney vacation DVD they guessed.
We would like them to be in on the planning this time around so we can not do the last minute thing, I don't want to do anything complex just something fun.

Any ideas?

 

[Sew into Disney]

I am also working on ways to surprise my kids. I've come up with the following so far ....

1) Go to our favorite pizza place and see if they will make me a Mickey shaped pizza. Tape a note into the lid of the pizza box. Let the kids open the box when we sit down to eat dinner. (From a Disney commercial)

2) A co-worker suggested today that I should get a cake from the store and have them write on it "We're going to Disneyland" or make it a Mickey shaped cake and write "See ya real soon" on it.

3) I thought about having my oldest daughter (she is 20 and knows we are going) get a big box and put Disney themed balloons inside. I will make a label that looks like it could of been shipped from Anaheim. When I get home with the kids my daughter will say that a package came for the kids. I will let them open it ... balloons pop out with a message saying we are going to Disneyland.

4) We are leaving on a school day during the afternoon. I thought about waking up a little late and freaking out that we are all going to be late for the day and then when everyone is ready let them know we are actually skipping and going to Disneyland. (This one is hard cause we are driving and I have to pack everything without them seeing it)
I've also considered sending them to school for half of the day. Then picking them up ready on our way out of town. I would write Disney or Bust on the side window or something that would get them excited when they came to the car.

5) Pack backpacks full of travel goodies and let the kids open them. At the bottom put a Disney ticket or Gift Card with your travel dates.


It might help if we knew the ages of your kids.

My kids are 20, 14, 12, 8 and 19 months. My oldest daughter knows we are going and my youngest doesn't understand.

I know that the forums have other posts on this. So I am off to look for those. I hope my ideas helped some.

 

[CrazyDuck]

You been there the past 2 Februarys but not this year? They were probably expecting to go this February too so don't get too sad if they complain about having to wait til October to go. My kids don't get excited to go anymore and that makes the DW sad. When we tell them they are like "ok that's fine"... At least they don't cry and say they'd rather go to Dick's house!

 

[larina]

If my kids ever don't get excited about going to DL, I'll stop taking them. I get excited every single time and I'm a grown woman.

I like #3, the balloons. The pizza thing looked cool the first hundred times I saw it, but not so much anymore. LOL

 

[CandMmommy]

My kids are 2( 3 in april) and 5.5 years old. I had them custom Minnie shirts made, bought them each a princess nightgown on clearance and a little rapunzel coloring pack with markers. We put all 3 in a bag. Hubby is going to wake them Fri morning and tell them tomorrow we are leaving for spring break, you have 3 clues in your bag to figure out where we are going! I hope they get it!!

 

[jennyh2829]

I am going to do a scavenger hunt this time. WE have picked up from school as a surprise and just told her at home one time.

 

[Susie63]

We booked a phone call from Mickey Mouse and had a fairy godmailer sent DD a postcard that said Mickey heard she was coming for a visit and couldn't wait to see her. I am not sure what I will do for our trip next february.
Yes,we Canadians like Disneyland in Feb

 

[Susie63]

Actually I think I will make a picture that says "so glad you are coming back to Disneyland" on a picture of Mickey and Minnie or a family pic from our last trip and a caption that says" it time to go back to Disneyland"and have it made into a puzzle at the local photo store. We love to do puzzles,and we could do it the night before we leave!!!
Gee and I haven't even had my coffee yet

 

[pixiewings71]

We've done 2 surprise trips, the first one I packed them completely (we'd had a house fire and were living in a rental house, we had boxes everywhere so it was pretty easy to pack for them, plus I bought them new shirts for the trip so they didn't even notice. We put the bags in the van the night before we left, we got up in the morning and headed out, using the ruse that we were going to check on the rebuild of the house, (we had to drive by the sitter's house to get to our actual house, this was something we did regularly), we drove past the sitter and said "oh we will drop off on the way back" but we kept going and just got on the highway, told them we were going for a drive. 6 hours later (or so) we got to the hotel in Anaheim, drove right past DL down Harbor and they didn't even notice. lol We got checked into the hotel and they saw the Mickey decorations (it was a GN hotel, not a Disney property) and asked if we could go to DL because we had to be close because there were Mickey's all over the lobby. LOL Got to our room and gave them the travel pack with our tickets and they finally got it, it was pretty funny.

Second time we did a scavenger hunt, I made up clues that they followed around the house until they got to the treasure, our trip pack, they loved that because it was a surprise and they still got to help plan a bit.

Last week we were eating dinner, I said "hey guys, you wanna go to DL next weekend?" They said "what?" so I asked again, they got excited. We leave Friday. lol

 

[candygirlIRE]

We did a total surprise thing this past trip (Oct) and I don't think we will go again until next year
Buuuut on the bright side, gives me more time to plan

I think I'd like them to be involved in the planning this time, and not have to be so secretive all the time I think we will send them each vacation planning DVDS in the mail and a shipment from amazon or chapters with lots of planning books (I do own many, but why not a few more) and let them open it. Then say something like, well heck let's get to plannin' !!!

 

[ShaunaM]

...you all have had some great ideas...I had epiphany in the night and this is what we ended up doing...my kids are almost 13, almost 11 and just trurned 8. As we have done the surpise thing they are a little suspicious with surpises now... antying too obvisou they would clue in right away and we wanted to draw it out a bit...

I made up a series of index cards (about 25) with memorable Disney quotes ( but not who said it), I had a roll of 600 feet of gift ribbon (you won't need that much), and their passports.

We made a chain of discovery though the house attaching quote cards with tape along the way. The idea being they follow the ribbon to get to the prize.

First quote and ribbon attached and visible outside on the front door, this got get them to open the door. (we did this at my parents house as they are coming too) second quote on the bottom banister post going up the stairs etc......they then followed the ribbon to the next card and so on....we wove it through the house a bit. At the end we placed their passports which had been gift wrapped and initialled, inside each passport I taped a Disney Fast Pass. We tried to remain silent and let them sleuth it out...I made the quotes vague at the beginning and clearer towards the end. My ten year old clued in towards the end with a peter pan quote that Mr Darling says about vaguely remembering seeing that ship before.

They are pretty exicted and are currently rewatching the Dicney Promo Video for the zillionth time..
Thanks everyone! Great ideas to get the creative juices flowing for all....

Last summer we were so sad when our summer holidays came to an end and school started, we had such an awesome summer this year though while we will be as always sad for summer to end we will be beyond over the moon knowing we are weeks away.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We are surprising our kids tonight with a Disney Cruise! We have a little do it yourself puzzle kit (you can also order these on line). So we are going to tell them that when they put the puzzle together they will find out what our next vacation is. It's a picture of a disney cruise with a bunch of characters. I can't wait!