How to tell the kids? Any inspiration???

[buzz for boys]

Hi guys,
We are now only 47 days until we fly so thats just 45 days until we let the kids into the secret we are going to Florida.

We have a little dillemma though that we just cant figure out how isthe best way to tell them!
Our eldest is 13 and youngest is 5 so we cant do anything that requires reading because the boys will be bouncing and dd will be like whats going on??
Also cant see my eldest playing along with a treasure hunt in a million years

I have cards from Moonpig which have their favourite characters on the front and the itenary for the holiday printed inside.Also have a goodie bag for them all which doubles up as the trick or treat bag at Mnsshp.

Any ideas on how we go about telling them before presenting the cards and bags or is it equal playing field if we just give the bags and watch them work it out for themselves??

Getting a bit worried now about what the reaction will be from them all!
Any ideas???
Louise xxx

 

[orangetiggs]

Can u do a video or something to watch?

 

[Chilly]

could you do big cards with pictures on?

So the first card would be a picture of the family, then a picture of a plane, then a picture of a calander with the date, then a picture of the family again outside the castle.

 

[loobzuk]

last time we didn't tell them until we got to Gatwick. It was supposed to have been a school day so we tried to keep things as normal as we could. They got up at their usual time and had their usual breakfast. I then told them that it was a non uniform day and I'd left clothes out for them, then I told them that they weren't going to school as we had a treat for them. We left it to them to try to guess what was going on but they didn't have a clue.

Here are the photo's that tell the story

Where are we going?

What did you say?

We're going to Florida!

 

[buzz for boys]

Can u do a video or something to watch?

This was our original idea but I cant think of a way to tell them in video without using text which would still leave dd out the loop!!

could you do big cards with pictures on?

So the first card would be a picture of the family, then a picture of a plane, then a picture of a calander with the date, then a picture of the family again outside the castle.

I like this idea kind of guess the hidden message in the cards game!!

last time we didn't tell them until we got to Gatwick. It was supposed to have been a school day so we tried to keep things as normal as we could. They got up at their usual time and had their usual breakfast. I then told them that it was a non uniform day and I'd left clothes out for them, then I told them that they weren't going to school as we had a treat for them. We left it to them to try to guess what was going on but they didn't have a clue.

Here are the photo's that tell the story

Where are we going?

What did you say?

We're going to Florida!

Louise those photos are fantatsic!!! I cant leave it until we get to gatwick as id be woried how my autistic ds would take the news. I think he needs a couple of days to process the information for the sake of others on that plane as much as us!!

 

[mymickeyfans]

We are not going until Oct 2012, and have a DS who will be 8 and a DD who will be 3 1/2 when we travel. I have decided to get monogramed Mickey Ears and a postcard put them in a box at our front door on the morning we leave and tell them that UPS just delivered a package for them. When they open it there will be the ears and the postcard will tell them they are going to Walt Disney World! T-shirts are another option if they are too old for mickey ears!

 

[lucy_love_]

you could pretend to be dead. then when the kids are crying and wailing you could jump up and shout "boo were going to florida". double surprise. parent not dead and florida. what more could they want? what i say?

 

[joolz1910]

you could pretend to be dead. then when the kids are crying and wailing you could jump up and shout "boo were going to florida". double surprise. parent not dead and florida. what more could they want? what i say?

 

[buzz for boys]

you could pretend to be dead. then when the kids are crying and wailing you could jump up and shout "boo were going to florida". double surprise. parent not dead and florida. what more could they want? what i say?

Think ill pass on that idea thanks.
Tiny bit confused by your answer

 

[joolz1910]

I have decided to tell ours when they get to the airport. I'm going to tell them we are going to Blackpool for the weekend so they won't get suspicious.

Have you looked into that offer at the Disney Store?
http://www.disney.co.uk/disneystore/tell-them/

What about getting someone on holiday at WDW to send a postcard to each child from a character, inviting them back to WDW?

 

[Sapper383]

How about doing audio over the video, that way your daughter won't be left out?

You said they have bags, what have you put in for them?....maybe they could just work it out?

 

[karentan]

Have you looked into that offer at the Disney Store?
http://www.disney.co.uk/disneystore/tell-them/

just to let everyone know that this is now a permanent thing in the disney stores so ignore the end date

 

[joolz1910]

just to let everyone know that this is now a permanent thing in the disney stores so ignore the end date

Great news, thanks!

 

[madmumof2]

I'm subscribing to this thread I'm not telling my two either this time. I'm trying to think of something big to do myself. My 5 year old is a very good reader so I can use writing, so wondering whether to do some sort of slideshow or treasure hunt.

Another idea was to copy our home dvd of our last florida trip and all sit down to watch it. In the middle it 'goes wrong'. Silence and a black screen for a few seconds, then a bit we've made telling them where they're going, but not sure what to put in that bit.

Or just get up, pretend to go to school and just happen to miss the turning..not got any further than that though lol

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

last year we told DD DS that morning, it was a school day, when they went downstairs the suitcases were there ready to go. It was so very very special,and pretty amazing wed managed to keep it from them.This time we're going to tell them the day before,the plan is to tie as many Mickey balloons as possible to the trees and bushes while theyre at school with a letter for each of them hanging off two, so when they walk through the house they will see an array of Disney colour in the garden.
This could work for you as its quite visual and colourful and not too "in your face".

 

[tink18]

we have in the past ordered the planning DVD from Disney its free and put it on, you could then give them the cards after watching the DVD

 

[joolz1910]

we have in the past ordered the planning DVD from Disney its free and put it on, you could then give them the cards after watching the DVD

You can't get the planning DVD's any more. You can do an online video via the site.

 

[The Real Cinderella]

My little girl will be 3.5 when we go and I'd love to surprise her with the news preferably when we get to the airport but how......???

 

[buzz for boys]

You can't get the planning DVD's any more. You can do an online video via the site.

This is so funny its basically the last 3 years planning dvd spliced into sections!! Cost cutting from Disney

My little girl will be 3.5 when we go and I'd love to surprise her with the news preferably when we get to the airport but how......???

If I were surprising my dd I would have loved to have given her a magic wand and asked her to close her eyes and turn around 3 times whilst saying out loud where she wanted to go!! Then she has to point the magic wand at the check in desks and hey presto its Orlando !!!

Takes a bit of pre coaching if she has never been to Florida before but at 3.5 it will be easy!!!