How would you do this surprise?

[pantherlj]

We are surprising our girls (4 and 7) on Christmas morning with our Jan/Feb trip to Disney. So far, I have Disney dollars and a tinkerbell folder for each of them. The folders will have maps of all 4 parks (friend is picking them up for me this week). They will get countdown chains too. Not sure what else I am going to add to the surprise box yet. I will start the planning DVD after they open the boxes. Any other ideas ofr the surprise box?

My friend is picking up some postcards for me while she is in Disney this week. 2 of Cinderella and 2 of pooh and gang. I want to "mail" these to the girls to let them know about the character meals. Something like "A, please join me for breakfast in my castle on Jan 29th at 8:30. Love, Cinderella" Same thing with Pooh except a dinner later in the week.

Would you
1) have it "arrive" in the room the night before the breakfast (and dinner)
2) pretend like you got it at check in?
3) have it come in the mail to the house around a week before leaving?

I can't wait to see the girls faces Christmas morning!!!

Oh, my mom is getting them autograph books for Christmas so don't need those for the surprise box.

 

[bleeps]

How lovely! For the postcards announcing character meals, personally I would send those so they arrive at home in the week before your trip -- I think that would help build the excitement and add fun to the countdown; once you are at WDW, I think those touches can lose their impact just because so much else is going on.

What about a copy of one of the kids' guides to WDW -- maybe that they could share? -- for the box? And maybe some chocolate character coins?

 

[pantherlj]

How lovely! For the postcards announcing character meals, personally I would send those so they arrive at home in the week before your trip -- I think that would help build the excitement and add fun to the countdown; once you are at WDW, I think those touches can lose their impact just because so much else is going on.

What about a copy of one of the kids' guides to WDW -- maybe that they could share? -- for the box? And maybe some chocolate character coins?

Good point about losing their impact once there. I can just see it .... the night before when I want to give it to them and the are tired/cranky and/or fall asleep on the way back to the room

I will look into kids guides at the book store.

Thanks!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

This is so exciting , I am doing a Surprise box for Christmas too! For our March trip, we went in 05, and my dd1 at the time got very sick , we had to go to the ER and everything, so they say alot how they can't wait til we can go back one day, actually ds10 just mentioned it the other day, and I was trying not to explode and tell them we are going.
I am getting Disney wrapping paper, and making my own autograph books, Disney pens, Disney Dollars, and a t-shirt from the Disney store.
I have had post cards from fairygodmailers sent, but am saving them, I'm going to have them come in the mail during christmas break, just a little something to get them even more excited.
I was thinking about giving them a card inviting them to the character meals but I like your idea better , to wait until about a week before the trip, that should start excitement! good luck!!!!!
I can't wait til christmas to tell them!!!!

 

[Squidrific]

You could also do the customizable maps from Disney. Link: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/customizedMaps/index?id=CustomizedMapsSampleMapsPage

These maps are really nice and they get stickers to pick their favorites. Also you could order the planning video. I order a new one every year because I think they are so well done and they get us in the mood before our trips!

 

[hniki234]

That's such a great idea! Your kids are going to love it! I don't have kids myself, but I know I'd want to burst with that information! I agree with the PP about waiting until the week before. It'll get them super-excited for the trip!

 

[joshsmom]

For the postcards announcing character meals, personally I would send those so they arrive at home in the week before your trip -- I think that would help build the excitement and add fun to the countdown

This is my vote too!!!

 

[pixie dust 112]

When my DDs were little, Santa Claus brought each of them a new bathing suit to wear in Disney!

 

[EnviroChick]

What great ideas! We too are giving a Disney trip to our little ones (4 and 6) for Xmas. I've purchased Disney stuff for the last six months. Everything from stickers to pirate ships to pins to stuffed toys. Some items I'll hold back for the plane rides and to give as gifts after a long day in the parks. My plan is to do a treasure hunt on Xmas day leading them to the Disney themed items we've purchased. I wasn't sure how to end the treasure hunt, but now I know! I'll pop the Disney trip planning video in! One thing I've decided not to do is tell them about the character meals beforehand. I'll take a chance and surprise them when we get there. It's their first time and since they don't know about character meals, I think it will be cool to just go and have them be surprised. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[addicted2disney]

Pin Lanyards with their first pin on them!

Mickey ears with thier names on the back!

Target has disposable cameras for like 6 bucks. One has mickey and friends, one has princesses on it.

Name badges. Used to be called Guest of Honor pins. I did this one year.. I put the cameras, autograph books, fat Dinsey pens, and name badges in gift bags and gave it to them on the plane!

Hidden Mickey books are fun!

Tickets to the new Pirates and Princess Party at the MK.

 

[babsd218]

We are also surprising our kids DD7 and DS5 along with DD9mos Christmas morning.

EnvirChick, we are also going to do a treasure hunt.

We are getting the personalized maps, and a friend of mine is getting them personalized mouse ears while she's there later this month.

They are going to be so excited. I can't wait.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

another vote for disposable camera for each child.

also, i just gave out 'packages' for everyone on our trip in 3 weeks. (OMG 3 freaking weeks!) and inside i had a schedule of the fun meals that we were doing, a t shirt with a character on it from the disney store (ie mum got eeyore, I got Cruella De Vil, brother got Goofy, SIL got donald, dd got minnie and ds got mickey).

kids also are getting glow sticks (great for nighttime parade! ) travel size suntan lotion, antibacterial gel, disney themed pen, word search puzzles downloaded from the mouse for less.com, (in their printables section)

have fun!

 

[disneydad123]

I vote for the camera too!! We did this for Disney cruise for our girls and it was sooooo funny!! I took all day to convince them it was true. What we did was pack a small kid size suitcase with Disney stuff: sm. stuffed characters, cute princess plastic ponchos you get at Wal-mart, we even used an bon voyage banner from a previous trip. It was great, then they packed their little rolling cases when it time to go, 2 gifts at once.

 

[babsd218]

For anyone doing a treasure hunt to surprise their kids, I found airline dicast planes on KBtoys.com. I purchased two Southwest Airline ones. I will be using them as a clue. They had several different airlines.