I am soo angry!

[mainewmn]

Let me start from the beginning, we been planning our January trip as a Christmas gift to our boys. We just got a new house so that they had NO idea about the trip as our finances are a little tight right now. We managed to get the plane tickets, hotel booked etc. When booking the room directly with Disney I specifically made a request that NO confirmation be send out as this was a surprise trip for my boys. I was told that they would be happy to send the confirmation to alternative address to which I agreed and gave them my work address. Yesterday I get home from work and both my boys have this smirk on their faces and ask me flat out about the Disney vacation…! I was like what vacation. Come to find out Disney send the confirmation directly to the house, as if that was not bad enough on the front of the envelope it said “Enclosed is your reservation confirmation” or something like this. All the planning is down the tubs the boys are 15 and 13 so no more tricking them. No matter how much DH and I assured them we wore NOT taking any trips this year they boys just nodded their heads and said “sure we not”. I’m so mad I could spit!

 

[lmhall2000]

No no no.....sweet lady...there is a solution! I know, I'm doing it! We, too bought a house 3 months ago but we also had to sell a house that has taken 15 months to sell (eek, it closes 8/31) well we told the kids we would take a trip as soon as the house sold...and they saw all the little envelopes in the mail and such but now we're playing it up that we have to postpone the trip until a year or so because of the financial strain the two mortgages put on us...your boys will buy that excuse. Tell them that you had planned the trip but things were tighter than you thought and it would be easier for you to travel the next year. Then over the next few months, plan a coup where you and your husband get excited about a distant relative you haven't seen in years is coming to visit you...It will be in January, of course...heck she/he can even be fictional and have fun pulling their legs about making up memories when your dh was little and trying to climb the tree higher than this relative and fell and broke his arm...oh you get the idea....Then plan a big "let's meet him/her at the airport" make sure you have some fake conversations with this person (we're using an aunt for our little scheme) about their coming and play it up...then on the day she/he's to arrive tell them they all have to go to the airport to greet her...

Have them go out the night before so you can secretly pack their bags without their knowing..stow the luggage in the back of the car....then when your husband drives up to the airport have him drop y'all off and then he can secretly come in and check the baggage and check you guys in...sit in the area where you wait for travelers for 10-20 minutes then right before your plane take off say GOTCHA!!! And GO!

Don't get down on Disney...they have probably tens of thousands calling in to make reservations (half or more probably are just tentative anyway) and they can't control an automated system that handles that kind of bulk. Some CM's may think it's possible but it's too hard to control that.

Tara

 

[Laurajean1014]

Re: Above poster -

Sounds like good advice. Try it.

Also, call the TA and let them know that their lack of detail lead you to this state.

 

[minnie61650]

Sorry, your surprize was spoiled
It sounds like your boys are really excited.
Since they now know let them in on some of the fun of planning.
Enjoy your new home and look forward to your trip together with your wonderful family.
Have lots of fun at Disney
Linda

 

[MickiM]

You could of said that it is a piece junk mail, like when you get Publisher's Clearing House Envelopes that say "Your a Millionaire" or "Your winninng check is inside.!"
Explained that they are just trying get you excited and trying to sell you a trip.... I know, you were probably just shocked and lost for words...

Sorry it didn't turn out like you had hoped...

 

[mainewmn]

You could of said that it is a piece junk mail, like when you get Publisher's Clearing House Envelopes that say "Your a Millionaire" or "Your winninng check is inside.!"
Explained that they are just trying get you excited and trying to sell you a trip.... I know, you were probably just shocked and lost for words...

Sorry it didn't turn out like you had hoped...

That’s exactly what both DH and I said, we still had some cards on specials that Disney send us and we tried to use them as “evidence” that it was nothing more then marketing scheme, when they wanted to see the new envelope we told them I threw it in the trash under the pile of leftovers I dumped etc, etc. But you have to understand they are 15 and 13 they not that easily fooled. I guess at this time I will take the other posters suggestion and just say that Yes we wore planning it but things are tight blah, blah, blah, can’t go this year maybe next year. I understand that Disney takes LOTS of calls for reservations with many different requests but I was SOOO specific on the confirmation letter! I had no requests other the PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE CONFIRMATION TO THE HOUSE! I’m sure there are other people that had this done before.
Thanks everyone for hearing me out and giving me some suggestions, I guess all I can do now is take what I have left and make the best of it. At least they don’t know where we staying or when exactly we are going.

 

[MickiM]

Sorry forgot the ages of the boys.

Once again, sorry the dream got crushed

 

[MissionMouse]

lmhall2000

You're good..what a recovery artist,

 

[Debbie Jean]

Mmmm... At 15 amd 13 it gets much tougher to trick them.

Another idea... tell them that after much thought and careful consideration of your finances you are going to plan a trip for their Easter break... then do it! Well, I don't mean REALLY do it because, of course, you've already planned your trip for January... but they don't need to know that. Go through all the "prep" as though it was real then in January pop it on them!

I know it won't be the same and FOR SHAME on Disney for blowing your carefully crafted surprise but you sound like a lady who can role with the punches!

 

[DisneyWisher]

I wouldn't have given my actual address to begin with. Its not the reservation CM that you are speaking with that actually sends out the confirmation, its a different CM. If they don't have your home address then it can't be sent there. I have all my Disney information sent to my parents house that way DD12 never knows exactly when we are going. Plus since my father is my boss he knows when I am planning something. I just let him know yesterday about an upcoming trip. He said he figured as much because of all (5 in total) Disney mail I've been getting. Good part of it is I get an extra day at Disney because of it. Now if I can change my package to include the extra day without being the modifying fee.

Sorry they bummed out your plan.

 

[ckret01]

Can you take that reservation or make a new one with the reservations confirmation # Cancelled!!!!! And explain to them that you didn't want them to see it and get their hopes up b/c originally you had planned to take them but funds got too tight and you had to cancel so have another "fake" confirmation be sent that is a cancelled reservation.

I understand how disappointed you must feel

 

[petchie]

Re: Above poster -

Sounds like good advice. Try it.

Also, call the TA and let them know that their lack of detail lead you to this state.

She booked directly with Disney,doubt she would get the same one if she called.

 

[4greatboys]

That sucks they ruined your suprise. Why not try to plan other suprises for during your trip like a special meal or or maybe buy some some their fave CD's and have them delived in a special package to the room. I hear Feralpeg has some great gift boxes with candy and stuff.

 

[christinadei]

I would tell them that you were hoping to take the trip and you didn't want to tell them becuase you knew that there was a good chance that you couldn't afford it. That you didn't tell them becuase you didn't want to get their hopes up, but they are jsut too smart for you.

they didn't open it, did they? If they don't know the dates, just say you are hoping for a trip for easter, but you may not be able to. That you booked it anyway and can cancel it if you need to. So tell them not to get theri hopes up, but you are going to try for an easter vacation. Then surprise them for christmas.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

disney sent me a recent confirmation to my DH email
i called them freaking out as it was a surprise they said they only had my email and read it back to me
but everytime i call 1-407-wdisney i get a follow up email and it goes to DH account
it makes me soooo mad i cancelled the trip!!!!!!

 

[LadyLuc361]

I think Disney's system has a hard time accepting new addresses or something. We moved from an apartment into a house and the address is correct but all the mail comes saying our address plus apt. 608. I have told them 3 times that we no longer live in an apt, but the Disney mail still comes with the apt number on it. Oh well.

I'm sorry your suprise was ruined. Hopefully you can figure out a way to trick them.

 

[mainewmn]

No my boys know better then to open mail addressed to others (me in this case).

No matter how hard we try now the surprise is gone, I’m sad, disappointed and really starting to wonder if we shouldn’t just stay offsite instead.

 

[kpm76]

So sorry for your disappointment, but what great parents you are to take the boys to Disney after just buying a new home A similar thing happened to us last year. Dh was planning a trip in Jan 05 and giving it to me as a Christmas gift. He asked that NO confirmation information be sent to our house since it was a surprise. I assume our address was already in the system since we are AP holders and had traveled recently. Anyway, one day I checked the mail and sure enough I found the trip planning confirmation info. I panicked and put all the mail back in the box and waited for DH to come home and get it. I was out that night and called home to tell him to get the mail that I didn't have a chance to that day (we lived in a condo so our mail box was a little walk away). I should not have called because it was very unusual for me not to pick the mail up when I got home from work. When I came home he looked at me with sad eyes and said "I know you know about the trip.." I tried to play dumb but he knew me too well....I felt worse for him that the surprise was ruined but he was really creative and put together a book with pictures from our honeymoon, wrote a very sweet story next to each pic and at the end of the book told me we were going to Disney. So although I knew we were going before he wanted me to know, I had no idea when and the book was such a surprise. Hope you can figure out a way to still surprise the boys. Either way it will be a magical trip...have fun!

 

[Dorisk3]

It's really too bad your surprise got spoiled. I know it's disappointing- but (just in my opinion) I think it's lame to then lie to your kids and say, well, geee, we really don't have the money to do this, so we're not. Why would you then want them to be disappointed themselves? Is that sadness and disappointment that they would feel when you tell them you're not taking the trip (when you really are -which is once again, lying) worth trying to regain the feeling of surprise. Just move on, get over it, and the boys can be in on the fun of having you plan your trip. It may work out even better than if it were a surprise. At any rate, have the best time on your trip, no matter what leads up to it, it will still be a great trip for all of you I'm sure!

 

[ReallyFunMom]

It's really too bad your surprise got spoiled. I know it's disappointing- but (just in my opinion) I think it's lame to then lie to your kids and say, well, geee, we really don't have the money to do this, so we're not. Why would you then want them to be disappointed themselves? Is that sadness and disappointment that they would feel when you tell them you're not taking the trip (when you really are -which is once again, lying) worth trying to regain the feeling of surprise. Just move on, get over it, and the boys can be in on the fun of having you plan your trip. It may work out even better than if it were a surprise. At any rate, have the best time on your trip, no matter what leads up to it, it will still be a great trip for all of you I'm sure!

IMHO, good advice!