I am soo angry!

[RumpleMom]

It has been our family's experience that planning the trip together has been a lot of fun. We decide about meals, extra tours(Segway was super) and such. Everyone has a written itinerary and agrees on when the whole family will be together or apart. This is really helpful when the teenagers bring a friend.

Our family knows when we have a WDW trip planned that we cut down on eating out and rent a movie instead of going to the theatre. It works for us, so we can make happy memories together from beginning to end.

 

[kellyf2626]

When I was little, my parents would tell us we were going - but give us a false date. So if we were going in September, they would tell us November. Then, the morning of, they woudl wake us up and tell us to get ready - we were leaving that day!!

We still got to be excited about going, but got a nice suprise the morning of! One year, they even got a limo to take us to the airport...we thought that was the coolest thing ever!

 

[missypie]

Please just make the best of it. I have never understood the people who want to surprise their kids and tell them right when they're leaving or something. I think it will be more fun to involve them in the planning. Let them look at the menus and choose a restaurant. Let them research your resort on line and discover what cool things there are to do. Let them each list their tip three "must dos" at each park.

Not everyone reacts the way you want or expect them to. If you had been able to keep this a secret, would your trip have been ruined if their reaction had been understated or low key? (When I was a kid, we took a big trip with lots of relatives down to Florida. Everyone was so excited, because Grandma had never seen the ocean...everyone was greatly anticipating her reaction to this rare treat. And what did Grandma say when she saw the ocean? "Looks like Lake Michigan.")

 

[mainewmn]

LOL, well ya I guess they could say it looks like Six Flags, BUT….. my boys been to WDW a number of times and we done the planning as a family thing many times over. This time it was suppose to be a surprise that didn’t pan out. That’s all, nothing more nothing less. They no longer little, they knew about a trip we planned to take in October of 2004 that didn’t happen, they hinted at wanting and hopping to go back soon we tried a couple of times and finally decided to do this as a part of the Christmas to help out with the budget instead of getting useless gifts that are soon forgotten.

 

[bethbuchall]

Please just make the best of it. I have never understood the people who want to surprise their kids and tell them right when they're leaving or something. I think it will be more fun to involve them in the planning. Let them look at the menus and choose a restaurant. Let them research your resort on line and discover what cool things there are to do. Let them each list their tip three "must dos" at each park.

Not everyone reacts the way you want or expect them to. If you had been able to keep this a secret, would your trip have been ruined if their reaction had been understated or low key? (When I was a kid, we took a big trip with lots of relatives down to Florida. Everyone was so excited, because Grandma had never seen the ocean...everyone was greatly anticipating her reaction to this rare treat. And what did Grandma say when she saw the ocean? "Looks like Lake Michigan.")

I know better (have learned the lesson over the years) than to try to surprise dh or my kids (especially ds#1). They definitely do not react well to surprises, and have low-key (or worse) reactions. They are much better if given some time and space to get used to a new idea.

OP--sorry that your big surprise was ruined! That would have made me mad and disappointed, too. Now that they know, though, maybe they will have more fun helping with the planning. They are good ages for that.

Beth

 

[unixadm]

Well, unfortunately, they know about the trip....but how about throwing in some surprises for them ON the trip?

Are you booked at value, mod or deluxe? If it is mod or deluxe, tell them it is value....when you get there and they see a nicer resort, it will be a nice surprise. How about book a family plan for boats/bikes. They could go and drive around in the speed boats which I'm sure they would enjoy.

How about a Wishes or Illuminations cruise?

I know you are probably on a tight budget, so these may not be doable, but I guess what I am saying is that you could plan something special down there that they are not expecting and would enjoy.

I would also call Disney and NICELY complain about this situation (Do you have the name of the person who took your ressie, and who you told about the address issue?) You had a special plan, let them know about it and they blew it. Who knows, they may give you an room upgrade, or something to make up for their mistake.

 

[Joan1]

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.

The original poster stated that they booked with Disney directly

If it was booked through a TA the TA would have gotten the confirmation and then they could have made sure it went to an alternate address

 

[yooperfan]

i would make a new ressie and cancel the first. Don't tell the kids but leave the canellation when it comes where they will find it but not to obvious. When they bring it up, tell them it was a xmas surprise and since it was blown, you wanted to put the money toward xmas gifts that would be surprises, also saving some money that way, since money is tight. Say you didn't want to tell them so the added gifts would be a surprise, darn, there goes that surprise, too!

 

[mainewmn]

i would make a new ressie and cancel the first. Don't tell the kids but leave the canellation when it comes where they will find it but not to obvious. When they bring it up, tell them it was a xmas surprise and since it was blown, you wanted to put the money toward xmas gifts that would be surprises, also saving some money that way, since money is tight. Say you didn't want to tell them so the added gifts would be a surprise, darn, there goes that surprise, too!

THAT’S EXACTLY what I’m thinking of doing, but I wanted to talk to DH tonight about it to see his take on it.

 

[Nuts4Disney]

mainewmn:

First, I want to say I'm sorry for your disappointment. I'd be disappointed too if I had a secret surprise that was ruined. And sorry for this very long post, but here goes:

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.

Imho, I wouldn't change my plans & stay offsite. I don't think it will accomplish anything. You & your family are already excited, even if your boys are "unofficially" excited by your plans. I'll bet you spent a lot of time & effort planning this to be special & I would go & have a great time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by yooperfan
i would make a new ressie and cancel the first. Don't tell the kids but leave the canellation when it comes where they will find it but not to obvious. When they bring it up, tell them it was a xmas surprise and since it was blown, you wanted to put the money toward xmas gifts that would be surprises, also saving some money that way, since money is tight. Say you didn't want to tell them so the added gifts would be a surprise, darn, there goes that surprise, too!


THAT’S EXACTLY what I’m thinking of doing, but I wanted to talk to DH tonight about it to see his take on it.

Also, I would not start cancelling & rebooking new ressies. Why create all the extra work & possible confusion w/WDW? Plus, there's a chance you won't be able to rebook what you originally wanted & you may just get more aggrivated & down on Disney again.

I'm guessing from your original post that you weren't planning on spending a lot on Christmas gifts this year besides this WDW trip. Imo, your boys are old enough to understand that now & this could be a good learning experience, too.

So, it seems that since the horse is already of the barn, why not make lemonade...[mixed cliche alert! ]

How about...

You & dh decide on a special night when the your whole family can be home together...you decorate a little bit with either a really small X-mas tree, or a string of X-mas lites, or some X-mas balls in a glass bowl, or whatever, pop in a X-mas cd, plan a special dinner [it can be a simple as ordering in a pizza], & creatively gift wrap that WDW trip [you can have a scavenger hunt for it if you like...have fun with it]. You can even all have a movie nite & watch a X-mas dvd...& have a little X-mas in August?

I know that's not what you planned, but it could be fun & something you could think back on & laugh about in years to come. And as some others have said, you can all start planning this trip as a family...which just might take some of the pressure off you & dh on keeping this secret & doing all the planning. And if you were still planning on giving them a little something extra at Christmas, I'd save that as the Christmas surprise & remind them at Christmas that the WDW trip is part of their Christmas gift.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope it all works out for you & yours, & that you have a great vacation & happy Holidays!

 

[k5thbeatle]

Sorry for your disappointment. Same thing happened to me. It's frustrating when some idiot says they will do something and that it is "no problem" only to find out just the opposite.

I was planning a surprise visit for my wife and I for our anniversary. I was going to surprise her at dinner on our actual anniversary. The cm I spoke with assured me that "no way" anything would be sent home but rather all would be sent/faxed to me at my business. All seemed set for a great surprise. The very next mailing we got from Disney was sent to our home and my wife (who usually gets our mail) got it and the surprise was totally ruined. Well we still had a good time and everything but as I said it is frustrating when PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN OR FOLLOW THROUGH

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Sorry, but I think you are making too big a deal about this. Suprised got ruined, the kids know, move on. I don't think it's anything to cry about.

 

[jellymanoffspring]

Sorry, but I think you are making too big a deal about this. Suprised got ruined, the kids now, move on. I don't think it's anything to cry about.

I have to say I am with Lindsay on this one....
sure you can be disapointed and a CM should not promise something they can't follow through with....

but to even think of canceling and staying offsite because of this

Count your blessings a new home and a trip to WDW......get over it!!

Many folks do not have those opportunities....
sometimes the comments on these boards REALLY show me how spoiled we are in this country..............

( sorry for flaming here...but i am just amazed at this...)

 

[Sammie]

I have to say I am with Lindsay on this one....
sure you can be disapointed and a CM should not promise something they can't follow through with....

but to even think of canceling and staying offsite because of this

Count your blessings a new home and a trip to WDW......get over it!!

Many folks do not have those opportunities....
sometimes the comments on these boards REALLY show me how spoiled we are in this country..............

( sorry for flaming here...but i am just amazed at this...)

You know sometimes I read these threads and debate whether to even comment. I agree with you. Many times adults put too much into surprises for their children to the point that it becomes over blown and the kids could truly care less about the surprise part and more about the going or doing part.

The CM should not have told the OP they could do this, but then again I would never expect them to be able to do it and would never ask.

If this mistake is enough to make you want to cancel your reservation and go offsite; then I recommend doing it as I don't think you will be satisfied otherwise.

 

[Friendly Frog]

How about...

You & dh decide on a special night when the your whole family can be home together...you decorate a little bit with either a really small X-mas tree, or a string of X-mas lites, or some X-mas balls in a glass bowl, or whatever, pop in a X-mas cd, plan a special dinner [it can be a simple as ordering in a pizza], & creatively gift wrap that WDW trip [you can have a scavenger hunt for it if you like...have fun with it]. You can even all have a movie nite & watch a X-mas dvd...& have a little X-mas in August?

I know that's not what you planned, but it could be fun & something you could think back on & laugh about in years to come. And as some others have said, you can all start planning this trip as a family...which just might take some of the pressure off you & dh on keeping this secret & doing all the planning. And if you were still planning on giving them a little something extra at Christmas, I'd save that as the Christmas surprise & remind them at Christmas that the WDW trip is part of their Christmas gift.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope it all works out for you & yours, & that you have a great vacation & happy Holidays!

First I am sorry about your surprise being ruined and I don't blame you for being upset.

I do think that Nuts4Disney has an excellent idea. Fun and positive.

Please think carefully about "quilting" you kids by telling them that because the surprise was ruined, the trip was canceled. It was not their fault. Now that they know, let them have the excitement. Don't be cruel and take that away from them. If you want to do a surprise rather than the idea above, then you could always just refuse to tell them when you are going. They can still be excited about going and you get to plan and POP the surprise day on them. It will still be fun outsmarting them as to the when. Imagine their excitement when you tell them one night " get to be early, TOMORROW you will be in WDW!"

 

[Lizzybee]

I'm surprising my kids in a few days with a trip, I only have to keep it secret for 9 more days...whew. Anyway, it never occurred to me to ask WDW to send my documents somewhere other than home. I guess I'm lucky in that the kids just don't mess with the mail here. I was able to quietly bring in and put aside anything from Disney. I could have had a problem today because I upgraded to park hoppers and I got a new ressie confirmation in the mail today and I wasn't expecting it. I happened to come home from work today at lunch and got the mail.

 

[kessieann]

It sounds to me like you just needed to vent to people who would understand your frustration. Most of us who come here really put a lot of time and effort into our planning. Often time people who have different opinions seem to find it necessary to sometimes post negative things rather then just moving onto to the next topic.

I am sorry that your surprise has been ruined. We are still trying to surprise dd and I know I would be disappointed if it she found out before we go. I think there is nothing at all wrong with you and I wanting to surprise our kids!

Once your anger at this error has subsided and you can feel good about the planning aspect again I think I would do what others have said and just include the kids in on the planning. Just wanted you to know that it is okay to be upset....it is human nature. Now go make lemonade when you are ready

 

[Belle5]

That's too bad about the surprise being ruined...
However, I sure don't think it's good advice to suggest that you lie like you're part of the Watergate cover-up to keep it going! I agree with the attitude of taking the lemon and turning it into lemonade--and when we're talking about WDW--that's certainly easy enough to do!

 

[LoriMistress]

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!

Sorry about your plans being a bit spoiled. But I would fake an event happening. Let the boys think in the next two months that you guys are planning a trip. Heck, I would even get involved with the boys and start planning the days out. But something happened : medical bill, death in the family, etc. Something that your kids wouldn't know too much. If you're going to fake a "medical" thing, I would have DH drop the kids off at family/friend's house, than be out for five hours, come back and tell them that someone had some sort of medical problem and a lot of the money for the trip will have to go to the medical bill. Or something like that. Maybe I'm a bit weird like that, but that could work.

 

[eleanor]

Dont lie to your kids. They are old enough to be pleased that you planned this. Let them be part of the planning. That gives as much pleasure as the going IMHO.I really dont like surprises .I guess I just want to be part of the action.
The CM should have done as you ask but she didn't. Live with it.