I don't think I could pull off a big surprise trip...

[laughinplace199]

...but I'm hoping to pull off a little surprise weekend!

Next month, we are taking a family trip to Vero Beach, staying 3 nights there. The kids know this and they know we are flying in and out of the Orlando airport.

What they don't know is that on the day that they think we are driving to the Orlando airport to go home, we're really going to WDW for 2 nights! I'm thinking that as we're driving from Vero to Orlando, I'll pretend to get an email stating that our flight has been delayed a few hours. Since we'll be too far from Vero to go back, I'll suggest that we drive to WDW property to kill time, maybe try to get a look at the castle or stop at a resort for a bite to eat. Then we'll arrive at our resort, tell the guard that we're checking in, and see how the kids react!

I've almost messed up so many times already. As much as I don't want to rush the summer along, I can't wait for this trip to get here so I don't have to worry about accidentally spilling the beans!

I'd love to hear about your surprise trips!

 

[BooCar3126]

We will be going in October. It will be my kiddos and their fathers first time going. The kids know that we are going but they just do know know exactly when. We have everything they think we will need, autograph books, lanyards and pins that they have earned. And the mouse himself has written them a letter about how excited he is that they are coming. I will do one letter each month until the day we leave. When we pick them up from school we will tell them that we are going to a doctors appointment and i will give them the last letter letting them know that we are in fact on our way to the airport.
I have also started making some hidden mickeys that i have been hiding aroudn the house. I did not tell them i did it or will i point it out to them. When they come home they will just randomly notice different mouse heads all over the place. I know that they are excited and the anticipation is just killing them. They are ready to go and ready to go NOW!

 

[disneymom443]

When we go we go in October, this time we are going in May. My son thinks we are going in Oct of 2014.(normal time) but we wanted to surprise him and take him to Star Wars weekends, and hopefully get the very end of Flower and Garden. The great thing is that he loves to plan as much as I do. So we are making all the plans and figuring where we will want to eat, its just 5 months sooner. My oldest DD graduates from nursing school(gets pined) on May 16 2014, we are going to drive right after. He will be in school that day so we will have the car all packed and ready to go. My DH wants to give him puzzles to figure out where we are going. Like have a knee and something this dizzy. so it would read diz knee. say it fast Disney...... then the earth with planets around the earth with a big circle around the earth. Hopefully he'll figure World.

At the end it'll say Disney World. I don't know maybe I'll have stickers of luggage and a car to make it look like a vacation.

I'm also losing weight I keep telling my DS that it is so I look good for his sisters graduation. True but it's also for WDW!!!!

 

[laughinplace199]

It's great to hear other people's surprise stories!

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

Just make sure that your kids actually handle your lying and surprises well. There are some really sad videos on YouTube of kids who weren't as excited as their parents about the surprise-to-them trip to WDW. Seeing kids confront their parents about lying while in tears is just painful to watch.

Also, don't forget that your kids will remember your little white lie when they grow up and might turn the tables on you when it comes to school grades, parties, and other teenage rebellion activities.

I don't want to put a damper on your magic planning, but there are so many ways to get kids excited without flat-out lying to them.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Have your kids been to Disney World before? When we surprised our kids with a quick weekend trip last Fall, we told them (that morning) that we were going out to dinner to celebrate a successful start to the school year, and asked where they wanted to go. After they each made a couple of suggestions, I said "well, we were thinking about maybe Cosmic Ray's or Pecos Bill's!" And they immediately knew we were going to be eating dinner in the Magic Kingdom!

If they have never been before, you and your husband could do a little rehearsed conversation as you near Orlando. Something like, "I am not ready for vacation to be over! I don't want to go home yet!" and the other one says, "me either! I don'twant to go back to work yet." "OK, then what should we do?" "Let's go to Disney World!"

We surprised our kids with Disney trips twice and it was great fun. Would love to do it again. They know about our next trip for my birthday and already think it can't get here fast enough!

 

[laughinplace199]

Have your kids been to Disney World before? When we surprised our kids with a quick weekend trip last Fall, we told them (that morning) that we were going out to dinner to celebrate a successful start to the school year, and asked where they wanted to go. After they each made a couple of suggestions, I said "well, we were thinking about maybe Cosmic Ray's or Pecos Bill's!" And they immediately knew we were going to be eating dinner in the Magic Kingdom!

If they have never been before, you and your husband could do a little rehearsed conversation as you near Orlando. Something like, "I am not ready for vacation to be over! I don't want to go home yet!" and the other one says, "me either! I don'twant to go back to work yet." "OK, then what should we do?" "Let's go to Disney World!"

We surprised our kids with Disney trips twice and it was great fun. Would love to do it again. They know about our next trip for my birthday and already think it can't get here fast enough!

I love this idea! Our kids have been many times (I've lost count, but our littlest is 6 and he's been 7 times already), but I still think your suggestion would work. I'll run it by DH & see what he thinks. Sometimes, he likes the last minute surprise, so the kids think we're going to a resort to get something to eat and then they hear him say we're checking in. But, I like your idea, especially since my kids know WDW so well and they wouldn't have had their usual time to plan and get excited. I love having "problems" like this.

 

[SEA333]

Just make sure that your kids actually handle your lying and surprises well. There are some really sad videos on YouTube of kids who weren't as excited as their parents about the surprise-to-them trip to WDW. Seeing kids confront their parents about lying while in tears is just painful to watch.

Also, don't forget that your kids will remember your little white lie when they grow up and might turn the tables on you when it comes to school grades, parties, and other teenage rebellion activities.

I don't want to put a damper on your magic planning, but there are so many ways to get kids excited without flat-out lying to them.

LOL - we are surprising our kids in November, and I think I would cancel the trip if they acted the way I see some of the kids acting in these videos! Of course, we are not lying about anything to them...we are just not saying *anything* until the morning we wake them up. One teen, one tween, and one 7 1/2 year old who checks his siblings reactions before deciding how to react?!?! It's a pretty sure bet in our case that they will be thrilled that they will be heading to WDW instead of....well, instead of pretty much ANYTHING that *was* planned for that day!

I *do* know what you mean, though! I've seen the videos, too!

 

[SEA333]

...but I'm hoping to pull off a little surprise weekend!

Next month, we are taking a family trip to Vero Beach, staying 3 nights there. The kids know this and they know we are flying in and out of the Orlando airport.

What they don't know is that on the day that they think we are driving to the Orlando airport to go home, we're really going to WDW for 2 nights! I'm thinking that as we're driving from Vero to Orlando, I'll pretend to get an email stating that our flight has been delayed a few hours. Since we'll be too far from Vero to go back, I'll suggest that we drive to WDW property to kill time, maybe try to get a look at the castle or stop at a resort for a bite to eat. Then we'll arrive at our resort, tell the guard that we're checking in, and see how the kids react!

I've almost messed up so many times already. As much as I don't want to rush the summer along, I can't wait for this trip to get here so I don't have to worry about accidentally spilling the beans!

I'd love to hear about your surprise trips!

In November, my three kids (13, 9 1/2, and 7 1/2) will wake up at their normal school time to find that *Santa* has come early with their Christmas stocking, which will contain their plane tickets, their park tickets, a pair of sandals/flip-flops, a bottle of sunscreen, sunglasses, and a $50 giftcard each, along with note in each stocking that will have a message (that will be broken into three parts - one part in each kids' stocking to be read out loud by them) that will say something to the effect that because they are such good kids and have worked hard all year to deserve something special, to get ready as fast as they can because we are leaving for Disney World as soon as we are ready to leave the house!

Everything will be prepacked and ready to go. They have been to Magic Kingdom once, for a day last year, and since then have seen the Travel Channel specials, and have seen video/pictures online about the "rest" of Disney World, and all three have said they want to go back. I talk about it every so often, and they know that DH really doesn't care to go back (although he is totally on board for this trip, especially because of the awesome deal we got!), so I say that we can go if we can convince Dad

No lying on our part, and I made sure to plan it so that it doesn't interfere with Football/Cheer season (all three kids play for the same league and DH coaches DS13's team). We are going the week after the season ends, so winter sports won't have started yet. i can't imagine that my kids will be anything less than super-excited just to be doing *anything* that is out of their normal routine, so we won't have to worry about them not taking the surprise well!

Good luck!!!!!

 

[Autumnslight]

We're surprising our 6 (turning 7 while we're there) and 3 year old with a trip at the end of September. They've never been to Disney either. I'm going to pick them up early from school the day that we leave, for a "dentist appointment". When we get back to the car, we'll tell them that we're going to Disney, and then head straight to the airport. I don't think they'll be too upset about missing a dentist appointment.

I've definitely been having a hard time keeping the secret! I'm really excited myself, so I can't wait until our trip!

 

[laughinplace199]

Thanks for sharing your stories everyone!

We have 3 weeks to go for our surprise. I can't wait!

Good luck to you all on pulling off your surprises!

 

[ammag]

I have almost slipped about 5 times already, it is so hard! We went on a big trip last fall that Dd knew about, this time we are tacking 4 days onto another trip. We are saying we are going to Orlando to visit their great grandma, but when we leave her nursing home I will have their old Mickey and Minnie ears on their seats! Then we drive to AoA and they will also find my mom there. Thanks for DIS boarders for the ears surprise idea! .

 

[Cars2006]

We are going the second week in September. The kids don’t know yet. They keeping asking where are we going on vacation. They are 6, 7 & 9. I'm having them make a list of place they want to go. Disney was on the top of each of their list second was Disney Hawaii. They also want my sister and their baby cousin to join us. And it’s getting so hard to keep the secret. They keep looking over my shoulder and asking why I am looking at Disney stuff. I'm telling them its for a friend at work which is true. They will going in October 1st timers. I'm going to pack while they sleep. Then tell them we are going to see by grandpa's which he lives 20 min from the airport. We are going to show up at the airport and say surprise! We have been driven the last couple of years. So they are going to be thrilled to fly. Also my sister and her daughter are coming along. They will meet us at the gate to surprise them. Several time we have let things slip. So now we are talking in code. One month to go

 

[corneredbycorn]

I know I won't be able to pull off a surprise trip in the future. I can't even make it a day without asking my 16 month old DD, "Are you going to see Mickey?!"

 

[marybrat]

I know I won't be able to pull off a surprise trip in the future. I can't even make it a day without asking my 16 month old DD, "Are you going to see Mickey?!"

Me too! A surprise trip to WDW is never going to happen!

 

[laughinplace199]

I know I won't be able to pull off a surprise trip in the future. I can't even make it a day without asking my 16 month old DD, "Are you going to see Mickey?!"

That's why I'm just attempting a surprise weekend. I'm having enough of a hard time keeping this secret!

 

[laughinplace199]

OMG - we leave in 5 days and I've almost messed up so many times in the last couple of days!

Even my mom almost messed up when she asked me when we were coming home. The kids think it's Friday but it's really Sunday. Since the kids were right there, I said Friday and my mom kept saying she thought it was later in the week. I kept insisting it was Friday and trying to catch her eye to give her "the look" but that didn't work. Finally, my dad cleared his throat very loudly and then it clicked for her.

I haven't even started packing yet. We're having our bathroom gutted and remodeled and my house is dirty, dusty chaos from the demolition.

 

[pooh4evr]

We are doing a surprise trip this October for a second time. I know they wil totally freak out! It is hard not to spill it but the surprise and the reaction is totally worth it. Last time they ran around the living room screaming and jumping , this time I expect tears!

 

[camimh]

We're leaving in 3 weeks and the kids have no idea. We're moving from GA to TX and doing the trip in the process. As far as they'll know, when we get in the car it will be to start our drive to Texas.

And my mom and her partner will be joining us, and hopefully be waiting at the resort when we get there so double surprise.

I'm not entirely sure how/when they'll figure it out honestly lol. As much as I'd like to keep it a secret right up until the resort - I suspect the bit WDW arches on the road will give it away lol

Oh and they've never been before. First timers! (at least the girls are)

 

[angelabrezovsky]

We leave in 78 DAYS! I can't believe it! I am surprising my two DD (ages 7 and 5) and my Dsister (who is 9) My girls went when they were 2 and 4 but my little sister has never been. They have no IDEA. I made a scavenger hunt for the road with clues I believe I have 4 or 5 clues. We are actually driving down to a friends house in Florida to visit for the day then the next morning we are all leaving to go to Disney together. It is a Girls Trip. It will be me and my friend then a 9,8,7,5 year old girls!!!! I am so excited. I try to not say anything thats why I come on here to talk about it or I would explode!! HAHA