Keeping it all a surprise...

[2infinityandbeyond]

I'm considering a surprise trip for our family in November. It'll be an anniversary trip (but with the kids). I want to keep it a secret from everyone. I'll tell DW the day before and tell the kids when we get on the plane.

When I make the reservations, will CRO send my confirmation info/package to an address other than my home address (like work or a friend's house) if I ask them to do this?
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[edk35]

What a wonderful idea...but I think I would go with telling DW a few days or maybe a week or so before. THat might freak her out with packing and all. But what a great dh you are for planning such a nice memory.

Denise

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

What a wonderful idea...but I think I would go with telling DW a few days or maybe a week or so before. THat might freak her out with packing and all. But what a great dh you are for planning such a nice memory.

Denise

I'm torn about when to spring it on her. I'm going to call her boss a few months ahead of time to get her vacation time scheduled for the week we'll be going. I think (well, I hope) that packing won't be much of a problem. It'll be fall here, so the summer clothes will be put away. I think I can just get them out of the storage bins and put them in the suitcase. Is it obvious that I_never_do the packing?? I'm planning on the second week in November, so I think it should be warm enough for shorts/summery clothes in WDW.

 

[DisneyRef]

I am sure if you tell the CM/reservationist what you are trying to do, they can tell you where they are going to send the info. Does Disney do this electronically yet?

 

[edk35]

We went Thanksgiving week 2002 and the weather was warm a couple of days.....where you could wear shorts but at night a couple we were in jacketse and gloves. I would give her a few days notice..AT LEAST TWO.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

We went Thanksgiving week 2002 and the weather was warm a couple of days.....where you could wear shorts but at night a couple we were in jacketse and gloves. I would give her a few days notice..AT LEAST TWO.

How 'bout 24 hours? I could tell her Friday morning (which will be our anniversary) that we're leaving Saturday morning. I think that would give her enough time to either 1. get the packing done or 2. make a packing list and I'll pack.

 

[edk35]

That sounds good if you are helping with the packing and all. Just remember that I tend to do most of the trip planning and all..so if she is NOT IN ON IT...so to speak...you will need to take care of all those little things . WE DW's (and she is probably the one to do those things too)tend to take care of the things no one else thinks of when planning trips. hee hee......Anyway...YOU ARE DOING A WONDERFUL THING...SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE PLANNING WAY AHEAD OF TIME AND I AM SURE YOU WILL DO A WONDERFUL JOB. I am sure she will NOT BELIEVE IT WHEN YOU TELL HER YOU GUYS ARE LEAVING FOR WDW THE NEXT DAY.


Denise

 

[lizziepooh]

It is wonderful that you are planning a trip, but personally I would not appreciate having my husband spring the news on me the day before. I would be very stressed and would want to know at least a week ahead of time. I have a list of things that we take and I don't think hubby would remember or think to pack half of them. Also if I needed to purchase some things for the trip, there would be no time. Planning and anticipation could be fun for you and your wife together to surprise the kids. That's just my opinion.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

It is wonderful that you are planning a trip, but personally I would not appreciate having my husband spring the news on me the day before. I would be very stressed and would want to know at least a week ahead of time. I have a list of things that we take and I don't think hubby would remember or think to pack half of them. Also if I needed to purchase some things for the trip, there would be no time. Planning and anticipation could be fun for you and your wife together to surprise the kids. That's just my opinion.

Help me out here...what would you want to pack that the DH might not think about? I have a very comprehensive packing list around here somewhere that I used for our last trip to WDW.

 

[lizziepooh]

If you have a packing list from previous trips, you'll probably be fine. At our house, hubby packs his clothes and I pack everything else. I'm thinking of the misc items like rain ponchos, water bottles, suntan lotion, wet wipes, laundry soap, dryer sheets, stain stick, plastic pass holders, orlando maps, fanny packs, stamps, childrens tylenol, sun glasses, extra pair of eye glasses, etc. etc. It isn't that my hubby couldn't pack all that stuff, I've just always done it. We also stay at DVC resorts, so there is kitchen type stuff that I take along.

I'm sure you will do fine with packing. If you forget something, it can probably be purchased there. I'm just saying for me, I would rather know at least a week ahead of time.

 

[pamlet]

I'm loving this thread. We're having a running discussion about our 25th anniversery... in MAY...

laugh... I would be THRILLED if my DH suprised me!! Even with 24 hours notice... Of course I would HOPE he had gone through and pulled summer clothes to the side so all I had to do was throw it in.

I have a "travel box" that keeps most of our misc. stuff - so that wouldn't be a problem..

 

[Cujo]

Re: Surprise Trip Planning. . . .
We just surprised our two teenage daughters with a trip to Disney as a Christmas present. There is something to be said for having sometime to enjoy the anticipation and excitement of going.
Our girls have a month to wait, but IMHO a week would be a nice amount of time to get what you need, have piece of mind that anything you may need or need to do is all done, and again, most of all the fun of the anticipation.
Best of luck to you in your planning. . . . . what a very thoughtful idea!
Have fun!

Sandra

 

[momshark]

Oh, and you may want to check that DW hasn't scheduled any appointments for that week such as haircuts or doctors. We need to make dentist appointments 6 mo.s in advance, so I would need a little time to change or cancel it. But, I wouldn't be too upset if I were going to WDW because my fabulous DH surprised me with a trip!!
Good luck!!!

 

[CinderellaIam]

I just surprised my DD18 with a trip as her Chrismas gift...exactly 19 hours before our flight was to leave! She had work that day and a big Christmas party to go to that night...but, she was a) thrilled and b) packed in record time, and the only thing she forgot was socks which was no biggie, I always pack more than I wear so she wore mine. Keep in mind that this is a girl who's idea of "roughing it" is not having a manicure for a week lol! She packed all her clothes, her shoes, her hand bags, her toiletries (have any idea how big this bag is for an 18 yr old girl!), her appliances (hair dryer, hair straightener, clothes steamer and I think a curling iron), mp3 player, digital camera and extra media cards, sunscreen, water wallet, rain gear, hat, scarf, gloves. I was very impressed!

Bottom line, your wife and children will be so happy no one will care about the lack of time to "prepare to pack".

 

[aec]

I wouldn't want to be suprised with something like this. It is a very thoughtful idea, I would just hate for it to backfire on you. But you know your DW better than we do!

How often do you go to WDW? Do you normally do the planning and packing?

Have you ever suprised her with something like this before?

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

I wouldn't want to be suprised with something like this. It is a very thoughtful idea, I would just hate for it to backfire on you. But you know your DW better than we do!

How often do you go to WDW? Do you normally do the planning and packing?

Have you ever suprised her with something like this before?

We've been to WDW twice, once before the kids were born and once with the kids. I do the planning (reservations, research, PS's, touring plans, etc) and DW does the packing.

I've never surprised her with anything this big before, which is why I think she'll have no idea what I'm planning. The most difficult part will be "hiding" money to pay for the trip.

 

[aec]

We've been to WDW twice, once before the kids were born and once with the kids. I do the planning (reservations, research, PS's, touring plans, etc) and DW does the packing.

I've never surprised her with anything this big before, which is why I think she'll have no idea what I'm planning. The most difficult part will be "hiding" money to pay for the trip.

The fact that you do the planning snd research helps a lot. I do all our planning, so if DH tried to suprise me with a trip I would go into panic mode.

 

[kikipug]

2. make a packing list and I'll pack.

Better yet... make a shopping list of the stuff you forgot, and hit SuperTarget when you get here. This is FL, not the Sahara Desert... we have things like toothbrushes, socks, underwear, all available 24/7!!!!

And in terms of early November, as a former Northerner myself, I'll tell you.. its pretty warm... 80's during the day, 60's at night! Shorts, shorts, shorts, and a sweatshirt just in case. (Or buy one of those at Target, too!)

 

[meghan74]

I did a similar thing with my mom and dd (my DH will NOT go to WDW under any circumstances, so I wouldn't even try it with him). I told my mom that we were going to CA to visit my sister. Thus, she packed the appropriate clothing, etc. I checked us in at the airport and she didn't figure out what was happening until we got to the gate! My dd has been lucky enough to go to WDW 4 times and DL 2 times (she just turned four) so she thinks that everytime she goes to an airport she is going to Disney. She was the toughest to fool! I had her convinced that we were going to visit another relative and I kept her occupied enought that she didn't figure things until we got on the train in the airport (the one you take to baggage claim). It was very cool.

My first suggestion is to tell your dw that you are going on a trip to a place with a similar climate about a week advance so that she can pack, etc. Then try to keep your real destination secret until you are at the airport.

My second suggestion is to check out a good packing list (you can find good ones at AllEars and the Unofficial Guide sites as well as other similar sites) and just do your best. I think you should avoid revealing anything until you get to the airport so that she won't have time to panic! I would love to be surprised with a trip, but not if it means that I have to spend 12 hours non-stop packing!