mystic_path
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2006
- Messages
- 5,130
PRE Trip Report
My mom is turning 50 years old and although she likes keeping all her birthday's low key, this year is going to be a big milestone for her, and she is getting super excited trying to plan something extra special. She has been trying to figure out how to spend her big day... Big BBQ, Theme Party, Big Dinner out, etc. Thing is I already had something extra planned for her. While she is struggling to figure it out, I am planning something even bigger....
First I have to back it up for a second. Last year was a horrible hard year for my entire family. Mom was sick in the hospital on life support in the ICU and almost lost her life. The doctors told my family to start making funeral arrangements, but my mom (that one tough cookie) had other plans and pulled through. She told me later that besides us kids, the one thing that got her through was the thought of going to Disneyland.
I promised her that I would make sure that happened, and the moment she was pulled out of ICU and put into a normal room, I sat on her bed with her, holding my laptop creating a plan to get her to the land. She wanted to go in May/June as it gives her plenty of recovery time before we go. She said how nice it would be to have a family vacation as we havent had one in years.
So I started thinking how deserving she and all the family is of this. I decided to go on a mission to try and get all her closest loved ones to the Land to celebrate life, & her 50th birthday as her birthday is mid June. We just wont tell her. They can randomly bump into her in the park, and shout "HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU". With the current promo "What are you celebrating" I kind of figured this would be more then appropriate.
I then held a secret meeting with my mom's best friend, and the immediate family to tell them my plan. The idea was devoured. THEY LOVED IT!!!! Problem is some of them just were about to start new jobs, and others didnt have current passports. So we decided to get all those in order, while telling mom A) Couldnt get time off to go B) Couldnt get the Passports in time.
My mom's best friend however had already been talking to my mom about the Disneyland vacation and had told my mom that she wanted to go too. So she decided to help me make sure this plan went smoothly, and Shhhhh! Quietly!
Early 2010 when mum was now at home, I got mum, dad, my credit card and my mom's best friend and we went to Flight Center to book a 9 night 10 day vacation to Disneyland. We got 7 day DL hoppers, and figured we could have a lounge day, do a shopping day, and maybe rent a car and go to the beach another day. If we want to book another excursion instead of a lounge day, then we at least have some time to think about what we wanna do.
As soon as we booked, I told the rest of the party so they could get the time off of work and start booking their trips to the land. I dont think luck could have hit us better. Everyone was able to get the time off starting May 31st, & they got their passports renewed. This worked out perfectly....
By this point mom was suggesting how amazing it would be if everyone could go on this vacation. But we all told her... Sorry. Its not possible.
My mom, dad, the best friend, and myself booked our vacation for May 29th, and the rest of the party booked theirs for May 31st. We are there for 10 days, so the rest of the party can have a good solid week vacation. Even if mum had an indication that something might be up, she has 2 days to realize no one is there yet and probably wont come.
So secretly without mom knowing we all worked out a plan of attack and wanted to add in some perks for her 50th birthday.
THE PLAN!
- The Secret party's flight comes in at 9:30am on May 31st. During this time, I will get my mom into the main Disneyland park, but away from the main Hub in front of the castle, so the party can come in and hide themselves. They will then text me and say "OK we are at the hub and ready". I will get mom there right away, where everyone will be standing waiting for her. (Of course the video camera will be rolling).
We will then present her with a gift bag full of birthday stuff. A sparkly tiara that say's 50 on it, a pink 50th birthday sash, a Disneyland birthday button, A bigger memory card for her camera for all those extra pics she didnt know she was going to have to take, and a Disney T-Shirt.
She will then be told of everything we have planned for her that week.
1. We are all there to celebrate her and her birthday for the entire week and staying at the same hotel.
2. That night (the 31st) she is going to "Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament" Where she can feel like a queen and cheer on her knight.
3. During the week has Dinner Reservations at Goofy's Kitchen. What she wont know is that they are going to have a birthday table set up for her with balloons, and she will be presented with a fun cupcake in a princess jewelery box. (Even 50 year old's can be big kids)
4. We are going to Universal Studios & on a tour of Hollywood which allows her time to do some shopping.
5. Sandiego Zoo
Me being in school to be a travel agent I was granted permission by my Mumsie to book and plan everything. Which means she probably wont make phone calls to make sure everything is going off perfectly. She mentioned how fun it would be to go to Universal Studios, but I told her that at some point during our vacation there is a premier or something for "King Kong 3D" at Universal and it would probably be crazy busy. I wanted to avoid massive crowds, media and or park closure.... Thing is... There is no premier. I just didnt want her knowing we had already booked it. So she opted for a lounge day instead. As for the zoo I knew she mentioned it awhile back how cool it would be to go there. So that lounge day she can lounge on the bus on the way there. HA! Besides after she realized what we have done for her, I dont think we will hear much complaining.
We are now at the 4 day mark before we leave on Vacation. I do have one last surprise for her and she gets it on May 28th, the night before we leave. I am coming home straight from work, and taking her out for dinner, and then to a spa where she is going to have a 90 minute full body massage, a pedicure, and manicure. Then she will be all relaxed and ready for a 50th birthday party she wont forget.
My mom is turning 50 years old and although she likes keeping all her birthday's low key, this year is going to be a big milestone for her, and she is getting super excited trying to plan something extra special. She has been trying to figure out how to spend her big day... Big BBQ, Theme Party, Big Dinner out, etc. Thing is I already had something extra planned for her. While she is struggling to figure it out, I am planning something even bigger....
First I have to back it up for a second. Last year was a horrible hard year for my entire family. Mom was sick in the hospital on life support in the ICU and almost lost her life. The doctors told my family to start making funeral arrangements, but my mom (that one tough cookie) had other plans and pulled through. She told me later that besides us kids, the one thing that got her through was the thought of going to Disneyland.
I promised her that I would make sure that happened, and the moment she was pulled out of ICU and put into a normal room, I sat on her bed with her, holding my laptop creating a plan to get her to the land. She wanted to go in May/June as it gives her plenty of recovery time before we go. She said how nice it would be to have a family vacation as we havent had one in years.
So I started thinking how deserving she and all the family is of this. I decided to go on a mission to try and get all her closest loved ones to the Land to celebrate life, & her 50th birthday as her birthday is mid June. We just wont tell her. They can randomly bump into her in the park, and shout "HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU". With the current promo "What are you celebrating" I kind of figured this would be more then appropriate.
I then held a secret meeting with my mom's best friend, and the immediate family to tell them my plan. The idea was devoured. THEY LOVED IT!!!! Problem is some of them just were about to start new jobs, and others didnt have current passports. So we decided to get all those in order, while telling mom A) Couldnt get time off to go B) Couldnt get the Passports in time.
My mom's best friend however had already been talking to my mom about the Disneyland vacation and had told my mom that she wanted to go too. So she decided to help me make sure this plan went smoothly, and Shhhhh! Quietly!
Early 2010 when mum was now at home, I got mum, dad, my credit card and my mom's best friend and we went to Flight Center to book a 9 night 10 day vacation to Disneyland. We got 7 day DL hoppers, and figured we could have a lounge day, do a shopping day, and maybe rent a car and go to the beach another day. If we want to book another excursion instead of a lounge day, then we at least have some time to think about what we wanna do.
As soon as we booked, I told the rest of the party so they could get the time off of work and start booking their trips to the land. I dont think luck could have hit us better. Everyone was able to get the time off starting May 31st, & they got their passports renewed. This worked out perfectly....
By this point mom was suggesting how amazing it would be if everyone could go on this vacation. But we all told her... Sorry. Its not possible.
My mom, dad, the best friend, and myself booked our vacation for May 29th, and the rest of the party booked theirs for May 31st. We are there for 10 days, so the rest of the party can have a good solid week vacation. Even if mum had an indication that something might be up, she has 2 days to realize no one is there yet and probably wont come.
So secretly without mom knowing we all worked out a plan of attack and wanted to add in some perks for her 50th birthday.
THE PLAN!
- The Secret party's flight comes in at 9:30am on May 31st. During this time, I will get my mom into the main Disneyland park, but away from the main Hub in front of the castle, so the party can come in and hide themselves. They will then text me and say "OK we are at the hub and ready". I will get mom there right away, where everyone will be standing waiting for her. (Of course the video camera will be rolling).
We will then present her with a gift bag full of birthday stuff. A sparkly tiara that say's 50 on it, a pink 50th birthday sash, a Disneyland birthday button, A bigger memory card for her camera for all those extra pics she didnt know she was going to have to take, and a Disney T-Shirt.
She will then be told of everything we have planned for her that week.
1. We are all there to celebrate her and her birthday for the entire week and staying at the same hotel.
2. That night (the 31st) she is going to "Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament" Where she can feel like a queen and cheer on her knight.
3. During the week has Dinner Reservations at Goofy's Kitchen. What she wont know is that they are going to have a birthday table set up for her with balloons, and she will be presented with a fun cupcake in a princess jewelery box. (Even 50 year old's can be big kids)
4. We are going to Universal Studios & on a tour of Hollywood which allows her time to do some shopping.
5. Sandiego Zoo
Me being in school to be a travel agent I was granted permission by my Mumsie to book and plan everything. Which means she probably wont make phone calls to make sure everything is going off perfectly. She mentioned how fun it would be to go to Universal Studios, but I told her that at some point during our vacation there is a premier or something for "King Kong 3D" at Universal and it would probably be crazy busy. I wanted to avoid massive crowds, media and or park closure.... Thing is... There is no premier. I just didnt want her knowing we had already booked it. So she opted for a lounge day instead. As for the zoo I knew she mentioned it awhile back how cool it would be to go there. So that lounge day she can lounge on the bus on the way there. HA! Besides after she realized what we have done for her, I dont think we will hear much complaining.
We are now at the 4 day mark before we leave on Vacation. I do have one last surprise for her and she gets it on May 28th, the night before we leave. I am coming home straight from work, and taking her out for dinner, and then to a spa where she is going to have a 90 minute full body massage, a pedicure, and manicure. Then she will be all relaxed and ready for a 50th birthday party she wont forget.
I'll be waiting to hear how it goes.
My co worker is taking the dog, but it was funny how my bro played along and mum felt great she took care of a last minute arrangement. 
I will so do a full Trip report with a video when I get home.
