Need Creative minds on how to tell kids about our Disney Trip

[Tinkerbells2000]

Okay, we go to Disney every year usually in Sept. This Sept we had to cancel our trip due to my DH's job change. The money just wasn't there to go in Sept. However , we are now planning a trip for January, but the kids do not know yet. The kids ages are 7 (almost 8) 5 (almost 6) 4, and 2. I know the 2yr old won't really know, but the others totally understand. Here's what we have so far.... We plan on Telling them Christmas morning with a treasure hunt, and then the end prize being a box for each of them with fun trip things to see if they can figure it out. I'm not sure what type of things to put on the treasure hunt for clues. The boxes will include things like gameboy games, (for the van ride there), my oldest is getting a portable CD player in her box. Disposable camera's, probably Disney Dollars, and more, but I'm not sure what the "more" should be. Any ideas. We will be driving from Indiana, so stuff for the van ride there would be good. I'm hopeing this post makes sense. I am living on about 1/2 hours sleep right now, since I was up all night trying to think of creative ways to tell them. Thanks in advance for any help. Oh, also the 7,5,and 2 yr olds are girls, and the 4 yr. old is a boy. Thanks.

 

[colleen mcmaster]

We've never done a treasure hunt but it sounds fun. I was thinking that if you are going to all 4 parks then maybe each kid could have a treasure hunt for a certain park (MK for 2 y.o. with Mickey/Minnie/Princess themed items, AK for your son with dinosaur/safari themed items etc.) You could color code the clues so they aren't picking up each others clues. As for the actual clues, I don't have a lot of ideas but since you're driving maybe you could do something with maps of the U.S. Hope these make sense. Have fun!

 

[kecall]

Disney-themed hair things would be nice for the girls....also Disney clothes....I just bought a huge package of Disney Princess stickers from Sam's Club--in the office supply section. They also had great Disney sticker activity books in the books section....Disney-related candy (pez, lollipops...), sunglasses, Disney nightshirts...how about a tv/vcr combo for the whole family?? (Sam's has a 13" one for $189)

 

[jlima]

sunscreen?
sun visor/hat (from Disney Store)?
Squeeze Breeze or other spray/fan combo?
new bathing suits & beach shoes?
floaties for 2-yr old?
other inflatables for older kids? (can buy now; all summer stuff on clearance!)
swim goggles?
2-way radios? (put one each in the older kid's boxes)

And the ultimate (DH's dream) - DVD player for your van!! (Sam's Club here in Las Vegas had these back in June)

Hope this helps!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Here is what I am doing..Kids B-days are 10-3 (DS will be 5) and 11-18 ( DD will be 8 )
I will be having a party for them together at end of Sept and they will have a scavenger
hunt from myself .. I will give them a clue to the first box which will contain toy planes, they
will then get a clue to box 2 which will contain hotel info - room photos, pool, rest..ect and then
they will get a clue to the final box which is filled with mickey - for DS- and minnie - for DD - things
such as a plush, photo frames, light up key chains, bouncey ball- all will mickey and minnie on them.
I think I will be the queen of the day when they figure it out.. The entire B-day theme is micky and
i will be making a mickey cake and candies.. I have mickey and minnie goodie bags for the other
kids attending and will be asking that the kids recieve disney dollars, fast food coupons or cash
for presents instead of other types of gifts ( it is all family and a few real close friends attending)
Good Luck and i am sure what ever you do they will be quite happy if this is a family tradition..
I have been keeping the secret for 8 months now!! we will be gone Dec1-15!!! our first family
trip - myself, 2 kids, my mom and sister!!! Yea only 111 days

 

[Hunzi]

We flat out didn't tell them. ;-) Both times we went last year we kept it a secret. First time, we went January 4. Their school break ended and they were supposed to go back to school that day, so the 11 yr old didn't even notice at first that we had waken him up 2 hours early. We told him, then I went in to tell the 6 yr old. "Wake up! We're going to Disney World!" She looked up sleepily and said "For Real?"

Forty five minutes later we were in a cab on the way to the airport.

Second time we did the same thing. Thanksgiving morning woke them up, said "we're going to Disney World". They didn't believe us!!! It took us 10 minutes to convince them that a cab was on it's way and they needed to hurry!

Always ;-)
Hunzi

 

[Tinkerbells2000]

Great ideas so far. Thanks... I really like the ideas of different boxes with items for the treasure hunt. The TV?WCR would be great, but we already have one in the van. Don't know what I would ever do without it. I found a cardboard cutout of Cinderella's castle that will be at the end of the Treasure hunt that will have the main "big Boxes" full of stuff under it. I hope that I can keep it a secret until Christmas. TO tell you the truth, that's something I'm not very good at. Half the fun, I think, of Disney is planning it all year with the kids. But, I am going to try real hard, because I think they will be very excited.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Our son is 5 (almost 6) and we trip to WDW 2-4 times a year. We never tell him when we go. I pack while he sleeps and pack the car sometime when he's with a friend or involved in something else.

The morning we're ready to leave, we tell him we're going on an adventure! Since he's pretty smart (and he's been through it plenty of times), he gets excited and guesses it. The ride to the nearest airport (about an hour) is a breeze and by the time he asks when we'll get there, we're on the plane. He brings his own carry on filled with toys, crayons, puzzles to occupy himself and me!

It's not very creative, but it does keep down the level of over excitement as well as the "how may weeks, how many days, how many minutes questions."

 

[CarolMN]

The treasure hunt idea sounds like fun! Have to believe your kids would love it - maybe the older children can "help" the little one.

It looks like you might have a little time between the treasure hunt and your trip. When we went with my brother's family, I sent the kids a postcard from Mickey. It just said he heard they were coming for a visit and was looking forward to seeing them. I found the postcards at the local Disney Store and tried to send one of a favorite character to each child. My brother said they were excited just to receive their own mail and even more so, when they saw it came from MM (or Winnie the Pooh or Donald Duck or etc.).

Enjoy the trip!

 

[bigsis1970]

Hopefully not enough to make me crazy with "is it time yet?" LOL on that one..
I am going to start handing out Disney dollars for rewards (report cards, chores, Ect)
and that is a great idea about the post cards.. Might have try that too...

 

[Dancind]

I'm doing this too. We are going in Sept., and my 10 yr. old DD doesn't know we're going back on Dec. 29. I'm getting her some things for Christmas that she can use there, but I want her to open something on Christmas morning that just says it all. Hallmark had an ad in the latest Disney mag about their new Disney ornaments, one looked like a crystal (but likely plastic) version of Cinerella's Castle. That might do it! Will try to sneak a couple of things home from our Sept. trip, too, maybe some pins from the 100 year celebration.

 

[Brave Little Tailor]

We aren't telling our kids either! They have three weeks off for fall break. We also live in Indiana and have driven to Florida the past three times we visited the state. My kids are 7 1/2, 5, and 3. They have never flown. We are going to splurge and have a limo pick us up and take us to the airport. I will pack at night - and eventhough we don't leave till October, things have mysteriously been dissapearing around our house like pin lanyards ; ) I sure hope I don't let the secret slip. I have a small fear of flying - the things we do just to get to Disney World. Our Walmart even had Disney bandaids - Princesses and Toy Story and Tigger. I found fanny packs for kids with a drink holder attached at Target. - Disney color books are at Meijers and the teacher store - Art and Education. I found Disney Yachtzee - electronic game at Walmart for kids 6 and up I think.

Have a Great Time!

 

[Tinkerbells2000]

There is no way that I could just not tell them. I can't keep a secret that well. I have almost let it slip a few times already, so holding out until December is going to kill me. Besides that I can not be sly about packing. I have almost all of the tresure hunt now figured out. The end of the hunt will be a cardboard cutout of the castle that is about 2 feet tall and the big boxes with the fun traveling items will all be under the castle. We have some friends going to Disney next month, so I am going to have them pick some things up for me. We will have about 3 weeks between the time we leave and Christmas. So one of the clues is going to be a paper chain for the countdown. I'm hopeing that this turns out as planned, but who knows, I have almost 5 months to keep it a secret. Trying very hard not to let it slip. Wish me luck!! Thanks for all the helpful advice, and please if you have any more ideas, keep them coming. I can always use lots more.

 

[Disney Family]

Tinkerbells 2000 - How wonderful - another mom of 4!!!!!

You have to include some PIXIE DUST!! Of course glitter would be a mess, but how about some of those iridescent "sprinkles" that you can use on cupcakes, etc?

Our trip is planned for Nov 3-10. This will be our first with four girls, last trip I was pregnant with #3. If you've come up with any brilliant ideas, let me know!

 

[catwho]

Do you have to tell them? We took our kids down once and didn't tell them where we were going. We told them Daddy had a business trip (well, it was true, but we went to WDW too) We drove down at night and went to the hotel room. Next morning we had to get up for "Daddy's business trip" We picked up some breakfast and drove to the park. The kids were totally unaware until we drove under that huge disney arch and our oldest (5 yo at the time) looked at her father in awe and said, "You mean you are meeting with Mickey Mouse?" It was our first trip down there, so they weren't aware of exactly where we were going.

Maybe you could tell them that you have to go on a trip (like a few days before you leave) and when they start fussing about having to pack, you could say, "Fine. If you don't want to go to WDW then don't pack!"

Good luck. January is a fantastic time to go (IMO)