Need help planning a surprise! :)

[Ursula J]

Hi all--First, some background, which you can skip if you want! We're going to WDW in June with my folks, who will be 79 and 75. This is a substitute for the cruise we'd originally planned for 2019. We had to reschedule the 2019 cruise because my dad suffered a traumatic brain injury and we nearly lost him (he'll be using an ECV for the first time on this trip). Then the next 2 sailings we tried were cancelled due to Covid, so we gave up and decided we wanted a trip. My husband and I wanted to pay for their trip but they are *very stubborn* about money and won't accept it. So we've snuck some money their way in little increments (like putting the trip on our card and lying as much as we could get away with about the final price ). This trip means so much to us all, and after my dad's scare we're reminded that we aren't guaranteed anything in life. We want it to be fun and carefree for not just my dad but my mom who has been a tireless caregiver while recovering from a toe amputation herself.
The request: I need to figure out a way to have some kind of "magic" *appear* to happen in the form of paying for meals, etc. Remember: they are stubborn as heck and my mom will walk out of a restaurant and never speak to me again if I try to just pay a bill lol! So I was trying to figure out a way to get them a gift card but make it seem like it's from Disney, like they were the recipients of pixie dust? But it has to be believable because they'll be suspicious. No one else would do this for them except me and my husband (small family without much extra $ lying around) so they would know an anonymous gift was from us. It has to look like WDW decided to be generous/magical. HOW DO I DO THIS?? Maybe talk to the hotel? Write guest services? I'm not asking for any money from WDW, just help with logistics making it seem like they got lucky. Ideas??

 

[EmilyGahr]

If you go on the shop Disney website, you have the option to personalize a little card that comes with the gift card! You could make the Sender's name anything you want, and include a sweet message!

 

[FCDub]

If you're able to get inside the room before them, a physical gift card laid on top of the in-room stationary with a "handwritten" note from the hotel manager welcoming them and thanking them for their patience during a difficult time might work.

 

[cgattis]

All great ideas. Also maybe have someone whose handwriting your folks don’t recognize pre-sign a card saying something like “we heard you’ve had a long road, please enjoy some magic,” signed “your pals at Disney” or something (so she can’t go call up the restaurant or hotel manager to try to give it back LOL), put a gift card in it, and slip it up your server to bring them during a meal. We got an anniversary card at Aulani signed by Mickey and Minnie, so seeing a server bring something shouldn’t be too suspicious. Or!!!! Swing by guest services and see if you can get a card signed by Mickey and do the same thing with it!! I love that you’re trying to do something special for them AND respect their wishes.

 

[philharmagic fan]

Are you staying in a Disney resort? If so, perhaps you could tell your parents that the way Disney works is that you charge everything to your room via a magic band or Mobile Magic, then you could swing by the desk and pay off part of the balance without them knowing, so that their final bill is reduced.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

In the before times....I once paid for a room upgrade without telling anyone. We initially had a small room discount, but then a better offer came out, and the discount mostly paid for the upgrade.

The secret room upgrade I added was a swap to club level. If you've never heard of club level, it is only at the deluxe resorts and = 7am-10pm access to a lounge that serves light breakfast, appetizers, snacks, non-alcohol drinks and limited beer/wine. So it was almost exactly the kind of little perk you're thinking about.

Unfortunately, the club lounges are currently closed, so it isn't an option at this time. If your trip isn't for some time, CL might possible open up later this year, but it hasn't been announced, as far as I know.

That said, hotels- once in a great while- give guests a surprise room upgrades, including WDW (or at least they did in the before times). You could possibly pay for such an upgrade, but just don't mention it. I have actually had hotels do exactly that- give me an upgraded room, or room view, without mentioning it to me. Just instead of the parking lot view I booked, we somehow had a premium view room.
Instead of a meal, a room upgrade is a potential option.

You could secretly pay for Magicbands for them.

In the before times, WDW sometimes did send us pre and post-trip notecards. A number of stores, like Target- sell WDW gift cards. They are easy enough to buy, and maybe mail to them.

If WDW resumes selling annual passes, you could buy one for yourself. Again, they aren't being offered right now, but they come with a perk of 10% off most Table service meals, and 20% off (some) merchandise. It depends when you are going to WDW.

Even when WDW did do room deliveries- they did NOT put anything in a room pre-arrival, just sometime on the first day. You could possibly leave your gift in the room some time AFTER arrival, but just later on arrival day?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

One member of my very extended family was sometimes known for secretly paying for meals before anybody knew about it. He'd go use the 'restroom' or find some other excuse to leave the table, but really when nobody was looking his real mission was paying the tab. Just, the bill never arrived at the table.

If anyone asked, the waitperson would just say something like, "your bill is all set," or something else vague. (though it didn't take long to solve the mystery.)

 

[KMarston]

Man! If only they had the dining plan! When I took my 80 yo mother in law who was so frugal all her life, my husband and I worried that she wouldn’t eat a thing and would make everyone miserable complaining about the prices! I finally decided to get the dining plan and tell her it was all inclusive like a cruise. Too bad you couldn’t convince them that it was a package deal!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Several years ago, my son and DIL were at WDW. We knew they were dining at Boma on a certain night and it was around Christmas. My folks were looking for a gift for them and I suggested paying for their meal at Boma.

I made a call and was connected to the manager at Boma who was happy to accommodate. Their card was charged along with a tip (I made sure they got 20% on top of the bill). I had them bring the folio with AKL stationery of some sort that said "Merry Christmas, Love (grandparents). We totally fooled them! Perhaps you can pull off something like this by arranging to pay in advance?

Good luck!

 

[afan]

One member of my very extended family was sometimes known for secretly paying for meals before anybody knew about it. He'd go use the 'restroom' or find some other excuse to leave the table, but really when nobody was looking his real mission was paying the tab. Just, the bill never arrived at the table.

If anyone asked, the waitperson would just say something like, "your bill is all set," or something else vague. (though it didn't take long to solve the mystery.)

My grandma used to do this but she never left the table and we never saw it happen. I was in jr high and visiting, but my uncle would get so frustrated she paid when he was going to. I still don't know how she did it, must have slipped the waitperson a card/cash early on.

 

[mouschievous]

My experience is everyone loves to help pull off a surprise. I'd ask at the front desk of your hotel if they're able to help. Have them write a note (so it's not in your handwriting) saying something about giving them some extra Disney magic for their trip and include the gift card that you provide, then have them deliver the new to the room or leave it when they clean.

I also really like the card from Mickey idea, if you can make that happen!

 

[kathy884]

This is off topic, but I'm taking my dad who is 84 to Orlando for a week next March -- specifically flower and garden and a day at SeaWorld. We have relatives in the area and will be doing non theme park things for three days too. Just saying if a senior with some mobility issues is willing to use an ECV and loves theme parks, Orlando is such a great vacation place (one of the best that I can think of) and really works better than a cruise even (Theme parks are easier for getting around and there is so much to do in the area). Logistics are easier than cruising with the need to stay somewhere the night before the cruise and needing to schedule airfare in certain timeframes if not wanting to do extra nights. And if from the US you don't have to be concerned about medical insurance and medical evacuation insurance too -- I think the cruise medical plan limits on their insurance are just too low, and while third party trip medical insurance is very inexpensive for a younger person it gets really pricey for the older set.

Just saying I think Orlando is a great choice and I made the same choice for traveling with my dad.

Have a wonderful time with your folks!

 

[luvdmouse]

There use to be a Disney online savings plan that you could put money into for a future trip. For every certain amount of money you put in, at the end you got a giftcard. So I would first put all of the money we needed into the account and then order the free gift card and finally transfer my money to pay for our trip. They don't have this anymore, but your parents would not know. So I would just tell them for every $100 they put into the disney fund, they get a $10 giftcard (amount is up to you) toward use on their trip. If they pay $1000, then they would "receive" $100 back (from you). It's a little strategy that helped me pull off some very fun surprises on past trips

 

[Blondie58]

Personal opinion: It is too stressful to try and snatch bills to pay or you pay this time and I will pay next time etc. etc. etc. I would say Dad and Mom this is your Mother's Day and Father's Day gift or an early birthday or early Christmas gift etc. I so dislike the tit for tat that goes with bill paying when others are not on board. I don't want to make someone uncomfortable or frustrated because I wish to gift them. I alwasy go the gift card route saying this is a pre-gift for whatever occassion. If someone feels uncomfortable recieving a gift they are not wishing for, who is the gift benefitting/stressing? I hope all have a wonderful time and all make lots of great memories. It sounds like you have been dealig with a great deal per medical issues.

 

[CheshKAT]

With all due respect, I think that your Mother will figure out who paid for this. If she will walk out of the restaurant for one meal being paid for, I'd hate to see what will she do for an entire trip. Your intentions are thoughtful but I don't think it's worth the fight!

 

[Wild4Walt]

You could book a meal where they require payment when you book the meal. You could use your card and work with the server to say the meal was pixie dusted.

In the same vein, you could work with the server at any location and I'm sure they would help you out. Pretend to go to the restroom at one point let the server in on the plan and provide a credit card for payment of the meal. This works best after ordering so they know how much to charge to your card.