Need ideas for special gesture...

[penchris]

DH is returning from Middle East military deployment, and we are using his leave to take DS6 on suprise trip to WDW. Most of the planning has been to make this a dad-son reunion bonding trip....but I made one ADR at Coral Reef (intentions to see Illuminations after for touch of romance).

Since DH has missed all birthdays, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, and made essentially every kind of "family moments" sacrifice...I want to suprise him with a special gesture at this one grown-up dinner. Give me some ideas that will show how much I consider him a hero, and that I love, value, and cherish him. I have 10 days to get this together, and ideas can range from things the restaurant could help do...to a gift/suprise I can hide and bring with me.

P.S. I choose Coral Reef, because fish keeping is his hobby interest. Nemo/Ariel are his favorite characters.

TIA

 

[BluOrchid2]

Since DH has missed all birthdays, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, and made essentially every kind of "family moments" sacrifice...I want to suprise him with a special gesture at this one grown-up dinner. Give me some ideas that will show how much I consider him a hero, and that I love, value, and cherish him.

Your post made me cry this morning. How wonderful, the love that you have for him. So great to know there are other married couples so much in love. I hope that you are able to come up with some gesture that you are satisfied with, but I'd bet that just gazing across the table into your eyes will do the trick for him.

 

[tiggersthebest]

Maybe you could do a little something at each course... to make up for lost time and something extra special for dessert- include the staff to bring something....just an idea. By the way I have great RESPECT for people that are willing to sacrifice for our country and the family that supports them.

5 1
Proud to be a Christian
Too many times to list as a kid
Once I “grew” up:
1997 Fort Wilderness (summer); Coronado Springs Christmas
1999 Wilderness Lodge (Spring); Fort Wilderness Christmas/New Years
2002 Polynesian
2003 Caribbean Beach
2004 Took a break after having a baby
2005 Going to Port Orleans Riverside
2006 Back to Poly!!!

 

[undertheseas]

Your post really made me happy, sad and proud all at once! Yea for you and your husband, thank you for serving our country! I wonder if one of the bakeries could make a red/white/blue cake? It would be symbolic and chocolate cake is always romantic (or is that just me? LOL)

Tell your DH that we appreciate his sacrifice!!! And yours too! Have a great trip!

 

[jonestavern]

I so much want to thank yr DH & you & yr family for their service to this nation. Thank you & big !
Does yr DH like desserts? Perhaps you can arrange for something special by calling the Coral Reef now. Do let them know he is a returning active duty armed forces member & that you need their input on making this a very special dinner!
Not a dinner thing, but you both could do the snorkel experience, or if you or DH has a scuba liscense you could arrange for Dive Quest. these activities would need to be arranged ASAP.
Best Wishes ever!

Jean

 

[momof2disprincesses]

That is SO cool that you want to do this. I too want to say thank you to you and your family for your sacrifices for the freedom the rest of us enjoy!

Since you said you've missed many special celebrations together, why not "celebrate" each of them with the different courses of the meal. For example, during the appetizer, celebrate his birthday with a small gift. For the entree, celebrate your anniversary with a love note or poem you wrote for him and then for dessert, celebrate Valentine's Day with a special treat you've pre-arranged. Be creative and keep asking others for ideas, you know the old saying "two minds are better than one."

I'm sure if you called the restaurant directly about 1 month or so before your special dinner and told them what you wanted to do, they would not only fully support you, they may even offer a few surprises of their own.

Never underestimate the power of pixie dust

 

[disnut8]

Disney sells charms for $4 - you can easily find the stand at Mouse Gear at Epcot. They have small Nemo and Ariel charms. Nothing big but something he can take back with him. To remind him of your special night.

Also pass on my entire family's thanks for all your husband has done and will be doing for all of us back here. His efforts are truly appreciated. And so are yours and your son's.

And lastly, print out all these kind responses so your husband knows how special he is to ALL of us.

 

[momof2disprincesses]

Disney sells charms for $4 - you can easily find the stand at Mouse Gear at Epcot. They have small Nemo and Ariel charms. Nothing big but something he can take back with him. To remind him of your special night.

Also pass on my entire family's thanks for all your husband has done and will be doing for all of us back here. His efforts are truly appreciated. And so are yours and your son's.

And lastly, print out all these kind responses so your husband knows how special he is to ALL of us.

This spurred another idea in my mind. Perhaps start another thread asking folks directly say their "thank you's" to your husband for his service to our country.

You know him better than anyone, if you think he would like this, I'm sure you would get tons of responses from your friends here.

 

[pixiedust23]

This spurred another idea in my mind. Perhaps start another thread asking folks directly say their "thank you's" to your husband for his service to our country.

You know him better than anyone, if you think he would like this, I'm sure you would get tons of responses from your friends here.

I was thinking something along the same lines. Maybe print out a thread devoted to your husband where we can thank him and all his peers for the immense sacrifice they are making for us and other people all over the world. I also really like the red white and blue cake idea and I would def call CR right away and get them in on it!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I love momof2disprincesses' idea of celebrating some of the big events he missed with each course of the meal. What a great idea!

Anything on the separate thread where we can say "thank you"?

 

[gigi1313]

i was thinking along the same lines w/the celebrate momentous occasions as each course progresses (and drag it out...) although i was thinking in lieu of a formal "gift" perhaps some photos of those occasions or a mini scrap book of those occasions commemorating the occasion, who was present, and how much you missed him... culminating perhaps w/a binder or something to put them all in...

another thought is to contact the restaurant and see if they can help out... maybe a special visit by ariel or nemo (is there a nemo character available for meet and greets) or even mickey during your dinner... or perhaps some autographed pics of the characters expressing their thanks to your dh... or, if they are still offering it, plan a "leave a legacy" photo session for the two of you before or after dinner...

i also love the idea of sharing warm sentiments from the world in the world...

please add my and my family's THANK YOU to your dh and his comrades! they are incredibly self-less men and women and i offer our sincerest thanks and gratitude!

 

[Mister Disney]

I too would like to chime in with a HUGE thank you to you and your husband for his service and the sacrafices your family has done for all of us.

In that vane, I would like to offer this up. If you let us know when you'll be going etc, I'd like to along, with others on the board, send you on an "Illuminations" Cruise. I am willing to put up $25 towards this, do we have anyone else on the great DIS board that wants to help send a serviceman and his wife on an Illumination Cruise as our thank you to them? Whatever anyone can afford.

I will be more than willing to be the organizer of this.

 

[jonestavern]

In that vane, I would like to offer this up. If you let us know when you'll be going etc, I'd like to along, with others on the board, send you on an "Illuminations" Cruise. I am willing to put up $25 towards this, do we have anyone else on the great DIS board that wants to help send a serviceman and his wife on an Illumination Cruise as our thank you to them? Whatever anyone can afford.

I will be more than willing to be the organizer of this.

We're in --let us know how & when! It would be so romantic for them!

Jean

 

[gigi1313]

Mr Disney... can you accept paypal?

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

DH is returning from Middle East military deployment, and we are using his leave to take DS6 on suprise trip to WDW. Most of the planning has been to make this a dad-son reunion bonding trip....but I made one ADR at Coral Reef (intentions to see Illuminations after for touch of romance).

Since DH has missed all birthdays, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, and made essentially every kind of "family moments" sacrifice...I want to suprise him with a special gesture at this one grown-up dinner. Give me some ideas that will show how much I consider him a hero, and that I love, value, and cherish him. I have 10 days to get this together, and ideas can range from things the restaurant could help do...to a gift/suprise I can hide and bring with me.

P.S. I choose Coral Reef, because fish keeping is his hobby interest. Nemo/Ariel are his favorite characters.

TIA

It's hard to understand what a military family goes through unless you've been there yourself. I would dispense with all the riffraff of extra cakes or trinkets and simply make him a coupon book. One coupon for every day he was gone. One each coupon, write something you felt or missed while he was away, whether it was his closeness or his simple reassurance as your husband, and make the coupon good for what you missed. "dear (insert hubby's name here) today we missed you again. I especially missed listening to your voice. This coupon is good for one heart - to - heart talk." or something like, "dear hubby. I missed you so much again today. I especially missed picking up your wet dirty towels. Sounds corny, but I missed your presence. Please present this coupon for one 'dirty bathroom' cleanup without nagging"

Obviously you can make coupons for all kinds of things. I think you'll be incredibly surprised by how much he will appreciate that you missed him and all the little things that make up a life together.

Enjoy your trip, enjoy your husband, and enjoy life. You are a deserving family

 

[Mister Disney]

Mr Disney... can you accept paypal?

Sure I can do it through paypal...once we figuire out the logistics of the cruise for them, get a reservation etc.

 

[Mister Disney]

I've sent TIA a PM asking for the info on when they are going to dinner etc.

4 of us so far are interested in helping out. Anyone else?

 

[jennymouse]

That's a wonderful idea, Mister Disney! The OP said she only has 10 days to plan though so the cruise might be already booked. I think you have to book it at 90 days?? If it can be done, I'm sure Mister Disney can do it tho! And if you can, I'd be willing to donate.

Another idea that doesn't have anything to do with dinner is perhaps you could arrange for him to do the flag raising ceremony at Magic Kingdom. I think it happens everyday at 5pm. I'm not sure how you go about it but I bet someone would know on the parks board.

 

[DeirdreTours]

I was thinking something along the same lines. Maybe print out a thread devoted to your husband where we can thank him and all his peers for the immense sacrifice they are making for us and other people all over the world. I also really like the red white and blue cake idea and I would def call CR right away and get them in on it!

Hmmm. I think as good as these intentions are, that many people would consider it just too intrusive. And, several of the military people I have met recently have what I would call "patriotic fatigue"- they are tired of flag waving, rah-rahing, etc and really just want time with those they love and missed.

To the OP, I would hesitate to load up your vacation with too many "special moments"-- just being together again as a family will be so special that much of the rest might be overkill. And, your Dh may need chunks of not very scheduled time to reintegrate into your family (or maybe not, you surely know him best!).

Have a wonderful trip and a wonderful reunion.

 

[penchris]

Oh wow....you are all so thoughtful and generous. We will be at Disney Aug 8-12, so it is much too late for Illuminations...but the gesture really touched my heart. I will reply to the PM separate.

I have received some good ideas from these posts, and think I will go with the following:

-Tip off the Coral Reef staff via note what the special occassion is and request a great bottle of wine. I want to do a fancy dessert, but don't know what is available besides cakes.

- Make a coupon book for all missed events (good idea), with enclosed gift cards for his favorite places around home (Starbucks, Bass Pro Shop, Home Depot, etc.). Each coupon will correspond to gift card with a personal expression or promise to share the fun. I particularly like this idea because having fun things to look forward too will help stave off the post-Disney blues!

- Whisper a few double-entendre messages in his ear at Illuminations...with an open invitation for personal attention later. Maybe I will pick up a nice Disney robe for him and somehow sneak it out (by being a chick and having to go back alone for "one more thing" when leaving the resort) so it will be laid out on the bed for him when we get back to the room. I will also leave a nice Thank You card with all the Dis'ers best wishes printed out and tucked inside. I am starting the thread now....

Thank you again for helping me gather some pixie dust for a guy that really deserves it.