Need ideas on how to surprise kids

[mott]

We are taking a 4 night cruise w/2 nights in Cocoa Beach prior to sailing. The kids have been told we are going to Cocoa Beach for vacation (I think they liked the Cocoa part ! I have read on the boards that Grills is a great place to eat and watch the Magic sail out on Saturday evening. So that's my plan...BUT does anyone have any ideas on how or when to surprise kids (8 & 5) with curise news? We sailed before but only the older one remembers.

THANKS!

 

[musicgirl]

What about a game of 20 questions? Maybe you could start if earlier about places you have been on your trip and also any plans the family has already made.


Or a treasure hunt? Pretend to have a mysterious package arrive with clues. You might send them to the Biggest Surf shop (ron jon's) and have a "clue" planted on something you are planning on buying. You might have to have one of you go a bit ahead. A clue could lead you to the restaurant. If you are in restaurant while the ship is there, you could have a clue like....

Where can you find Mickey and Minnie dressed naval wear (for better lack of words at the moment!!!)? Maybe part of the clue will lead you back to your room where there will be yet the final prize, the documents or something they might understand better.

With a little planning, that could be a lot of fun.

 

[rsjj]

how about having mickey/minnie (or whoever they love) send them a postcard stating something like they (the character/s) can't wait to meet you(your son/s) when they get on the ship!! that's would be so cool!

we had that done prior to our first cruise, and our DSs (2 & 4 at the time) were so surprised that they knew we were going! and was so excited!! cuz mickey actually wrote to them!! yes, it was priceless to see our DS4 question us..."how did he know?" "how does he know our address?" "does he know everything?"

 

[JSCTRico4]

I am actually planning to blindfold mine in the car right before the ship is in sight. They are 6 and 9. They are going to freak out.... I hope. I plan on video taping..... when we can get out and they have full view of the ship, we'll let them take off your blindfold. Just be sure you videotape!

 

[clh2]

I'd take them to Grills for dinner the night before - comment on how lucky those passengers on the Magic are. Wouldn't it be fun if we could be the ones on the ship waving to the people at Grill's?
And let the conversation go from there...

 

[DIS NURSE]

bump! We are doing the same surpise attempt in Nov! Ages 6 and 8.

 

[TJHutch]

Oh that is sooo funny...we are surprising our 2 dd's as well. Our plan is to arrive in Cocoa beach and go to the beach or Grill's to watch the ships sail out. Of course we are too tired to drive to disney so we are going to spend the night and drive to disney the next morning. Daddy is going to be all confused and take the wrong exit and we are heading towards the port. Shucks, there is no where to turn around. We have to drive all the way down in order to get turn around . Won't they be surprised once they find out we don't have to turn around that they are going on a disney cruise.....we cannot wait to see their faces...

 

[Saxsoon]

My parents said the same thing, and when we got there, we still didn't figure it out. They said, maybe they will let us walk around on the ship. I was nine, my sis 5. We believed them, then they started taking our luggage out and YES :thewave:

 

[Cruella de mom]

I am so impressed that you can keep it a secret! As for me, 1/2 the fun is the anticipation so I told the kids right away even though the cruise is still almosta year away. BEsides, its the only thing I seem to be able to talk about nowadays so they would figure it out.

The post office has some great disney postcards right now that might be a great way to surprise the kids

Or how about as you are driving past the ships, look at each other and say "why don't we see if they have room for us?" and whoever is driving can make a great sweeping turn into the dock. The kids will be on pins and needles all during check in but they will also be amazed.

Now you see where I get my nickname.

 

[NJ Cruisers]

No flames please ... this is just my opinion ...

We are all on these boards because we love the planning and the anticipation of the cruises. Thinking about them, talking about them, reading everything we can. Why not let the kids enjoy that anticpation too. A treasure hunt or postcard at home way before the cruise is a cool idea for a surprise, but I don't get the thing about surprising them as they walk onto the ship. Even my 5 year old son loves talking about what we'll do on the cruise and remembering what the did the last time.

Diane

 

[runa00]

when i was about 10 my mom surprised me with a trip to wdw. she had everything packed and ready to go for me and told me to go and find my mickey mouse wallet. well i couldn't find it and didn't know why i needed it so bad. so finally she said, "you need to go and find that wallet because i have disney dollars for you to put in it to spend in disney world. go find that wallet right now because we are getting on a plane in 2 hours." well needless to say i found that wallet in about 5 minutes! i like the treasure hunt idea or the postcard from mickey. part of the reason my mom kept it a secret was b/c she said she was running around like a nut and dind't need 2 of us acting crazy for months!

 

[dairyou]

Not flaming but just answering your question. We are surprising our kids because we want to see the look on their faces and see their joy. I guess I can only relate it to Christmas. At least it is the same feeling for us. To buy presents they don't expect and to see the look on their face when they open their presents. Christmas wouldn't be as fun if you knew what was in the box

That is why we are suprising our kids.

Deb

 

[mott]

Deb, you did a great job explaining the reason behind the surprise! Giving them something they don't expect. I thought about telling them so they could pick out their activities, but really, we don't know until we see the navigators what there will be to do. It is a VERY hard secret to keep since I am so excited. It might slip out as time gets closer, but I thought it would be fun to surprise them.

Thanks to everyone who has replied with ideas!

 

[Barbmouse63]

Cute ideas! We sail in June but will "surprise" our kids with it as a Christmas present. I am going to type up some sort of certificate with the dates, etc. They will also be getting some cruise stuff as presents like a bathing suit, beach towel, snorkel equipment, etc. Then we will have 6 months of anticipation. Anyone else have other ideas?

 

[my3kids]

We did the total "Surprise" thing one time and it was a collossial disappointment. We've also told really far in advance and a day or so in advance. Both the others got much better responses than the total surprise. With the no warning, the kids were confused, not excited. They just didn't "get it." It was absolutely NOT the Kodak moment I was anticipating.

 

[Cinderelli]

We're in the same boat as "my3kids". We tried to do a surprise trip to WDW 4 years ago when the kids were 4, 6, and 7. We picked them up from school (all packed) and told them we were going for ice cream (they didn't know it was at Beaches & Cream). Once we got to Orlando, and went under the Welcome Gate, they were excited, but seemed much more confused and likewise, wasn't the Kodak moment I was anticipating. We tried surprising them a 2nd time (a year later), but they knew to look in the back of the van for the bags, tee hee!

I guess we haven't mastered this "surprise" thing.

For now on, tho, my kids love the anticipation as much as we do. We let them in on it and they love to help plan the trip. Right now, they are so excited about room service, they can't stand it. It makes it alot of fun for us, too.

Best Wishes on your Surprise. I think everyone deserves at least one.

Lissa

 

[mcraft17]

We suprised our then 8yr old dd last Sept. when we took the shortened (by the hurricaine) Wonder. It was so awsome to see her face! She had wanted to go on a Disney Cruise for ever! We told her we were going to Disney for the week (we have annual passes so she goes there ALOT!) Then because of the Hurricaine we had to take a transfer to Ft. Lauderdale, we told her we were going to another hotel when she found out the Wonder was the hotel she was jumping up and down!! This year we are going on the 7 night and she thinks we are going to Key West, but I didn't say how we are getting there With my dd if I told her when we book she really couldn't stand the wait and would be asking every day when are we going. I know sooner or later she is going to catch on but we will enjoy it while it lasts. It is hard to keep it a secret though!! Good luck on the suprise.

 

[mott]

The dk know that we are going to Cocoa Beach (and we are for 2 nights). They just don't know that from there we get on the Wonder. Right now, I like the idea of watching the Magic sale and see where the conversation takes us. That way they are surprised, but also have a night to process it before we sail (and to get excited).

Thanks again to all who posted ideas!