Need ideas on how to surprise Mom with a cruise

[Dustmouse]

My mom has been dreaming about going on a cruise for a very long time and now I get to take her! I'm super excited about it and am looking for a fun way to break the news! I was planning on telling her on Mother's Day.

Any ideas?

 

[disneyfool_1202]

Oh how fun! I love surprising people in new and unique ways. When I got engaged we told our family during Thanksgiving by wrapping up an 'early' Christmas present with a a poem about a wedding hankey and an actual hankey' in the box. It took her a while but she finally 'got it' - everyone else in the room understood right away, but my mom's not the sharpest crayon in the box some days!!

What about getting some little things at the Disney Store (like a beach towel, sunglasses, lip balm), plus make a card with some cruise clip art in it and wrap it all up for Mother's Day??

Probably a lame idea - I'm apparently not the most creative person in the world!! I'm sure you'll get some fantastic ideas from DISers though!!

 

[noahdove]

For one of my surprise people and I have done a few The first one I put all travel size items in a bag, all numbered and as he read the letter he opened each little item and actually he got to the bottom when it dawned on him what was going to happened and his face was a sight to behold..good thing I had my camera ready For his sister, I was going to wrap a tee shirt that I made for her and give it to her on MY birthday as an accident and have her read it...cause it said Surprise you are going to Walt Disney World with the date...However, she had her tonsils out way early in the year and so I can her the shirt then as she was having a tough time with her throat...she was so excited, but, she couldn't yell as her throat was hurting too much..her mom did make sure she had the med 1/2 hour before I got there and all I can say, it was another great surprise...hope you find some way special to tell your mom

 

[sumeto]

My mom has been dreaming about going on a cruise for a very long time and now I get to take her! I'm super excited about it and am looking for a fun way to break the news! I was planning on telling her on Mother's Day.

Any ideas?

We have done this several times to my Mom! The first time we took her we did a WDW plus cruise. It was her first trip to WDW and the first cruise for all of us. We planned the whole trip all the way down to where, and when we would be eating! She had been wanting to go to Hawaii, but we told her that we would need to save up for that!!! We made a book out of a photo album and printed the info pages on photo paper. We wrapped it up as a Christmas present. She opened it Christmas morning. She thought it was a story of my Son and my trip from the year before. At the end of the book, it was reveled that She was going to WDW, our treat. The last day of our trip we were packed up and we went to eat at the Kona restaurant at the Poly. That was as close to Hawaii we could get that year!!!! We had added a new chapter to her book, and while we were waiting for the meal we gave here a lei to ware then gave her the book to review. She did not know we snuck it in the suitcase. As she got to the end the new chapter was wrapped like a present in the book... when she pulled the wrap it was reveled that as soon as we were done with breakfast that we were not going to the airport, but getting on the bus for our cruise! Lots of happy tears, made it hard to eat. The next time we took her to the Queen Mary for lunch, and had her pick up a brochure from the rack to read while we had lunch. We had made our own brochure, for the Panama Cruise, and stuck it in the rack. She didn't catch on that she was going on the Cruise, she kept saying that she thought he Queen Mary was permanent in Long Beach!!! So we had her read it out loud................. When she said it out loud it clicked
While we were on the Panama Cruise we had our Server give her book and read the page that told her was staying on the ship for our B2B!!!
The hard parts were for us to keep all the info a secret, making sure we had tissues for all the happy tears. She is partially sighted and 70+ years old so it was hard, if she need her glasses or magnifying glass to read, and she didn't take them to dinner on the ship, but our server was so happy to do the reading. I know this was long but I just got so excited to tell you. Bye

 

[mellers]

My mom has been dreaming about going on a cruise for a very long time and now I get to take her! I'm super excited about it and am looking for a fun way to break the news! I was planning on telling her on Mother's Day.

Any ideas?

I'd get a PassPorter guide or other Disney guide with areas for planning info, and fill in all of the spots with the cruise information (at least what you already know), and add a bookmark saying "turn to page x" with the reservation info with her name on it.

Alternatively--tell her that you found this cool new website, and look up the reservation on the Disney Cruise Line website that shows her information.

 

[chris31997]

I am hoping to make t-shirts for the family, when I can book it

We surprised our mothers on mom's day and sent flowers to them. That was not a surprise but the card was signed Hubby, Me, DD and DS who was not born yet. It took a minute but they got it and were excited.

 

[adminjedi]

How about sending her a message in a bottle?
You can buy them custom made or buy at kit at a craft store.

 

[stitchy626]

How about sending her a message in a bottle?
You can buy them custom made or buy at kit at a craft store.

I love this idea.

 

[kcashner]

Get some of the DCL toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, and body butter are in each cabin). You can get them at Ulta, on line, etc. But....if you can find a delightful, helpful cruiser, you might be able to get some from the ship with the special DCL packaging.

I brought home half empty containers from the ship. Showed up at DD's college and she informed me that I smelled like the cruise.

 

[scottishwee35]

I have done it for my mil... I wrapped shoe box with nice paper and inside was Disney Cruise Boat which I got from this forum lady went on the cruise and delivery to me... plus mickey mouse, minnie, gold sweet coins...etc... with a nice note...

she was bursting tear when she was opening it....

it was lovely memory...

PS that was first time cruise then she had been on DCL three times and she love it as look like she addict to this crusie

Scottishwee35

 

[mjruane]

I tied red, blue, black, yellow and white helium-filled balloons to a Captain Mickey plush, then tied the plush to a sign that read "Grandma's Coming With Us On The Disney Cruise" and the date of the cruise. All of this went into a big wrapped box that was under the X-mas tree (marked "open this side up.") When she opened it on X-mas morning, the balloons popped right out with everything attached. It was priceless! Only bad part is that you have to do it at the last minute or the balloons won't float.

 

[Reenie]

We just did this on Sunday! I found a cute Mickey Mouse & Friends box at Michael's Craft Store and inside it I put a Disney T-shirt we are all going to wear and on top of it was a cut-out of Mickey's Head telling the kids we were going on a cruise! The kids were enjoying mickey pancakes and my sister blindfolded them so they wouldn't see the boxes and balloons she placed on the table! It didn't sink in at first until they read Mickey's head. Here's the graphic I used that MilliePie designed for me. She is awesome. There are some real creative people on this board! Hope you can see this works -

http://www.4shared.com/photo/kaO1Cuq_/Surprise_cruise_mickey_pants_m.html

 

[Dustmouse]

Great ideas everyone! I love the balloons in a box and the message in a bottle idea, but they are all good! I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[bcanderson78]

I'm doing the exact same thing for my Mom and Mother's Day! I'm still working on details but I got a beach tote with Mickeys on it and have done the DCL toiletries. Plus a towel, sunscreen, towel clips, a thermal cup for the cruise and a DCL antena topper.

For the actual cruise reveal, I'm using the welcome brochure I received when I booked with our family name on it plus the cruise details (it sails on her birthday), then also throwing in the DVD they sent out. I plan on putting these items at the bottom of the bag, so that she just thinks she's getting a summer-themed gift.

Good luck with your surprise!

 

[kelly_green_eyes_23]

You could do the "lame" credit card commercial ad:

Toiletries - $10
Beach Towel - $15
Sunblock - $10
A Disney Cruise with my mom... Priceless!

When my cousin and her husband were expecting their first baby, they had to do In Vetro. My cousin's husband's parents had helped them out with the cost of this and they actually got pregnant on the 1st try. Anyway, my cousin and her husband asked the Dr. Office if they could have a blank copy of a sheet of paper w/ their letter head on it. Then filled in the cost of such procedures as hormone shots, cost of the In Vetro, etc. Then put "Expecting and waiting on your grandchild .... priceless!"

To this day that paper is framed in the grandparents home.

 

[Dustmouse]

You could do the "lame" credit card commercial ad:

Toiletries - $10
Beach Towel - $15
Sunblock - $10
A Disney Cruise with my mom... Priceless!

When my cousin and her husband were expecting their first baby, they had to do In Vetro. My cousin's husband's parents had helped them out with the cost of this and they actually got pregnant on the 1st try. Anyway, my cousin and her husband asked the Dr. Office if they could have a blank copy of a sheet of paper w/ their letter head on it. Then filled in the cost of such procedures as hormone shots, cost of the In Vetro, etc. Then put "Expecting and waiting on your grandchild .... priceless!"

To this day that paper is framed in the grandparents home.

That is precious! Thanks for another great idea!

 

[Dustmouse]

Well, my Mothers Day reveal went great! I went the same way as the previous poster bcanderson. My TA had gone on the DCL at the beginning of the year and sent me a cool DCL gift bag. I had gone to WDW last month and bought a Finding Nemo beach towel. I put the towel, some fish shaped candies, a chocolate plate that said Bon Voyage, some adorable mini sand toys, a floppy beach hat, and multiple brochures in it. She started taking things out one at a time and when she finally found the note, she said "Really?" I said yes. Again she said "Really?!" I said "Yes Mom we're going on the Disney Cruise!" She was practically speechless! Then she read the itinerary I had written out and saw we were staying at the Poly for 3 nights afterwards. There was a big smile and she said "Ooh, that's where the half naked guys are right?" LOL! (Apparently that luau in 2001 was pretty memorable!)

 

[bcanderson78]

That's great!!! I'm glad your Mom was so surprised, I know you will have a great time on the cruise.

My reveal went about the same way and she was just as shocked. She kept looking confused at the itinerary and then finally asked, "Is this for me?" hahaha

She also lives in Houston, so we've made two mothers over there very happy. Have a wonderful cruise!!!!

 

[mickeys girl 52]

I think that is so nice to surprise your mom. I wish my mom was still with us because I would love to bring her

Good luck with your surprise. I would never be able to keep a secret for long. I would burst at the seams. I have taken my 2 children and my grandchildren on 3 cruises so far, but I always tell them. I have tried but I can't keep quiet.

We are all going on The Dream on June 7th and I am so bad at secrets that I am even having trouble keeping quiet about an excursion I planned for the 3 older grand kids. I need to duct tape my mouth.

Have fun with your surprise to your mom.Cherish youer time with her. I still go to call my mom sometimes to tell her something and she is gone 10 years.Luckily me and my 4 sisters did get to cruise with her once and we had a blast.

 

[CC197823]

I hope you have a wonderful time, its so nice of you to surprise mom with this trip. I am lucky enough to have a cruise planned next year leaving on Mother's Day and my mother and father will be going as well. Her "Dream" is to have all her kids and their families go on a cruise with her and this is the closest she will get. Out of the 5 of us 3 are going with their families. Should make for a great Mother's Day....Now just have to wait a year to go!