Need to pick your creative brains!

[mykidsrock76]

So, we going back to WDW in September and not telling the kids until we're ready to leave. We'll spend the night at a hotel before we fly out and do not want to tell the kids until that night or at the earliest that week. So, I am looking for ways to surprise them w/o just saying "We're going to WDW". I had a couple ideas, but would like some input or other ideas.

1. Would be to mail them each an invitation from their favorite character (since we'll be doing character meals) and telling them that way.

2. There is a Disney store near the airport we're flying out of. We thought about acting like we're going to the mall and stopping into the store while there, but my DH would go off on his own and sneak in first and ask the CM to give the kids these envelopes that "someone left for them". Maybe even sprinkled with pixie dust. And in the envelopes would be something saying "You're going to Walt Disney World".

Okay, I would love to hear other ideas of how to surprise them. I would love to just shock them. Any creative ideas would be great! Thanks!

 

[estherhead]

OK, dh & I are really into treasure hunts. I think it's nice because it's good for all ages (like your teen & smaller kids.) You could call the Disney store and ask them what they have in WDW stock & purchase it over the phone w/ a credit card. Then have their last clue take them to the Disney store counter & they are handed the WDW merchandise.

We like treasure hunts as it just prolongs everything and you, as the observer, can truly enjoy watching them get seriously into it.

Also, we've started using am Amazing Race format and our kids have Road Blocks & detours, etc. For example a Road Block might be they each have to run around our house in under 30 seconds to get their next clue.

Or a detour might be their next clue is made into a puzzle and they have to put the puzzle together to read the clue. Or a clue leads them to one of our laptops and they have to open it & play the video and then decipher the clue from the video.

Our girls are 7, 8, and 2. The two year old doesn't help, of course, but she does run around excitedly from clue to clue.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

How far away is the hotel you are going to be staying in the night before you fly out? Here's my opinion if it's not too far:

You make their letters from their favorite characters and bring them to the hotel and when you check in, the person checking you in can say something like, do you have 3 children names blank, blank and blank (don't know your kids names) and when you say yes, the person can say, something was left here for them by some very special people and they can hand them their letters. The letters can either tell them they are going to Disney World, or lead them on a scavenger hunt to your room and the big surprise could be in the room. Maybe some goodie baskets with Disney stuff inside, things you'll need for the trip like sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, etc...with huge balloons tied to the baskets and a card saying, we're going to Disney World!!!

They'll love it no matter what you do, have a great trip and remember to let us know what you decide to do and the outcome!!!

 

[pazczyk]

i love the idea of a treasure hunt, but since your kids are so wide apart in age, i don't know if you'd be able to make it interesting for both of them at the same time.

i think your idea of having the disney store staff help you by presenting the kids with special envelopes is a great one.

good luck! i could never keep a secret like that!

evi

 

[daisy2jae]

i have never tried a hunt but it sounds like a fun idea!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I made this to surprise mine. A lot of characters used their names, but the waves are generic and some characters just said "Can't wait to see you in September." I can throw together a little video if you're interested.

 

[mykidsrock76]

How far away is the hotel you are going to be staying in the night before you fly out? Here's my opinion if it's not too far:

You make their letters from their favorite characters and bring them to the hotel and when you check in, the person checking you in can say something like, do you have 3 children names blank, blank and blank (don't know your kids names) and when you say yes, the person can say, something was left here for them by some very special people and they can hand them their letters. The letters can either tell them they are going to Disney World, or lead them on a scavenger hunt to your room and the big surprise could be in the room. Maybe some goodie baskets with Disney stuff inside, things you'll need for the trip like sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, etc...with huge balloons tied to the baskets and a card saying, we're going to Disney World!!!

They'll love it no matter what you do, have a great trip and remember to let us know what you decide to do and the outcome!!!

The hotel is about an hour from the house, 5 min from the Disney store and about 15 min from the airport. We weren't going to the hotel first, but I do like your idea. I am thinking of a way to combine the 2 ideas. I am not sure how I would explain us going to a hotel w/o raising questions.

I guess we could tell them we're going somewhere, but not give too many details. And have the "hunt" take them to the hotel.

I'll have to work on this one. But I'll let yo uknow what I come up with. Thanks for the idea!!!

 

[mykidsrock76]

i love the idea of a treasure hunt, but since your kids are so wide apart in age, i don't know if you'd be able to make it interesting for both of them at the same time.

i think your idea of having the disney store staff help you by presenting the kids with special envelopes is a great one.

good luck! i could never keep a secret like that!

evi

Well, the oldest knows we're going. We're just not telling the little ones. They keep saying they want to go and see me looking at planning stuff. But we keep saying "money is tight and we're not sure about this year". We have told them they need to wish on a falling star if they see one. So, the surprise is really just for them.

 

[mykidsrock76]

I made this to surprise mine. A lot of characters used their names, but the waves are generic and some characters just said "Can't wait to see you in September." I can throw together a little video if you're interested.

Okay... that was great! How did you do that? That would be awesome. I could even mail it to them. I need details!!!

 

[timzagain]

Your ideas sound great! The last time we surprised the kids with a trip to Disney (two years ago) we didn't do anything so elaborate.

We were trying to figure out exactly HOW to spring the surprise (the girls were 9 and 15 at the time), and were completely stumped for a good idea. I couldn't figure out how we would handle the trip preparations etc, without giving the secret away or telling outright lies.

Meantime, youngest DD got it into her head that she really wanted to travel in the summer vacation,and started asking us, "Mom, Dad would it be possible for us to go to Trinidad in the summer?" DH and I have started to think alike, becasue we both realized that her question provided an opportunity to "hoodwink" them. Every time the question came up, we say, "Yes, hon, it is possible to go to Trinidad this summer!" We didn't lie, because theoretically, a Trinidad trip was possible.

The girls still believed we were headed for Trinidad until we got to the airport. My very observant youngest DD realized something was up when we joined the "wrong queue" to check in. She pointed out our error, DH and I both said, don't worry about it. Then we heard the scream..."OMG ...we're not going to Trinidad, we're going to Orlando, aren't we?" Older DD was so engrossed in her iPod that she didn't even hear younger DD's outburst. She still didn't clue in until we were asked for our intended address in the US! Of course, DD9 thought it was hilarious that she figured it out before her 15 year old sister, and didn't let her live it down for MONTHS!

Good luck with your surprise. I like the treasure hunt idea too. We've done that at Christmas too - the girls had to hunt through the whole house to find their gifts. They had a blast and were very disappointed when they later learned that the Christmas morning treasure hunt wasn't going to be an annual event.

 

[fauna74]

OK, dh & I are really into treasure hunts. I think it's nice because it's good for all ages (like your teen & smaller kids.) You could call the Disney store and ask them what they have in WDW stock & purchase it over the phone w/ a credit card. Then have their last clue take them to the Disney store counter & they are handed the WDW merchandise.

We like treasure hunts as it just prolongs everything and you, as the observer, can truly enjoy watching them get seriously into it.

Also, we've started using am Amazing Race format and our kids have Road Blocks & detours, etc. For example a Road Block might be they each have to run around our house in under 30 seconds to get their next clue.

Or a detour might be their next clue is made into a puzzle and they have to put the puzzle together to read the clue. Or a clue leads them to one of our laptops and they have to open it & play the video and then decipher the clue from the video.

Our girls are 7, 8, and 2. The two year old doesn't help, of course, but she does run around excitedly from clue to clue.

We are heading back for our 4th trip this fall, and this time it's a surprise for the kids. I've already started planning an elaborate, several hour treasure hunt. I was also thinking along Amazing Race lines, so thanks for some ideas.

I love to plan, and now that most of the WDW planning has to wait until 90 days out I'm pretty much going overboard planning this treasure hunt.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Okay... that was great! How did you do that? That would be awesome. I could even mail it to them. I need details!!!

I went on a grown-ups only trip last month and asked the characters we met to say a little something for the kids who are returning with me in September. I just put those clips into Windows Movie Maker and did a little editing and voila! WMM is really, really basic and very easy for beginners.

 

[mykidsrock76]

I went on a grown-ups only trip last month and asked the characters we met to say a little something for the kids who are returning with me in September. I just put those clips into Windows Movie Maker and did a little editing and voila! WMM is really, really basic and very easy for beginners.

Yeah, I have no idea how to do that. Can it be burnt onto a DVD? That would be awesome to do and mail to the kids. I need to look into this. My brother is good at this sort of thing... I may need to enlist his help. Thanks!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Yeah, I have no idea how to do that. Can it be burnt onto a DVD? That would be awesome to do and mail to the kids. I need to look into this. My brother is good at this sort of thing... I may need to enlist his help. Thanks!

It can be burned onto a DVD. It's kind of a waste if your DVD isn't rerecordable. I'm leaving ours on the computer. Maybe pop open YouTube at the business center of your hotel?

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Okay... that was great! How did you do that? That would be awesome. I could even mail it to them. I need details!!!

I made this with modified clips so anyone going in September can use it. Have fun!

 

[mykidsrock76]

I made this with modified clips so anyone going in September can use it. Have fun!

That was super nice of you!

 

[design_mom]

I made this with modified clips so anyone going in September can use it. Have fun!

That was so nice of you. I love DISers!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Just like spreadin' a little Disney magic at home. :