Need your help. How to reveal the surprise?

[dman11]

Ok, here's the situation... I have decided to plan our next trip to WDW but not tell anyone in my family yet. I doubt I'll get any objections from anyone because they've all been asking when we're going back since we got back from our last trip in December.

My problem is that I want to surprise them with the news but I can't come up with a good way to do it. I have plenty of time to come up with something because I'm planning it for Thanksgiving week 2007. My family is: DW, DS(12), DD(11) and DD(3).

I'm thinking something Xmas morning might be really great but I'm also thinking of doing some small hints over a period of time. The problem with that is that I'd have to let my wife in on it because she would definitely catch on quickly and so would my DD(11) who I think will eventually become a detective!

Any suggestions or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

[mask_w03]

What about getting each of them a small stuffed character (whatever their favorite is) and attach a little note to them that say I can't wait to see you next year signed "Mickey Mouse" (whatever character it is).And make them all open that one item at the same time on Christmas morning so they all find out together and nobody is left out.

 

[cookies]

get a basket from cookiesbydesign.com they do the main characters and have it say something like...we're going to disney

 

[DebIreland]

In April (Easter Sunday) I surprised my kids with news of our next trip (which is just 12 weeks away now ). I organised a kind of treasure hunt - basically they had to look for eggs and I had hidden a word in each egg and the words then made up the sentence 'We're going back to Disney World in October' or something to that effect. Here's a link to a thread about it if you want to read more http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1083617

Obviously the easter egg theme is a bit redundant unless you're revealing the surprise at Easter. lol!! But you could just replace eggs with Christmas baubles (the kind that don't tear the fingers off ya when they break! ) or something else!

The thread might give you other ideas that some resourceful and helpful DISers gave me! Good luck!!

Deb

 

[dman11]

Great ideas so far. And DebIreland, what a story!! I hope I have something even close to that to write when I do it. I definitely like the little hints and scavenger hunt thing you did. After reading how you tied it into a holiday reveal I'm thinking Xmas is going to be the time to do it. But what I'm thinking is probably going to involve letting my wife know beforehand.

I think it would be a really cool idea to let the kids go to bed Xmas eve and then redecorate the tree with all Disney themed ornaments. Then do something else to actually reveal the trip. The problem is that I'd also like it to be a surprise for my wife and she'd definitely wonder what was up if I started redecorating the tree!

Hmmmm....

 

[TinkerDaisy]

I always liked the one where the parents keep it a secret until the morning of the trip, and wake the kids and drive to the airport. When the kids start asking where they are going the parents tell them "We are going to Disney today!!!!" I could never do that because I am no good at keeping secrets, it is all I can do not to tell my family what I got them for Christmas.

But I like this thread, it will give me ideas for the next trip!! Since I have already told my family about this one.

Good luck and let us know what you do.

 

[dman11]

I always liked the one where the parents keep it a secret until the morning of the trip, and wake the kids and drive to the airport. When the kids start asking where they are going the parents tell them "We are going to Disney today!!!!" I could never do that because I am no good at keeping secrets, it is all I can do not to tell my family what I got them for Christmas.

I'm with you! I could never keep the secret until the day we're leaving. I would love to. But part of the fun is the anticipation of going, the planning, the talking about it, seeing the smiles on the kids faces whenever they see Mickey or something related to Disney on TV...

 

[simpilotswife]

We surprised the kids once. We picked them up from school and told them we were going to a new toy store. You should have seen DS's face when we pulled into the airport and told him.

 

[DebIreland]

I always liked the one where the parents keep it a secret until the morning of the trip

But then you lose all your 'I-hold-the-keys-to-the-Disney-trip-which-can-be-cancelled-at-a-minute's-notice' power when they misbehave.

dman, I definitely like the Christmas idea and it would definitely be great to include your wife in the surprise!! I agree she'd suss that something was up if you re-decorated the tree. How about your offer to set the table for Christmas dinner and set it out with some Disney napkins and various Disney tableware items! Then do the reveal over dinner. They have some great offers on those things sometimes on Disney.com, often in the Outlet section.

Keep us posted on how the plans are going.