***Official Surprise Trips Thread and Planning Tips!***

[nannye]

Glad I finally found this thread again!!!!

 

[kt_mom]

I'm planning a surprise trip for DD's birthday in March. Her birthday falls during her spring break. DH is going to Vegas the week before so its just me and DD, I'm so excited!! We have to drive about 3 hours to northern va so my DSil can keep DS for the week.

I'm going to tell DD I have to go to a conference for work and that she gets to go with me. I may go ahead and tell her its in Orlando because she knows that DH had one there a few years ago. I'm hoping I can get all the way to the magical express lines before she figures it out.

I'm having such a hard time planning though. She and I talk about Disney all the time so I've been able to have some conversations and ask her about favorites and what if's without her thinking anything. But since we are going at such a busy time and only have 4 full days and one extra evening it would be so much easier if I could just say, "would you rather do EMH morning or do this breakfast and go to a regular park morning" and stuff like that. Some of her answers in our conversations have surprised me so I'm not sure I'm making the best plans.

I know she will be so thrilled to be there regardless but I really want to take advantage of it just being her and I and no strollers or DH that don't want to get up and get to the parks early and be able to ride her favorites multiple times like EE and ToT and SM. All of which I anticipate being really busy.

But I'm not going to cave, the surprise will be so worth it. She LOVES surprises and I could tell she was a little jealous last fall when we surprised my DN about coming with us on our trip.

 

[melser13]

We leave in 18 days for our surprise trip for our kids. It is over my DS's 8th bday! He is convinced we will NEVER go for his birthday because it is in February and he thinks we wouldn't take him out of school. I can't wait and the planning is difficult. He plays on my iPhone, so sometimes my email will buzz and pop up...I just keep hoping we won't slip up! Now if only I can figure out where to hide the luggage???

Don't think we are going to tell them until we get to the airport. We haven't flown anywhere in 5 years, so this will be a TOTAL shocker!

 

[IslandAdventure4]

T minus 6 hours and counting until the surprise, cant wait.. I'm home with my DD-3, while DS-5 is at school, and DW is at work. Gonna load car up while DD is napping. Gonna try and hold off kids until we pull into the airport then SURPRISE... Not sure how thats gonna work with 20 questions during car ride. (about 40 mins. to airport) but we will see. We are going to Sea World for 2 days first, then heading to Disney on Sunday. So they are kinda getting 2 surprises because we are not telling them we are going to Disney until they start seeing the signs. Wish up luck.

 

[theatermouse]

I'm taking my son on a surprise trip this weekend (leaving in the morning)!

We do have to drive 9 hours, but I'm going to tell him we're just going to a hotel. We did a Mommy/Son Beach trip last February, so he'll probably think that's what we're going to do this long trip.

We're staying offsite, so he'll still be clueless. Then, on Sunday morning, a friend of mine that's a CM is going to come to our hotel room, wearing her name badge, a birthday pin for my son & maybe some balloons (at last update) and she's going to invite my son to spend the day with Mickey. He's going to be floored!! We'll be doing DHS & Epcot that day.

On Monday, I'm going to take him to the MK. Around lunch time, we're going to head over to DTD where he's going to become a Knight at the BBB. I have asked him in the past, "would you like to be a Knight or a Pirate" and he answered "Knight." Since then, he asks me daily when he's going to get to be a knight & get the sword and shield. I won't tell him he's going to get to do it until we're walking into the BBB.

Then, before we hit the road on Tuesday, his actual birthday, we're going to have brunch at Chef Mickey's, his favorite restaurant.

 

[theatermouse]

Scratch the BBB in DTD...I scored an opening in the Castle at MK!

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

These surprises sound awesome...! I hope they go well!

 

[LisaBi]

I haven't been able to read thru this entire thread, but these stories are bringing tears to my eyes. I've done one surprise trip for DS (now 18 and has Down Syndrome) and have another one NEXT SATURDAY.

The first time was his 12th birthday. At the time, I was traveling once or twice a month to Phoenix for business. I told him that since I had to leave on his birthday, I wanted him to come to the airport with me, then daddy would pick him up before the plane left. (The poor logic in this plan never hit him - as in "wouldn't it make more sense for daddy to drive you to the airport?")

I packed secretly, and put his carry-on stuff in my carry on. I almost got caught going thru security when my bag fell open. But I was able to brush it off. Then when it was time to board, I told him daddy was running late, so he'd just have to come sit on the plane with me. (Again - he didn't understand that they don't allow non-passengers to go thru security or board.)

When they announced that it was time to turn off electronics and that they were shutting the doors, he freaked out and started to try to get up. That's when I told him that he was going with me....then I slowly admitted that we weren't going to Phoenix, but were going to DisneyWorld. One of my all time favorite pics is of him when it sunk in - he was literally bouncing in the seat and the pic looks like he's about to hit the ceiling of the plane.

For the trip next week, we are actually going with my best friend and her son. They have never been. I'm going to pack Friday while he is at school, and take everything to her house. The story is that they are going on a ski trip. They are borrowing our luggage because ski stuff takes so much space, and we are taking them to the airport. But we are taking their car because all their luggage won't fit in my car (which is true), and then driving their car back home because she doesn't want to leave it at the airport.

At this point, we aren't sure exactly when in the process we will tell him - but it definitely won't be until we are at the airport. I'm hoping we can at least get thru security before we have to give it up. I'd love to keep him in the dark until time to board, then say something like "you know what - let's go with them" and just get on the plane. Then admit that the destination is Disney and not Colorado.

 

[johnsonginad]

I am totally loving all of these stories! DH and I have a little surprise trip of our own planned.

We took DD5 to WDW for the first time last March, and she absolutely LOVED it! We had the BEST vacation we have ever had that week. Now we are planning a return trip for Spring Break this year, and DD5 has NO CLUE. Last year when we were there, we purchased the light-up Mickey ears to where at night during MEP, and DD5 thought they were just the coolest. She's always trying to wear them at home and constantly asking when we're going back. DH and I have devised our master plan though. Our flight on 3/30 leaves out of Nashville at 6 something in the morning, so we will have to get up WAY before the chickens (LOL) while it's still dark outside. We are going to put on our light up ears and go into DD5's room to wake her up. We'll say something to her along the lines of "Wake up Emma! We're going to see Mickey today!" I can't wait!!!!

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

I haven't been able to read thru this entire thread, but these stories are bringing tears to my eyes. I've done one surprise trip for DS (now 18 and has Down Syndrome) and have another one NEXT SATURDAY.

The first time was his 12th birthday. At the time, I was traveling once or twice a month to Phoenix for business. I told him that since I had to leave on his birthday, I wanted him to come to the airport with me, then daddy would pick him up before the plane left. (The poor logic in this plan never hit him - as in "wouldn't it make more sense for daddy to drive you to the airport?")

I packed secretly, and put his carry-on stuff in my carry on. I almost got caught going thru security when my bag fell open. But I was able to brush it off. Then when it was time to board, I told him daddy was running late, so he'd just have to come sit on the plane with me. (Again - he didn't understand that they don't allow non-passengers to go thru security or board.)

When they announced that it was time to turn off electronics and that they were shutting the doors, he freaked out and started to try to get up. That's when I told him that he was going with me....then I slowly admitted that we weren't going to Phoenix, but were going to DisneyWorld. One of my all time favorite pics is of him when it sunk in - he was literally bouncing in the seat and the pic looks like he's about to hit the ceiling of the plane.

For the trip next week, we are actually going with my best friend and her son. They have never been. I'm going to pack Friday while he is at school, and take everything to her house. The story is that they are going on a ski trip. They are borrowing our luggage because ski stuff takes so much space, and we are taking them to the airport. But we are taking their car because all their luggage won't fit in my car (which is true), and then driving their car back home because she doesn't want to leave it at the airport.

At this point, we aren't sure exactly when in the process we will tell him - but it definitely won't be until we are at the airport. I'm hoping we can at least get thru security before we have to give it up. I'd love to keep him in the dark until time to board, then say something like "you know what - let's go with them" and just get on the plane. Then admit that the destination is Disney and not Colorado.

Sounds fun! Tell us how it goes!

I am totally loving all of these stories! DH and I have a little surprise trip of our own planned.

We took DD5 to WDW for the first time last March, and she absolutely LOVED it! We had the BEST vacation we have ever had that week. Now we are planning a return trip for Spring Break this year, and DD5 has NO CLUE. Last year when we were there, we purchased the light-up Mickey ears to where at night during MEP, and DD5 thought they were just the coolest. She's always trying to wear them at home and constantly asking when we're going back. DH and I have devised our master plan though. Our flight on 3/30 leaves out of Nashville at 6 something in the morning, so we will have to get up WAY before the chickens (LOL) while it's still dark outside. We are going to put on our light up ears and go into DD5's room to wake her up. We'll say something to her along the lines of "Wake up Emma! We're going to see Mickey today!" I can't wait!!!!

LOL! Neat way to wake her!

 

[nannye]

I am totally pumped that I will actually be able to write a surprise on this thread soon!!!!

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

I am totally pumped that I will actually be able to write a surprise on this thread soon!!!!

Awesome! Can't wait!

 

[KristiKat]

25 more days til we surprise the kids. I can't wait! We keep changing the plan. Can't make up our minds how to surprise them.

 

[Bettie]

We are surprising our kids next Friday...I can't wait!!! They have Friday off from school, so we have already told them they are going to be home with daddy that day, but that everyone has to get up really early to drop me off at the airport for a work trip. We aren't going to tell them until after we get to the airport -- haven't exactly worked out how/when we are going to drop the bomb on them, but they are going to flip out. Totally out of the blue, 2 days ago they started asking if we could go back soooooon. (We were there for spring break last year.) So I think they are going to be really surprised!

 

[IslandAdventure4]

well all three fazes of the surprise went awesome.. 1 was pricess when we pulled up to airport and told them we were going to Sea World. 2 was even better as we took the car service into Disney from hotel # 1. then part 3 was after getting settled in at our room we walked to the pool, and surprise there was our DS, and DD's cousins playing at the pool. my DS turns to us and says " what our our cousins doing in Disney World" so awesom... Cant wait til for us all to go to Magic Kingdom tomorrow.

 

[tchrrx]

Surprise #1: We told DD (then 7) that we were going to WDW, but wouldn't tell her exactly when. On the morning we left, we went into her room around 4:30 a.m. and blared "Leaving on a Jet Plane" followed by the "Mickey Mouse Club March." I helped her get dressed in a "Surprise! We're going to WDW" shirt.

Surprise #2: DD (then 9) knew that we were traveling to WDW. What she didn't know was that as we were leaving our airport, my sister was leaving her airport (about an hour away from ours). Once we landed in ATL for our layover, DH was videoing DD and asking lame questions. When he said, "So, where are you going?" and she answered "Disney World," my sister came running over (wearing a shirt that matched the rest of ours ) and yelled, "No way!!!! Me too!!!" DD was in absolute shock!

Surprise #3 (The upcoming event!): DD & I are constantly saying, "If I were at WDW today, I would be...." So, the morning of our trip, DH & I are going to take DD out for breakfast. At breakfast, I'll start the whole, "If you were at WDW and could only ride two things, what would they be?" type conversation that we have so often. After doing this for a bit, DH is going to say something to the affect of, "You two drive me crazy always talking about what you wish you could do. Go get in the car and let's quit wishing and start doing!" Then, we'll head to the airport.

During this trip, we are also surprising DD with the Wild Africa Trek. On her birthday, we are taking her to HDDR, which is her all time favorite place to eat. I haven't figured out how to do those surprises yet, but I'll come up with something!

 

[hcompton]

Surprising DD3 on Wednesday by waking her up and telling her we have a surprise, which is about the only way we're going to be able to get her out of bed at 4:00 am. When she wakes up and comes down stairs, I've got her backpack filled with all things Disney, snacks for the flight, and a monogrammed Minnie Mouse shirt. So excited!

 

[the_green_machine]

I've spoken about this before on the boards, but I love talking about it so...

This year I am giving my wife a 7 day trip to Walt Disney World for Christmas. One of the biggest dreams my wife has had in her life is to go to Walt Disney World, and this year it's about to come true.

I always try to go a little above and beyond for my wife for Christmas and birthdays. Besides the fact that she is worth all my effort she goes above and beyond for me everyday. She has travelled across the country with me for work, moved away from our family and friends, spent countless hours, days and even months at home alone while I've been away on training or other work related duties and all the while with a smile on her face wanting nothing more in return than me coming home safe. I decided that this year she should be paid back for everything she has given me over the years (although a million trips wouldnt scratch the surface).

I decided in January that this was happening so began the research....thankfully these boards were found very early and were pivitol in making this an experience my wife will never forget.

Now how I'm going to suprise her.....

I've been given so many great ideas from people on the boards and I've decided that for this to have maximum effect less is more.

I've been playing Christmas very low key this year (nothing over the top to tip my hand...just enough). My wife, Nicole, has said that I outdid myself last year so I'm aloud to have the year "off" (Last year I commisioned a great artist to do a piece of my wife's father whom she lost to cancer 10 years ago). Little does she know that about 2 or three gifts in this year there is going to be a very un-assuming little box under the tree. When she takes the paper off of it the top of the box is going to have this quote written on it....

"The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.”

When she opens the box there is going to be a personalized pair of Mickey ears with her name on it along with a Disney World T-Shirt that say "I'm going to the Walt Disney World Resort". I'll then tell her that in three weeks (Jan. 20th) we are leaving for Florida for 7 days with the mouse.

All the ADR's are in the bag, my vacation is approved and the trip is paid in full. All thats left is the suprise. I'll be filming her reaction....keep an eye out for it.

Well...The surprise went off without a hitch and we just returned from our trip to WDW on Friday (Jan. 27th). One thing I never expected was for me to become a fan as well....but I did. Here is a little video I put together of her reaction to her surprise and her first time seeing Cinderella Castle...enjoy.

http://youtu.be/dGPryDP2URg

 

[pumpkinfish]

Well...The surprise went off without a hitch and we just returned from our trip to WDW on Friday (Jan. 27th). One thing I never expected was for me to become a fan as well....but I did. Here is a little video I put together of her reaction to her surprise and her first time seeing Cinderella Castle...enjoy.

http://youtu.be/dGPryDP2URg

Yup, had tears . So glad you both had a great time...and I see you already have another trip planned per your ticker!

 

[the_green_machine]

Yup, had tears . So glad you both had a great time...and I see you already have another trip planned per your ticker!

For sure...I would plan a trip for this coming January but friends of ours are going and would like a little more time to save. So November 2013 it is. I loved it and was dangerously close to buying into the DVC...maybe in a couple of years.