Secret Mission: Disney Surprise

[vallygirl0221]

Mission: Surprise the targets on their 40th anniversary trip.


Targets: Dan and Karen (Aliases: Mom and Dad or Gigi and Grandpa Dan)

On their honeymoon

arriving at their surprise party in June

Operatives: AK (Me), KTRose (my sister)

KTRose (left) AK (right)



C-man (oldest nephew)

G-man (youngest nephew)

Auntie D and Uncle Steveo

Locations:

Targets: off-site

Operatives: Contemporary Garden Wing


Dates: September 17th- 19th


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Case Background:


My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this June, my sister and I came to town for an unrelated family event and were actually able to surprise them with a surprise party at the place where they had their original reception.

The four of us at the party

Unfortunately Auntie D and Uncle Steveo were unable to celebrate with us as they weren’t able to travel. Instead they invited my parents down to their timeshare to continue the celebration. My mom readily agreed and my father grudgingly acquiesced to the trip. My dad is definitely not a Disney person, or a traveler for that matter so the trip was definitely a harder sell for him, but my mom wasn’t really willing to take no for an answer so planning sort of began for their fall Florida adventure.

Unbeknownst to either of them, from the time that Auntie D had mentioned the trip to my mom in June I had been working to convince KTRose that we should surprise them on their trip. While my sister is by no means a Disney person she was open if skeptical of the idea. I on the other hand was a woman with a mission. I started checking flights (southwest is generally our family’s preferred airline) and hotel prices at least once a week strategizing the best way to get KTRose to agree to my plan.

There was just one small hiccup in our plan, my dad wouldn’t agree to dates, buy plane tickets, or even consider making plans until about 40 days ago (for those keeping track that is about a month and a half before their departure). Which made any surprise planning completely impossible. However my mom finally convinced him. As soon as she did I went to work convincing KTRose to go or to at least let me take her boys C-man (5) and G-man (2). They are the stars of my father’s world. In fact, beside his overall disinterest in travel, the main reason he drug his feet about this trip is that he refuses to use his vacations for anything other than coming to DC (where both KTRose and I live) to see the boys. Much to my shock KTRose was surprisingly easy to convince, in fact she suggested making the trip a little longer than I had originally planned.

The next step was getting firm plans for my parents, so we could make ours. Auntie D and Uncle Steveo had long since made reservations for 2 weeks at their nearby time share (they were planning to stay longer than my parents) and I was able to find them a great deal on flights. They would fly in the evening of the 13th and out the evening of the 19th Since they would be staying off-site Auntie D and Uncle Steveo would pick them up from the airport. My mom requested that I make a few ADRs for them but other than that they were planning to take the trip as it came.

I other the other hand was in full Disney planning mode, I had less than 30 days to get everything together.

 

[vallygirl0221]

Since this trip was going to be such a whirlwind and there are so many people and Disney fandom levels this trip has gone through many iterations in it’s very short planning time. So I will explain our original plan, what it evolved to, and then finally our current plan at this time, 3 days from D-Day.


The Original Plan

The first thing we did was book flights, we were able to get a great deal on Southwest that would have us in Orlando before 9 on Sunday the 17th. This was by far the easiest planning and the only thing that hasn't changed.

Next I was able to secure us a family suite at AOA in the cars section. G-man is OBSESSED with Lightening McQueen, or Queen as he calls him. In May I took him and C-man to see them in person when they did the cross country tour and the poor kid had to be carried away sobbing because they wouldn’t let him stay by Queen after pictures so they could get more guests through.

the boys waiting in line to see "Queen" when he came to DC



We would take the Magical Express from the airport drop off bags at the resort and pick up the stroller before heading off to meet my parents, Auntie D, and Uncle Steveo at their Brunch at the Top. Brunch at the Tope was the first thing to bite the dust in this plan.

As much as it is something I am dying to do it just didn’t make sense with a 5 and 2 year old. So Auntie D and I hatched a plan to get my Mom to switch it to brunch at Boma instead. It worked like a charm.

After brunch the plan was to return to Art of Animation and do some swimming at the Big Blue Pool and the boys taking a nap in the room so they would be ready for a busy night.

Our busy night would be taking both of the boys to MNSSHP. This would be G-man's first visit to a disney park and C-man's second MNNSHP party, Gigi, Auntie D, and I had taken him for his first party and first trip the year before and he is still talking about the party. In fact I can't wait to see his face when we go back in December and he sees that there are not pumpkins etc on Main Street all the time.


Day 2 would be a full day at MK meeting my parents (if they hadn’t stayed with us) Auntie D and Uncle Steveo at the gate before rope drop, then a full day of fun ending in all of us watching the fireworks together.

Day 3: We would wake up and have to get back on the ME back to the real world.

It is going to be a super quick trip but I think it will be enough to give my parents a once in a lifetime surprise, while letting them have somewhat of an adult trip and time with just them and Auntie D and Uncle Steveo before we arrive.