Growin'upDisney
<font color=blue>I've been to Disney since I was k
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2003
- Messages
- 964
Cast of Characters
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie(my mom)
DSF = Erick(my stepfather) aka Dude
So he opens his eyes to find DM and Dude standing in front of him taking pictures and holding the Survival Kit with Over the Hill balloons attached. He skeptically looks around trying to figure out where he is. It doesnt register. He looks dazed, confused, and not sure what the heck is going on. So what does he do? He stares at me.
Well open the box already. He takes direction well.
He lifts the lid carefully. I think he thinks something might leap out of there. At this point he is wary of everyone and everything! There he finds, as I mentioned before, various items reminding him that he is in fact turning 30. Hes laughing hysterically at the dancing hamster with a big 30 on its chest and a cane in its hand. Laughing so much in fact hes ignoring the rest of the box.
Why dont you look what else is in there. He does as hes told.
He reads the flyer I made and then sees the book and the shirt. It doesnt quite register. It takes him a second. He looks at it and looks at me and says:
Are we going to Disneyland?
Nope. Guess again. He doesnt say anything. OK so hes not playing along at this part. Ill help him a bit.
Were going to Disneyworld! Ta-Da. The big reveal, the moment of truth. And his reaction
When?
Oh my god this is harder than I thought. That little lady screaming in my head internally shouts, Next week sometime. I just thought I would drag you all the way to the airport tonight so you could watch the planes takeoff and get excited about a trip next week.
Actual response, We leave in 2 hours.
OK it clicked and he could hardly believe this was all happening.
There were hugs and kisses and I am not sure but I may have seen the beginning of a tear, but this is unconfirmed and you just dont ask a guy if hes crying. At least not in front of others.
The next hour flew by in a blur. We unload the luggage, change out of nice dinner clothes and into the previously packed red-eye flight wear, get the car to long term parking, check-in get through security, and get to the gate with 45 minutes to spare.
And then it really hits him and the questions start coming like a firestorm.
How did you do this? How did you keep it a secret? What about work next week? Who knew about all this? I could see all the question floating around in his mind.
I am a genius, what can I say. Actually I answer most of his questions and tell him about how I got the idea of planning something special for his 30th and Disneyworld seemed perfect. He begins to find out that just about everyone he knows knew that he was going and they all kept it from him. Hes impressed, I can tell.
I tell him about all the planning and preparation, but I dont tell him anything about the trip itself. I want all that to unfold as we get there.
Oh and by the way, I have been leading another life with 60,000 or so friends at this place called the DIS. They are the greatest. You should really meet them. He learns about many of you throughout the week as I tell him just where all the great information I had was from. I truly wouldnt have had ½ as good a time without everything I have learned here, heartfelt thanks to you all.
So the plane ride was uneventful and I slept through most of it with some help from Tylenol PM.
Side Note The movie was Uptown Girls which in and of itself isnt noteworthy but it just so happens that we were in Hawaii in November and took the red-eye home to SF and this was the same movie. So I have slept threw this movie twice on red-eye flights coincidence??
We finally arrived in sunny Orlando at 8am. Got the luggage and the rental car and headed outside. Into 35 degree weather. Oh my goodness, it was cold. You could see your breath.
We head out on the 417 toward the World. I am prepared with change and $1 bills for the tolls. DH doles out the money and declares out loud at every toll:
Dont worry, Ill get this one. OK the first time it was funny, the second mildly amusing, and the third Well we just played along and laughed. We were all a little sleep deprived. The Disney exits start to appear and I can see him getting more excited. We pass through the big arch welcoming you and I think we are all excited. I head toward the MK resorts and I can see hes trying to figure out where we are staying.
As I pull into the valet parking at the Poly I think we all are impressed by this hotel. We all love Hawaii and we feel like this is right up our alley.
Chris: Arent you going to go inside and check-in?
Me No, we are special we dont have to check-in there.
At this point the concierge golf cart pulls up and I already see the look on his face
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie(my mom)
DSF = Erick(my stepfather) aka Dude
So he opens his eyes to find DM and Dude standing in front of him taking pictures and holding the Survival Kit with Over the Hill balloons attached. He skeptically looks around trying to figure out where he is. It doesnt register. He looks dazed, confused, and not sure what the heck is going on. So what does he do? He stares at me.

Well open the box already. He takes direction well.
He lifts the lid carefully. I think he thinks something might leap out of there. At this point he is wary of everyone and everything! There he finds, as I mentioned before, various items reminding him that he is in fact turning 30. Hes laughing hysterically at the dancing hamster with a big 30 on its chest and a cane in its hand. Laughing so much in fact hes ignoring the rest of the box.
Why dont you look what else is in there. He does as hes told.
He reads the flyer I made and then sees the book and the shirt. It doesnt quite register. It takes him a second. He looks at it and looks at me and says:
Are we going to Disneyland?
Nope. Guess again. He doesnt say anything. OK so hes not playing along at this part. Ill help him a bit.
Were going to Disneyworld! Ta-Da. The big reveal, the moment of truth. And his reaction
When?
Oh my god this is harder than I thought. That little lady screaming in my head internally shouts, Next week sometime. I just thought I would drag you all the way to the airport tonight so you could watch the planes takeoff and get excited about a trip next week.
Actual response, We leave in 2 hours.
OK it clicked and he could hardly believe this was all happening.

There were hugs and kisses and I am not sure but I may have seen the beginning of a tear, but this is unconfirmed and you just dont ask a guy if hes crying. At least not in front of others.
The next hour flew by in a blur. We unload the luggage, change out of nice dinner clothes and into the previously packed red-eye flight wear, get the car to long term parking, check-in get through security, and get to the gate with 45 minutes to spare.
And then it really hits him and the questions start coming like a firestorm.
How did you do this? How did you keep it a secret? What about work next week? Who knew about all this? I could see all the question floating around in his mind.
I am a genius, what can I say. Actually I answer most of his questions and tell him about how I got the idea of planning something special for his 30th and Disneyworld seemed perfect. He begins to find out that just about everyone he knows knew that he was going and they all kept it from him. Hes impressed, I can tell.
I tell him about all the planning and preparation, but I dont tell him anything about the trip itself. I want all that to unfold as we get there.
Oh and by the way, I have been leading another life with 60,000 or so friends at this place called the DIS. They are the greatest. You should really meet them. He learns about many of you throughout the week as I tell him just where all the great information I had was from. I truly wouldnt have had ½ as good a time without everything I have learned here, heartfelt thanks to you all.
So the plane ride was uneventful and I slept through most of it with some help from Tylenol PM.
Side Note The movie was Uptown Girls which in and of itself isnt noteworthy but it just so happens that we were in Hawaii in November and took the red-eye home to SF and this was the same movie. So I have slept threw this movie twice on red-eye flights coincidence??
We finally arrived in sunny Orlando at 8am. Got the luggage and the rental car and headed outside. Into 35 degree weather. Oh my goodness, it was cold. You could see your breath.
We head out on the 417 toward the World. I am prepared with change and $1 bills for the tolls. DH doles out the money and declares out loud at every toll:
Dont worry, Ill get this one. OK the first time it was funny, the second mildly amusing, and the third Well we just played along and laughed. We were all a little sleep deprived. The Disney exits start to appear and I can see him getting more excited. We pass through the big arch welcoming you and I think we are all excited. I head toward the MK resorts and I can see hes trying to figure out where we are staying.
As I pull into the valet parking at the Poly I think we all are impressed by this hotel. We all love Hawaii and we feel like this is right up our alley.
Chris: Arent you going to go inside and check-in?
Me No, we are special we dont have to check-in there.
At this point the concierge golf cart pulls up and I already see the look on his face