Shhhhhh. It's a secret

[sm4987]

I have a secret from the kids that we are going over the week of Christmas. They are 4 and 7. I can't wait to see their faces when we go to the airport.

I would love to know, who else has gone to Disney as a secret and what did you do?

 

[zen1]

Hi sm4987,

That is way cool! I wish I could go down for christmas too! I have never been to Disney world around christmas time, but I have always have wanted too! That would be the best christmas present to get( to get to go to Walt Disney world and be there for all that christmas "MAGIC")! You should have your camera and or video camera ready, so when you tell them that you are going to "Walt Disney World", you can capture there faces! Have a great time and say hi to Mickey for me! And "Happy Holidays" to you and your family!

 

[adambreakey]

When we were kids my parents suprised us several times going to disney... but one time in particular relates to your upcoming suprise. We were suprised with a trip to Disney over Christmas.

To tell us about the trip, my parents created a scavenger hunt through the house. - find this clue, that leads you to the next, and then the next, etc. until we made it back to the living room where there was a video tape with a message telling us to 'play it'. So once we put it in, it started with a sign that said... tomorrow morning at 6am we leave for... and then after a couple of seconds... it showed a picture of Cinderella Castle. We all went nuts. It was a great suprise and a great trip.

There are other suprise trips that went different, once (when we were young) we didn't know where we were until we drove into the gates of WDW, another time (we were told we were heading to Ohio to see the grandparents), my sister didn't figure out we were driving south until we hit Florida and we saw palm trees.

anyway, suprises are always great... and good luck with yours.

adamb

 

[Efastpitch]

I attempted to keep a secret from my DD, who goes to school at the academy in CT, but was unable to. My DW and I, told her that we were going to WDW the week of 12/09/03 and would be back in time to pick her up at the airport on her trip home. What a sad response on the phone. Tough hearted DD, could not keep the secret, told her that we were leaving, the day after she got home on the 18th. What can I say?

 

[BethBreakey]

This is Adam who posted a few posts ago sister.

These surprises he described were some of my greatest memories!

You will have a blast

(by the way - I am not the sister who realized we were not in Ohio when she saw palm trees - that is melissa!)

 

[Local_Girl]

We surprised our kids last year! We told them (DS9 and DD6 at the time) we were going to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH and they fell for it!! When we woke up there the next morning, we video taped them as we told them we were actually on our way to WDW. They were stunned and didn't really believe us at first...so...I guess you should be prepared for any reaction! My son almost seemed disappointed that we weren't going to see the museum, LOL! But once they fully understood that we were on our way to Disney, they were thrilled! My DD bounced around saying "I want to see Minnie, I want to see Minnie!!". It was a fun surprise.

 

[Piglet]

That is so cool. Never did that, but would love to someday. The only problem is that my DD is the only one that gets as excited about going as I do. Who would I share all my excitement with????

Melinda

 

[sm4987]

Piglet- I didn't hink that DH would get excited about it, but then, it was his idea. how unbelieveable!! The kids will both be thrilled. You should see them trying to earn money for the vacation to WDW we are taking this summer!!! They tell me how hard it is to be so good for 8 months. Someone in my house is goning to think they were extra good

 

[M&C'sMom]

I can't wait! I'm trying to figure out how to tell them, too. I thought of the scavenger hunt, my DS 9 and my DD6 love those. I also thought of putting "Disney" chores in our chore jar. On Saturdays we each pick out a job or 2 to do that day (sweep, mop, vacuum, etc) I thought since we're leaving on a Saturday morning, I'd have them choose their chore but have them say "Eat at Chef Mickey's" "Ride on Splash Mtn" "Get Mickey's autograph" etc. Then have DH pull one out that says "Take family to WDW" Give them an hour or so to pack any extras and leave for the airport!! Of course, that will probably be the end of the chore jar!!

So far this is what I've come up with but would love more ideas on this. Especially those that do the scavenger hunt thing, how you go about it!

 

[BethBreakey]

Now I love your idea about the chore jar

But this is how my parents did the scavenger hunt(and I was 5 or so - so some details are fuzzy)
I think my oldest brother opened the last present at christmas for all the kids and it had a piece of paper in it that would be a little poem about something in the house. So we would try to figure it out then run to that part and get the clue and figure that one out -- I think there were 6 or 7 clues until we finally got back to the living room where we started (I think the clue said something about if you want your presents - you must go to where you began) on the floor was a VHS with a note that said play me -- we put the VHS in and as my brother said the screen had "in one day we are leaving for..." and then a picture of the castle

It was great! I just remember screaming and jumping around the room -- I think on the video my parents were taping of us you can hear me saying "I want to see Minnie and Tinkerbell!" (see I was a tink fan when being a tink fan was not cool!)

It is a lot of fun

Another thought is a disney scavenger hunt - where they have a clue and they have to find where several disney objects are - like a mickey or you know - a turkey leg - then the last thing could be the tape or however you tell them... that way it gives them clues along the way.

 

[chirsty'smom]

We are also planning WDW as a Xmas surprise!

We only live 2 1/2hrs away so after all the gifts are opened we are driving up - 7:30am or so.

After our 4 yr old finishes up we are telling him that there's 1 more gift but it won't fit under the tree we have to go and get it. Then we are giving him 1 last present to give him a hint of where we are going, it's the book WDW for Kids by Kids.

When we get in the car, I'll have a stocking full of inexpensive WDW things to keep him entertained.

Then when we check in I'll give him the PAL Mickey I've already ordered (Disney Merchandising has them) and a card that says something like.
"Glad you could come have XMas w/ me see you soon. Love Mickey"

To keep the excitement going (like that'll be hard at WDW!)I have gifts to put on his bed each night when we return to the room - hubby will distract him and I'll put the gift & card on the bed.
1 will be a Buzz Shirt w/ a card signed from Buzz
1 will be a trading pin & card from Stitch
1 will be hat or mickey ears

I've also made a personalized scrapbook/autograph book and on the 1st page I'll put the picture of him when he figured out where we were going for XMas.

I am about to burst ...this is going to be a loooooooong 30 days!

Happy Holidays to everyone and hope all your surprises turn out.

 

[sm4987]

What great ideas! Because we are leaving so early, I can't have them open up presents or anything like that. I just know that I will pack for everyone when my husband takes them to the park. Then we will go out like we always do. My kids know I love to go shopping. Then, we will just keep driving to the airport. After my son (who is the nosy one) ask why are we here, then I'll tell them Merry Christmas. We're going to Disney World. I have money saved and let them buy their own gifts when we get there.

 

[Fooboy]

when i was a little kid, my uncle told me that he was gonna take me to Disneyland the next day. I was so overjoyed and excited that I couldn't sleep and was dressed and ready at the crack of dawn. Then he drove me to a junk yard and told me that Disneyland had been demolished. I was so sad. then he took me to the real disneyland. i was happy again but scarred for life. haha! what a fun uncle.

 

[cindy21494]

We are planning our first surprise trip for our DD's birthday on February 14th. My problem is we have to leave for the airport at 6:00 am. I don't want to tell her the night before, because i'm afraid she won't go to sleep.

How do I surprise her so early in the morning? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chirsty'smom]

How about making Mickey Mouse Ear-shaped Pancakes??? You can make them the night before (or a couple days before) freeze them and then nuke them in the am - this way she'd also just might eat breakfast - power sugar them instead of syrup so you won't have a mess to clean up before you leave and she can hold them and eat them as she's jumping up and down and bouncing w/excitement.


Or get her a new shirt w/her favorite disney character and ask her to get dressed because of the special day you're going to have. Tell her the shirt is a hint of where you're going.


Have fun...love giving kids surprises!

 

[ToddBreakey]

Those surprises that my brother and sister talked aobut were fun. But the one I like the best was when we surprised our Dad. We (our Mom, brother, sisters, best friend and I) were up REAL late one night and decided to plan a trip to the World for Christmas. Our Dad was in bed since he had to go to work early the next morning. Well when he got up we were still out in the dining room and told him we were going. That was fun.

 

[BuzzMe]

Planning the surpise trip for my children was as much fun as the actual trip! Since my kids are older(teens) I couldn't just pack for them and go. I felt they needed a few days to gather their "stuff", so we waited until about a week before to spring the surprise. Each kid received a Disney gift bag with all sorts of Disney related items(little Splash Mt toy, candy,etc) and a copy of calendar page with day by day itinerary. For the "gift tag" I made a copy of each of their airline tkts. When we gave them the bags it didn't sink in at first. They thought they were for a trip we were making in the summer. When we told them we were leaving in a week, they went nuts(we had the camera ready and snapped some great pictures). Have fun!

 

[sm4987]

BuzzMe- How great. You hear so many stories of teenagers dreading going to Disney. I'm glad yours still enjoys the magic.

 

[joshsmom]

For the first trip to WDW with DS (then 5), I told him 30 days before that we were going someplace VERY special. Then we made a chain out of construction paper so he could count down the days. After each week, he got to open an envelop with a clue. H figured it out after 2 weeks! He still tore off his "link" each day but drove me NUTS for 2 weeks (are we there yet? are we there yet?)!!!!!!!

This year, if you have missed my other posts, DS7 received a kidney transplant (after 7 years of waiting!) He's out of school until mid-January so I thought it would be special to celebrate LIFE at WDW. He turns 8 on January 5, we're leaving on the 6th. I have ordered the Disney planning DVD--he watches the old video OVER AND OVER. On Christmas, Santa is going to give him the DVD. He still won't "get it" that we're going, but will be SO excited about the DVD. Then Santa is going to put the airline tickets in the last box. Actually, a copy of the airline tickets. I could see him tearing open the package and ripping the tickets!! We'll then have a little over 2 weeks to get excited and pack. Can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!

Anyone else going to be there Jan 6-14?? I'll look for your DIS Store pins, shirts, etc.!!

 

[jaysue]

I did not tell DS#1 , we were going to WDW until 10 minutes before we left for the airport - DW got him ready as if it was a regular school day then I came downstairs with the suitcases and the WDW knapsack with the Mickey Pins attached and he flipped right out - went runnning around the house shouting hooray for at least 5 minutes

priceless........

thanks
jaysue