Suggestions for telling the kids (suprise)?...

[ZIPBAGS]

My wife and I are taking our 3 kids to DW at the end of August. They have no idea. They think we are going to my in-laws in Boynton Beach (S.Florida). We were going to tell them when we get to the airport and instead of the W.Palm Beach gate...we will go to the Orlando gate. And then tell them "Guess what?". Everyone here always have such great ideas. So does anyone have any suggestions about how to tell them there? Or any ideas of things to give them. One idea we had...is that when we tell them we give them the Disney Guide.

 

[TarGander]

When we took a surprise trip to Disney a couple years ago, we left at night and the kids slept the whole way, thinking we were headed to SC. When they awoke in the morning, the clueless wonders still had no idea, even as we were driving past all the Disney signs. They finally "got" it when we pulled up to the resort.

 

[Lthouseprincess]

we did this last year it was so worth it! We told my room-mates daughter (12) that we were going on a business trip. She had to stay with grandma and grandpa but got to go with to take us to the airport. we had her bags all packed and she didn't even know. the weeks leading up to we kept saying things like oh you can do that when you are stayin with them, and make sure you do this or that. Then the morning of the trip we made her get out of the car and give us hugs good bye. We handed her a card and said this is because we are going to miss you. She opened it. It was a tinkerbell invataion (for a party) and it said where: Disneyworld When: right now she looked puzzled for a minute and then started jumping up and down going really... really... She was in shock all day and was telling every one about it...

 

[Honeybehr1]

We are doing the same thing for our oldest son who will be 8 the day before we go. I bought a autograph book with Mickey's head on it, plus I ordered the golden ears. I figured we would put that in a box, write a letter from Mickey and Pluto and have him read it at his party the day before.

Plus we got him Disney Dollars spendable only in the Magic Kingdom
(he knows you can use them at the Disney store as well.)

 

[spectromagicmom]

Those are awesome ideas! I might just not tell our children about a December trip in the works.( Still up in the air)? I'm sure you have created memories of a lifetime!

 

[LadyDulcinea1]

Surprised my then 9-year old cousin on her birthday with our trip that August....wrapped the For Kids, By Kids guide book and gave it to her like a normal present....very confused reaction at first until her mother told her she was going....then she got up and hugged everyone for like 10 minutes and cried....I felt like I was in a movie! It was priceless!

 

[Bobbysdog]

We used to be able to hide up coming trips from our DD and not tell her until the day we were leaving. It's kinda tough to do now that she's 11, so this year, she thinks we'll be pulling into POR, when in fact our first hotel ressie is WL. Can't wait to see her face when she realizes I drove past the POR turnoff sign. DW and I are still scheming how to tell her she also be staying at BC and then CR on the same trip. Any ideas?

 

[ZIPBAGS]

What's funny. Is that when we get to the Orlando gate and tell them. My oldest will probably think we are tricking her, because we know how much she loves Disney.

 

[canada_ang]

We're headed to DW in September and don't planning on telling our daughter until 10 days before we leave (which is her 11th birthday). When she wakes up, I'll hand her a birthday card, which will give her the first clue to her birthday scavenger hunt. Along the way, she'll get a number of Disney clues, including Disney pj's, disposable cameras, brochures, the DW planning DVD, and a guidebook. The last clue will tell her that she can use these to plan her trip...cause we leave in 10 days! I'm sure she'll be completely shocked cause she's been begging to go for a while (and thinks mom and dad are planning an adult-only hot holiday in the winter). I'm also thinking how I can incorporate an Enchanted Call from Mickey into the Scavenger hunt...maybe at the end?

 

[ryanmilla]

I'm planning the surprise trip as well , so I love to hear all of these ideas and experiences. Right now the trip is even a surprise for my DW. We have a DD4 and a DS1, so I don't think it will matter too much to the DS1, but the DD4 will definitely be tickled.

My plan to tell my DW is to give her a early xmas present (this is a Dec trip) on the Friday night before our Sunday morning flight. The present will be a completely filled out Passporter. I wanted to wait to tell her as well until the Sunday flight, but I don't believe I could pack for her without her noticing.

As far as the kids, I haven't figured out yet. We are also planning a trip in March with our best friends, so my daughter knows she is going on that trip. I know she won't be dissappointed going to WDW, but I hope she doesn't get bummed realizing it isn't her trip with her friend yet. Somehow, though, I'm sure she'll get over it.

 

[riu girl]

Last year 12/04 (our first family WDW holiday) the kids thought we were staying at the Comfort Inn LBV. DD7 started to get a clue when we drove into WDW, she started reading the signs and said "I thought we weren't staying in Disney since only rich peole can afford that". Her eyes just about popped out of her head when we pulled up in front of a WDW hotel.

This year, the kids know that we are staying in Siesta Key for 2 weeks (Dec 17-31) and getting unlimited passes for BGT. They don't know that I have added on an extra week at POP (Dec 31-Jan 7)!!!
On Christmas morning in Siesta Key I am planning on presenting them with a WDW book and some Disney clothes and then telling them then. I don't know if I will be able to keep it a secret that long though. I love the idea of a scavenger hunt on Siesta Key beach Christmas morning but don't know how to do that since it is a public beach. Maybe some sort of hunt in the rented condo with the book and the clothes maybe?

 

[kristen17]

We're giving our kids a Disney Gram from Disney Direct. Plush Mickey w/a card in his hand that says, "See you at Disney World." There's a card in the box that says, "Surprise! We're taking you to Walt Disney World! Love, Mom & Dad" Then we're loading them up and heading to the airport. To explain the packing, we'll tell them we're heading to KC for the weekend to see a ballgame.

 

[Saxsoon]

Well once they picked me and my sister from school to go pick up my grandma. it was when we picked up the suitcases, taht we knew. And more recently, my parents said we were going to Albaqurque ( we live in El Paso) WE thought we were going to this Marriot near the airport. Man was that fun. But since they know that they are going to the airport, may I suggest you guys want to go to Orlando, and then "Drive to Bonyton Beach"

 

[undertheseas]

I don't know how you all keep a secret that long! Last time we told the kids we would tell them where we were going on vacation but we turned on the VCR and popped popcorn and turned on the Disney planning video. DS didn't get it until DD yelled "YES! I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO DISNEYWORLD!!!"

 

[Goingforbroke]

We're going in Nov. and we're planning on surprising the kids as well. Here's my idea....tell me what you think.
I'm going to try to have their bags and the car packed and ready to go while they are sleeping the night before we leave. We will wake them up in the morning and get their breakfast as usual. While they are eating I will tell them we are going somewhere special today, but I'm not going to tell you where until you are dressed and in the car. This always makes them get ready a little quicker and I don't have to keep harping on them to move a little faster (they are not morning people). Once they are dressed my husband will be outside with the video camera waiting for them to come out to the car. When they open the door to go out to the car........I'm going to have the car decorated with the words "We're going to Disney" written on the back window of the van. If it all works out as planned, they'll be thrilled and we'll have it all caught on video.

 

[ZIPBAGS]

Goingforbroke,

I also plan on videotaping when we tell them.

 

[drewc]

I think we are going to surprise our kids for our short trip to Ft. Wilderness in October. We will be there over Columbus day weekend, which is my oldest son's b-day. We live about 20 hours away, so we'll be leaving late afternoon (we drive straight through), and we're just going to tell our kids that we're going camping. My daughter will actually probably be complaining for a while, since we'll be staying in a tent this trip. Since we've never camped at WDW before, I don't think they will put 2 and 2 together until we are actually there!
In the past, we've never done the surprise thing, because the trip is such a good "behavior management tool" (i.e. don't hit your sister if you want to go to WDW!).

 

[averill94]

What a great post-
Love the idea of decorating the back of the van!

FOr our last trip I kept it secret (somehow!) had everything packed- We had an early flight so we had to be up at 4:30- my ds 7 mustve heard us and started to get up. I gently told him to get up and get dressed and handed him a brand new Dis tshirt told him he will need to wear this for the trip to the airport cause we are going to Disney. Thank goodness Dh had the camera rolling- he was so excited he started to cry! Guess it was a little overwhelming. DD was too little at the time to care. It was wonderful.

 

[ZIPBAGS]

It is really hard keeping the secret...especially from my older daughter (10). She is a huge Disney fanatic....Luckily she is at sleepaway camp until the week before we leave. So their is less of a chance of me messing up and her finding out.

 

[southjerseymom]

I have little guys - so keeping a secret is easier. We told our kids we were going back to Disney (mommy is too excited to keep that a secret!) but because they are so little (2 and 4) they really didn't get a sense of when it would be. The day before DH took DS to his 1st Phillies game and I stayed home and packed with DD. I think DS figured that was his big "trip" and Disney was still a long way off. The next morning we got up at 4AM and had SO MUCH fun telling our guys that this was the morning we were going to Disney! Sleepy little faces finding out they are going to the World.....priceless!!