Surprise DL trip for keiki (kids)

[hulamom]

Aloha!

Long time lurker, first time poster! I've been reading all the helpful advice everybody has been giving and thought I'd try this out.

My family (me, DH, DD11, and DS5) will be going to DLR November 7-11 to celebrate DS5's 6th birthday. We're staying at the DLH with a great rate from that postcard discount thingy. Plus, I've been doing my part shopping and using my Disney Visa and we've got plenty of points where I think most of the trip (hotel and tix) will be paid for. Yeah, if I could put our mortgage on the Visa, I would.

So far, we haven't mentioned this trip to the kids. The current plan is to pick them up from school Friday, all packed, with a "Surprise! Guess where we're going?" We live in the bay area, so we'd be driving down Friday afternoon (yay, the 152 interchange is now open). The last time we were at DLR was 3 years ago, and we were at WDW last summer. I think they'll be thrilled. Any good ideas on how to better the surprise, or any thoughts on why this may not be a good thing? Sometimes we've used trips like this as incentive for good behavior, so I go back and forth about the surprise thing.

We've mentioned DS's birthday on the hotel reservations, know about those birthday buttons, and I plan to book a PS for Goofy's kitchen one night for dinner.

That weekend (it's Veteran's Day weekend and the kids have Mon & Tues off) is also something called "Bat's Day." Checking, it looks like the day where a bunch of people dress up "goth style" and hit the parks. Anybody know what that type of crowd is like? Would it be okay/appropriate for kids to be around? Not trying to be offensive... I just don't know anything about it.

I'd also like to do something special for DD11... going on 16. I'm thinking of trying breakfast with Lilo & Stitch at the PP one morning. She is a hula dancer (when we were at WDW, it was actully for a hula competition there) and I see they have some type of hula demos with Minnie, etc. Anybody think this might be fun for her at 11, too cheesy , or might she enjoy showing off her moves?

Mahalo!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Welcome!

If your kids do well with surprises, then that sounds fun. If you think your kids are better when they plan things, then you can "surprise" them ahead of time. You know how your kids are. Either way is fun.

I don't have any answers for the rest of your questions, I'm sure someone here does.

 

[olivejuice]

coool Ive always wanted to surprise my kids. i have to big a mouth though. You guys are going to have alot of fun.

 

[avalon451]

Very fun! If your kids like surprises, this could be an awesome way to do it. My brother and his wife surprised their DD5, mostly because they knew if they told her ahead of time, she would NOT sleep well the night before! And maybe for several nights before that!

There's been a few threads posted asking how people surprised their kids... some great ideas on there. (I tried searching for them, but the board searcher on here is really terrible.) There's some youtube videos that are really cute, too.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Aloha! If I may, let me cover a couple things for you -

1) We like to go on Bat Weekend! Most folks stay away from the parks then, due to the goth stereotype - think of it as "Oh no Martha - we can't expose the young'uns to those freaks!"... www.batsday.com if you want to prep for it.

This "fear of goths" makes for excellent lines and a lot of fun! The folks who go that weekend may be dressed a bit on the unusual side, but they are super nice and polite! We love the people watching and the creativity in the outfits. Especially fun are seeing the young goth families where the parents are all into it and the kids look completely normal! If you get lucky, you may pass by the front of the castle when they do their big group photo. There's usually a minimum wait on attractions when that happens, since everyone who's goth wants to be in it.

2) Definitely do Lilo and Stitch breakfast. The food is way ono - I think it's the best one, although the room is kind of noisy from all the fun. I think you also get some really great character interaction there. I am such a Haole/local wannabe who loves hula, so we have a great time. The demos they give aren't anything more than basic - Lilo and Stitch or Minnie and their character wrangler teaching the kids to do a simple song, so your daughter has definitely surpassed them! She may think it's hokey, or she may have a lot of fun teaching Stitch. You could even pull the character wrangler aside when the kids ar up at the buffet and let him know she dances hula. They might be able to have some special interaction for her - like having her teach Stitch some moves!

3) I would be thrilled if I was picked up from school and hauled off to an airport. However, since your daughter is 11, I would pull her best friend aside and let her in on it (and make her swear to secrecy) a week or two before to see if your daughter has other things planned (which you as a parent aren't cool enough to be told about). That way all your bases are covered.

(This is probably best for a PM and not a thread hijack, but since I know the hula community is small, if you know of any good halaus around the Burbank area, please share and send me note! I really would like to find one for my daughter when she's old enough to do keiki classes. Also, is Mark Kealii Ho'omalu still teaching in your area? We love both his albums.)

 

[Mililani Mouser]

i think the picking them up from a long week at school and say "guess where we're going" is going to thrill them! my kids would absolutely love that.

 

[Tinkerbelle1952]

We leave next Thursday for DL. There are 8 of us, and DD will pick up the kids from school that AM, we fly from Bellingham to San Diego, so as far as the kids will know, that's our destination. They are 8,7,4 and 2, so I can't wait to see their faces when we get to our hotel. Its literally right across the street from the park.

Because they are younger and the Disneyland part is a total surprise for them I made luggage tags for them, put their names on, and stickers related to flying, travel, etc. They turned out to be quite cute, and hopefully will be a nice memento of their trip.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[hulamom]

Mahalo (thanks) for the great suggestions. I know that DD11 would be so tickled with the surprise. DS6, I go back and forth on, and it's for his birthday, so DH and I will have to figure this out. Maybe we'll tell him a few days before and have him keep the secret until we tell DD.

I've seen those videos on Youtube where the parents surprise the kids, and will definitely catch their expressions on film.

Aloha! If I may, let me cover a couple things for you -

1) We like to go on Bat Weekend! Most folks stay away from the parks then, due to the goth stereotype - think of it as "Oh no Martha - we can't expose the young'uns to those freaks!"... if you want to prep for it.

This "fear of goths" makes for excellent lines and a lot of fun! The folks who go that weekend may be dressed a bit on the unusual side, but they are super nice and polite! We love the people watching and the creativity in the outfits. Especially fun are seeing the young goth families where the parents are all into it and the kids look completely normal! If you get lucky, you may pass by the front of the castle when they do their big group photo. There's usually a minimum wait on attractions when that happens, since everyone who's goth wants to be in it.

Thanks for the link! I actually think it might be fun to be there at the same time. Some of those costumes look really beautiful, and I agree that it seems like they try to be respectful and obey the rules at DL.

2) Definitely do Lilo and Stitch breakfast. The food is way ono - I think it's the best one, although the room is kind of noisy from all the fun. I think you also get some really great character interaction there. I am such a Haole/local wannabe who loves hula, so we have a great time. The demos they give aren't anything more than basic - Lilo and Stitch or Minnie and their character wrangler teaching the kids to do a simple song, so your daughter has definitely surpassed them! She may think it's hokey, or she may have a lot of fun teaching Stitch. You could even pull the character wrangler aside when the kids ar up at the buffet and let him know she dances hula. They might be able to have some special interaction for her - like having her teach Stitch some moves!

Great idea with mentioning that she does hula. Of course, we wouldn't want to overstep any bounds, but DD might get a kick out of it.

3) I would be thrilled if I was picked up from school and hauled off to an airport. However, since your daughter is 11, I would pull her best friend aside and let her in on it (and make her swear to secrecy) a week or two before to see if your daughter has other things planned (which you as a parent aren't cool enough to be told about). That way all your bases are covered.

I actually think her BFF might blab to her about it. But good point on checking with any events or activities going on that weekend and making sure those are taken care of. She may have some school project due, so I'll have to think of something to convince her why she should get them finished ahead of time.

(This is probably best for a PM and not a thread hijack, but since I know the hula community is small, if you know of any good halaus around the Burbank area, please share and send me note! I really would like to find one for my daughter when she's old enough to do keiki classes. Also, is Mark Kealii Ho'omalu still teaching in your area? We love both his albums.)

Yes, Mark is the Kumu hula for a halau in Oakland, I believe. Was he the person who coreographed the hula for Lilo and Stitch? I'll check around for any halaus in the Burbank area and send you a PM.

-- Hulamom

 

[hulamom]

Ack! Apologies to the rest, but YellowMickeyPonchos, I apparently can't PM until I've had 10 posts. I'm only up to 3. But, just wanted to send you a link that lists halaus geographically. Send me a PM if you can, and I'll let you know if I hear of any more.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Ack! Apologies to the rest, but YellowMickeyPonchos, I apparently can't PM until I've had 10 posts. I'm only up to 3. But, just wanted to send you a link that lists halaus geographically. Send me a PM if you can, and I'll let you know if I hear of any more.

Well, post away, gal! You'll rake em up in no time!!!!! Look at me - I only joined in June! I'll PM you with my email! Maybe we can even pop by and say hello while you are down here! We love coming on Bat Weekend!