Surprise Stories

[Katius]

Going to Disney World is pretty incredible: how did you tell your kids or your family about the trip? Did you surprise your kids the morning of? Did your husband pack your bags for you? Or were YOU surprised about a particular trip? Share your "SURPRISE! We're Going to Disney!" stories here

 

[disnut8]

We had our son and now daughter-in-law load the five year old granddaughter into the car in Ohio. Then they drove to Georgia. Where we met up with them. Then we all drove down to Daytona (where my son proposed to now daughter-in-law). We told the granddaughter we were going to Florida to meet our son's grandparents. That was true. We just didn't tell her it was at Disney World.

We were great with hiding things. My son diverted her attention the entire way. She didn't see Mickey at all. When we were finally on property and saw the first purple sign, I turned around and said "do you remember when I said I'd bring you to Disney World one day". Eyes lit up and she said "YES!" I said "today is the day, we're here".

I think that was the only time we managed to shut that kid up!

 

[meowser]

I think I was about 10 or so (I'm in my early 30's now). My parents offered to drive me to school one Friday morning - which was great, I normally took the bus. They had used some excuse about me doing well on something. They insisted that I wear a different coat, but it was cold and I wanted to wear my warmer coat. I threw a fit, but they made me wear my "lighter" coat.

Then we got into the car to drive me to school. We drove right by my school and kept driving! About halfway to the airport they told me we were going to Disney World for the weekend!

That was a great trip and an amazing surprise. They did all of my packing for me and got everything into the car without me suspecting anything.

Apparently my dad had been planning a trip to surprise my mother, but I let the cat out of the bag. I thought that that trip was canceled. They just changed the trip and surprised me instead!

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

DS's were 10 and 7...I arranged everything with their teachers...had their bags packed, bought a new video camera...woke them up one morning with the video and told them to get dressed, we were driving to Disney World!

Got in the car, started driving, DH and I "decided" to fly instead...drove to the airport...kids were floored!

Got to Orlando, had a limo driver meet us at the gate...kids couldn't believe there was man standing there with a sign for US....

Got to MK...walked "INTO" their cousins, aunt and uncle...

Small backfire for youngest DS...went to Primetime Cafe...server talking about cousins, aunts, uncles, Mom in the kitchen cooking...poor youngest DS broke down in tears saying "why didn't you tell me????"...he thought ALL those people were related to us.

That's when we knew we'd gone too far messing with our kids heads...

 

[LisaBi]

We are here now - just got here yesterday. It's just me and DS13. It's a surprise trip for his 13th birthday today.

He didn't know until after we on the airplane. I told him that I was taking a business trip to Phoenix (I do that a lot) and that since I would be out of town on his birthday I wanted him to go to the airport with me, and that Daddy would meet us there just before the plane left to take him to school. (He has Down Syndrome, so the critical thinking skills that would tell most 13 year olds that didn't make sense aren't there.)

About the time we got on the plane, he started thinking he was going to Phoenix with me. But then when they started telling everyone to get settled and they were about to close the doors, he panicked and wanted off the plane because Daddy was supposed to be there. So I had to tell him then that he was going with me, and by the way, we weren't going to Phoenix but to Disneyworld. It took a few minutes to sink in - that big old grin and jumping up and down came about 5 minutes later!

LisaB

 

[chop456]

DD (then 6) knew we were going on an adventure for her Kinder graduation. Grandma was supposed to come with us but she was ill and could not go. My DD had no idea what was going on. While in the plane she asked if we were going to heaven. That brought a tear to my eye. She fell asleep while in line for the rental car so she slept all the way to the hotel. Never saw a Disney sign! We get in the car and drive to WDW and she sees the signs now. I have my mom on the phone as Paige finally realizes where we are. I kept Paige on the phone with my mom until we walked onto Main Street. So happy I did that, my mom never did recover from her illness and passed away 1-year later. Paige still talks about talking to Grandma while she walked into Disney for the first time.


Second surprise was for a family trip to WDW. DH and I packed the kids into my dad's car. Dad was driving us to the airport. While in the car I asked the kids if they could go anywhere, where would they want to go. DS5 says to the North Pole, DD7 says to her auntie's house to go swimming. With a few hints, they both guessed WDW. I said "Well, lucky for you that is where we are going RIGHT NOW." The screams were enough to break the car windows! They had NO IDEA!

DS knows he has his kinder graduation trip this summer. He just does not know when it is. I am still trying to figure out how I will finally tell him that "today is the day we go to WDW".

 

[Ladybugsy]

My kids are 15, 14, and 7. There are no surprises...lol. I get so excited, I can't keep it a secret.

 

[donnajon]

Last June, we told the kids (DS8,DDs5 & 2) that we were going to the mountains for vacation. They had no clue! When we got to Orlando, we even stopped at the Disney outlet (since the one at our mall closed) and they still had no clue! They thought we were going to the mountains. However, once we hit the entrance and they saw the Disney World sign, DS said, "We're going to Disney!?!" "Yeah!"
"Really?" "Yes!"
"We're going to Disney?" "Yes!"
"Really?" "Yes!!"
"We're going to Disney!?!"

"Yes! Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain! What better mountains could you think of?"

"Really?" "We're going to Disney!"

Then they said they would never believe me again if i told them they were going to the mountains!

 

[scrapmoose]

This past Christmas we drove with out 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 DDs from Texas to Tennessee to visit family. My oldest had seen all of our Disney stuff and had been begging to go to WDW. We told her she had to be 6 to go to WDW. From Tennessee we drove to Orlando. They were sleeping or engrossed in whatever they were doing at the time to notice all the WDW signs on the road. We got to the entrance of Pop and asked my oldest if she could look out the window and see if she knew where we were because Mommy had gotten lost driving. She looked and pointed out the lane ends sign and said we are in Texas. Then she saw a WDW sign and said are we at WDW? We screamed yes and she started clapping and screaming as did my youngest. THen she gets all quiet and says but I only packed 5 pair of panties. Then said I also am not 6. We told her we just told her that so she wouldn't figure out we were going.

This trip we haven't told them either. They have asked to go everyday since our trip in January. My DH is flying out early to Orlando for business and we are meeting him a few days later. They think we are flying to Tennessee to see daddy at work. I won't tell them until we land at MCO. I can't wait!

 

[Mom to Will and Finn]

 

[Squidrific]

My first trip going alone with dd I told her we were going to visit my grandmother who lives in Orlando. She had been to Disney once before for a 1 day trip and knew it was in Orlando so she was hoping we would go to Disney too. I told her that we didn't have time to visit Disney and also since DH wasn't going it wouldn't be fair to go without him. She was sad, but took it well.

We got on the plane to Orlando and then got off and got on the Mears bus. She silently sat the whole time just looking out the window and every now and then would drop a little hint about Disney this and Disney that and maybe next time we could go to Disney. When we drove under the sign I thought she was going to cry she was so excited. To this day she talks about the trip where I lied to her about going to see Grandma. It was priceless though!

Now there is no way to surprise her with a trip to Disney (she is older, wiser and on to me!) So each trip I try to surprise her with different things. Last year I had pre-ordered some pins for trading and gave them to her on the plane and then we rented the mouseboats and drove around the lake - she loved it! One year I surprised her with the MNSSHP and we have loved it and haven't missed it since. This year we are going to the BBB for a princess makeover.