Surprising daughter - need suggestions

[kailuagirl]

My daughter is a little over 4 and we've taken her 2x to DLR. We are going again after Thanksgiving. We want to surprise her as DL is where she wants to go everyday and ride the Jumping Jellysfish (she was too short last time)

Here's our situation: We are leaving on Thanksgiving day, need to leave for the airport about 5:15 a.m. She is not an early bird and we'll put her in the car sleeping. She may or may not wake up, but I'm assuming she'll be awake by the time we get to the airport about 40 minutes away. (That's what she did last year anyway).

When should we tell her about our trip. At the airport? The night before? We've only gone to the mainland 2x with her and both times was to DL and she thinks every plane there is only going to Disneyland, haha! I really want to make it a magical and special surprise. Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas would be so appreciated

So excited, I can't wait to surprise her!!!

 

[DisneyPhreak]

I love to surprise my kid at the airport. I think its just a blast to have them be clueless until its actually time to go. Plus I dont think I could handle the "are we leaving yet?" every 5 minutes lol. We leave next Saturday and thats all I hear from my 10 year old (not that I'm complaining!)

I've got him to the airport and showed him a printout of something I made using this website...

http://www.addletters.com/disneyland-sign-generator.htm

and its been pretty fun to see is reaction.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Sorry, no good ideas.

But my friend just surprised her kids by telling them the whole time they were packing, etc. that they were going to Kaua'i (her DH is from Waimea). She told the kids they were staying at Koke'e, so they had to pack warm clothes haha. Then she was just going to wait until they got to the airport and let the kids see where they were flying. But I guess that won't work for your DD. And my friend ended up telling them the day before anyway haha.

I love the idea from DisneyPhreak, but again, your DD can't read. So I'm no help!

(sorry, my kids make me put this on all the time)

 

[Zena Wright]

Aloha,

I'm from Hawaii to and I take my girls 1-2 x a year. I usually try to surprise them as well. Its getting harder with my 17yr old cause she's getting to smart but here are a few ideas I've done.

1) You could ask someone here on the board who will be going sometime soon before you if they could mail her a post card from Disneyland, you can tell them her favorite Character and they can address the postcard from that Character saying they can't wait to see her in Disneyland. This one works best if you give it to them when you check the mail but then you will be subjected to the "Are we going today" all the way up till you leave.

2) You could put together a Disney gift basket and in the morning just before you are ready to go wake her up, show her the basket and tell her you are going today.

3) You could make Mickey Mouse shaped Pancakes and wake her up in the morning and tell her "Who's this", (then hopefully she will say Mickey Mouse) then you can say "Yes, and guess where were going"

I have a few more but my kids are older and because she's 4 yrs old your best bet would be to tell her that morning or when you get to the airport.

We are going to be there Nov 30th - Dec 6th, I told my girls we are going to Aulani Hotel for a few nights and dropping their dad off at the Airport because he needs to go to the outisland for work but when we get to the Airport my mom will be their waiting for us and we will video tape them when we tell them the surprise.

I hope this helps, if I can remember or think of anything else Ive done I will let you know.

Mahalo Zena Wright

My daughter is a little over 4 and we've taken her 2x to DLR. We are going again after Thanksgiving. We want to surprise her as DL is where she wants to go everyday and ride the Jumping Jellysfish (she was too short last time)

Here's our situation: We are leaving on Thanksgiving day, need to leave for the airport about 5:15 a.m. She is not an early bird and we'll put her in the car sleeping. She may or may not wake up, but I'm assuming she'll be awake by the time we get to the airport about 40 minutes away. (That's what she did last year anyway).

When should we tell her about our trip. At the airport? The night before? We've only gone to the mainland 2x with her and both times was to DL and she thinks every plane there is only going to Disneyland, haha! I really want to make it a magical and special surprise. Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas would be so appreciated

So excited, I can't wait to surprise her!!!

 

[SnowWhite09]

I love your idea DisneyPhreak. We are going next year and it will be a surprise for a DD. We have to fly to a domestic terminal first so we will give her the message when we get there.

OP - when we have surprised our daughter with holidays in the past we have put her in the car asleep and when she wakes up and asks where we are going we tell her then - it works great!

Have fun!

 

[Eeee-va]

Before I was born, my mom's friends would pack everything in the car and then wake up the kids in the morning and ask, "Do you want to go to Disneyland today?" Probably won't work if she doesn't wake up before you're in the car, but I thought the idea was hilarious.