Surprising our kids -- HELP!

[Schachteles]

Good afternoon,

We are headed to Disney World on Friday, October 12th for 10 nights with our two girls who are 10 and 7. I have always wanted to do a surprise trip and so far they have NO clue. We go to Disney each year and this year we told them we weren't going because we are headed on another trip this summer.

So now we need to plan the surprise. I bought adorable Mickey/Minnie tee shirts at Target this weekend, so I am planning on sending the girls to school on that Friday wearing those. Then we will show up at school that afternoon to pick them up to head to the airport.

How do we surprise them? Anyone have good ideas??

Thanks for the ideas!!!

 

[JKMJ441724]

I don't have any ideas.

I'm to see what others say!

Good luck!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I have a surprise trip planned for the following Friday. I'm planning to tell DD that we decided to go visit someone (haven't nailed down specifics), and see how long it takes her to catch on. I'm pretty sure she'll figure it out in the airport, but we'll try to distract her as long as possible.

 

[Schachteles]

I have a surprise trip planned for the following Friday. I'm planning to tell DD that we decided to go visit someone (haven't nailed down specifics), and see how long it takes her to catch on. I'm pretty sure she'll figure it out in the airport, but we'll try to distract her as long as possible.

That is an idea. We have to drop our dogs off at a friends house who is taking us then to the airport. So I guess we could "lie" to our kids and tell them we are going to visit their grandparents in Albuquerque.

 

[scdufek]

Good afternoon,

We are headed to Disney World on Friday, October 12th for 10 nights with our two girls who are 10 and 7. I have always wanted to do a surprise trip and so far they have NO clue. We go to Disney each year and this year we told them we weren't going because we are headed on another trip this summer.

So now we need to plan the surprise. I bought adorable Mickey/Minnie tee shirts at Target this weekend, so I am planning on sending the girls to school on that Friday wearing those. Then we will show up at school that afternoon to pick them up to head to the airport.

How do we surprise them? Anyone have good ideas??

Thanks for the ideas!!!

I know what you mean! We are going Oct. 11th and planning on surprising our as well. I know I'm going to make each of them a goody bag. But, still not sure how to execute the surprise as well!

 

[Ears]

We surprised our DD when they were about the same age. We picked dad up at work because his car broke down and the oily greasy part was under a blanket in the back of the van, really our suitcases. We stayed at a hotel by the airport in our city to fly out early the next morning. From work we headed to KFC for dinner and I had an easy word scramble for the girls to figure out and then they had to put the scrambles together for it to spell out "We are going to Disney World". Our oldest was in shock and the youngest refused to believe it until we got to our room at POP. It was a long night trying to convince her. Niether girl had an overwhelming reaction and I think I built it up for myself so much and was kinda let down. It was nothing like I envisioned or like the commercials. But we went and had a great time!!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Planning is half the fun.

 

[Schachteles]

We surprised our DD when they were about the same age. We picked dad up at work because his car broke down and the oily greasy part was under a blanket in the back of the van, really our suitcases. We stayed at a hotel by the airport in our city to fly out early the next morning. From work we headed to KFC for dinner and I had an easy word scramble for the girls to figure out and then they had to put the scrambles together for it to spell out "We are going to Disney World". Our oldest was in shock and the youngest refused to believe it until we got to our room at POP. It was a long night trying to convince her. Niether girl had an overwhelming reaction and I think I built it up for myself so much and was kinda let down. It was nothing like I envisioned or like the commercials. But we went and had a great time!!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Planning is half the fun.

Fellow Minnesota person here

I know it won't be like the commercials, though I wish it would be. There are going to be LOTS of surprises this trip, so I am excited and hope that we pull it off...I am starting to not hold my breath because too many people know and are openly talking about it accidently around the kids.

 

[meghanlea]

we too are suprising ours in oct. hubby works 2nd shift and we are driving. My plan is to pack in the basement (days leading up to leaving), put the kids to bed for a bit, load the truck. When it's time to leave put them in the truck asleep (I am hoping lol) and pick him up. If they happen to wake up just tell them we are going to the beach or something. I want to wait till we go under the sign that says disney world to tell them. Im hoping they won't figure it out since we will be driving in FL for about 3-4 hours during the daylight. Our first day there we are going to attend the MNSSHP, which is something they have been wanting to do for sooooo long. They didnt think we were going to get to go this year and they have never been during halloween, which is my son's fav time of year.

 

[DisneyMom93]

Good afternoon,

We are headed to Disney World on Friday, October 12th for 10 nights with our two girls who are 10 and 7. I have always wanted to do a surprise trip and so far they have NO clue. We go to Disney each year and this year we told them we weren't going because we are headed on another trip this summer.

So now we need to plan the surprise. I bought adorable Mickey/Minnie tee shirts at Target this weekend, so I am planning on sending the girls to school on that Friday wearing those. Then we will show up at school that afternoon to pick them up to head to the airport.

How do we surprise them? Anyone have good ideas??

Thanks for the ideas!!!

Hi,
We surprised our girls for their first trip a few years ago. They were 4 and 6. We picked them up from school and told them we were driving their aunt to the airport (she came with us to drive our car back home from the airport). They believed us. We just hid the suitcases under a blanket. They didn't notice. They don't often look in the back of our SUV.

Even when we got out of the car to go into the airport they didn't question it. It wasn't until they saw their Tinker Bell and Ariel carry-on suitcases that they knew something was up. I finally told them and I recorded their reactions. It was so cute. They were so excited but surprisingly calm. My older daughter just asked "Can we walk faster?" We love watching that video clip.

I suppose you can say you're going to pick someone up from the airport. Or like someone else suggested, visiting someone.

We didn't surprise them last year and they were disappointed. (Well a little since they were going to Disney World.) They asked us to surprise them this year. They already know we are going so that will make it even trickier. I have no idea how we will surprise them. I guess I'll check back here for ideas.

Just make sure you have all the stuff you know they will want while they are there!!! Like stuffed animals, a favorite shirt, their iPod, etc. Things like that are so important to a lot of children. I know they are to mine.

 

[Andrea464]

We're driving down that day! Where are you guys staying?
Stalking this thread- DD is 6, and we're surprising her also!
We were initially going to let her go to school that day and do a half day, picking her up at lunch and telling her we were going to visit grandparents. BUT, I want to get an early start, so we'll do like last time and hit the road early (~6am). Not sure how that will work while surprising her. I'd like to surprise her the day of leaving, but it'll be tough! I was thinking about having the car packed and then waking her up and telling her we're leaving early for school.
However, she'd know kind of quick that something was up about a mile down the road when we don't head towards the school!

 

[Schachteles]

Hi,
We surprised our girls for their first trip a few years ago. They were 4 and 6. We picked them up from school and told them we were driving their aunt to the airport (she came with us to drive our car back home from the airport). They believed us. We just hid the suitcases under a blanket. They didn't notice. They don't often look in the back of our SUV.

Even when we got out of the car to go into the airport they didn't question it. It wasn't until they saw their Tinker Bell and Ariel carry-on suitcases that they knew something was up. I finally told them and I recorded their reactions. It was so cute. They were so excited but surprisingly calm. My older daughter just asked "Can we walk faster?" We love watching that video clip.

I suppose you can say you're going to pick someone up from the airport. Or like someone else suggested, visiting someone.

We didn't surprise them last year and they were disappointed. (Well a little since they were going to Disney World.) They asked us to surprise them this year. They already know we are going so that will make it even trickier. I have no idea how we will surprise them. I guess I'll check back here for ideas.

Just make sure you have all the stuff you know they will want while they are there!!! Like stuffed animals, a favorite shirt, their iPod, etc. Things like that are so important to a lot of children. I know they are to mine.

That is too cute that they want to be surprised. We did rent DVC points to stay one night at the AKL with a savannah room, so the plan is that we will head to Disney Quest that day and not tell them and then leave Quest and surprise them at the hotel.

Oh and we have one more surprise that we hope to pull off and that is that my brother and his family who live in Jacksonville are going to come see us for a couple days. So we are hoping to "accidently" run into them while shopping.

GOOD thoughts about the iPods and such. We don't leave till Friday night so my plan is to get the kids to school and then go home and pack. Soon I will start stashing things away. I have a ton of pins and vinyls ready to go for trading

We're driving down that day! Where are you guys staying?
Stalking this thread- DD is 6, and we're surprising her also!
We were initially going to let her go to school that day and do a half day, picking her up at lunch and telling her we were going to visit grandparents. BUT, I want to get an early start, so we'll do like last time and hit the road early (~6am). Not sure how that will work while surprising her. I'd like to surprise her the day of leaving, but it'll be tough! I was thinking about having the car packed and then waking her up and telling her we're leaving early for school.
However, she'd know kind of quick that something was up about a mile down the road when we don't head towards the school!

Drive safely!! We are staying at our Hilton timeshare and then one night we rented DVC points so we can stay at AKL with a savannah view room. We are really excited. I too know that we will only be able to keep it up for so long. I know they will be excited, but I don't expect TOO much...like you see in some of the videos because they have been a ton of times.

 

[VeeHam]

We are also planning on surprising our kids who are 5 and 8. They know we are going next year with family, but have no idea were going this year. I was thinking of telling them when I wake them up early and load them into the car. They will immediately want to know where we are going so I won't be able to hide it from them. Also we drive and it takes 17 hours to get to Disney so I'm not sure how many hours I can listen to "where are we going? Where are we going? over and over.

 

[lilmama]

I am planning this for my 6 year old daughter. Its our first trip so it might be kinda cliche. I want to put together a gift box. In it I will have an invitation to disney world, a countdown chain to count down the days, an autograph book and pen, and a few other things I may find along the way.
I will also have a second package that will be waiting in our room. It will have an invitation from the princesses to dine with them, an appointment to BBB, her dress, shoes and whatever else goes with that.
Im so hoping it works out this way.

 

[Schachteles]

We are also planning on surprising our kids who are 5 and 8. They know we are going next year with family, but have no idea were going this year. I was thinking of telling them when I wake them up early and load them into the car. They will immediately want to know where we are going so I won't be able to hide it from them. Also we drive and it takes 17 hours to get to Disney so I'm not sure how many hours I can listen to "where are we going? Where are we going? over and over.

OH LORD 17 hours in the car!! We are doing our first ever road trip to Wyoming in a month, it is a 17 hour drive. I am ready to do die and we haven't left yet. Any tips??

I am planning this for my 6 year old daughter. Its our first trip so it might be kinda cliche. I want to put together a gift box. In it I will have an invitation to disney world, a countdown chain to count down the days, an autograph book and pen, and a few other things I may find along the way.
I will also have a second package that will be waiting in our room. It will have an invitation from the princesses to dine with them, an appointment to BBB, her dress, shoes and whatever else goes with that.
Im so hoping it works out this way.

Very cute idea. She will LOVE the BBB!!

 

[grumpy&princess]

We too are surprising our 6 kids. Two of them think we r going on just a vacation and decided they didn't want to go. But closer to dec 22 we r giving each kid a gift that will contain a letter from Santa (since one still believes) we have around a 25 hour drive to get there. Lord that drive to Florida is a killer with 6 kids of varying ages

 

[Schachteles]

We too are surprising our 6 kids. Two of them think we r going on just a vacation and decided they didn't want to go. But closer to dec 22 we r giving each kid a gift that will contain a letter from Santa (since one still believes) we have around a 25 hour drive to get there. Lord that drive to Florida is a killer with 6 kids of varying ages

25 hours?? HOLY COW, where are you driving from? Good luck!!

 

[grumpy&princess]

25 hours?? HOLY COW, where are you driving from? Good luck!!

Middle of pa. But with that many kids we constantly stop for potty breaks. We made the trip 2 times two years ago but to Naples Florida and that was twice in one summer when we thought my fil wasnt going to make it and let me tell u it's one heck of a trip trying to figure things for them to do so the trip isn't do stressful on us this time around

 

[Schachteles]

Middle of pa. But with that many kids we constantly stop for potty breaks. We made the trip 2 times two years ago but to Naples Florida and that was twice in one summer when we thought my fil wasnt going to make it and let me tell u it's one heck of a trip trying to figure things for them to do so the trip isn't do stressful on us this time around

GOOD LUCK, that is a long time in the car, but they will be so excited. We have never done a road trip longer than maybe 3 hours in the car with our kids. So this summer we are giving it a try...then maybe we will give it a whurl driving to Florida. I have a hard time giving up part of my vacation to drive.

 

[mymickeyfans]

I love the idea of surprising them.. We're surprising ours with their first trip ever to WDW in October as well (they will be 8 and 3 1/2). We're telling them at home the day before...having "UPS" drop a box at the door filled with balloons, name fill Disney t-shirts and a letter from Mickey and Minnie...I can't wait). What about having your car decorated when they get out of school on Friday with a poster telling them they are going and some balloons??

Good luck with whatever you do. I'm sure they will be thrilled!!!

me
DH-
DS(7.5 yrs)
DD(3yrs)

 

[jenlov]

That is an idea. We have to drop our dogs off at a friends house who is taking us then to the airport. So I guess we could "lie" to our kids and tell them we are going to visit their grandparents in Albuquerque.

How about dropping the dogs off before picking the kids up from school, then just pretend that you're dropping the neighbor off at the airport instead of the other way around? then when you get to the airport tell them? or just tell them you're going on a trip, and they'll find out what it is when you get there?

I wish we had done the surprise thing, but we kind of included our kids in on the decision to go b/c it is their Christmas present. We wanted to make sure that it was something they would want to do instead of getting lots of gifts this year. They're all REALLY excited about it! We do plan on giving them each a WDW gift card as part of their gift so that they can "shop" for something while we're there.