Surprising the kids - Aussie version!

[5ofus]

If you know someone heading to DL/CA before you go, you could ask them to bring back the maps for your pass the parcel.

Would love to be a fly on the wall when you tell the kids.

I'm hoping we will be taping it

 

[ame]

I think it's a fantastic idea!!

Last year for my DS #3's 10th birthday he chose a Disney cruise to Alaska. What he didn't know until the last day of the cruise (which was his actual birthday) was that we were spending a week in California after the cruise. He also didn't know that we were going husky dog sledding on a glacier (told him it was sold out).

I wanted him to live in the moment and enjoy what he was doing, not focus on the extremely exciting event that was coming up.

Have fun!!

 

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[MatoMany]

We are planning bit of a surprise trip in Nov for our kiddos.. We live in the states though. What Im planning on doing is have a little wrapped gift for every hour of driving (we drive 9 hours). Starting small (like stickers) and working up to a shirt that says "Disney World Bound" and seeing how long it takes before they get the idea of where we are going. It makes it easier for us since we are moving across the country and the kiddos have no clue what route we will be taking or where we are going since they have never even been to where we are moving. They will think we are just driving to our new home and don't know we are making a pit stop first.

 

[Tashinwdw]

We are planning bit of a surprise trip in Nov for our kiddos.. We live in the states though. What Im planning on doing is have a little wrapped gift for every hour of driving (we drive 9 hours). Starting small (like stickers) and working up to a shirt that says "Disney World Bound" and seeing how long it takes before they get the idea of where we are going. It makes it easier for us since we are moving across the country and the kiddos have no clue what route we will be taking or where we are going since they have never even been to where we are moving. They will think we are just driving to our new home and don't know we are making a pit stop first.

Thats such a great idea, You will have to let us know how it turns out

 

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[aussietravellers]

 

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[LisaAJ]

I'm hanging out to hear how this went too! I'm planning my own surprise in December! It's getting pretty elaborate too

 

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[5ofus]

You girls are funny

The surprise went.... okay. DS1 was in shock, DS2 was grumpy that the little present with the shirt in it didn't have dinosaurs and DS3 was pretty excited that the Disneyland maps had Lightening McQueen on them.

By the time we arrived at DLR the next day they were all VERY excited. I think they just needed to let it sink in before they could grasp what was happening.

DH was stunned that I managed to sneakily book two nights at the GCV and we had an AMAZING trip overall

 

[PrincessInOz]

You girls are funny

The surprise went.... okay. DS1 was in shock, DS2 was grumpy that the little present with the shirt in it didn't have dinosaurs and DS3 was pretty excited that the Disneyland maps had Lightening McQueen on them.

By the time we arrived at DLR the next day they were all VERY excited. I think they just needed to let it sink in before they could grasp what was happening.

DH was stunned that I managed to sneakily book two nights at the GCV and we had an AMAZING trip overall

Just....okay?
But it sounds like the excitement hit at the appropriate time.


Awesome that your DH was stunned by the GCV booking. Well done.

 

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I can now get some sleep !

 

[BecBennett]

Would you do a surprise trip again?

 

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it sucks being a grown up

 

[5ofus]

Would you do a surprise trip again?

Bec, I don't know if I would. It was hard keeping it from the boys and they were only really young. I imagine it would get harder to keep it a secret as they get older. Plus, they know more ride names and other Disney vocab now so they'd be able to figure it out easier. We might be able to start planning and surprise them at Christmas or something, but not keep it a secret for the whole planning process again.

Besides, their reactions were underwhelming. I don't think they really understood. DS1, who was six, read the message "We're going to Disneyland" and didn't react. When I asked if he knew WHEN he was going to DL, he said "Yeah, when I'm 8", which is a big trip we've been planning for years (now postponed til when he's 9). When I told him it was TOMORROW, he said "For real?" and that's when the excitement started to build. DS2 (4) had decided he was going to be grumpy because he didn't get dinosaurs and his stubborn streak meant that he couldn't show any happiness for at least a couple of hours. DS3 (2) was merrily carrying his map with Lightning McQueen on it around and had no clue what the rest of us were going on about

Having said that, the trip was so, so magical. I don't think I could have asked for a more amazing, fun, magical, happy holiday for the five of us. DS3 was completely smitten with the characters, DS2 barely got his grump on the entire time and DS1 surprised us with his willingness to try thrill rides and to enjoy the magic (he's an extremely logical 6 year old!). It was a tiring trip with very little downtime, but I'd do it all again in the heartbeat. They're never going to buy into the magic like that again and it was such a thrill to be a part of that with them