Surprising the kids with Disney-- what would you do?

[MSB123]

Okay-- here's the situation. We just bought annual passes for the family as a group gift (4 birthdays, anniversary-- August is a big month for us). We only live an hour away from WDW.

We've never been to any major theme park, but the kids have been desperate to go to WDW forever. They ask if we can go whenever we see a Disney movie, or a billboard advertisement... and we always tell them, "we hope someday, but don't count on it."



So we got the passes. My 2 youngest don't know it.


They do know Sunday we're driving to Orlando for a couple of days. It's my son's 11th b-day monday. He thinks we're doing what we usually do when we drive in for a mini-vacation-- we get into museums with memberships we have and go to the big McDonalds, check out some shops in downtown Disney, etc.


We're planning on telling them when we check into our room that we bought passes and are going to WDW.


Their heads are going to pop off and fly around the room.


We're trying to think of a good way to spring the news on them.

Maybe get one of those cards you can record a message and let him open it?

Throw confetti at them and shout it?

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[denisegold]

I love this kind of thing. One year, when my 3 girls were younger (i'll say they were 6, 8 and 12) I surprised them with a trip to Disney for Xmas- we live in Mass, which is an important thing to know for this story-

we were flying to florida Xmas eve. kids have no idea. they ALWAYS ask to open "just one" present on Xmas eve (I have no idea why- we were never allowed to do that!) so this year i said yes, but I got to pick the present for each of them. I had bought them each a new bathing suit, so that was the gift i picked for them to open (this is less than an hour before we had to leave for the airport- i already had them each all packed). so they all 3 opened their new suits at the same time, and looked at me like i was crazy, but thanked me, probably wishing they had got to pick the present. i told them they could each open a second gift, and it was an envelope. this had their boarding passes. they opened, all 3 "got it" and they went nuts! it was great- i'll never forget it, and i sure hope they don't, either.

so i'm sure you can do something similar, esp since your kids have never been to the parks, so they won't be expecting that this will be the time. try to get them as close to the park as possible before you tell them, and if you have a camcorder, try to tape the surprise (one thing i wish i had done!!)

best of luck, and please update us!

 

[1stvisit0909]

We are trying to figure out how to tell our kids too. DH wants to wait until we get to the airport...but I think they'll see the luggage tags before then. I think we should tell them at home...let them open the box with the ears and shirts and stuff....so I can get pics and a video. I can't wait!!!!

 

[MSB123]

We were thinking about doing the gift thing... with mouse ears someone gave us for each boy.


They know we're going to Orlando, we've been there before... but they think we're doing the usual: worlds biggest McDonalds, downtown Disney, the Orlando Science Center because we get in free with our local museum's membership card. They just have NO IDEA that they are now the proud owner of WDW annual passes!!!


We decided to tell them Sunday before we leave, so we can talk about it in the car. DH made a trip planner book in a binder where he prints out all kinds of info and maps and fun stuff to look at... so they can look at it in the car on the ride over.


DH wants to put the vid camera on them and give them each a box w/the mouse ears.


Then he came up with this idea tonight:

Put the vid cam on them and say, "So, what's going on today?"


And they'll probably say things like "We're going to Orlando, we're going to here and there and everywhere..."

And then DH was going to say, "Let me see you get excited!"

And my youngest will probably put his hands up and woohoo... and the oldest, who doesn't like being video taped much, will probably give a half-hearted "yay."

So DH will say, "That's not enough, let me see you get excited."


And they'll act silly or something and be like, okay dad, enough with the videos, we're not even there yet.

And then he'll say, "I'm just not feeling it... wait, here, maybe this will help."

And then he wants to hand them a plain white envelope to open. Their curiosity will be peaked, no doubt.


And they'll open it to find the 5 cards that say "Disney Passholder." And then we'll whip the mouse ears out from behind us and put them on and start singing, "We're going to Disneyworld... we're going to Disneyworld..."


And then their little heads will pop off and fly around the room.

 

[Wistraveler]

My DD is taking her boys, only they won't find out about it until they are at the airport. They think that they are going on a mini vacation somewhere else, since they went to WDW last year.

What my DD doesn't know is that I am going to be there also, showing up at the resort pool after dinner. A double surprise for the boys. Can't wait to see the looks on their faces.


http://www.**************/id/1253429903.jpg

 

[Harlemgirl720]

A few years ago, we told our son by having Mickey Mouse call the house and telling him that he is going on a trip and that he will see him real soon.

We got it on video tape. I wish I had the link to the site. It also lets other Disney characters calling wishing good work in school, graduation, birthdays and other events.

 

[kiranic]

My DD8 thinks her daddy is going on a business trip to Orlando in October. The surprise it that we all are going to WDW (no business trip). She thinks that we have to take him to the airport in the morning.

I think I am going to get a couple of mylar balloons and put them in a suitcase, have DD go get the suitcase and get her to unzip the suitcase with the balloons inside (to help her dad finish packing for "his trip"). Attached to one of the balloons will be a note addressed to her telling her that her bags are packed and we are heading to WDW!!!

 

[mykidsrqts]

I mailed valentines to my kids (cards with disney characters of course). On the envelope, I wrote WDW as the return address. My DD's valentine was a cinderella card and inside I wrote a letter explaining how much she is loved and how great she is with her brother and that her mom and dad were bringing her to Disney for a visit as soon as kindergarten was finished. It was signed "love, Cinderella". Our DS's card had Mickey on the front and I wrote a similar letter inside talking about how excited the "whole gang" is to meet him and praising him for being such a great little brother and how much he is loved. It was signed "Love, Mickey". I had the video camera set up on them as I read them each their letters. It took a few minutes to sink in, but then the excitement came!!

 

[amzking]

I have a simple but fun story about when I suprised my kids a month or so ago.

We are passholders and live 1.5 hours from Disney. My DH had plans for Friday night and all day Saturday, so I thought I would take the kids Sat. Then I thought it would be fun to take them Fri night for the evening, with a soft option to spend the night, maybe. I packed an overnight bag just in case, but didn't tell the kids in case something came up.

I picked up my kids from the sitter and we were on the road by 4. I told the kids we had to go to the mall to do some shopping. We then had a huge "severe thunderstorm" (complete with warnings on the radio) on I95 and the traffic slowed to a crawl. We got through it around 5 and got some McDonalds.

My DS11 is nonverbal autistic, so he was just enjoying the ride and the unexpected McDonalds. My DD7, after we were on the road for WELL OVER AN HOUR, finally says "It's taking an awfully long time to get home" (we live 5 minutes from the sitter).

I reminded her that I had some errands to run. She asked what errands, and I said, well, I have to go on Pirates, and I think Big Thunder. She started screaming "we're going to Disney!". It was so funny.

I picked up the phone (the passholder # is in my phonebook ) and got the last available room at the Pop so we could enjoy the EMH, because by that time I had hit another traffic jam and it was obvious we weren't getting there till 7 (what a bad drive that was). We checked in, hit Main Street by 8, and stayed playing till 1 in the morning. The next day we hit the pools for a couple of hours and drove home. She still talks about her suprise Disney trip.

So you don't have to buy anything to have a fun surprise trip to Disney!

 

[MSB123]

Wow you all have me smiling big tonight sharing your surprise stories! So cool, thank you!!! I'm getting great ideas.


What you have me realizing is that what I am looking forward to the absolute most with this whole thing is their faces when the find out.

They have absolutely no clue... they don't even thing it is possible. They spent the day looking at the Orlando Science Center website planning out things to do... don't think they're going to mind the change of plans at all since we've been to the OSC a few times already.


So exciting... this is going to be great!

 

[MrsSilvaStrat]

We surprised my sister for her 21st bday. She was flying out of a different airport with her friends. They all showed up unannounced at her house and my parents took them to the airport. When they got there she opened a box with a bunch of "Surprise we're going to WDW!" items in it and a letter from me and DH saying see you in 3 hours lol.

I have pics ( click link in sig ) of all the things I made and our other surprises throughout the trip such as character meals.

Have a great trip!

 

[Erniandbert]

I just have never been able to do it. So I convinced my husband we needed to go and made the reservations (in June). I meant to tell them I really did but I haven't. Now we are stopping on the drive down to visit family in Georgia and my husband doesn't want to tell them until we pull into Disney. I think they will realize something is up shortly after crossing the FL border. Either way I am stumped on how to actually tell them. DS13, DD7... Your stories are giving me lots of great ideas but I would love some other suggestions. Yes, they know we are going on vacation but they think it is just a long weekend to Georgia to visit family. Oh yeah and I have gotten hooked on Disney since I started planning. My husband thinks this is going to be a once in a lifetime trip how do I break the news that I am already planing next years trip too!

 

[princesspenelope]

These are so great! It's making me so excited for when my kids are older and they will "get" going to WDW and the shock of finding out!

I read someplace that a family cooked up a mickey-esque dinner...mickey shaped things and such. The kids just thought it was fun but nothing really tipped them off that a trip was coming, and then at dessert they pulled out a cake that said...YOU ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!

 

[PixiePoppins]

Great thread! DH and I are planning a surprise trip for our three kids (ages 7-12) for Christmas (Dec 15-20). I'm feeling a little guilty not letting them join in the planning and anticipation fun for this trip, but I think it would be great to surprise them. We plan on picking them up from school and springing the news on the way to the airport...a gift from us and Santa. I'm still not exactly sure how we will reveal the surprise. I'd love to hear more great ideas!

Thanks!!!