WANTED: Ideas For A Fun/Clever Way To Tell The Kids They Are Going To Disneyland!

[jacs1234]

Alvernon90, we had to watch that episode last night because of your post

Thanks for that link shellncesar, we've had a lot of fun with that today.

 

[leslie_537]

You could do a take-off of the commercial that your son noticed - How about a helium balloon (or three) in a box? He lifts off the cover, and the balloon lifts out on its own. For a balloon weight you could use a key chain or luggage tag or something themed with the trip information on it.

Maddle

This is actually what we are doing for my daughter's birthday. I got a huge box and found some Mickey Helium Balloons I will wrap it that morning so the balloons pop out when she opens the "present". Then I just got a plush Mickey Gift Card holder from the Disney Store for $6.50 the balloons will be attached to him and since we have annual passes I will stick the Mickey's Trick or Treat Tickets in there. I think I am going to put the new lanyard set in there too as a gift. She has been dying to go to Disneyland for Halloween so she will be so excited.

I still need to call Disney vacation planning so they can do a little decorating in the room and place some strategic items on the bed when we return to out room the first night. I got her a pretty new nightgown and a few other things.

Hope I have helped a little. Have fun!

 

[lisadoll93]

First, make an excuse for your one-armed friend to take a car trip with you. Then pile all the kids into the car and drive down the road. Just as you are about to pass a road sign, have your friend stick out his prosthetic arm out the window to hit the sign, ripping the arm clean off. As the kids are screaming and yelling, have your friend turn around to the back seat and say, "That's why you should keep your hands and arms inside the ride vehicle at all times when you're at Disneyland!"

</Arrested Development>

I just choked on my coffee.

Do like my wife and I did years ago. Tell the kids you're fishing and head the wrong direction. (We gave our kids the tickets for Disneyland,they freaked. Except my youngest son,,,he wanted to go fishing)

Thats cute.

 

[ebtbmom]

You could get them a magical phone call from Mickey. You schedule the call for any day and time that you like, I think he says something like "today is a special day, etc" and he ends the call with "see you real soon". It's really cheap too.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I surprised mine. My kids were 3 & 9, we live in AZ & I fibbed & said we were on a road trip to the Grand Canyon.

So I had ALL 4 of us in Disney related clothing...I had all car activities Disney related (movies, coloring, etc) ....I even gave them new Disney jibitz for their Crocs.

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

IN their activity folders (coloring, etc) was the Disney sign that said "Welcome to Disneyland A & B!" THAT'S when she got it (just after passing the CA border)....& her excitement then filtered over to her brother who couldn't read....it was a fun moment.

In a car, no clue & then we sprung it on them!

 

[JustAKid]

You could get them a magical phone call from Mickey. You schedule the call for any day and time that you like, I think he says something like "today is a special day, etc" and he ends the call with "see you real soon". It's really cheap too.

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for this. The only thing I can find is the character call that comes in a DL vacation package. Do you perhaps have a link to the site? Phone number to call to set it up?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for this. The only thing I can find is the character call that comes in a DL vacation package. Do you perhaps have a link to the site? Phone number to call to set it up?

https://secure.uvoxnetworks.com/disney/affhome.html?affno=66

 

[D. Crockett]

You could get them a magical phone call from Mickey. You schedule the call for any day and time that you like, I think he says something like "today is a special day, etc" and he ends the call with "see you real soon". It's really cheap too.

I had been wondering if/how this is done. Very cute.

Or you could get creative using Microsoft Word and type a letter or invitation...excuse me...have Mickey type a letter or invitation, and mail it to your address. Make a way so that the kids are the ones who open the letter.
(Ex: "I hear you're coming to visit me at Disneyland. See you real soon!" etc, etc)

 

[deejdigsdis]

Ah -- decisions, decisions... These are all so great! Thanks for the input everyone. I'm planning to make the announcement in the next 2 weeks. Probably by combining a few of these ideas.

 

[DisneyPhreak]

If there could be a way to pack their luggage without them knowing, and have all their bags hidden in the trunk of the car. On whatever day you leave to go to the airport, make it appear as if you're all just going out to "run some errands".

When you pull into the airport parking lot, they will start to get suspicious that this isn't a typical "errand". Just play it off as you're needing to stop and "check something".

Park the car. Before getting out, tell the kids you need to check something. Go to trunk of car. Before opening trunk (with kids standing right there, of course), ask in a very serious/concerned manner.
"I have a question, and I need the honest truth".

This will create suspense.

Open trunk to expose all the packed luggage. "Do you think this will be enough stuff to get us to Disneyland? 'Cause that's where we're going."

Thats pretty close to what we did with our kid a couple of years ago. We sent him to school that day and picked him up right after lunch so he thought it was pretty cool he got pulled out of school in front of his class. All of the stuff was loaded in the back and covered with a blanket so he didnt see anything. Told him we were going downtown Seattle to meet his grandparents (who were going with us).

Right next to the airport we pulled into a gas station and had him open an envelope that had a picture that you could generate off the internet which was the old main Disney sign out front and said "You're going to Disneyland". He read it like 8 times and still didnt get it. We told him to read it again, real slow and think about what it said. Finally it registered and he went nuts. I had it all on video and to this day is one of my faves....

 

[D. Crockett]

Thats pretty close to what we did with our kid a couple of years ago. We sent him to school that day and picked him up right after lunch so he thought it was pretty cool he got pulled out of school in front of his class. All of the stuff was loaded in the back and covered with a blanket so he didnt see anything. Told him we were going downtown Seattle to meet his grandparents (who were going with us).

Right next to the airport we pulled into a gas station and had him open an envelope that had a picture that you could generate off the internet which was the old main Disney sign out front and said "You're going to Disneyland". He read it like 8 times and still didnt get it. We told him to read it again, real slow and think about what it said. Finally it registered and he went nuts. I had it all on video and to this day is one of my faves....

That's great. I think surprises at the last minute are the best. To me, this would make the moment for the child seem even more magical. Rather than "Surprise! You're going to Disneyland!.....after a couple more days of school, that is." Instead, it's the shock of finding out he's going...and leaving right now! Can you imagine the feeling. Truely a happy moment he'll always remember. I can only imagine the anticipation of having to hold the secret in for so long. That would be the hardest part.

Great way to pull off the announcement.

 

[DisneyPhreak]

It was soooo hard. From us wanting to tell him just so we could see his face to the tons of people who almost let it slip. Some even did let it slip but he never caught on. It was fun tho!

 

[disneygirlinphoenix]

What we did this last time was have postcards with mickey and minnie on them, and send them to the kids, my kids love mail, and they were so excited.

 

[iKristin]

This is actually what we are doing for my daughter's birthday. I got a huge box and found some Mickey Helium Balloons I will wrap it that morning so the balloons pop out when she opens the "present". Then I just got a plush Mickey Gift Card holder from the Disney Store for $6.50 the balloons will be attached to him and since we have annual passes I will stick the Mickey's Trick or Treat Tickets in there. I think I am going to put the new lanyard set in there too as a gift. She has been dying to go to Disneyland for Halloween so she will be so excited.

I still need to call Disney vacation planning so they can do a little decorating in the room and place some strategic items on the bed when we return to out room the first night. I got her a pretty new nightgown and a few other things.

Hope I have helped a little. Have fun!

That's what I did like 5 months ago for my mom

 

[SarahDISer]

I love that video "A Day at Disneyland" too. I have been watching it since I was a kid and now my children watch it regularly. They think some of those fashions are a bit funny. We copied it from VCR to DVD so hopefully it will last forever.

What about telling your kids that you are going to pick someone up from the airport. You could let the children think that their Dad is at work or somewhere and when you get to the airport to pick up Granny or whoever, DH can be standing there at check-in with your bags wearing a Disneyland t-shirt (filming their reaction). As you walk in you could say to them "Haha I tricked you. We are not really here to pick up Gran" and then you can hand them their envelopes.

 

[sahbushka]

I was a travel agent (disney specialist) for 4 years and one of my faves was when the family did just what a bunch of people are suggesting and packed the kids bags in the trunk...told them they were going to the airport to pick up Grandma and "surprise"! It was so fun, but I don't think I would be able to keep the secret from my kids...it is so much fun talking to them about it!

Sarah

 

[Jrsy Boy]

As part of the celebrations promotion, the Disneyland Resort website has a link where you can customize a video. You just put in your name and why you are visiting and they put it in a premade video. It is really cool!

Here is the link:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/index?name=DisneyPersonalizedVideoPage

Check it out. You could tell the kids someone sent you a special message for them!!!

We're using this as part of our surprise, which we haven't revealed yet. DS's favorite ride is Indiana Jones, so I downloaded a translation card for the marabic runes that are all through the ride queue and downloaded the marabic font to my computer. I've already put together a message in marabic for him to translate with the card, which will basically say "we have a surprise, go check your email." While he is translating, I will be emailing him the video that I've already created. If he doesn't get it after that, I don't know what we'll do. DW and I are about ready to burst so we're going to need to do this soon!

 

[deejdigsdis]

I just couldn't keep it from the kids any longer. Just thought I'd share how I finally told my 3 boys (ages 3, 6, and 9) that they are taking their first trip to Disneyland:

Last week my 9 year old was bummed that "Talk Like A Pirate" Day had come and gone last week and we didn't even acknowledge it. I told him not to worry, we'd have our own "Talk Like A Pirate Day" later in the week. So yesterday the kids woke up to a sign that said, "Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate Day For You." The sign was covered in gold chocolate coins. We spent the morning talking like pirates. After school I sent my 9 year old out to check the mail. He came in with the first of 12 clues for the pirate treasure hunt I had prepared. I typed each clue in a "pirate-looking" font and then taped them to the back of wooden pirate themed ornaments (from Michael's craft store). I had hidden the clues throughout our neighborhood. When they got to the last clue, it said something like "10 paces to yer left ye will find, a treasure map of the pirate kind." I drew the map on a brown gracery sack, and ripped the edges all around to make it look old. It was rolled up, tied with a bit of string. They studied the map and figured out it was a park we like to go to with a little beach. We headed out there, where I gave them each a shovel and presented them with new black buckets with skull-n-crossbones on them. (Again from Michaels, meant to be a trick-or-treat bucket.) They had to search the beach for a big black "X". They started digging and eventually hit their buried treasure -- a little wooden treasure chest (Michaels) for each of them, adorned with stick-on jewels. Each treasure chest contained a fun bouncy ball with black glitter and skull-n-crossbones inside (Michaels), gold chocolate coins, and puzzle pieces. They took their puzzle pieces over to a picnic table and began putting the puzzle together. I chuckled to myself as my 9 year old was singing "Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate's Life For Me" as he worked on the puzzle -- no idea of what was to come. They finally got the puzzle put together and I told my oldest to read it outloud: "Yo Ho Yo Ho The Fun Has Just Begun... Soon our family will journey to a faraway LAND where we will cruise through a jungle, explore an island, sail through a pirate battle, pick up hitchhiking ghosts, fly with elephants, escape from a snow monster, float in a log, blast through space, and so much more!!! LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN!" When he started reading, he was just reading normal. As he went on, he read a little slower like he was wondering "could this be what I think it is?" Finally he blurted out, "Are we going to Disneyland?!?" I yelled, "We're going to Disneyland!!" And they all started screaming and clapping. The thing that really gave it away for them was the part about "hitchhiking ghosts." They remembered that from the old "A Day At Disneyland" video. When my 6 year old asked, "When are we going?" my husband handed them an envelope with strips of Mickey Mouse wrapping paper. They had to count the strips of paper so they would know how many days - and then they made a countdown chain. They were SO excited! I got teary when my little 6 year old said, "I feel like I'm going to start crying." SO unlike him.

Anyway, just wanted to share what I ended up doing. It was great that "Talk Like A Pirate" Day led into the treasure hunt idea I had wanted to do anyway. Plus, it gave me a good excuse to use one of my new favorite words -- AVAST! I also got a chuckle when my 9 yo was watching the vacation planning DVD -- people riding the Matterhorn -- and he asked, "What would happen if you put your arm out to the side during the ride?" Reminded me of Alvernon's suggestion when I was asking for ideas on how to break the news. When my 3 yo went to bed tonight he asked, "How many more minutes until we go to Disneyland?" Ugh...it's going to be a long wait.

 

[jacs1234]

Wow that very exciting and extravagant.You have too much energy girl
I hope you got some of it on video.

 

[alvernon90]

You should have gone with ripping off a fake arm, but what you did sounds nice, too.