Ways to surprise kids with Disney Cruise?

[Ilovestitch]

Anyone have any creative ideas on ways to suprise kids with a Disney Cruise for Christmas. I know someone who is surprise two sets of grandchildren-- one they will be seeing in person and one they will mail a package to. They are 10, 6 and 7 years old and this will be their first cruise. I was thinking maybe for the ones they see in person to put a big Mickey mylar balloon in the box and it would pop out with they open it.

Does anyone know the phone number or email to order DCL merchandise? Maybe she could order some t-shirts or DCL plush dolls.

Any fun ideas?

Thanks!
Stephanie

 

[StitchMad]

The box + balloon idea sounds so great. The balloon could float up and maybe a little note on that bottom, signed by Mickey Mouse.
In answer to your merchandise question. I've put some links below to some great companies which deliver DCL items to your stateroom or to your home, read the sites to find out where they deliver.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/myCruise/giftsLanding?name=AmenitiesAndGiftsLandingPage
http://www.theperfectgift.cc/

Here's some info from the DCL site also.

Two easy ways to order gifts:


Call (800) 601-8455†
Download a PDF of the Gifts Order Form. Then fill out the form completely and fax to (407) 938-4288†.
For additional inquiries about our gift items, please e-mail us at:



dclgifts@disneycruise.com



† If you are not 18 years of age or older, you must have your parent or guardian's permission to dial this number. Phone orders for amenities must be placed at least 48 hours prior to sail date.

Hope you find what you're looking for. I know on our last cruise there were a bottle of champagne and a set of DCL chocolates in our stateroom also

 

[pfishgirl]

We were discussing this on the Disney Cruise Line Meets.. We have a woman who is going to surprise her kids as well...

Here are some ideas:

Little presents leading up to the "we're going on DCL" pail, shovel, suntan lotion, flip flops, water shoes, sandals, miniture boats, sun glasses, beach blankets, a tote bag with some of the items in it...

Hope this helps!!!

Best Wishes for a Great Surprise

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

Maybe you could do a treasure hunt.

That's what we did to annonce our last X-Mas trip to WDW to our kids

And they were sooooooooo excited to do this hunt!!!!

 

[mmouse37]

We surprised them at Christmas......back in 1997 for the Maiden Voyage of the Magic (1998)!!!

Then......

And more recently.....

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

Wow! MJ your kids are beautifull

 

[disneymommyof3]

We went w/ friends a few years ago. Thiers was not really the same situation but, they had grandparents that lived in Florida not too far from the port so, they went to the area w/ the pretense of visiting the grandparents. They then traveled to the port to "check out the big cruise ships". Once there and out of the car, they let the kids know. It was great. We were actually watching them arrive from the ships deck.
We are surprising out 9 and 11 year old in a few weeks. We planned the trip for just our daughter who is turning 16 but, her softy of a dad decided at the last minute he can't go w/out the other two so, we added them. They have no idea and I haven't decided how to break it to them yet.
Last year we did a surprise trip to DW. We pulled the kids out of school at the end of the day and the car was packed. We simply said, "Hey, you guys wanna go to Disney World?"
Good luck! Maybe I can get some ideas from this thread!

 

[barney4liz]

Anyone have any creative ideas on ways to suprise kids with a Disney Cruise for Christmas. I know someone who is surprise two sets of grandchildren-- one they will be seeing in person and one they will mail a package to. They are 10, 6 and 7 years old and this will be their first cruise. I was thinking maybe for the ones they see in person to put a big Mickey mylar balloon in the box and it would pop out with they open it.

Does anyone know the phone number or email to order DCL merchandise? Maybe she could order some t-shirts or DCL plush dolls.

Any fun ideas?

Thanks!
Stephanie

Bronner's www.bronners.com has a cute cruise-ship ornament that looks like a DCL ship but is not an "official" DCL item. But very affordable and cute. We gave DD one last year for Christmas following our cruise. Anyway, they could hang the ornament on the tree with some kind of tag announcing the gift, and have the kids hunt for the special new ornament. Just a thought. The ornament makes a nice keepsake.

I'm looking for ideas, too, because we are cruising on 1/3/08 and planning on giving DD that for a Christmas present. Haven't decided how to spring it on her yet. The DCL t-shirt is a great idea, too.

Here is the ship ornament: http://www.bronners.com/1114030.html

I see that they also have a really cute pirate ship ornament -- I may do something with that. DD LOVES PoC.

 

[barney4liz]

Bronner's pirate ship ornament: http://www.bronners.com/1114483.html

And Mickey pirate ornament! http://www.bronners.com/1125041.html

 

[Caitsmama]

I am planning on surprising my dd with our second cruise next Sept.. However, since my dh won't be going (due to us going to WDW 2 months after the cruise) it will just be me and my dd traveling with my inlaws..
So, since my dh isn't going, i want to tell her the night before we leave, so that she can have ample time to say goodbye to him
So, i decided i would take her and my dh (and my inlaws) out for dinner the night before, and tell my dd it is the "new beginning of the school year dinner" and then surprise her somehow.. mabye a card or something ( I like the idea of the mini beach bucket and stuff!!)
I am just hoping my inlaws can keep it a secret for a year!They aren't too good in that dept.! LOL

 

[PoohJen]

We are cancelling our Christmas 7 day cruise , but will be at WDW early in December and friends are on a 3 day Wonder that week...so now, SO ARE WE!!!!

The boys know we had to cancel the 7 day, but I haven't told them about the 3 day. Hoping that maybe I won't have to tell them until we get to the Port?! I'm afraid the shock will overwhelm them, though!

So, to piggy back on OP...anyone not told the kids until they were, say, through security?! I think I can bluff my way with the kids through that one!

 

[Ears]

I've been collecting small plush characters for the past 6 months or so from ym local Goodwill store. They have a really good selection, with about 70% of the plush being new or almost new. I also have the vacation planning DVD, a mickey and minnie poster, some of the mickey ears paint chips from Home Depot, and a few other smaller things.

All of this will be packed into a bunch of smaller boxes for the kids (4 and 7) to open. They should get the hint.

 

[FreeTime]

So, to piggy back on OP...anyone not told the kids until they were, say, through security?! I think I can bluff my way with the kids through that one!

We made it past security! Our kids were 5 & 6 though. It was their second cruise and we told them we were going to WDW (they had been begging to go on another cruise). I remember they were arguing when we were driving to the port and then they started whispering when they saw the Wonder up ahead. We got out of the car and the watched the luggage get unloaded. I told them they were storing it and they had a special where you could get on the ship for lunch only. They fell for it. That night at dinner they asked if they were really going to stay all night!

 

[Perrier]

Go to the Trip Reports section & read Ashman's TR. He did a very neat thing at Christmas to tell his girls about their cruise.

 

[PoohJen]

We made it past security! Our kids were 5 & 6 though. It was their second cruise and we told them we were going to WDW (they had been begging to go on another cruise). I remember they were arguing when we were driving to the port and then they started whispering when they saw the Wonder up ahead. We got out of the car and the watched the luggage get unloaded. I told them they were storing it and they had a special where you could get on the ship for lunch only. They fell for it. That night at dinner they asked if they were really going to stay all night!

Hee hee - that's great! My boys are 10, have sailed the Magic twice. Since we will be driving to the Port with all our friends who are sailing after our WDW stay, I could tell them we are dropping them off and...yes, as you did, go on just to join them for lunch!

Heck, even if we can just keep it a secret til sail day will be fun!

 

[pfp258]

We suprised our daughters and the children of our friends when we went on a cruise together over spring break. We waited until February when it was a birthday and we all had dinner together. After dinner we told them it was time for birthday cake. We turned off the lights, lit the candles and the cake was put on the table. It took a few minutes but my daughter finally screamed when she read the cake which read "Disney Magic, spring break 2007" The screams could be heard around the neighborhood!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We are surprising our daughters in a few weeks. They have no idea.

They know we are going on a Carnival cruise in a week.
They know we are going with hubby's family on that cruise.

They know my sister is going on a Disney cruise....but....b/c of our Carnival cruise, we can't go.

I asked them if it would be a good idea to drive to the put to show my sister and her family how to get there. We wouldn't want them to get lost and miss their Disney cruise.

Still working the kinks out after that. But we have up until we get to the ship all planned out.

(I believe we will be packing luggage into my sisters car and she wants us to park in the garage and then just go walk up to the boarding area to see off my sister.)

I can't wait!!!!

A friend of mine works for DCL--they actually get great joy out of the families who held off the suprise as long as possible...especially if they held onto that secret until they showed up at the port.

 

[ibouncetoo]

We are cancelling our Christmas 7 day cruise , but will be at WDW early in December and friends are on a 3 day Wonder that week...so now, SO ARE WE!!!!

The boys know we had to cancel the 7 day, but I haven't told them about the 3 day. Hoping that maybe I won't have to tell them until we get to the Port?! I'm afraid the shock will overwhelm them, though!

And we're glad you ARE! (though cancelling a 7 day Christmas cruise is very, very sad) I think we can get away with the 'join us on the ship for lunch' routine.

 

[PoohJen]

And we're glad you ARE! (though cancelling a 7 day Christmas cruise is very, very sad) I think we can get away with the 'join us on the ship for lunch' routine.

Yeah, although I think they might find it odd that I'm having them wear their bathing suits to the airport... (sorry, kids, all out of clean underwear)

 

[ibouncetoo]

Yeah, although I think they might find it odd that I'm having them wear their bathing suits to the airport... (sorry, kids, all out of clean underwear)