We leave on Thursday and the kids still don't know...

[carone0318]

So, as I said above, we leave in 2 days and the kids still have no idea. This is our Christmas gift to the kids this year. They have no need for anything, so instead of buying more "stuff", we decided to go down and see all the decorations and everything that Disney does this time of the year.

We are still trying to decide how to tell them. The first strange thing that is going to occur to them on Thursday is that mom is home and not at work, since I am usually gone before they get up for school. The second clue that this will be a different day is that their school uniforms will not be out and they will get dressed in regular clothes. They don't have school on Friday since it is Immaculate Conception, so they are only missing Thursday.

I think that we might say to them something along the lines of, we have asked you both what you wanted for Christmas and all you both say to us is "I don't know" so we decided to do something different this year. We will tell them that they aren't going to school, to get dressed because we have to leave. Not tell them where we are going, but just drive to the airport.

Should be interesting. My children don't have an issues that this type of scenario would freak them out, so I can't wait to see their reaction.

As for me, it is far worse for them not to know than if they did. My excitement level is not the same as our usual trips because we haven't been talking about it. Also the packing. It is very difficult to pack with them around (they would figure out something is up.) When dd goes to bed around 9:30, packing is the last thing on my mind. I think tonight when they are at soccer practice that I will put the clothes that I will be packing in a clothes basket like they are clean clothes and after they go to bed, just put everything in the luggage.

Crazy, crazy, crazy - but well worth it!

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

How fun! Don't forget to tell us how the big "reveal" goes!

 

[ChrisLei]

Sounds like fun! Can't wait to hear how it goes!

 

[disneydreamer1970]

Enjoy your surprise and please let us know how it goes!! I am suprising DD(6) next Tuesday with her trip to WDW!! She has no idea and we are not telling her until we arrive at the airport.

Have fun!!!

Trish

 

[steelfish535]

HANG IN THERE! They're going to be so thrilled with the surprise! I wish I had your willpower! I tell DD about the trip before it's even booked!!!!
Have a great time!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Oh you are such a great mommy!! How exciting!!! Please let us know how it all went. Kudo's to you for being strong enough to keep it a secret all this time. I don't think I could do it!

 

[Ariel8676]

Oh how fun!!! We just surprised our DD's last week with trip to WDW..they were SO excited, we had the video camera rolling when we told them where we were going. We told them we had to go visit a sick uncle in Florida and it was going to be boring but i needed them to behave for us..lol We told them right before we got on the Magical express...it was great!
Good luck and let us know how it goes..have a great trip!

 

[Chicago262]

We leave Saturday morning at about 4:00am and our kids don't know yet either I am sooo excited. We'll have the video camera rolling. We plan on sending them to bed around 8pm telling them that we are going to breakfast before swim team at 8am so they are not suspicious as to why they have to go to bed early. Then we are just going to jump on their beds when we wake them up yelling "Surprise...we're going to Disney". We thought about a treasure hunt but we think it might be just a little too early in the morning for that. I just can't believe no one has spilled the beans in front of them. Saturday just can't get here soon enough!

 

[carone0318]

Thanks all for the well wishes. Well last night I got nothing done, so I will have to do everything tonight. I think that I work better under pressure .

Kids have no idea still. Last night we watched the Holidays in WDW with host Raven (I tivo'd it the other day) and the kids really liked everything they saw. Dd said she would love to go down during the holidays and ds says he wants to go to Disney now. I said to him that we will be going in June. I think that this show will really help get them ready for all of the new sightings that we will see.

We will be leaving for the airport at 8am tomorrow morning. I'll report back when we return - probably on Monday!

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

That is so incredibly fun! Kudos to you for being able to pull it off--I'm not sure I would be capable of it, but I think it's fantastic!
Have a great trip!

 

[alicenwonder99]

OMG! How wonderful for the kids. I can't wait to hear how it all went. I would love to surprise the kids like this some day. I still haven't completely ruled out going the first week of Jan (but it's looking rather grim).

You'll have to post as soon as you get back to let us know how the kids reacted to the surprise.

Mary

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

We leave Saturday morning at about 4:00am and our kids don't know yet either I am sooo excited. We'll have the video camera rolling. We plan on sending them to bed around 8pm telling them that we are going to breakfast before swim team at 8am so they are not suspicious as to why they have to go to bed early. Then we are just going to jump on their beds when we wake them up yelling "Surprise...we're going to Disney". We thought about a treasure hunt but we think it might be just a little too early in the morning for that. I just can't believe no one has spilled the beans in front of them. Saturday just can't get here soon enough!

Can you please please please get a picture of that!?!?! How fun!!!!!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I hope you have an awesome surprise and trip. We are leaving on April 29th. I'm still not sure how i'm going to tell my kids. I've been planning a treasure hunt on Easter, there will be twenty something days to go. But the more I read these surprise on the last day posts the more I want to wait even longer to tell them, but I don't know if I could. Especially packing , i'd be too excited.

 

[sgmom]

We leave in 2 days and just told DS6 on Thanksgiving - he and DD2 received a letter from Mickey and Minnie inviting them for a visit. DD2 knew months ago - I had to tell someone!!! But I really didn't get excited until DS found out and started talking about it. We watched the Disney programs on the Travel Channel tonight. Normally, we would try to surprise him with trips because he didn't have a concept of time, and would try to hide the suitcases from him. This time, the suitcases are too big. He has had fun counting down!

 

[becca011906]

oh that sounds like so so much fun, maybe in a few years we'd be able to pull something like that off, but dh can't get vacation time durring the holidays yet, he's to low on the list! LOL but maybe in a few years!

Have fun!!!

 

[mickyfan1]

Please let us know how this went.

 

[Samantha/NC]

I used to think that it was silly to surprise the kids, I mean half the fun is planning and talking with them about it but.... this past weekend we took our kids on what is usually an adults (me and hubby and my sister and her hubby) only weekend. The kids (6--3 each) had no idea, we picked them up from school on Thursday and took them back to my sisters house, we had made up a puzzle with clues for them to follow, the last clue ended up at the computer with a "click here" icon-when my oldest son clicked, it opened up to a picture of the cabin that we were staying in--that tripped them out, and they really went bonkers when we told them we were leaving right then!!!
That was so much fun!!!

Now we are "secretly" planning our next Disney trip!!!!!

 

[carone0318]

Well, we pulled it off. We had to tell them before we left the house because I have a Subaru Forester with a hatch type trunk and they would be able to see the luggage and stuff.

Well dh got up ds in the morning and said to go to dd's room because we have a surprise. We go into dd's room and she has no idea that I have the video camera on because she doesn't have her glasses on and she is just sitting there. Both kids are groggy. We spill the beans and dd just sits there with her jaw dropped and ds and saying no we're not going there and we are like yes we are. I said to him, why would I be home from work then (I'm usually at work before they get up for school).

On Thursday, we went to LTT for dinner and then to MVMCP. Kids held up pretty well. We brought ds's stroller and it was needed as he fell asleep around 10:15, while dd held out until we left at 11:45pm.

On Friday, it was freezing down there. I was so proud of the way that I packed for this trip. Although it was cold, we had plenty of clothing. we layered long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts and then windbreaker medium weight jackets. We had our gloves and hats. We needed all of this clothing in the evening. We had breakfast at Donald's Breakfastosaurus. Neal (the bald guy) was our waiter and he was a character without the costume. He was a lot of fun, which made the breakfast all the more fun. Food was pretty good too, especially the hashbrown potatoes, my dd had 3 servings. After breakfast, we mosied around Beach Club and then took the boat to MGM to see the Osborne Lights and had dinner at ABC Commissary. It was so cool to be standing on the street when the lights were turned on, the kids loved it! We had our carriage ride that evening with I believe the horse's name was Jake. Then we went to Downtown Disney for some shopping.

On Saturday, we went to the monorail resorts and looked around and then went to Epcot. Had lunch at Sunshine Seasons and road Soarin' and TT. Had our CP package dinner at Alfredo's and saw the 8:15 CP. Before the CP, the kids visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus. CP was beautiful and moving. At 8:47pm the space shuttle launched and many people forgot they were at the CP and focused on the shuttle. For ds, we brought the Nintendo DS. This worked perfectly. We were able to enjoy the show as were those who sat near us and he stayed occupied.

On Sunday, we went and played mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens and then headed to Epcot to have lunch at Sunshine Seasons again (I think our favorite counter service location.) After lunch we headed back to BWV to get our luggage out of storage and onto the Magical Express to the airport.

We had a great trip and really enjoyed all the Christmas decorations and activities that were offered. We do plan to go back in a couple of years for Christmas again. The only thing we will change is to possibly add 1 more day, since this trip is more about seeing the Christmas stuff rather than ride rides and the kids were really good about that. Also, I do believe that I will tell the kids ahead of time. The pre-trip excitement wasn't the same without them knowing about the trip. I like all of the talk and anticipation that happens with the kids.

I do think on Christmas morning, we will have to remind them that Disney was their present from us, since there won't be much from mom and dad under the tree this year!

 

[Ariel8676]

Sounds like you all had a great time!!!!! Thats awesome that you pulled off the surprise, im sure they were so excited!!!
How were the crowds this week?

 

[carone0318]

I didn't think that the crowds were bad, but realize this wasn't the typical trip. Rides weren't the major attraction. During MVMCP, we had an ADR at LTT for 5:30, I think we waited about 15 minutes to be seated. I think we were out of there about 6:45. We went straight to SplMtn and rode that with no line. We then went to BTMR and rode that twice with no line. POC, we had no line. We waited about 5 minutes to see Capt. Hook and Mr. Smee. Had about a 5 minute wait for Aladdin and Jasmin. We were one of the last to see them, so we went right back in line to see Abu and Genie. Rode the magic carpets with no wait. We got our treats from Columbia Harbor house with no wait probably around 9pm. Headed to right in front of castle, stood on the left side of the circle (if facing the circle) for the Holiday Wishes, perfect view. Don't know how the early parade was, but I felt that the 10:45 parade had a lot of people there. You definitely weren't getting a spot on the curb on Main St. if you walked up 10 minutes before.

The other parks were reasonable also. The Osborne lights had a lot of people there, but we were on the street when the lights turned on and we were still able to walk through.

Epcot as usual, no problem, unless you were in the America area when CP let out. Soarin' was packed. But we walked through and FP Soarin' around 10am and had a return time of about 1:30, which was perfect because we left Epcot and went to the monorail resorts to look at the decorations and then came back, got a FP for TT, went ate lunch road Soarin' and then rode TT. We worked the system perfectly.

As for Expedition Everest. We had a 10am ADR for Donald's. When we cam into the park around 9:15, dh went and FP EE, we went and had breakfast and then rode EE. I think our return time was around 12:20, not too bad. In the summer, they would of probably been out of FP by that time!