What creative ways do you surprise your kids with a trip?

[floridascgirl]

I posted this question on Pre-trip reports, but I thought I would put it here, too. We have a trip planned for December 3-6 at AKL and this time it's going to be a surprise for my DS11! Eventhough it's a long way away, I would love to hear all of the creative ways that people have announced their trips to their kids. I love to plan and dream, and this will just add to the excitement. I can't wait to see some of the cool ideas that you DIS'ers have had.

 

[jenharring]

Our kids already know about the disney trip. We check in on June 4th.
What they dont know is that we are leaving on June 3rd, we are probably going to check them out of school like 30 mins to an hour early with out them knowing. We will already have the van backed and ready to go.

 

[overthemoon4mickey]

We surprised our DD9 and DS2 almost 3 on Christmas Day with a Jan
10th-18th trip. I wrapped up a box with Disney T-shirts for everyone in the family, an envelope of Disney Dollars for each kid and a small mickey/minnie plush for the kids. This was all wrapped under a thick layer of tissue paper and on top of the tissue paper I had this note sitting on top, printed on thick card stock, The last word of the poem was under the tissue paper....But DD guessed it before she even opened the tissue! Here's the poem...

It all started back in July
A secret we’ve been planning…Just your Dad and I.

So we hatched a little plan, a surprise for you two.
Keeping the secret was tough…like holding your breath ‘til you turn blue.

We leave in two weeks for 10 days of cool!
Sorry to tell you… You’ll miss a little school!

I wonder if you can guess just where we will go.

Here is one tiny hint…

It’s

In…







Orlando!

Good luck!

 

[spider0215]

I don't have kids but my the first time my niece in GA and her husband took their kids this is what they did. They told the kids they were going on a trip. When asked where they said it doesn't matter what matters is the family is together. They left late in the afternoon so of course the kids fell asleep. Timing was perfect and the oldest woke up just in time to see the Disney billboard. They've also surprised them with Disney cruises for Christmas. One year they filmed a video when they were on the cruise and gave it to the kids to whatch for Christmas. It was mom and dad telling them the whole family was going next time.

 

[aja319se]

I love the poem great idea!

 

[Dissyblonde]

Our trip is planned for next month but my DS10's b'day is next week. He will be getting a box with a couple of Disney shirts (yuck clothes!) and a Disney beachtowel on top then under that he will see the customized Disney maps and Disney Dollars.
I also created an "Epcot Challenge" for him but I am not sure I will wrap that now or wait until we arrive at World showcase to give it to him.

 

[Scrubba2]

Two trips ago, I was so happy to book our trip so I suggested to our DS that we do a happy dance. We both really got into it and danced away! To tell him this last time, my DH and I asked him if he was ready to do the "happy dance", and he knew what I meant! That was fun!

Telling the kids is a great part of going! Have fun!

 

[shocker]

"Santa" left tickets in everyone's stocking, pre-buying them and then later the airfare meant only paying meals and room at the time of the trip.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I planned everything and she never had a clue....We also had ours planned for mid December.

When I packed away the Summer clothes I just stuck them in a suit case instead. I had her 3rd grade teacher in on it...So she helped pull it off and give me some of her work she would miss.

DD thought she had a dentist appt on the Wednesday afternoon. We stopped and picked her up at school early and she knew something was up when Daddy was with us and my Mom and Dad??? So when she got in the truck she said " What are we doing???" I said well I how about we blow off the dentist today and do something fun????? She said cool!! How about the Zoo? I said how about something even better? I said let's go to Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She just looked at me For real she said?? I said why not? Papa will you drive us too the airport? he was laughing and like sure... Then she just started freaking out!!! Are you serious?? OMG!! for real she just kept saying? So I said look in the back and she saw the suit cases and then she knew it was real!

She never had a clue, but then she did start questioning what I packed...Typical girl even at 8. Luckily my Mom caught all of her reaction on tape and it is so funny to watch.

She was totally surprised and now when she really does have a dentist appt I have to reassure her that we are not going to Disney...

We also had planned a 3 night cruise with our 3 days at Disney...It was a great trip except we had rain at MVMCP and that was a bummer.

Have fun! Someday I am waiting for a someone to surprise me!!! Probably won't happen since I am the planner.

Michelle

 

[MinnieTink]

We are surprising our kids with our upcoming Aug/Sept (Free dining woo hoo) trip. We are driving so I was thinking of making some kind of video of my DH and I, to put on the DVD player in the van as we are making our way down. What I am going to say to them to get them in the car for a long drive is still not determined. My DH wanted to say we were going to NC or SC to the beach, but they could get their hearts set on that and there could be disappointment. I like the gift idea with the poem too....

 

[mrsscooter]

I love thinking of ways to surprise the kids........the last time went we didnt tell the kids anything,notone peep. I am impressed with myself that I kept it a surprise..LOL......we went in June, the last week of school, and surprised them by picking them up early. They were just happy to not ride the bus, but when they got in the van, they saw all of our stuff for the trip, and we told them we had to play 20 questions.........they got it on like question 11. They were ecstatic, although a little worried,because the teachers would be sad they would miss the last day of school.........no worries.........the teachers were in on it, and they wrote a special little note with a few goodies, thanking them for being such a great student and that she would see them next year! The kids thought that was sooooo cool!!!!!

 

[bigtony17]

we put mickey sheets on the bed , go some new disney dvds

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We surprised our kids on Christmas morning with a Jan 20-27 trip!!

After they opened all of their Santa gifts there was one small box left under the tree in Disney wrapping paper from us. Inside the box was a layer of surprises that lead up to the big reveal! Here is the thread I wrote about it ~ http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2037004