What Surprises have you planned for any of your Disney vacations?

[pooksma]

Also looking for ideas.

DS knows we are going on a family cruise on Dec 29 but how to tell him we will visit the mouse (or rat if you prefer) first?

We have told him that we are flying out Dec 25th (in case of bad weather)...that's all he knows. School ends here on Dec.23.

 

[Cdn Gal]

I am planning golf for my DH and a massage for me! I might also plan another round for him as well since he deserves it! In the past we have done the aqua seas snorkeling tour and it was AMAZING!!! I would highly recommend it to anybody! I also may add on some days to our reservation but I'm not sure just yet.

 

[tardis1029]

As a Birthday Surprise...We booked a boat from GF that would take us out onto Bay lake. When we got to the boat it was all decorated with Birthday streamers - it really looked cool. The looks on all of our faces was awesome! Since it was about an hour before the fireworks, the driver was fantastic and took us to see Discovery island and the kids loved sailing UNDER the monorail as it soared overhead. Then the big surprise..we had a Birthday Cake !. and while we were stopped enjoying the cake (in the middle of the lake) The Fireworks started over the castle. It was pure MAGIC !

 

[brendasol]

The Grand Floridian spa has mini facials, pedicures, manicures, and massages for children ages (4-12)!

Downtown Disney has Disney Quest (for those that enjoy video game and virtual experiences), and Characters in Flight which is a hot air balloon experience.

Also check out the seas aqua tour at EPCOT. You do not need to be scuba certified, and they do provide snorkeling equipment for a unique swimming experience in their salt water tanks!

 

[kifuller4]

I have a surprise trip to the BBB for my girls. It's going to be the last thing we do before we leave. I thought it would be cool if they could wear a little of the magic home with them!

 

[plutotek]

I suspect treachery afoot. A thread about surprises? You would not surprise the children, and not include me somehow. The question is, should I play detective, or just let it go...

Really dear? You getting a little paranoid??? It seems so. You know I love to hear other good stories and how other people plan things. THAT is what prompted this thread, not some kind of hidden meaning or message. Really? You might want to see someone about this problem you have. That is why I come here to the DISboards. My problem is not getting back to my "home" often enough and this board helps me get into my "world" more often. So dear husband, that is what this is all about.

It's not paranoia, it's a lifestyle.

 

[plutotek]

DW and I are going in Dec, and I have a couple of surprises, like tickets for MVMCP and Photopass (I don't really like having my pic taken, but will be doing the whole couple thing). Now, if I can save the money, there might even be an anniversary ring. God knows she deserves it after 30+ years of putting up w/me.

 

[poohbear8]

Last year I picked DD up from school telling her I had an appointment and she had to come with me. As we walked out of the school, she was making sure I wasn't taking her for a flu shot. I suddenly complained it was hot and took off my hoodie. She turned to look and read my shirt which a DISigner had helped with. It said, "Life is good! I'm going back to WDW". She stopped in her tracks and asked when. (she thought we were going in July for dance, not then in Oct) I told her right now and DH was waiting to drive us to the airport. She started screaming with delight and crying in the school parking lot. She really lost it when she saw the shirt on her seat that I had made that said, "Been there, Done that, and I'm going back!"

I had managed to keep it a secret from her for a year, when I booked the bounceback trip while she was in the shower.

This year we invited a friend and her two kids to join us. I made a "movie" that their mom will show them next week. They have not seen Toy Story recently, so she will tell them I said they need to see it. The movie will start with a preview of the parks I found, then go into TS. About 3 mins into the movie, there will be a breaking news bulletin and go into a slide show of our past vacations together. It will end with Fantasmic music and an invite to join us in Sept and pictures from my past trips. Sadly, they are out of state, so I can't watch it happen. They will be surprised since they think they can't afford to go until at least 2011.

 

[dsnycrzy]

Suprises are cute when the children are little.

6 years ago I was taking my DSis and her 5 kids (1 was an infant) to WDW with me. I had my 3 kids and it was kind of hard not letting these kids know we were going so I told them. I did count down calendars for them all with our date to leave in mid-august. OUR DATE WE WERE LEAVING WAS AUGUST 1ST. I did all the packing at nights and my DSis did her stuff. We had a friend take the kids to the park while we got all the hidden luggage to Amtrak and checked it. Then we went to Old Country Buffet and had them announce "THE FRAZIER FAMILY IS ON THEIR WAY TO WDW TONIGHT". All the kids started looking at each other and then tried to get a reaction from me. Then they said "Is that us?" and I said "Yeap", they still didnt believe me until I enlightened them on how busy I was all day and why my friend took them to the park, then they started screaming with excitement. It was priceless!

Fast forward to last year, my kids are older now so Surprises are hard. My DD 17 now, wanted to go to CBR forever (she's half Jamacian and likes that island atmosphere). I kept telling her I cant afford a Mod but one day we'll go. Last year Disney did a 40% (or something like that) off Mods so I cut 2 days off of my POP and added 3 CBR. Checkin out of the POP, I explained that due to an issues with my car and a $500 bill we had to cut some POP days for a HOJO's or something. Since the room isnt going to be ready, that we will load the car and leave it parked at POP, check out and hotel hop and take pics until later that day. We do that and of course we get to CBR. I sit the kids down to eat lunch at the cafeteria and tell them I have to step outside to call and see if the room is ready at HOJO"s. I dip off to the lobby and check in, get the keys, check the room, drop off the packet and get back. So knowing my room now, we're walking around and I say "I wonder if Disney changes the keys or if they can open other doors, I need a nap" (Hind sight she said that statement should have gave it away, that is nothing I'd ever do). I put the key in and...the door opens!! DD takes off running down the corridor saying "Oh my God mom what are you doing? We're gonna go to jail". I said "I wonder whose room this is, look at the packet on the table", she is running in circles at this point and scared out of her mind. She looks at the packet with this puzzled look wondering why it says "Frazier" on it. Then my Dson and I bust out laughing!!! That was so funny.

I hope to do it again! We all want to stay at AKL so although she'll be grown by then (18yrs old) I'm gonna try to pull it off even for just an over night stay.

 

[*TheWigs*]

Our upcoming trip in Nov will be a surprise for DD 7 and DD 4. Both have been to Disney before, but we are trying to sell our house and relocate to New Mexico in a year, etc so we told them no Disney trip this year. They were bummed-I think DH and I were MORE bummed...soooo when we got the 40% off pin we caved and booked the trip! We plan to tell the girls the morning we leave-will be getting up at like 4am to get to airport. From there we think we are going to (TRY) to keep every day a secret. We have CRT ressies one morning, MVMCP another night, and a fantasmic dinner scheduled. Also going to BBB the day of MVMCP. Just bought a Princess Aurora and a Belle dress for the girls that will ALSO be a surprise once we get there! All in all, I think this will be a super special trip!! We had a rough 2009 and it's time for this family to have a MAGICAL vacation!!

 

[aspetranek]

when we went in 2008 we were on a really tight budget as well. I had purchased shirts and other misc from disney store clearence website ahead of time and then on the way stopped at store to find "sunglasses" for DH, when we actually bought autograph books. When we checked in DH took the bags quickly to the room (to place autograph books and tshirts out on their beds) and I took the girls thru the lobby slowly. The next day we surprised them with cinderella dresses (drastically markedown on disney site after halloween) and an invite to dinner at 1900. They loved it and never saw it coming! It was neat also because that dinner was on my birthday and they brought me a signed placemat and gigantic cupcake that we all shared. It was a wonderful trip! We are going again early next year, and this thread is helping me come up with new surpises!

 

[aboveH20]

Planning a trip to Disney is fun, surprises make it even more fun. 3 years ago I told my mother we were going "shopping" and to make sure she asked for vacation time. My best friend and I planned a trip to Disney for her. We didn't tell her until we "missed" our exit to head east, and then handed her a mini scrap book telling her all about our real trip. . .

This year..............its even better! . . !

I've been enjoying reading all the posts about families sharing their stories of surprising their kids, but how heartwarming that you wanted to take your mother and made it happen!

One of my favorite things about the DIS boards is reading (often between the lines) about the love we share of our families. I hope you and your mother have a wonderful trip!

 

[DisneyMomFanatic]

We have our countdown Mickey Head calender already going. DD couldn't wait until the 30 day mark. I told my Dmom and Ddad (who live in Kissimmee), that we will be paying for their lunch the day we do DTD at EOS. What I didn't tell them was that we will also be paying for their dinner at O'hana and Chef Mickey's. We have been realatively blessed this year and it is not nearly as lean a year as we have been accustom to so I figured since M & D have always helped us out when we needed it, I would do a little something for them. They love spending time with the kids (since we live in PA) and don't get to see them that often and love to be with us as much as possible when we are in FL. But since they can't afford tix into the parks, they join us for our meals at the resorts and such. This has been a particularly lean year for them so I will be taking care of their food bills while they visit us. I know in the end it isn't much, but it's what I can do and help fascilitate more time for my kids with Grandmom and Pop-pop and cheap for them.

Karla

 

[wizzzzzard]

The number of days remaining, now matches my age.

 

[MAGGIED]

All these stories are so sweet... my children are 20 and 17 now and not much on surprises... plus with school activites, college classes and jobs I really need them in on the planning... reading all your stories really puts a smile on my face though!!!

 

[donaldsgirl]

We surprised our son with a trip to Disney World for his 7th birthday. A few days before we were leaving Mickey (aka mommy) left him a clue for his birthday present. We did that every morning for maybe a week. Right off the bat he said that his gift was a trip to Disney World. (We joke all the time that we are running away to DW, if someone asks what I would like to do it is always go to DW, ect..) Of course he was just joking when he said that, little did he know that was exactly what we were doing. We were driving down and making a stop at my dads so we told him that we were packing to go to papa's house. After all his clues, he said "Well, it sounds like we are definitely going to DW..but I know we are not. I want to go in Aug. and we can't go 2 times in a year." I have NO IDEA where he got that from. We finally told him that we WERE going to DW for his BDAY and he didn't believe us!!

It took us 2 days to convince him that we were going and we were just stopping at papa's to spend the night so we didn't have to drive so long. I honestly don't think he actually believed us until we pulled onto Disney property. It probably didn't help that it was april 1st when we told him. He was like UUH-UH..your not going to fool me on April fools day!! HILARIOUS!!

 

[tink76]

I love all the ideas! I am trying to plan a couple surprises for my mom when we go. . .she is paying to take me and DD3 in September so I want to do a few things for her. I am already treating us to MNSSHP and Mickey's backyard BBQ but she knows about those.

Any ideas? We already have all of our ADR's planned so meals won't work, and it would have to be something DD3 can do too.

I made DD an autograph book, maybe I will make one for my mom too.

 

[pixiefairy]

LOVE all the stories! My surprises haven't nearly been as intricate but they were enjoyed.

Our first family trip in '08 I made shirts with the help of designers on the disigns threads. I made a shirt for all my kids with Mr. Incredible saying "My dad is Incredible Father's Day 2008", mine said "My husband is Incredible" and Dh's said "Incredible Dad". While he was in the shower, I dressed all the kids and myself in our shirts and left his folded up with a card and some other Father's Day gifts on the bed. He was so touched he teared up. We had a LOT of comments at DHS that morning for Star Wars Weekends.

Same trip, I made a shirt for my ds who had turned 13 during the trip...and I also ordered a cake for him to be delivered at 1900 Park Fare. He was totally surprised and went along with it like a good sport. I also had special menus made for him and dh to be given to them at Coral Reef. And I made a tshirt for Dh for his birthday with Hades on it saying "don't worry, I'm just here for the cake" and ordered a cake for him from the Beach club. He was very surprised.

Last September, I went on a trip with friends and my friend and I bought tickets for the Dessert Party as a surprise for our UK friends. They were floored that we did that...and we had a great time!

This time around.....I booked the dessert party as a surprise for the whole family (dh is in on it though). That's the only thing that I'm aware of...but I have been told I will be gotten back for all the things I did that first trip and seeing as my we are there for my birthday this time...I'm a little frightened. But in a good way, lol.

 

[doodlesmommy]

This trip is a surprise for my two this summer. They've been in Atlanta with their grandparents since school let out. I'm flying down to pick them up and "bring them home". As soon as I get there we are going to head to our gate (with my Mom) and then let them know we are headed to Disney. I'm wondering if my 11 year old will even notice that the board says Orlando, not Baltimore. I'm going to see how long it takes for them to realize what is going on before I say anything. I just hope I get the exciting reaction I'm expecting and not the deer caught in the headlights look.

 

[bdoyledimou]

Back in 2000 i did a lot of traveling for business.. and i mean LOT (I closed the year out with 998,172 air miles points!!!!)

I would normally fly out Sunday night or Monday morning, and come back on Friday night or Saturday morning. I would have a town car pick me up and drop me off at the airport.

Mon Feb 12 2001 was a normal day. I had packed my bag the night before, but my small bag "smelled funky" so i used the only other luggage we had and Extra Large suitcase, that was literally big enough to pack for two.

My car was scheduled to arrive at 6 am, but at 5:55 AM i had to make an emergency wash room break. I asked my (now ex) wife to let the driver know i would be a few minutes if he arrived before i was done.

About 3 minutes later the doorbell rang, and she answered it to a fully decked out Chauffeur and a full stretch limo at the curb. The driver introduced himself and wished her a Happy Valentines day. She laughed and said it wasn't Valentines day yet, and he corrected her, and informed her that her Valentines day started then and there, and presented her with an invitation to Disney World (it was actually a little kids birthday invitation with the Fab 5 on it). By this time i was downstairs and she just looked at me with a puzzled "***" look on her face, but had a HUGE grin.

I had cashed in a bunch of my Air Miles for an Air Canada Vacation Package, 5 days at CS. I had first class plane tickets, had already talked to her boss and had arranged the week off. The Stretch Limo and chauffeur were a surprise for me. (A gift from the company that i used every week complete with a champagne and strawberry breakfast).

I had already packed for her (which is why i needed the HUGE suitcase) and her mother arrived at 6:10 ready to watch the kids for a week.

She was absolutely speechless, and we had a great 5 days touring the parks and eating and having fun. Man i miss those air miles!!!