Who has ideas for ways to tell my DD 4.5yrs that WERE GOING TO DISNEY!

[meghead]

It will be our first family trip the last week of September with my DD who will be turning 5. I'm looking for creative, fun ideas of how to tell her the news. Her knowledge of Disney is kinda limited. She knows the image of Cinderella's castle from the beginning of all Disney movies and says, "That's where all the princesses live!"
Thanks!

 

[deakam]

Don't tell her. Just take her to the Magic Kingdom. Make sure you have a camera. I cried the first time mine saw the castle.

 

[kycanonist]

If you can keep it a secret, then hold onto it and just go. I, on the other hand, am incapable of that. We're doing a picture scavenger hunt through the house (really easy things/places to find) and then it will end in the living room with a big box. In the box are a bunch of helium balloons with a note that says "You are going to Disney World!"

 

[jesswindsor]

The secret Idea would be worth it just to see her reaction. But if you want to tell, be creative, send a fake letter, just put it in the mail box and act like it came in the mail, Make it from her favorite Princess, with a picture of the Castle, inviting her, you could also send a princess dress as a gift from her favorite Princess.

 

[mma800]

I took my kids to the airport under the rouse that we were driving their Aunt to go to Hawaii. After security I gave them all an invite that I had printed up that was Mickey inviting them to come right now to WDW. The custom invites were about $15 at Paper Store. i then got great pics of their reactions right before we got on the flight.
Have fun with your surprise!

 

[disneyluver1994]

My parents surprised me and my brother when we were little by waking us up super early in the morning and telling us we were going to visit our grandparents. It was so early, we couldn't stay awake and by the time we woke up, we were only a few minutes away from Disney World. They put a CD with disney songs on it and then we drove under the arch.

If you don't want it to be a total surprise to her, consider sending a package to her and putting the address of Walt Disney World as the return address, let it be from whoever her favorite character is and let her get the mail. If you can get your hands on some, put some park maps and postcards in the package too so she can become familiar with the sights and attractions. If you go to http://www.disneyworld.go.com you can order a planning DVD. The Disney Shopping website has park gear you can order and you can get her an autograph book, pen sets, etc. She will have a whole package of stuff to get her ready and if you can try and get her a disney calendar; that will be fun for her to have it to use as a countdown.

Hope that helps

 

[meghead]

These are great, fun ideas! I definitely do want to tell her beforehand, maybe a few weeks ahead of time, rather than just arriving there. Any more thoughts?

 

[Lumiere Lover]

The first time we took the kids in 2002 to WDW, we sat them down at the kitchen table and told them we had something very important to talk about. I had park maps hidden and ready to pull out to start the planning process, while my husband shouted "Mom's Pregnant!"

I wasn't pregnant, but that got their attention, then I yelled we're going to Disney World!

The kids were super excited, and we immediately started making touring plans for each park.

 

[mma800]

I forgot another one. On my daughter's "8 yo trip", I told her we we going to Miami ( a fun but traditional trip for us). When we got in the car to go to the airport, I told her that I was sorry but our cousins were staying in the Miami condo and we couldn't go...so we we're going to Disney instead!

Man, my kids are gullible! That was the best trip to WDW ever, just the 2 of us doing everything SHE wanted to do. I have done the "8 yo trip" with my 2 girls, and next year will take my son. It is wonderful one on one quality time.
(btw-I took my dd#2 to Cozumel, not WDW)

 

[mom+3girls]

I to would suggest not telling her. We took our 4.5 daughter to WDW and all she knew was that were going on vacation which she kept saying acation. We didn't stay on site the first time so it made it easy to keep it a secret until we pulled up to the toll at the MK. She started screaming and clapping her hands saying Mickey's house Mickey's house. Well worth waiting to see.
Have a great trip.

 

[MAMA GRAVE]

I just ran across this thread as I'm looking for last minute tips.

We are less than nine hours away from surprising my twin daughters that are eight and their six year old sister that they are going to Disney tomorrow!!

I can't wait!! They have NO idea that they are going.

Five months of planning is finally coming to an end!!

 

[Flowers4]

I just ran across this thread as I'm looking for last minute tips.

We are less than nine hours away from surprising my twin daughters that are eight and their six year old sister that they are going to Disney tomorrow!!

I can't wait!! They have NO idea that they are going.

Five months of planning is finally coming to an end!!

--- You have to tell us how it went! We are suprising our boys 7 & 9 in August on our very first trip and are planning to wake them up really early so I am curious if it took them a while to process or if they were just as excited..

(We keep debating whether to leave early in the morning or in the evening so telling them is a part of that )

 

[Samantha_Mommy]

Bake a cake shaped as Mickey Mouse and write we are going to Disney!

 

[merger]

The secret Idea would be worth it just to see her reaction. But if you want to tell, be creative, send a fake letter, just put it in the mail box and act like it came in the mail, Make it from her favorite Princess, with a picture of the Castle, inviting her, you could also send a princess dress as a gift from her favorite Princess.

Similar to this idea - Head over to the Disney for Families forum and request a postcard from a fairy godmother.

 

[Reign]

Just a quick idea I had. Get one of the Disney Panning DVD's (free btw) from the Disney Website, and then make up a movie night kind of deal complete with popcorn etc (maybe even in Disney themed buckets). Pop the DVD in and see what happens.

 

[tmoret]

If you want them to Know ahead of time then I would get a package together from there Favorite. You can make a invite and maybe even a shirt or something. Make sure you address it directly to them and when they get home tell them this came in the mail for them. make sure you tape their reaction when they open it up and see they were invited to go to Disney World!

 

[grammimouse]

A great one used by a freind of mine --- get the Disney Planning video --- retape it onto your own cassette and then have someone record both of you telling "princess " that she is going to Disney World at the end of the Disney part. Buy a small carry on bag ( Princess type of course ) and put the video inside. Especially good if there is a birthday or other occasion between now and then. My freind said it was so cool to watch her DD's expressions as she thought she got " another carry bag" and then to find the video , but the best was when she was watching Mom and Dad tell her about her very own trip !!! Good luck -- enjoy your trip !!

 

[Jazzabelle508]

I know that scavenger hunts are a popular way to tell people about a trip. You could hide clues around the house like a easter egg hunt and then the last clue could be a "your going to disney world" package complete with a certificate, maybe a disney shirt or whatever else fun and cute you would want to include in there. the more little stuff in there the better. Another fun thing you could do is make it like a secret santa where you leave clues for them throughout the week by sneaking the clues in each day. by the end of the week you can let them know that they are going to disney. you can pretned your someone else or you can just be yourself. you can decorate the house one day while the child isn't home and then reveal the surprise once they get home as well

 

[jademozingo]

My advice is NOT to surprise at the park. Yes, while it seems like a good idea some children to not react well.

The first time my Parents and Sis took my eldest nephew to Disney they told him they were going to China. This was mostly because there wasn't a place we went to on a regular basis that is anywhere near the drive it is to Disney. He was three and had no idea of geography. He was so mad when they got there and he figured out the had gone to MK and not china. Evidently there was a bit of drama.

He's now nine and mine is five and had his first trip last year (way too perceptive to have planned without him figuring out something was going on!) So the two oldest boys help with the planning. They have opinions on even the most mundane meals (yes I have brainwashed them to love The Plaza). And they have surprising input. Cinderella's Happily Ever After with only three boys (9, 5, and 2)!

I really recommend the Disney promo dvd to introduce the idea. But as a countdown start introducing her to more Disney (family movie night and watch Mary Poppins).

 

[Beth921]

I used our Disney planning DVD. I put a bow on it, and wrote down the dates we're going to be there.
Then I called them into the kitchen and told them I wanted to talk to them. I handed them the envelope and they were sort of like "so what" then I told them to LOOK at it and see what it meant. They saw the dates and I told them it was already booked, they jumped up and down. We put in the DVD and watched it