WWYD...presenting WDW as Xmas gift?

[Marimar]

We will be presenting our children (dd 5; will turn six during our trip...bonus!, ds just turned 4 in October) w/their WDW trip as their Xmas gift. I have a couple of fun ideas to present the gift; they do not even expect it! Although they have asked about going a few times this past year...from commercials and classmate tales

I thought presenting them w/their Pal Mickey and tickets would be a fun way, but I really want PM to be waiting for them as they enter the room...this would be a surprise to them, of course! We are staying concierge so I would have some help in pulling it off.

Lamo idea...to present the trip inside a disney character stocking

Any other suggestions? DD is big time into princesses. Funny thing is that I went wild booking meals w/Cinderella. Out of the blue a few weeks ago she tells me that if she ever went to WDW the princess she most would like to meet was Sleeping Beauty...did you see how fast we booked a Princess Girl Tea party? DS is a Buzz Lightyear megafan, but likes most other characters as well.

TIA!

 

[AngieWin]

We had shirts made that said Our Incredible Adventure in California 2005 (We went to Disneyland in March). We wrapped each of the shirts up in a big box and the kids unwrapped it together. You could wrap up a big box with a picture of each of the parks or clues about your trip (princess crown, Mickey ears, Florida map, airplane, buzz).

 

[robinb]

Since they are only 5 & 4, I don't think they'll "get" the tickets as the trip. Do you have one of the promo DVDs? Perhaps you can wrap it up in many boxes (a small box, in a bigger box, in a bigger box) along with a certificate saying somthing like: Mickey Mouse and the Sleeping Beauty Request Your Presence at Walt Disney World in January, 2006."

 

[kiddoc]

We did this last year. We wrapped a travel set of markers, paper, etc. On top of the "stuff" was an envelope containing Disney dollars and a WDW luggage tag. Because we have been before, DD5 knew immediately what it meant. DD3 figured it out, but was more interested in her new baby doll! LOL!

 

[JanMary]

We are planning to tell our kids on christmas day (8, 6 and 1) by giving them a large box wrapped in disney christmas paper. When they open the box a helium balloon of a christmas - style mickey will (hopefully) float out with either a message or the trip planning DVD attached - maybe both.

The one year old will at least enjoy the box and maybe the balloon! I am looking forward to taping the kids reaction on camcorder.

We go mid-January so hopefully that is long enough to get excited without torturing us with 'I can't wait...'

 

[stacy6552]

Would they recognize plane tix? My neighbor had Mickey under the tree holding plane tix.

 

[tommygirl79]

I don't know if you all do the Santa thing or not but we are surprising our girls (4 1/2 and 2) by having one of DH's coworkers call and leave a voicemail on our cell phone pretending to be Santa and say something like "Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas Aubrey and Gabby!!!! I hope you enjoyed all of your presents you have opened so far under the tree. One of your gifts was just to big to wrap! In just twelve days you and mommy and daddy are going to Disney World to see Mickey, Minnie and all the princesses!!!! Ho Ho Ho!!! Merry Christmas!!!!!!! and have a great time!!!"

It probably won't be this wordy but you get the idea!!!!!!!!!

 

[solferino]

I got DD a little mickey backpack and I'm going to put in some sunglasses, disney dollars and the trip planning dvd that we can all watch together when she gets this one special present at her grandparent, who are also going with us. She too is also having a birthday during our trip, so I'll include one of the custom t-shirts saying it's my birthday.

It's killing me keeping this a secret!!!

 

[Shelebeen]

Great ideas.. we are still trying to decide what to do as well.

We are flying to LA on Dec 26th, going to hit DL that afternoon (hopefully it will still have space to let us in) and then on the 27th as well, then visiting grandparents for a week or so and returning with them on Jan 4 - 7 for a few more days at DL.

We have not yet told the kids (DS - 2 1/2 and DD - almost 6). They know we are going to California at Christmas time to visit the grandparents, but do not know about the disney part yet. (We were there in June for my son's 2nd birthday - so everything DL is still very fresh (they still ask to watch our home DVD of our trip often).

I ordered DLR gift cards for all of us, but we are still in a debate as to whether to tell them about going to DL on Christmas morning, or to wait and drive up the next afternoon.....

Any thoughts... what would you guys do??

Thanks in advance,
Carole

 

[Rapunsel]

One of my first trips to Dl my parents surprised me and did not tell me. Right before we got there they pulled Mickey ears out of the glove box. I was thrilled.

My family will also be at DL in January. We have annual passes that my partes got us for Christmas. MY DS 4 loves to go and is counting the days till we can get there. We will be celebrating my mom's Birthday. It is going to be so cool!!

I vote for not telling them....

It makes it more fun that way. We ussually don't tell DS that we will be going untill he sees the exit and knows where we are going. It is so much fun that way..

HAve a great trip!

 

[Mom+4]

We, too, are surprising our kids. We are leaving on 12/18 for WDW, so on the evening of 12/17, when I get home from work, I'm going to get the mail which will contain a letter from Santa. It explains how good they've been, and that mom, dad and Santa wanted to give them a very special gift this year. The letter then asks them to play a game to learn the name of their gift. They will have to go on a treasure hunt. The first clue is some shells, the next is some oranges, the next is some Christmas Disney pens (Walmart has them for a dollar), and then the last clue leads them to the basement where a Disney box will be sitting on top of packed suitcases. In the box I have the planning video, t-shirts for each of them and some Disney dollars. I can't wait to see their expressions! They think I'm trying to plan a trip for next summer, when they get out of school, and we are all keeping it "secret" from dad. Or so they think!

Good luck and let us know what you do.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

My girlfriend gave her kids Mickey sweatshirts. Also inside the box was information about their trip.

 

[LynnTH]

I too am giving my DS6 and DD4 a trip to Disney for Christmas also. This is what I am doing. I got each of them a small rolling backpack (got them at Kohls when they were 50% off so they were $10 each). I got my DD a princess one and my DS a Power Ranger one. Inside I am putting a bunch of disney items (pen, radio, t-shirt) as well as items for them to use on the plane. (I figured the backpack would be used for the plane and car ride). I am also putting in Disney Dollars and the gal I am renting our DVC from was just at Disney and she sent me 2 brochures from each of the parks, which are also going in the backpacks. I'm thinking they should probably figure it out by that.

 

[Marimar]

OMG! These are all great ideas! How am I going to decide!!!???

Keep 'em coming please!

 

[JerJan]

We actually surprised our DD6 two years ago with her first trip to WDW! Her grandparents live in Florida so we told her we were going to Florida to see them but we had to meet them at a hotel because there was not enough room for all of us to stay in their house.

We NEVER told her where we were and she didn't figure it out until we walked into the Magic Kingdom and she saw Cinderella's Castle...BOY WAS SHE SURPRISED!!!!!

 

[Marimar]

The stress mounts! To tell or not to tell....I so like the Christmas gift idea, but what a wowser of a surprise if we wait.

Then again, it will be a surprise no matter when she finds out???? And she will be awed by the sight of "the palace" no matter if she knows or not???

I gotta get a life LOL!

 

[kelscross]

We leave on xmas day and the girls don't know it yet...hee, hee...I know they will figure it out as soon as we arrive at the airport because that is the only place they've been on a plane. I like some of these ideas though. Keep them coming!