Surprising the kids?

[yasmina]

Last night, I found R/T air to Orlando for $150 each, and my DH agreed to a surprise trip to DW for our girls 9 & 11 yo. The tickets are bought and hotel reserved - ASM - along with Park Hopper w/ meal plan from July 25 - Aug. 1.

I'm looking for ideas for ways to tell the kids. DH wants to tell them when we're on the way to the airport, (our current vacation plan is to go to Niagara Falls & Hershey Park), and they catch on to the fact that we're not going the right direction.

I'm OK with this plan, but am open to other, more creative ideas.

I know others have done this before - I've been a long time lurker before I joined last year. Don't post much, because it makes me heartsick when I don't have current plans to go.

Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[kathiep]

Your kids are old enough that you could make it a game.

Maybe provide them with clue packets each step of the way.

The first clue could bring them to guessing they're going to the airport. Then once you get there, the next clue could lead them to guessing they are going to a certain part of the country.

You could probably make this really involved and fun.

[Momof2boys]

We've surprised our boys twice . . . once on the way to the airport and once a few days before. We had taken them out to lunch and made a poem for them to read. Either way, be sure to video their expression - it's priceless !

Have a great trip !

[Michigander]

I still laugh at the time we took the kids to FL and we told them we couldn't afford to go to Disney World. We said we'd just enjoy the warm weather and swimming in the pool at the rental. Then We told them we found a free attraction called "Harry's Wax Musuem" That we though we would at least try it out, it was free and we had nothing else to do that day. We got in our van and the kids were in the back not paying to close attention. We got all the way into the parking lot and were getting out of the van when all of a sudden they both started yelling and jumping up and down. To this day when ever we talk of Disney our oldest always say's Oh you mean "Harry's Wax Musuem"!! The best place we ever went. It was a wonderful day!:thumbsup::mickey:

[BigBaloo]

We're actually doing this next week. The kids don't even know we're going anywhere. I have it planned that when we wake up I'm going to say that I don't feel like going to work today & why don't we go to WDW instead. I'm sure they are going to go crazy. My wife & I will have already packed the night before after they go to bed.

[MushuMulan]

When they're sleeping, the day before you leave, put their Disney tickets on their bed or desk, they'll get a real suprise when they wake up!

[DisneyFreak23]

We're actually doing this next week. The kids don't even know we're going anywhere. I have it planned that when we wake up I'm going to say that I don't feel like going to work today & why don't we go to WDW instead. I'm sure they are going to go crazy. My wife & I will have already packed the night before after they go to bed.

That is a sweet idea! If i were going to surprise someone, that would be the way to so it!:thumbsup:

[DisneyFreak23]

We're actually doing this next week. The kids don't even know we're going anywhere. I have it planned that when we wake up I'm going to say that I don't feel like going to work today & why don't we go to WDW instead. I'm sure they are going to go crazy. My wife & I will have already packed the night before after they go to bed.

That is a sweet idea! If i were going to surprise someone, that would be the way to do it!:thumbsup:

[disneyfan328]

I too am looking for a way to surprise our two youngest with our september trip. They know that we would love to take them, but told them with our oldest DD graduation from HS this year, that we just can't afford it. (note - the 2 youngest DD - 7 and DS 5 have never been to WDW. We took the oldest (DD17) before they were born when she was 7. None of us have been back since)

Being that this is truly a Dream vacation for us I have a few things planned. Let me know what you think and I too am open to suggestions. My plan right now is to have a Disney themed dinner -
1.) I am going to make homemade pizza shaped like a Mickey head. and on top of their salads I am going to use tomato slices and cucumber slices to make hidden mickeys:mickey:
2.) dessert will be chocolate chip cookies shaped like Mickey Heads. :mickey:
3.) after dinner we are going to let them open a package that will be delivered the day of our dinner. We are going to tell them that it came for them during dinner. In it we plan to put things that we have already bought (or are in the process of buying) like their autograph books,stickers, disney t shirts ect. We are sending the pckg anonymous from Florida and will be including letters to both of the youngest kids. From cinderella to my DD and from Mickey for my DS ( oldest DD already knows we are going and is joining in the fun of planning and keeping it a secret.:secret:) The letters will be like pen pal letters that say that they can't wait to meet them in September when they come to FL. ect ect. or something along those lines.

I haven't worked out all of the details yet, but I figure this is a start. We plan on doing this in August before they head back to school. I don't want to tell them too early and have them driving me crazy about when we leave for the next 4 months.

any ideas or suggestions????

[tinksmom02]

I too am looking for a way to surprise our two youngest with our september trip. They know that we would love to take them, but told them with our oldest DD graduation from HS this year, that we just can't afford it. (note - the 2 youngest DD - 7 and DS 5 have never been to WDW. We took the oldest (DD17) before they were born when she was 7. None of us have been back since)

Being that this is truly a Dream vacation for us I have a few things planned. Let me know what you think and I too am open to suggestions. My plan right now is to have a Disney themed dinner -
1.) I am going to make homemade pizza shaped like a Mickey head. and on top of their salads I am going to use tomato slices and cucumber slices to make hidden mickeys:mickey:
2.) dessert will be chocolate chip cookies shaped like Mickey Heads. :mickey:
3.) after dinner we are going to let them open a package that will be delivered the day of our dinner. We are going to tell them that it came for them during dinner. In it we plan to put things that we have already bought (or are in the process of buying) like their autograph books,stickers, disney t shirts ect. We are sending the pckg anonymous from Florida and will be including letters to both of the youngest kids. From cinderella to my DD and from Mickey for my DS ( oldest DD already knows we are going and is joining in the fun of planning and keeping it a secret.:secret:) The letters will be like pen pal letters that say that they can't wait to meet them in September when they come to FL. ect ect. or something along those lines.

I haven't worked out all of the details yet, but I figure this is a start. We plan on doing this in August before they head back to school. I don't want to tell them too early and have them driving me crazy about when we leave for the next 4 months.

any ideas or suggestions????


I think that's a really cute idea! And how sweet of your older daughter to help out!!

[moe513]

We rented a limo to take us to the airport and told them on the way.

[madhatterrules]

:mickey: Our August trip is completely planned and we are going to surprise my daughter (8YR). We are staying overnight in Philadelphia the night before since we have an early flight, so we will tell her that we are going to Philly for the weekend and when we wake her up and tell her to get ready I'm going have a Minnie Shirt for her to wear. We will then go to the Airport and I think she will know when she sees we are headed to FL.

My husband is so excited I'm afraid he's going to spill the beans...so I have to keep telling him not to talk about it.