Suggestions for how to reveal the WDW trip surprise

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey All,

Heading to WDW 9/20-9/25 (thanks to everyone that suggested extending the trip by a day. You were all totally right. Trying to do all four parks in three days with a kid who has never been there before would've been mission impossible) with my godson, and I would really like to make the trip a surprise. His birthday is in August and mine will occur during the trip. I'm thinking of giving him his plane ticket as his birthday gift, but I'd like to keep the surprise for as long as possible. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!!
 

nickys

Premium Member
Hey All,

Heading to WDW 9/20-9/25 (thanks to everyone that suggested extending the trip by a day. You were all totally right. Trying to do all four parks in three days with a kid who has never been there before would've been mission impossible) with my godson, and I would really like to make the trip a surprise. His birthday is in August and mine will occur during the trip. I'm thinking of giving him his plane ticket as his birthday gift, but I'd like to keep the surprise for as long as possible. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!!

Do you have to tell him at all lol? How old is he? If he won't guess from the destination at the airport, then leave it until you're headed for DME and see when he works it out. Will it be the side of the coach, the cartoons or the coach driver. Either way make sure you have your camera ready!
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Do you have to tell him at all lol? How old is he? If he won't guess from the destination at the airport, then leave it until you're headed for DME and see when he works it out. Will it be the side of the coach, the cartoons or the coach driver. Either way make sure you have your camera ready!
Ideally, I don't want to tell him until the last possible second! I'm not sure how to go about doing it, though. He definitely will not guess from the flight destination that WDW is the ultimate stop. His mom is bringing him to my house and dropping us off at the airport and I'm taking it from there. Should I just tell him that we're going on a trip and wait until we land to spring it on him?
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
I would do my best not to tell them anything and arrive at Disney World. Years ago when my sons were small we decided to take them to Disney World, left SC and drove to DW all the while telling them we were going to visit their aunt in Lake Worth FL. We were able to keep them distracted and parked in Epcot in front of Space Ship Earth. They got out of the mini van and took one look around and both at the same time screamed we're at Disney World. It was priceless, to this day they still remember it. They are now grown starting their own families. My vote is don't tell them where they are going
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I would do my best not to tell them anything and arrive at Disney World. Years ago when my sons were small we decided to take them to Disney World, left SC and drove to DW all the while telling them we were going to visit their aunt in Lake Worth FL. We were able to keep them distracted and parked in Epcot in front of Space Ship Earth. They got out of the mini van and took one look around and both at the same time screamed we're at Disney World. It was priceless, to this day they still remember it. They are now grown starting their own families. My vote is don't tell them where they are going
I've decided not to tell him anything. I'm going to get him on the plane, and when we land, see if he can put two and two together. If he doesn't, I'll still only give him clues until he gets it. He's going to lose his mind!
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Let us know when he figures it out. Would love to be a fly on the wall
As of right now, all he's going to be told is that he's coming to stay with me for those 4.5 days. I know him, and the only thing he'll find strange is that we'll end up at the local airport and not my actual house. I'll tell him we're going to visit an "old friend of mine." To the best of my knowledge, he doesn't associate Orlando with WDW yet, so it won't be until he sees the decorations around Orlando Airport that he'll put it all together. I'm seriously contemplating videotaping the whole thing.
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
I've never been to the Orlando airport are there a lot of advertisements for Disney? How old is your godson? Can you distract him until you get on the Disney grounds-- what a suprise- great idea taping it. Wish I had a video of my boys, their Disney suprise was right up there with Christmas morning.
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I've never been to the Orlando airport are there a lot of advertisements for Disney? How old is your godson? Can you distract him until you get on the Disney grounds-- what a suprise- great idea taping it. Wish I had a video of my boys, their Disney suprise was right up there with Christmas morning.
Oh, yes. Mickey & Co. are well represented in the airport and there is merchandise sold everywhere. Our flight gets in somewhat late, so he may be too tired to put it together. If not, it may be hard to distract him, because by then, he will be playing 20 questions.He will be 8 by the time the trip starts.
 

kimberlymautz

Well-Known Member
I would tell him when you get to the airport, but only because my cousin tried to wait until they got to Orlando to tell her kiddos (she just told them they were taking an airplane ride which they were super excited about!), but once they were getting onto the plane a bunch of kids were talking about how excited they were to go to Disney and go on rides and then the flight crew mentioned Disney in their safety talk and all hopes of keeping the surprise went out the window.
 

SJH'72

Active Member
Was going to say the same thing. No way he won't overhear others excitement on the plane or even at the boarding gate!
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Was going to say the same thing. No way he won't overhear others excitement on the plane or even at the boarding gate!
I didn't even think about that. The last time I flew to WDW, there were a lot of kids at the gate with ears and other merchandise on. I may either tell him in the car on the way to the airport, tell him we're not going to Disney until we get to the Magical Express, or tell him on his birthday one month from today. Thoughts?
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I would tell him when you get to the airport, but only because my cousin tried to wait until they got to Orlando to tell her kiddos (she just told them they were taking an airplane ride which they were super excited about!), but once they were getting onto the plane a bunch of kids were talking about how excited they were to go to Disney and go on rides and then the flight crew mentioned Disney in their safety talk and all hopes of keeping the surprise went out the window.
That's the thing. Most of the surprise suggestions I've read online were from people who drove, or took some other form of transportation that didn't involve flying.
 

Marika

New Member
We are doing a big USA trip (from Australia) but WDW is the start of it and this is our plan for DS8 and DD5
  • Traditional Disney movie, probably something oldschool the kids will enjoy but are traditional for DH and I
  • Hamburgers, hot dogs, shakes for dinner - USA diner style
  • A big box for both kids to open including references to the places we are visiting
    • WDW park maps
    • WDW hotel room info
    • USA city info or similar for other places we are going
    • Travel pillows and eye masks
I'll report back when we have done it all if anyone wants to know!
Love to hear how you go with your god son

Cheers!
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Update- I can't contain the excitement for much longer and will be telling my godson on his birthday (which is 3 weeks before we leave). Also, I'm trying to avoid a potential meltdown at the airport. It dawned on me the other day that he has never spent this much time away from his mom before. I think it'd be wise to give him some time to come to grips with it.

How I'll be doing it- I purchased him a personalized WDW Mickey ears hat and will be putting that in a box, along with the personalized surprise letter that someone was kind enough to make for me. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes! Thanks again!
 

Cosmic Commando

Well-Known Member
Update- I can't contain the excitement for much longer and will be telling my godson on his birthday (which is 3 weeks before we leave). Also, I'm trying to avoid a potential meltdown at the airport. It dawned on me the other day that he has never spent this much time away from his mom before. I think it'd be wise to give him some time to come to grips with it.

How I'll be doing it- I purchased him a personalized WDW Mickey ears hat and will be putting that in a box, along with the personalized surprise letter that someone was kind enough to make for me. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes! Thanks again!
Ha! At the beginning of the thread, I was going to tell you, then I decided to hold my tongue when you said you made up your mind, but now I'll say I think it's the right thing to do to tell him ahead of time. People always say around here that planning is half the fun, and I think kids deserve that, too. At least I think it should be that way for first-timers; we did surprise our kids once, but it was their fourth trip in a year. I really think the anticipation and the "research" he does will both extend the joy of the trip and allow you to gauge his expectations. He may very well discover something that will be his favorite thing in the world, but you wouldn't even have considered. I wouldn't surprise a first-timer, unless they somehow already knew a lot about WDW. I don't think a surprise is bad, but I think this is better.
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ha! At the beginning of the thread, I was going to tell you, then I decided to hold my tongue when you said you made up your mind, but now I'll say I think it's the right thing to do to tell him ahead of time. People always say around here that planning is half the fun, and I think kids deserve that, too. At least I think it should be that way for first-timers; we did surprise our kids once, but it was their fourth trip in a year. I really think the anticipation and the "research" he does will both extend the joy of the trip and allow you to gauge his expectations. He may very well discover something that will be his favorite thing in the world, but you wouldn't even have considered. I wouldn't surprise a first-timer, unless they somehow already knew a lot about WDW. I don't think a surprise is bad, but I think this is better.
Hindsight is 20/20 and I couldn't agree with you more. Very glad I changed my mind.
 

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