Hey, my kids' preschool teacher told me that he one year just did all the planning by himself and one morning, when waking his kids for school, asked if they really wanted to go to school today. Of course the answer was no, so he said, well, let's head to the airport and go to Disneyworld!! (Can you imagine?) Anyway, I wanted to hear if anybody else had been surprised with, or made a surprise out of, a trip to Disney. I would love to try it next year.
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Just wondering if you've ever been surprised with a trip...
- Thread starter MouseMadness
- Start date
crazygirley
New Member
I was surprised with my last trip last summer. My parents were planning a summer trip to Colorado, and I had agreed to go, even though I had my heart set on going to WDW. I was at work on a random Wednesday in March, a couple months before the planned Colorado trip. It was weird. I was typing at my desk at work, when I suddenly had a strange feeling come over me. I just kept thinking of WDW, then, all of a sudden, the phone rang. I answered and it was my mom. She said that she had just got done cancelling the Colorado reservations, and just got done making the reservations at All-Star Movies. She decided that we all would have much more fun at WDW!!! I couldn't have been happier, or more surprised!!!
crazygirley
New Member
Oh, and where from in Detroit? I am from West Bloomfield!!!
We're actually in Redford, just on Detroits northeast corner... my hubby works at dmc. My mother inlaw has a really good friend that lives in West Bloomfield... we went to a movie theater in I think Birmingham a couple months ago... so nice it's worth the pointless mention. (No, isn't Birmingham just by West Bloomfield?) Anyway, nice to meet you!
crazygirley
New Member
Yep, you are right, Birmingham is just right next door to West Bloomfield, it's actually about 7 minutes from my house, but West Bloomfield is 36 square miles big, strange, but true (because of the 14 lakes in West Bloomfield). That was my pointless piece of information, and oh yes, that movie theater you went to was The Palladium, and it is really, really nice, that is the only place I see movies! Talk you you later!!!
i was surprised with a disney cruise, sort of...we knew our parents were going but they asked if we wanted to come with them of course we said yes...but last year...
my dad, his friend and i were planning on going in october. well, his friend couldn't make it because of some sort of reasons (this was early last year). well, we decided to postpone any trip taking to this year around my birthday and that my mom and dad would go in october. on my graduation night, my parents asked if i wanted to join them in october (so leaving my younger bro and sis at home with grandpa) as my graduation present. of course i said yes...i'm not that dumb :lol: seeingf as my last trip through the mansion was in 2000 prior to 2002...
my dad, his friend and i were planning on going in october. well, his friend couldn't make it because of some sort of reasons (this was early last year). well, we decided to postpone any trip taking to this year around my birthday and that my mom and dad would go in october. on my graduation night, my parents asked if i wanted to join them in october (so leaving my younger bro and sis at home with grandpa) as my graduation present. of course i said yes...i'm not that dumb :lol: seeingf as my last trip through the mansion was in 2000 prior to 2002...
Many years ago, I surprise my husband with a birthday trip to WDW. My mom and I flew to Disney for the day when Delta had a $39.00 RT airfare from ATL. (Here's to wishing they would do that again). Anyhow, we went down with our passes and booked a trip, dining, shows, everything for two weeks later. I had him going until the last minute. His office even went along and told him he had a "business trip" to go on that week in Florida. I met him at the gate and surprise...vacation. Needless to say he about hit the floor. It is always nice to get a boss to go along...you can prolong the surprise all the way to the airport sometimes. 
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
So sorry, major thread drift.
I work for the DMC (for those who don't live in Michigan that is the Detroit Medical Center not DMC 12 who is here at WDWmagic.) I work for Sinai-Grace in the outpatient psy department!!!!!! How cool is that? I havent' been to the cool movie theater yet, don't get out to movies much, but tomarrow is my brithday so we might!
Before I continue to "drift"... these stories are fantastic!! Really some great ideas, however, I'm trying to decide if I could really keep it a secret for the next ten months!! Plus, the anticipation is half the fun! And the girls all like to pick out a new "princess" dress that they wear through the airports and on the plane... they get tons of compliments. It's such fun. I'll have to think about this...
Now, to my drift...
PhD, are you really? (A PhD, I mean) Andy's in the radiology dept. , and he works at Sanai Grace sometimes, usually when he's on call. And, that movie theater is like nothing I've ever seen... really nice. Happy birthday!!
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
Big Surprise
My sister and I were both in Middle School at the time, 1996. My parents planned a trip to our house that we own on the Outerbanks of North Carolina. Me and my sister were obviously happy to go. But in the months leading up to our trip, my grandmother kept slipping about details asking which "Resort" we were at, many slight Dinsey references and the excuse from my parents was always, "Will we go to WDW so often she is just confused." So we started driving to the Outerbanks and it was taking forever, not the usual 11 hours that's normal. On the way, b/c we obviosuly passed N. Carolina and went into S. Carolina and Georgia, and I remember aksing "why are their palm trees on the Outerbanks." My dad said b/c the gulf stream keeps the beaches of NC fairly warm all year. And everytime we approached a state welcome sign "Welcome to Florida" (etc) my parents had me and my sis bend over and clean something that spilt on the floor. We only stopped off at the rest stops that were out of the way, not the major welcoming huts. I figured everything out when we passed a Universal sign and me and my sis flipped out and my parents said "SURPRISE." It was the best, we pulled into the then named Dixie Landings and had a phenomenal time.
But with all the intricate hush hush planning my parents did, and all the "trickery" they passed onto us as we drove down to WDW, they forget to tell us to pack clothes suitable for a "very warm north carolina" aka florida at at easter in april. Outerbanks are in the 40s-low 50s, so we brought nothing warm weathered. So at least we got some cool clothes in disney b/c we brought one pair of shorts each. BUT WHAT A GREAT SURPRISE / TRIP!!
My sister and I were both in Middle School at the time, 1996. My parents planned a trip to our house that we own on the Outerbanks of North Carolina. Me and my sister were obviously happy to go. But in the months leading up to our trip, my grandmother kept slipping about details asking which "Resort" we were at, many slight Dinsey references and the excuse from my parents was always, "Will we go to WDW so often she is just confused." So we started driving to the Outerbanks and it was taking forever, not the usual 11 hours that's normal. On the way, b/c we obviosuly passed N. Carolina and went into S. Carolina and Georgia, and I remember aksing "why are their palm trees on the Outerbanks." My dad said b/c the gulf stream keeps the beaches of NC fairly warm all year. And everytime we approached a state welcome sign "Welcome to Florida" (etc) my parents had me and my sis bend over and clean something that spilt on the floor. We only stopped off at the rest stops that were out of the way, not the major welcoming huts. I figured everything out when we passed a Universal sign and me and my sis flipped out and my parents said "SURPRISE." It was the best, we pulled into the then named Dixie Landings and had a phenomenal time.
But with all the intricate hush hush planning my parents did, and all the "trickery" they passed onto us as we drove down to WDW, they forget to tell us to pack clothes suitable for a "very warm north carolina" aka florida at at easter in april. Outerbanks are in the 40s-low 50s, so we brought nothing warm weathered. So at least we got some cool clothes in disney b/c we brought one pair of shorts each. BUT WHAT A GREAT SURPRISE / TRIP!!
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
I don't think I could keep the trip a suprize, or could my hubby. We would both be too excited. Once many years ago we were trying to get ressies to stay over the 25th aniversary and was unable too. My hubsand did call CRO back and talk to a very nice cast member who was able to get us in half the week at Dixie landings and the other half at Port Orleans. He came and woke me up and surprized me, that was as close as I think we will ever get to a surprize trip.
Now for thread drift time, Mouse Madness, my hubby started with WDWmagic and DisneyPhD is his name, I just took it over. He came up with that after all the other ideas we had were taken. He is a PhD, in Chemstry and teach college at Schoolcraft college in Livonia. (He used to teach at Michigan State, but the commute was way too long.) We were both in grad school when we had that trip to WDW for the 25th (and way to poor to really aford it.) I only have a masters degree in social work and I am clinical thearpist for out patient, so I try not to spend much time actually in the hosptial.
Wow what a small world surfsupdon, our other vactation (in the summer) is always to the outer banks of N.C. Oakracoke Island, as a child we spent a few weeks every summer there, and boy has it changed. (my grandmother was born on that Island). Even though it is very pouplar, most people I talk to have never heard of the place. What a change to expect to go there and then to WDW. We call our N.C. vacation the "anti Disney world." They are 2 different extremes in vacation fun!
Now for thread drift time, Mouse Madness, my hubby started with WDWmagic and DisneyPhD is his name, I just took it over. He came up with that after all the other ideas we had were taken. He is a PhD, in Chemstry and teach college at Schoolcraft college in Livonia. (He used to teach at Michigan State, but the commute was way too long.) We were both in grad school when we had that trip to WDW for the 25th (and way to poor to really aford it.) I only have a masters degree in social work and I am clinical thearpist for out patient, so I try not to spend much time actually in the hosptial.
Wow what a small world surfsupdon, our other vactation (in the summer) is always to the outer banks of N.C. Oakracoke Island, as a child we spent a few weeks every summer there, and boy has it changed. (my grandmother was born on that Island). Even though it is very pouplar, most people I talk to have never heard of the place. What a change to expect to go there and then to WDW. We call our N.C. vacation the "anti Disney world." They are 2 different extremes in vacation fun!
RU42
New Member
LONG - Originally was a Trip Report
Sorry for the long post, this was from a TR 14 months ago.
RU
Time Machine: Travel back to 1991
We got married in September 1991 and traveled to WDW for our honeymoon. I am a big Disney fan, been to DL many times over the 35 years of my life. But never got to visit WDW in my life (start playing the violins now.) Well, I was going to fix that.
We spent a fairy tale week at WDW. We were there for the 10/1/01 20th celebration with Eisner and a whole lot of other people.
Time Machine: Travel forward to March 2001
The 10th anniversary was coming up in September. Wow, 10 years already. That was amazing. I began planning. Bought the books, researched the web sites, and ordered the videos. However reality stepped in. The economy went sluggish. My industry (hi-tech) was not doing well. The financial pinch was on and about May the plans to travel were scrapped. Talk about a drag. We were very disappointed.
Time Machine: September 11, 2001
Not much needs to be said here. The world changed in an instant. I guess scrapping our September plans was a blessing in disguise.
Time Machine: November 2001
E-mail from Disney. Cool, what do they want to sell me now. Hmmm, very interesting. Stay at any Moderate for $89 per night. Good from December to Mid February. Well, that was certainly enticing. After mulling it over for 4 weeks, I made the call. Could I really pull this off? Better yet, could I pull it off without the wife knowing.
Frequent Flyer Miles: Plenty – Called the airlines, yep my flight was available, first class all the way. Book ‘em dano.
Baby Sitter – Hey mother-in-law, how would you like to come to California for a week and spend time with your Grand Children? Of course I had to tell her why and she jumped at the chance. Who doesn’t love being involved with a surprise of this magnitude.
Work – Well boss, know how you are always on me because I have way too much vacation time on the books, well I want to use some of them. Thanks!
CRO – I want to take advantage of this deal, tell me what you got available. Caribbean sounds nice, what about a water view? For only $5 more per night, deal. Here is a check for $XXXX open me an account.
David/Michelle, you survived 10 years of marriage. Where are you going to go?
WE ARE GOING TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!
December 25, 2001
Ariel (my daughter) please take this basket to Mom. Merry Christmas dear. Watch with anticipation is MIL (who knew what was coming), FIL (ditto), daughter (did not know), son (neither did he), and me dying with anticipation. Try keeping a WDW 10th anniversary 2nd honeymoon a secret for 2 weeks. I was dying. I had to hide the WDW books from her. Even cleared out the web cache a few times.
She takes the whicker basket that has 11 wrapped presents in it.
1. Gee thanks dear, some Mexican Cheese Sauce. (What the world did he give me that for look.)
2. Um, kippers from the North Sea. Ahh thanks I think. (well no Christmas special present for him now.)
3. Chinese Tea
4. German Chocolate Cake mix.
I light bulb went on over her head. This was starting to make sense.
5. Italian Garlic Paste
6. American Cheese
7. Japanese Oysters
8. Meditarranian Olives
By this time there is no more hiding what this was leading to. Tears started streaming down her face.
9. French onion dip
10. English Muffins
11. Canadian Bacon
Ariel, take this to mom. As she opens it she finds a calendar from 1991 (thank you eBay.) Amazing thing, the 1991 calendar is the same as the 2002 calendar. How is that for coincidence. She flips through the calendar and finds an envelope tucked into September. She assumes, incorrectly, it is about a trip to WDW in September for our 11th anniversary.
She opens it and starts to read. There is a print out from the Caribbean Resort. Stuff on the 100 celebration. She then sees a print out from Northwest Airlines. She flips to the next page and it says the ticket info is wrong. The next page shows the corrections. FIRST CLASS seating. The she does a double take. JANUARY 21?
Yes dear, we are heading to WDW in less then 4 weeks. Merry Christmas.
Yes it was a very Merry Christmas. When a man can make a woman cry, laugh, smile, and dance all at the same time, well buddy, you are doing something right.
RU
Sorry for the long post, this was from a TR 14 months ago.
RU
Time Machine: Travel back to 1991
We got married in September 1991 and traveled to WDW for our honeymoon. I am a big Disney fan, been to DL many times over the 35 years of my life. But never got to visit WDW in my life (start playing the violins now.) Well, I was going to fix that.
We spent a fairy tale week at WDW. We were there for the 10/1/01 20th celebration with Eisner and a whole lot of other people.
Time Machine: Travel forward to March 2001
The 10th anniversary was coming up in September. Wow, 10 years already. That was amazing. I began planning. Bought the books, researched the web sites, and ordered the videos. However reality stepped in. The economy went sluggish. My industry (hi-tech) was not doing well. The financial pinch was on and about May the plans to travel were scrapped. Talk about a drag. We were very disappointed.
Time Machine: September 11, 2001
Not much needs to be said here. The world changed in an instant. I guess scrapping our September plans was a blessing in disguise.
Time Machine: November 2001
E-mail from Disney. Cool, what do they want to sell me now. Hmmm, very interesting. Stay at any Moderate for $89 per night. Good from December to Mid February. Well, that was certainly enticing. After mulling it over for 4 weeks, I made the call. Could I really pull this off? Better yet, could I pull it off without the wife knowing.
Frequent Flyer Miles: Plenty – Called the airlines, yep my flight was available, first class all the way. Book ‘em dano.
Baby Sitter – Hey mother-in-law, how would you like to come to California for a week and spend time with your Grand Children? Of course I had to tell her why and she jumped at the chance. Who doesn’t love being involved with a surprise of this magnitude.
Work – Well boss, know how you are always on me because I have way too much vacation time on the books, well I want to use some of them. Thanks!
CRO – I want to take advantage of this deal, tell me what you got available. Caribbean sounds nice, what about a water view? For only $5 more per night, deal. Here is a check for $XXXX open me an account.
David/Michelle, you survived 10 years of marriage. Where are you going to go?
WE ARE GOING TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!
December 25, 2001
Ariel (my daughter) please take this basket to Mom. Merry Christmas dear. Watch with anticipation is MIL (who knew what was coming), FIL (ditto), daughter (did not know), son (neither did he), and me dying with anticipation. Try keeping a WDW 10th anniversary 2nd honeymoon a secret for 2 weeks. I was dying. I had to hide the WDW books from her. Even cleared out the web cache a few times.
She takes the whicker basket that has 11 wrapped presents in it.
1. Gee thanks dear, some Mexican Cheese Sauce. (What the world did he give me that for look.)
2. Um, kippers from the North Sea. Ahh thanks I think. (well no Christmas special present for him now.)
3. Chinese Tea
4. German Chocolate Cake mix.
I light bulb went on over her head. This was starting to make sense.
5. Italian Garlic Paste
6. American Cheese
7. Japanese Oysters
8. Meditarranian Olives
By this time there is no more hiding what this was leading to. Tears started streaming down her face.
9. French onion dip
10. English Muffins
11. Canadian Bacon
Ariel, take this to mom. As she opens it she finds a calendar from 1991 (thank you eBay.) Amazing thing, the 1991 calendar is the same as the 2002 calendar. How is that for coincidence. She flips through the calendar and finds an envelope tucked into September. She assumes, incorrectly, it is about a trip to WDW in September for our 11th anniversary.
She opens it and starts to read. There is a print out from the Caribbean Resort. Stuff on the 100 celebration. She then sees a print out from Northwest Airlines. She flips to the next page and it says the ticket info is wrong. The next page shows the corrections. FIRST CLASS seating. The she does a double take. JANUARY 21?
Yes dear, we are heading to WDW in less then 4 weeks. Merry Christmas.
Yes it was a very Merry Christmas. When a man can make a woman cry, laugh, smile, and dance all at the same time, well buddy, you are doing something right.
RU
Ru42!!!
OMG!!!
That one definitely takes the cake... you put more planning into that trip than I've put into my whole life thus far!! (sadly, it's not an exaggeration) Your wife is a lucky one, for sure. What fun.
OMG!!!
That one definitely takes the cake... you put more planning into that trip than I've put into my whole life thus far!! (sadly, it's not an exaggeration) Your wife is a lucky one, for sure. What fun.
mandib
Member
Yes Yes Yes! For my 13th birthday (last year) My two best friends were coming over to 'spend the weekend' So they pull up and everyone comes inside. I unwrap my b-day presents and then I get to 'the big one' It was the unofficial guide to Walt Disney World. Each page had something different in it. One was the rental car, the limo to the airport, the weather, and finally Disney tickets. Well I got so excited I jumped out of my seat. This was the best time of my life. This time last year I was at MGM to bad I'm not now! Only a few more days (hopefully)
The surprise factor is great, but I would definitely BOW to you if you could keep it a secret for 10 months. That is by far no easy task when it comes to Disney. I only had to be quiet for a few weeks and that was tough enough...I couldn't imagine 10 months. Maybe you could let them in on the fact they are going sometime in the near future (so they can get their outfits and prepare themselves) but not tell any details. We took my nephew a few years back for his 9th bday. We didn't tell him he was going until the morning his parents met us at the airport. It wasn't so much for a surprise, but we didn't want to hear everyday...HOW MANY MORE DAYS! :lol: . Whatever you decide, you will have a great trip...you can't go wrong with Disney...your girls are gonna love ya!
maelstrom
Well-Known Member
once my parents told me we were going to new england. we even all bought new "new england jackets" (just new windbreakers). i was young enough that i didnt pack my own clothes, so i didnt know i had all shorts in my suitcase. when we stopped in south carolina for the night (we drive from new york) my mum told me we were really going to disney world. and i CRIED! i have no idea why. i love disney world. my mother thought it was pretty stupid that i didnt realize we were going to disney world, especially after passing south of the border! lol. and now i know it only takes like 4 hours to get to boston. haha. i dont know why my parents did that to me.
mwitkus
New Member
I just surprised my hubby last year! I had convinced him that we were going to drive from Boston to Virginia for a "history lesson" at Williamsburg, which he was totally not into. (Being the good husband that he is, he was gonna go anyway! Just to humor me!) So anyway, I began the planning in February for our October vacation (7 day land and sea), and I kept it a big fat secret from him and nearly everyone around him for 8 months!! Then, the morning of our trip, while he thought we were waiting for our rental car to arrive for our long and boring road trip, I handed him a "Husband of the Year" certificate, explaining that we were going to Disney instead, as a thank you for being such a great husband! To say he was shocked would be an understatement. We waited for our luxury town car to arrive and whisk us off to the airport where we boarded a plane and flew down to sunny Florida. He just kind of didn't get it, until he woke up the next morning in the Wilderness Lodge hotel room, and looked around and said, "Oh my gosh! It's true! We really are in Disney!" We had a great time and he said it was absolutely the best vacation of his life!!!
:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:
If you can keep it to yourself, I definitely recommend surprising someone with the trip!
:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:
If you can keep it to yourself, I definitely recommend surprising someone with the trip!
That's the trouble... I'm a big fat blabbermouth. My in laws and I have worked out to get my hubby a harley (woohoo!) for a huge surprise gift. It's supposed to be here Tuesday... I can't take it anymore!! I want to tell him so badly! I was actually thinking of wrapping up a picture of it and getting a helmet for him, then sticking the picture in with the helmet. Now I have to hope he doesn't sneak on here and read my posts!