Fun way to tell kids about Disney trip

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
Wait until you get there. Believe me, if you tell them before hand, you may end up regretting it after the 100 times a day having to answer the "When are we going?" questions.
 
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unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Just tell them you are going to visit relatives in the Orlando area. Then surprise them by going to your resort instead.
 
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Although I think waiting until you get there is really surprising and fun, I think telling them a little in advance is good too. That way you can have them help you plan (or "help", depending on how old they are), and its a good way to make them feel both excited and like they are part of the preparation.

My mom told me about a concert I was going to way back when (I'm not even going to say what concert because its embarrassing) by putting the tickets on my chair one night before dinner, and then I sat on them and thats how I found out :). Maybe something fun like that?
 
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Teenchy

Member
Just tell them you are going to visit relatives in the Orlando area. Then surprise them by going to your resort instead.

Hey love that idea.....read my wedding link below about really surprising people!!!

One thought I had for kids, but it is more of a trip countdown, but is to make a advent type calendar that has the little doors that open. You could place a different picture of a ride or a character inside with the last one being Mickey or Cindy's castle.
 
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MPitzen

New Member
"Telling your child that he or she is going to Disney World can be lots of fun all by itself. Many people like to share the news by giving their child a Disney stuffed animal, wrapping up a Disney World map, showing a Disney video, or sending a special Disney postcard or letter to the child. For older kids, you could share the news by giving them their own planning guide and a pen. Some people even surprise children by packing their bags in secret and revealing the trip right as they board a plane or jump in the car." This is from passporter.com.
 
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pinkrose

Well-Known Member
You can buy a plush of their favorite character. Sit it somewhere where they'll see it and have it holding their tickets.

Another one is that you could mail a letter/picture/postcard to your child with a message from their favorite character telling them that they are looking for to his/her visit.
 
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wishes

Member
Treasure Hunt!

Hey! :wave:


Well, this is what happened to me....

On Christmas Day when I was younger, my parents sent me on a treasure hunt around the house. (Following rhyming clues etc.etc.) And voila....I opened the cupboard under the stairs and there was a huge Winnie the Pooh balloon with a message saying "We're going back to Disney!!" I was soooo happy!! On another note, the balloon ended up setting off our house alarm when we went away for a few days, which is another story...... But I would definitely recommend the balloon/treasure hunt!!

:wave:
 
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Nemo14

Well-Known Member
How about planning a meal that involves Disney-shaped foods - Mickey pancakes come to mind. Then if they ask why the pancakes are shaped like that, you can tell them that it's because they're going to WDW!
 
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"Telling your child that he or she is going to Disney World can be lots of fun all by itself. Many people like to share the news by giving their child a Disney stuffed animal, wrapping up a Disney World map, showing a Disney video, or sending a special Disney postcard or letter to the child. For older kids, you could share the news by giving them their own planning guide and a pen. Some people even surprise children by packing their bags in secret and revealing the trip right as they board a plane or jump in the car." This is from passporter.com.
on our second trip to Disneyland, we kept it a secret from the kids. We woke them up one morning and told them we had to go pick up a friend from the airport. When we got there, we handed the kids each an envelope with Disney Dollars in it and told them we were catching the plane :)
 
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TwoTigersMom

Well-Known Member
We're going in April too. Some friends of ours went a couple months ago, so I made it a point to take the kids over to see her vacation pictures. I record everything on Discovery and Travel channel about Disney and show those as well as planning videos to my boys. I get lots of "I wanna go there!" Wow that looks like fun!" and "Can we go there??"'s to which I always answer "Maybe some day". The beginning of this month different characters started sending the boys post cards describing where they live and how much they miss them and want them to visit. As we get closer to the date to leave, I plan to pack while they are at school and store the luggage outside in the storage building. My niece is going with us so the day before we leave, we'll have to go pick up my niece because "she's spending the weekend with us". When we get back to town, we're meeting up with my husband for dinner at a local Mexican restraunt. All through dinner I'm going to have the waiter "pick" on the boys, saying things like "I know a secret" and such (we're friends with the owner so I know he'll go along with my plan :lol: ) Anyway at the end of our meal, the waiter will come to our table with Mickey ears for the boys and say "Go home and pack you're leaving for WDW at midnight!!"
 
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Disneybird

Member
I think it would be fun to order some of the personalized M & M's. You could only get one word on each piece of candy. Also you can have messages printed inside the small Dove candy wrappers.
 
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bigedefd

New Member
On the plane

The first time I took my DD, I had plane tickets dirt cheap so we had to go. A week before we left I told her we were taking a trip, I also told her we were going to the sunshine state. I had to prepare her that we would be taking a plane, she has sensory issues so I needed to let her know that much. Then as we boarded the plane I gave her a new Mickey Mouse stuffy and told her we were on our way to visit him. She had a Mickey Mouse stuffy for 5 years and when my father passed away she placed her Mickey in with him to keep him safe. So she was so excited to get a new Mickey and that we were going to meet him.
Now I am planning a trip in Oct 2008. This time its more then just us we are taking her older sister and her Grand mother, so I am buying planning guides and little things with Disney on them, everyone is getting them for presents at Christmas. The last present will be a note that we are going to Disney and then taking a Disney Cruise, this will give them time to help plan our family trip. :xmas:
 
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hibbsofep

Member
On our second trip with our son we woke him in the morning with the news. My husband had the camcorder going and I was wearing our son's Mickey ears from the last trip. I told him to guess where we were going that day. It was a perfect Kodak moment as he excitedly named all the things he wanted to do there. Unfortunately, the airport was fogged in and we didn't make it out til the next evening!

The mother-in-law always insists the child should be told well in advance so he can plan and anticipate. Well, she doesn't have to live with him. Until they are old enough to understand time, they can drive you nuts. Our son has told me he always wants to be surprised about going to WDW. So there, Granny!!!!:p
 
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PintoColvig

Active Member
Back in Dec., we surprised our kids right before we went. We picked them up from school on the last day before the Christmas break. We had everything packed and the van loaded. We walked them outside the school, sat them on a bench and delivered the news. My daughter had previously announced that she was going to ask Santa for a trip to WDW. So I said, "We've got some bad news for you. Santa said he can't give you a trip to Disney World because Mommy and Daddy are taking you there...and we're leaving right now!" They were totally surprised and happy. Oh, and we got it all on video, too. We loaded up right then and headed to Orlando.
 
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bemusing

New Member
My 4 year old daughter is obsessed with Sleeping Beauty. For our trip last year (our first), we had "Aurora" send her a package in the mail. When she was upstairs, we put the box on the doorstep and rang the doorbell. It was a wooden chest with a letter from Aurora inviting us to Disney. I also included the Birnbaum's For Kids, by Kids book, a rose and a countdown chain. She absolutely loved all of it! And so did I :)
 
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Dwarful

Well-Known Member
oh I love these ideas! I'd get helium balloons and decorate their room while they were sleeping. Make a big sign with copies of photos from past trips if possible..saying "We're going to DisneyWorld!" Then when they wake up they are totally surprised.
 
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captcanada

Member
We're going in April too. Some friends of ours went a couple months ago, so I made it a point to take the kids over to see her vacation pictures. I record everything on Discovery and Travel channel about Disney and show those as well as planning videos to my boys. I get lots of "I wanna go there!" Wow that looks like fun!" and "Can we go there??"'s to which I always answer "Maybe some day". The beginning of this month different characters started sending the boys post cards describing where they live and how much they miss them and want them to visit. As we get closer to the date to leave, I plan to pack while they are at school and store the luggage outside in the storage building. My niece is going with us so the day before we leave, we'll have to go pick up my niece because "she's spending the weekend with us". When we get back to town, we're meeting up with my husband for dinner at a local Mexican restraunt. All through dinner I'm going to have the waiter "pick" on the boys, saying things like "I know a secret" and such (we're friends with the owner so I know he'll go along with my plan :lol: ) Anyway at the end of our meal, the waiter will come to our table with Mickey ears for the boys and say "Go home and pack you're leaving for WDW at midnight!!"
That is pure genius!
I love it.
I suspect that this will be one of those moments as a parent, that you will be able to remember and enjoy until the end of time.
And....I bet your kids will hold the memory just as long, from their own perspective, too.
I wonder who will enjoy it more?
(there really is something special about seeing things through the eyes of a child, and watching them "freak out" in excitement, and knowing you caused it ;-)
 
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manda_01

New Member
I surprised my 4 yr old DS for his birthday by giving him a treasure hunt. "Sleeping Beauty" left the first clue on his pillow, he got the second clue from "Aladdin" when we dropped off our dog on his 'vacation'. The third clue was from 'Sabastian' at the airport, and He got the last clue from Mom & Dad just before we drove thru the gate! It was magical (probably more so for me :) ), I just don't know how I'll ever get away with a WDW surprise trip again!
 
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