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15 days and 11 hours and a few minute............

July 30th- Aug 8th

I can't believe we are this close. These days have been dragging on. Trying to keep myself and the little ones busy. I have two children- a 6 year old daughter and a 3 year old son. This is a surprise trip for them, they have no clue! We are driving down from NJ for the first time!! We have done road trips before- Hilton Head so we are only adding on a few more hours!! I try and keep myself up beat about this!! We are saving around $600-700 by driving and we love road trips. So unless we get some really cheap flights in the next two weeks we are driving!

Ok so this is my first attempt at posting pictures......

Here is my family- DH and the kids:
star8-1.jpg


And here is me and my daughter on my birthday!
me-1.jpg



This is who is traveling with us on the road trip! To add to the surprise, after they realize where we are, my mom and her brother, his wife, their grandson (12) and a family friend( to watch the 12 year old!) are meeting us there.

The plan is not to say a word about anything to the kids until the last possible minute. You know when I need to pack everyone up and the stuff for the road trip. Thinking 3-4 days before we leave! Not saying where we are going - just on a road trip! My daughter can read so she is going to see the Florida signs and then the WDW signs! Can't wait to see her face. My kids absolutely love Disney. This is my daughters 4 trip! And last time my son was only 15 months old so he will enjoy it more this time!!

Our game plan is to pack up the car on the 29th. My husband will come home early from work so we can have an early dinner and off to bed. We are hoping to fall asleep shortly after the kids but I know it will be difficult to sleep. A - because hello we are going to Disney and B- because you know how hard it is to sleep when you know you need to...sigh! Anyway we plan to be up at 4 and out as soon as possible. We plan to drive to the border of Georgia/Florida and spend the night! We are packing breakfast and lunch and will stop for dinner. Plus all the misc stops......

That is the driving game plan.....next up Disney!!!!
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
Too much work getting those pictures in there!! Ha!! They were huge at first!

Anyway I forgot to mention that my daughter will be celebrating her 7th bday at Disney!! She will turn 7 on August 5th! We have plans for the BBB and dinner with Cinderella!
 

Sarabell

Well-Known Member
I love your plan! I wish my parents had given me a surprise trip to Disney when I was little, but the 5 trips we made back then, we were told since before they started planning. I hope you have a great time!
 

EvilQueen-T

Well-Known Member
hang in there with the countdown...we're right behind you with 29 days 12 hours etc... on our countdown. my granddaughter is 7 and about bursting to go. i think you may have the right idea keeping it a secret :)
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
It is definitely harder as we get closer and closer!! My husband slipped up once saying he was getting a hair cut before Florida but I don't think she heard! He was so mad! Ha! 8 days and a few hours!!!
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
Ok we are 8 days and a few hours away from hitting the road!

So on Sunday the 31st we will wake up in some hotel in some town in some state! Ha!! The OCD planner in me does not like this but hey with two kids we have to be flexible with where we stop!

The goal is to be no more than 4-5 hours away. We will wake up, eat breakfast and get back on the road.

Can not wait to see the kids faces when they realize where we are!! We will check in and head to Epcot to meet the rest of the crew!! We have dinner at Chef Mickeys- just the 4 of us!! The other members of our travel crew are eating at the California Grill basically at the same time.

Seeing how the kids are doing after our 5:40 ADR we might head into MK or head back to my uncles place at Old Key West to hang out, let the kids play and hit the bed early!

Monday we are at the AK in the morning. We will be there bright and early and leave when it gets too hot!! We will eat somewhere cool and head to HS!! Dinner is pizza back at my Uncles again with some swimming, wine drinking and whatever!

Tuesday- MK early morning hours!! We have late breakfast at the Crystal Palace- 10:15. Later we will head to Epcot where my mom is taking the kids to the Coral Reef for some dinner. Hubby and I will walk around the countries and then head to our late dinner at the California Grill( celebrating our anniversary)! My mom has the kids for the night so we will party! Ha!

Wednesday- we get our kids back and will spend the day at the pool! We need a day to hang out! The kids love to swim so they will love it! Maybe even sneak in a nap!! We will meet up with everyone for dinner at 6:15 at T-rex!! And some shopping!

Thursday- Back at MK and then HS for dinner at Mama Melrose!

Friday- Happy Happy Birthday to my little princess! What better place to be on your birthday!! We have a date at the BBB salon! And dinner with Cinderella!

Saturday- Our last full day- :cry: We will either be in MK or Epcot or both! We will see what we have accomplished, what needs to still get done or what the kids want! We have dinner at Ohana and I am so excited!! We have never ate there before!

Sunday- on the road again :cry:

So thats what we got now! Today I am making lists and checking them twice. We will start preparing this weekend and packing will begin on Monday!!! And not until the suit cases come out will the kids even know we are going anywhere!

I am so surprised that my daughter has not asked about a birthday party or if/when we are going on vacation!!
 

WDW_Princess24

Active Member
You guys are going to have such a great time! I have done the drive from NJ twice and I have to say, if you are lucky enough to have no traffic or minimal traffic, the drive really isn't all that bad. We drive straight through the night without stopping, without any traffic it took between 15-16 hours.
 

gnuts0306

Member
What a great surprise! Ive always thought about surprising our daughter, but I wanna talk about it so much during the wait i dont think id be able to keep it a secret anyways, so I let her help with the planning instead....so kudos to you guys for being able to hide that lol

we have yet to drive with our daughter (6)...this will be her 4th trip to disney and we have flown each time....but when i was a kid we always drove! Im in WI so its about a 24 hr drive....we always stayed over in Chatanooga, TN and drove the rest of the way the next day!

Happy and safe travels!!
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
We are not drive through the night people!! Its not in us and I run the risk of the kids not sleeping great and then long cranky days after that!! But many suggest doing it for beating traffic!!

We have drove to Hilton Head SC before with the kids for the past few years. So we know for the most part they are good in the car. And it is a lot of bonding time!! Ha!

Its very hard to keep it a surprise, we love to talk about it too but I think the pay off will be worth it! We only have a week to get through without letting it slip!!

Can't wait for the weekend to get over so my official packing can start!! :sohappy:
 

foreverbelle

Well-Known Member
We just got back, already feeling a little depressed about it, but I think you are going to have an amazing time!! I love the fact that it is a surprise...I can't wait to here all about it.
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
We just got back, already feeling a little depressed about it, but I think you are going to have an amazing time!! I love the fact that it is a surprise...I can't wait to here all about it.

I can't believe your back already!! Wow it goes to fast, I feel like yesterday you were writing about how you would make it through the work week until you leave!! How was it?!?!
 

Bri1121

New Member
Original Poster
3 more sleeps!!

I can't believe we are so close!! I am already having trouble sleeping I am so excited!

So we told the kids about our road trip!! I had too!! The suitcases needed to come out and we had to do some shopping!!

They are so excited! And are doing well with not knowing!! I think they are happy we are surprising them!

We just have to get through tomorrow and then its the day before we leave!!! Last minute packing and all that fun stuff. We let the kids sleep in their clothes and they think that is the best thing ever!!

Ok now I need to go iron and pack! :sohappy:
 

foreverbelle

Well-Known Member
I can't believe your back already!! Wow it goes to fast, I feel like yesterday you were writing about how you would make it through the work week until you leave!! How was it?!?!


Your right it always flies by, though the week down there was really long so I cant complain. I am so excited for you though!!!! I hope you guys have a quiet next few days...hang in there you are on the home stretch now...

I on the other hand am back into counting triple digits.
 

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