How to pull of a surprise...

[monkeysammich]

Okay, as previously stated I'm planning a trip to surprise my kids for Christmas. It was the wife's idea and we've been formulating and budgeting since February.

Here's my conundrum...

How can I surprise the Wife for Christmas when she's in charge of the budget for the trip and manages payments? She has always wanted to stay at Coronado Springs... but it's always been just out of our budget range. Normally we stay with family so we don't get the total disney experience, but we've stayed on property twice now, both times at value resorts.

Our next trip is planned for Art of Animation... but I thought it would be nice to surprise her with an upgrade to the moderate resort. This would 1) lessen the crowds as I imagine that AoA is going to be the destination for families... and b) facilitate some relaxation for a woman who in the past 5 years has gone through 3 pregnancies while putting up with me (no small feat).

I'm not sure there's a good way to go about this... but any ideas would be great.

:wave:

 

[Lucky]

I like Coronado, but are you sure it's really an upgrade over AoA Suites? It's brand new, and it has the extra room.

Is there something else she's always wanted to do - like one of the "signature" restaurants - that you could surprise her with instead? That would be easier.

 

[monkeysammich]

I like Coronado, but are you sure it's really an upgrade over AoA Suites? It's brand new, and it has the extra room.

Is there something else she's always wanted to do - like one of the "signature" restaurants - that you could surprise her with instead? That would be easier.

We wouldn't be in the Suites, just the Little Mermaid room.

She's not really a big Disney person, she mostly loves it because the kids and I love it. She's very go-with-the-flow... doesn't have a favorite restaurant or particular desire.

 

[rsoxguy]

I myself question the feasibility of this suggestion, but here goes. Perhaps you can get a close relative to "pay" for your devious plan, with an understanding that you will pay back the money as soon as possible.

Or, you can purchase a prepaid VISA card, with the white-lie to your wife that it is for a surprise Christmas gift that will be easily identified by the store in which you are making the purchase if it were acquired with your regular credit card.

 

[monkeysammich]

I myself question the feasibility of this suggestion, but here goes. Perhaps you can get a close relative to "pay" for your devious plan, with an understanding that you will pay back the money as soon as possible.

Or, you can purchase a prepaid VISA card, with the white-lie to your wife that it is for a surprise Christmas gift that will be easily identified by the store in which you are making the purchase if it were acquired with your regular credit card.

Solid ideas. I'll see what I can do with those..

 

[rsoxguy]

I hope it works out. Christmastime is great at WDW.

 

[monkeysammich]

Thanks to your idea, I think I was able to make this happen. I get all the emails, and I check the mail.... so I placed a call to reservations to get the price difference. (Only 200 dollar difference!)

The CM helped me out, got the reservation switched and I made the payment so our current balance doesnt change.

Sneaky!

:king:

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You can always follow the advice Ned Flanders gave to Homer....
[youtube]CcMw4zl1r0k[/youtube]

 

[bgraham34]

Personally I would stick with AOA since its a new resort and extremely well themed.

If I were you I would then take some extra money monthly and put it away to stay at a Deluxe resort later down the line.

 

[Ex-Floridian]

Ideas

:wave:You can book a SPA for her (you pay when you get there) at Coronado Springs or at Animal Kingdom Lodge, while you take the kids in their pool (free when you are at SPA), also book a carriage ride at Port Orleans (romantic).

 

[Ex-Floridian]

See above!
SPA SPA SPA....i had a full body when I was there in March! Well worth the $75!

 

[OswaldTheRabbit]

Ok... I am going to be devils advocate here (ie crazy Disney wife/control freak). Since she is the budget just make sure she would want to upgrade. I am such a planner of my Disney vacations that I would actually feel a little let down if there was a wrench in my plans. Again realize I know that makes me nuts but it is true. We are staying at AoA in Novemeber and I am excited because it is new. If it wasn't a new hotel I would love an upgrade.

Even if you can't pull the room upgrade off a spa treatment/kid free time or hiring the babysitting service for an evening and have a nice adult only dinner at one of the good restaurants would be amazing! Good luck with the surprise! How thoughtful!