25th Anniversary Ideas

[DivineMadness7]

My family will be going to our 2nd home on June 14-21st. The trip is planned in celebration of my parents 25th wedding anniversary (on the 14th) and my college graduation (last week.)

My parents rarely do anything for themselves. Instead of taking a romantic vacation alone for their anniversary as most couples would choose, they wanted to go to WDW along with my brother (14) and I (22) to celebrate together. I am so thankful for everything my parents have done for me, especially over the last 4 years by helping me through college, and I need some ideas for something special to suprise them with.

I'm not looking for your typical ideas. They don't generally enjoy going to fancy restaurants while we're at WDW, we rarely go anywhere that requires priority seatings (or whatever they are calling it now-a-days.) I've read about the re-hitching ceremony at the Garden Grill, but I don't really think that is their kinda thing. They wouldn't want anything that would cause a lot of attention to be drawn to them, so I'm looking for more of a private, family-type suprise.

I'm normally pretty good at planning this kind of thing but I am really stumped with this! So if you could help me with some ideas that would be great! Also, as I previously mentioned, I am a recent college graduate...which means I am broke :lol: So I have a rather small budget for this project, making it even more difficult! Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Aurora_25]

What about flowers or a gift basket waiting for them at the hotel when they get there? It's not a resturaunt or anything, but it's a neat idea. Or maybe a fireworks cruise- you could have just the two of them take it or something??

So many things and yet, my brain is putty today so I am not thinking strait.

 

[grimgrningghost]

I'm not sure where you guys are staying but several resorts have carriage rides for pretty cheap.

 

[DivineMadness7]

I may look into the flower/gift basket idea or the fireworks cruise...thanks for the suggestion.

We are staying at Pop Century, so I'm pretty sure that there aren't carriage rides there! :lol: But thank you also for the suggestion.

I was kinda hoping for something involving cast members or characters, more of a "magical moment" than a gift...do you know what I mean?

My parents love the "disney difference" and its the reason that we keep going back time after time! When people say "you're going there AGAIN?" we aren't phased by it, because we have such special memories over the years and our trips there.

So I want to create a memory for them...I'm just not sure how I'm gonna do it! :hammer:

 

[swimmom]

Your parents sound alot like my husband & myself. We were supposed to take a trip to Arizonia this month for our 20th anniversary (We couldn't go to WDW without my daughter!). Instead we are planning a long weekend early in December this year for all of us. Anyway, we did the Illumination Cruise on one of our trips and really enjoyed it. It was really great watching the fireworks and not battling the crowd out of Epcot.

 

[Aurora_25]

I may look into the flower/gift basket idea or the fireworks cruise...thanks for the suggestion.

We are staying at Pop Century, so I'm pretty sure that there aren't carriage rides there! :lol: But thank you also for the suggestion.

I was kinda hoping for something involving cast members or characters, more of a "magical moment" than a gift...do you know what I mean?

My parents love the "disney difference" and its the reason that we keep going back time after time! When people say "you're going there AGAIN?" we aren't phased by it, because we have such special memories over the years and our trips there.

So I want to create a memory for them...I'm just not sure how I'm gonna do it! :hammer:

Do you think your parents would wear the wedding ears?? Just wondering because then they would get alot of "attention" and stuff like that- after all it is their anniversary.
I know that if you go to Cinderella's royal table to eat- let them know your parents are celebrating their anniversary ahead of time and they will decorate the table and give them 2 champange flutes at the end of the meal- At least that is what they did for our Honeymoon and I have heard they do it for Anniversaries too...

Hmm, what else? I guess in general- let the people know it's your parents anniversary and things- some CM's will do things, others won't- you never know what could happen...

 

[DivineMadness7]

Thanks swim mom for mentioning the Illuminations cruise, I will definately look into that!

Funny you should mention the wedding ears, Aurora25! I thought of those today as I was driving around town and debating if they would wear them or not. I'm thinking I could get them to wear them for a DAY. Like the first day we got there haha and that may be about it! I thought maybe I could sneak off and buy them, get them to wear them long enough to get a picture of them in front of the Adventure land sign (they went to WDW on their Honeymoon and their favorite picture from the trip is one of them in front of that sign!)

Also, we've never done Cinderella's royal table because we don't usually bother with more expensive, sit-down places. But since you mentioned it, I think I may be a little sneaky and make some PS or Advanced Reservations (whatever they renamed them) and suprise them with those, because I know that they will never make them for themselves.

Thanks everyone for all of your help!

 

[Aurora_25]

You could have the ears waiting at the hotel for when you got there- just call WDW merchandise or something like that I had the headband ears shipped from DL because they didn't sell them in Florida during our honeymoon- well worth the money I must say

The illuminations cruise is pretty cool Honestly, just being in Disney is a nice treat for your Anniversary (in my opinion) Maybe let them have a "free" evening to go to Pleasure Island or even back to one of the parks, just the two of them...

 

[swimmom]

Your idea picture idea sounds great! When you get back you can frame the two pictures together. As a mom I would love something like that from my daughter.

Regarding dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. You could save some money if you go for lunch. Check out the menus at allearsnet.com

 

[DivineMadness7]

I will do some investigating about getting the ears shipped there ahead of time :drevil:

I will also investigate Cinderella's...thanks for the lunch rather than dinner suggestion, as a recent college grad with no job yet I'm a little low on funds.... :hammer:

Thank you both again for your help! :sohappy:

 

[Aurora_25]

I will do some investigating about getting the ears shipped there ahead of time :drevil:

Thank you so again for your help! :sohappy:

You are more than welcome- I did a big gift basket for my DH and my DD the last time we went down (I was very sneaky about it) and I have had other ideas before so I don't mind "sharing"

 

[swimmom]

I will do some investigating about getting the ears shipped there ahead of time :drevil:

I will also investigate Cinderella's...thanks for the lunch rather than dinner suggestion, as a recent college grad with no job yet I'm a little low on funds.... :hammer:

Thank you both again for your help! :sohappy:

No problem. Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure your parents will love it!

 

[bigorangeandy]

My first thought was a fireworks cruise, which several have already mentioned, how about one of the behind the scenes tours?

 

[tracyandalex]

i don't know what kind of pampering they like, but the GF has spa packeges for both. they could have a day of pampering together. :kiss:

 

[DivineMadness7]

UPDATE
Finally got around to it today and made the PS's for Cindys!

We will arrive on property around noon on the 14th (the day of their anniversary)
We will take the Magical Express service (hopefully it goes smoothly!) to Pop Century. Sometime when they are checking in, I am going to sneak off to the gift store in the hopes that they sell the wedding ears there (can anyone confirm/deny this?) and suprise them with them.

Then, we go to Magic Kingdom as we always do automatically, they get their picture taken (which I will suprise them with after we get home in a cute frame :drevil: )

Dinner at 8:00 at Cinderella's Royal Table! It's a suprise for mom, I had to let dad in it on (I knew I didn't have the finances for it) so he already knows but that's good, because it'll be his treat to mom

The ears/photo will be a suprise for him though, so I figure that is still good. and I'm trying to work on a father's day suprise for him since we will be there that sunday also. I'm thinking maybe Rose & Crown for lunch (he has an admiration for Guiness :hammer: ) but I'm trying to think up something else too...this is a lot more planning than I am used to! but it will all be worth it! :sohappy:

Ps- Also made PS's for 50s Prime Time Cafe just for fun..we've never been there

 

[swimmom]

Sounds like you have a great plan in place. I'm not sure if you're going to be able to find the wedding ears in the gift shop at Pop Century, but I would definately give them a call to see if the carry them. If they don't you may want to contact Merchandise Mail Order and buy them before you go and you could even make them wear them on the plane?!?!??!

The phone number for Merchandise Mail is 407-363-6200; FAX 407-352-6369; e-mail wdw.mail.order@disneyworld.com.