Fun Way to Surprise Daughter

[dopeylover]

We're surprising our soon to be 4 year old DD with our trip in October. We're doing this for many reasons, but a large part of it is to preserve our sanity b/c she is a very smart, curious child and if we tell her now she will pack her bags immediately and we will NEVER hear the end of it until the day we leave. She already talks about it on an almost daily basis, esp. when she hears me on the phone planning other peoples trips.

Our plan is to literally not tell her until we arrive at the airport! We'd just like to get in the car like we're running an errand and then tell her, but I'd like it to be fun, this is something she's been dreaming of her entire life, and she loves to look at pictures of when she was at 'Mickeys House' when she was a baby.

I'd love to hear your thoughts or ideas, or what you've done to surprise your kids!

****It will be a surprise for our DS as well, but he'll be 13 months old, so I think the surprise will be lost on him

 

[SMS55]

I can relate. My kids go crazy when they find out. We got to the point where we wouldn't tell them til like 2 days out and one time it wasn't til about an hour into the drive. We picked them up after school and took off. We had to tell them about an hour into the drive because the older one would know by that point that when we drive that far it was because we were going to Disney.
By the "get in the car.." I am assuming you're renting a car when you arrive? If so don't say anything. Let the "Welcome to Walt Disney World" sign do it for you. We drive to Disney all the time. We've been there dozens of times and seeing the sign is still exciting.

 

[dopeylover]

@SMS55 no we're doing Magical Express, but once we get on the plane, the questions will begin, and I figured that's why we'd just tell her once we get to the airport b/c if we don't and get on the plane, she won't stop asking where we are going the whole time, lol. I'd love for her to just see the Magical Express and that would be the way she'll find out, but I don't know how we'd sanely make it through the plane ride without either sedating her or the rest of the passengers, lol. She's a wonderful child, but she talks a mile a minute and she will ask a MILLION questions.

 

[KCheatle]

Sounds like fun!! My DH and I have always gone back and forth about surprising our kids. But, we never truly do it. Part of the problem is that my kids really like to be involved in the planning. And, now even more so with FP+. In fact, next Tuesday is our FP+ selection day, so my DH declared that Monday (Memorial Day), we're all sitting down together to pick out what FP+s to book.

What we have done to surprise them in the past was have their countdown be off by a day. That way they sleep the night before because they think they still have one more night. Then we wake them up and tell them it's time to go. I don't think my DD8 will fall for that anymore, though. But, it kept an element of surprise. From our perspective, it was more for the good night's rest than the surprise. But, it ended up serving both purposes.

 

[pixiesteno]

How about making a scroll from Mickey or her favorite character as a personal invite to her for a visit. If you have made character dining ressies you could tie it to that. You can order personalized maps free from WDW that you could incorporate as part of the surprise and that might keep her busy looking at while on the plane. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[dopeylover]

How about making a scroll from Mickey or her favorite character as a personal invite to her for a visit. If you have made character dining ressies you could tie it to that. You can order personalized maps free from WDW that you could incorporate as part of the surprise and that might keep her busy looking at while on the plane. Have a wonderful trip!

I love it! Thank you, that's very cute! I have maps around for my clients, and I have given her some and they've disappeared and she's legitimately convinced Capt. Hook has stolen them. She has set up booby traps in our house so he can't touch the rest of our belongings, and she often talks of confronting him when we go to WDW, so finally getting maps back into her hands will be such a relief to her, lol! I really feel for the poor soul who plays Capt. Hook while we're there, b/c she's got a real vendetta against him!

 

[R W B]

I would try my hardest not to tell her until she sees the DME bus. Do you have any out of town family she knows you could maybe tell her you're going to see?

 

[dopeylover]

I would try my hardest not to tell her until she sees the DME bus. Do you have any out of town family she knows you could maybe tell her you're going to see?

We do, but cousins that she's close with that she'd be upset if they didn't end up being there, even if she does end up at Mickeys House. I think we will just try to get her on the plane without saying anything, we just need to get her on there w/o saying anything...

 

[DVCPluto]

I surprised my, then 3.5yo, DD by doing a picture scavenger hunt all leading to a backpack filled with travel goodies and a note from Mickey. We were supposed to leave within the hour and it completely backfired on us - he wanted to go "tomorrow" and threw a fit. Too good of time with mom and dad, I guess. Once we got there, it was amazing - but kids! yeesh!

I think you have a FANTASTIC idea of trying to not tell your DD anything until you are on property. She will be so excited to be there! Please let us know how it goes!

I have video of my DS - if anyone is interested, I'll post the youtube link. It's mostly of the scavenger hunt as we stopped recording when he started to cry. *sigh*

 

[LAKid53]

That video - "we're going to Disney!" is running through my head. My adult daughter still can reach that note that only kids do when I tell her I've planned another trip. So the excitement never wears off.