How do you keep a trip a secret?

[Teenchy]

I have surprised both my wife (at the time my girlfriend) She was very good not to look at any information at the airport and wore earphones until we were on the plane. Then she took them off to find out we were on our way to WDW.
We also surprised my parents at Christmas about 4 years ago. They hopped in the car thinking we were driving to NYC. We handed my mom a little MIckey in the car to tell them where they were going. We had to leave alot of their heavy/warm clothes in the car. They were so excited to see WDW at Christmas time.

And then of course our biggest Disney surprise was our Surprise Wedding at WDW...(Read the details in the link in my signature)(We like to think of it as the best surprises ever pulled off at WDW)....Guess we just love our Disney Surprises. If we could pull that big a surprise off.....you can hold off telling your kids until your on your way!

 

[lacrosse nut]

Vero Beach bit

We told our kids (at the time 7 and 10) that we were taking a trip to Vero Beach (Disneys's resort) and for a few months prior to our trip we kept showing them brochures and looking online at the beaches. We said we would go to WDW another time but this was a different disney trip. We got in the car and drove from PA and arrived in FL overnight. The kids had no clue even when we were on I-4. Once they saw signs for WDW they said, Wow we are close to Disney". We told them we will pass Disney on the way. When we started heading towards the Epcot Resort area the sign said "Welcome to WDW" we sprung it on them. They went ballistic and had a great vacation. I must admit though that half the fun is the anticipation of the trip and keeping it a secret can take some fun out of it, but if you do it only once it is worth it. We had the camera taking pictures of their faces when they found out. :sohappy:

 

[JustPlainBill]

My wife wanted to keep our kid's first trip to WDW last summer a secret. I don't like keeping secrets, I don't necessarily see much value in it. She wasn't keeping the secret so much for the "surprise" factor, it was more for security reasons in case we had to cancel the trip, she didn't want to disappoint the kids. I certainly understood but I didn't necessarily agree.
It was like when she was pregnant with the kids she didn't want to know the gender, she wanted it to be a surprise, it was her decision, I didn't argue but I didn't agree.
It wasn't easy to do, especially when I didn't buy in to the idea. I believe our oldest knew where we were going, I didn't do such a good job keeping it a secret by leaving WDW guidebooks laying about the house and talking about plans to my wife with the kids in the next room. It caused some tension between the wife and I, having her "shush!" me all the time. Having coworkers shaking their heads at me when they ask how excited my kids are about going to WDW and I tell them they don't know yet, wasn't easy either. A lot of people in my circle feel planning is half the fun and the build up of excitement gives you that extra enthusiasm to make the trip successful, which I happen to agree.
After arriving to WDW my daughter confessed that she had a good feeling that she knew where we were going, she just didn't know for sure. She was actually disappointed for a short few minutes when I drove past an exit that was marked with a large sign saying "WDW this exit" and when I drove past she thought she had been wrong, maybe we're not going to WDW she thought, she told me later. My wife and I were wondering in the car why she got so crabby all of a sudden, seeing that she wasn't supposed to know. When we pulled onto world drive and drove under the "Welcome to WDW" sign, she was instantly happy and excited but reserved until we confirmed that this is where we'll be vacationing, and we're not just driving through.
We've got our trip back to WDW set for this summer, the kids don't know yet, though, again, I think the oldest suspects whats going on, my kids are 8 & 10 by the way. It is our plan to tell them a few weeks before we leave, I'd rather it be now, but my wife thinks it's best for our sanity to do it this way, otherwise we'll be harrassed constantly about when our vacation is going to happen from the kids. It shouldn't have to be this complicated!

 

[bgraham34]

My DW and I managed to keep our first visit a secret from the kids. We told then we were going to stay in a friends caravan for a week but had to drop thier grandparents of at the airport on the way!

We loaded the car the night before to hide the large suitcases, and drove to the grandparents house first thing in the morning. Picked up the old guys (with no cases, we told the kids they had been sent on ahead) and drove to the airport.

When we reached the airport we asked the kids if they wanted to wave off the plane, which luckly they did. It was only when we reached the check in that we sprang the surprise!! I video'd the whole thing. It was brilliant! We still watch it 5 years later.

If you think you can do it, give it a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!:animwink:

Oh that is great. Good job.

 

[stmize]

We don't keep a secret cause we can't. We get so excited talking about it the kids figure it out

 

[michelemily]

My kids are still young, 3 and a half and almost 5, but we just told them that we are going on vacation this year to cape may (which is where we have gone every year since my oldest was born.) so when i have to talk about it i just say vacation, and my kids think i am talking about cape may.......the trip has been planned now for three months and we have one month left to go and i have managed to keep it quiet. They still do not know. We want to tell them when we get to the airport!

 

[krazyfordisney]

Keeping a secret

Last April (2007) we took our kids on a surprise trip to Disney. Both kids had been on the cruise, but only our DD had been to DW. Our DS had not. They knew that we wanted to go in December of 2007, so we talked alot about that trip with them to get ideas for what they want to do while there.

We kept the suitcases hid in the closet and did most of the packing on the sly. The morning we left, the kids thought we were going to the airport to drop me off for a business trip. (They thought I had ALOT of luggage). Anyway...we got them all the way to the gate before we surprised them. We actually had to convince our DD, our DS was immediately onboard!!

For the entire trip, the kids were ANGELS. I began to wonder who they were!!! We decided that they didn't have time to get themselves all worked about the trip and didn't have any expectations.

We went again in December and the kids knew about it ahead of time. Ouch...their behavior went downhill...BIG TIME!!

So...we are going again in August, this time with family friends (we've never done this before). This time we aren't telling the kids again, but will tell them before we get to the airport. We are able to discuss the trip with the parents of the other family we are going with...so that is helping to keep our excitement in check. (The kids in both families are going to be surprised..both with the trip and then once we get there with each other)

Anyway...surprising the kids has worked well for us! Try it....it's a blast!

 

[HunnyPot]

Right now I'm helping plan a surprise trip for the second time. The first time a friend of ours planned a surprise trip for his wife---but he "gave" it to her for Christmas and we went in January, so she knew a few weeks before we left.

THe one I'm currently helping to plan is a much harder secret to keep! We're planning the trip with two friends of our family and one of the DHs is surprising his whole family. He's not going to tell them until the day we're leaving. In fact, we haven't hashed out the details yet, but it looks like we're all going to go eat before we're supposed to leave for our trip (they know we're all going, just not that they are) and then he's going to some how let them know at dinner that they're coming too. I'm not sure how we're pulling it off, but so far, so good. We've gotten all the ressies made and we've got our dining plans all mapped out and everything, and she nor her children have any clue! We'll see how it all goes! The trip isn't until October, but it does come up a lot, honestly, and so far no one has spilled the beans. We've been careful not to tell OUR children they're coming with us though, so they can't tell....so I guess we're surprising all the kiddos with a trip with their friends!

Some friends of ours just pulled off surprising their girls over spring break. The mother packed the car and got everything ready while they were at school and then when they got in the car, they said they were going on a trip and something was hidden in the car that would let them know where they were headed. The parents had hidden the luggage tags sent by WDW and when the girls found them, they said it took a few minutes to sink in, but once they understood, they were thrilled.

 

[natalia1681]

In 2006, we went to Disney for free dining. We decided while we were going, we would upgrade the tickets and get season passes and try to go again within a year. Before we even went on that September trip, we booked another trip for January (my birthday) and a trip for February (my best friend and Disney traveling buddy's birthday). She knew about Sept and Jan, but she didn't know about her secret Feb b-day trip. We often talked about Disney trips and such and whenever I felt the urge to tell her about her surprise, I would just say, "I really want you to remember this moment." At first she thought I was crazy, but I kept saying. Finally, on Christmas Day, we told her (we couldn't wait any longer). I told her what I had meant when I said "I really want you to remember this moment." She laughed and congratulated me on keeping the secret for so long.

I also told everyone on this board, so that helped!:wave:

 

[Craig & Lisa]

a few years ago we arrainged a surprised and we had a tuff time to keep from saying anything. We managed to get it right early in the morning we were at the parking lot with some story and got it all on video, perfect!!!

 

[coltow]

We are actually lucky enough to be taking 2 trips this year. The 2nd trip is goin to be a birthday surprise for DS who will be 5. We can currently talk about each trip in the open. Anytime we talk about December he just thinks we are talking about the summer. We will have to change that when we get back from 1st trip. We hope to take an afternoon flight so that he can still go to pre-school, we can then pack up the car and pick him up and go straight to the airport.

 

[David]

I surprised my DW with a birthday trip last October. It was really, really hard to keep the secret because we always have such fun talking about upcoming trips. And I had to keep the secret for 9 months! In January I got the OK for her to be off work, but had to check in with her secretary from time to time to make sure she had not booked anything that could not be changed.

Throughout the summer I made mental notes of what clothes she wore so I would be able to wash and iron those for her. Luckily she had a trip to Canada the weeked before we left, so I was able to have everything packed and ready when she got back.

To tell her about the trip, I changed the lyrics to Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah and sang the announcement to her. It was SO hard to keep it quiet, but I made it and we had a great trip.

8 days till we go back to celebrate our anniversary!

 

[Engine 51]

I drive at night when on long trips, the kids sleep through the trip. On their first trip to Disney they fell asleep somewhere in Kentucky and woke up at Ft. Wilderness.

 

[mickeyismyhero]

We tried that last year my step daughters grand mother ruined it for her though How ever i told her good now she knows and she better not tell the other 2 because they have never been there and my 6 yr old always wanted to go see mickey.Well i was shocked because she didnt say anything "Mickey" even sent my 6 yr old a letter in the mail asking him if he would like to go to disney and meet him and go to his christmas party.We wasnt going to tell him until we got there and he looked around and asked where he was but didnt think she could keep quite much longer.That was also my first disney trip!Was wonderful going back agian in December i cant wait!

 

[WhatJaneSays]

God, keeping it quiet is SO HARD!

My little nephew is getting a surprise trip for his 9th birthday (we're also making it an early Christmas because it's in December). We've had a secret trip with him before when he was 7 and his mother managed to keep is under wraps until they were at the airport. We're really just hopping he won't notice all the preparations.

I think the big reveal is worth the time. His mother is eventually going to tell him that they are coming to visit Grandma for his birthday closer to the date. When they arrive they'll stay with us for a day then go to Disney for a few days. We're going to try to have him occupied/distracted until were at the hotel.

 

[Goofyque']

Our best trip secret was not for the kids, but my cousin's 50th bday. She and her husband are houseparents at a childrens home, and we arranged back up with their bosses, transportation, reservations, everything was done by April, and the trip was in August. We even lured them to KC as "speakers" for a church event, sprung it on them, and flew out the next morning. She is very hands on, and no one could believe we pulled it off! What the best part was, as we went through the parks, she would get calls from all of her family, house kids, graduated kids, friends, etc, and they all knew! It was very special, and will always cherish her reaction!

 

[Giavonna98]

How do you keep it a secret?!?! ...are you serious?! Who would want to keep it a secret? I mean, it's SOOOO exiting! If i tried to keep going to disney a secret, I would probably pull all of my hair out.


(and the kids might "overhear" you planning. then they'ed have a secret of there own)

 

[trixie21]

We are going in Sept and are not telling the kids. Since it's only May I figure they will drive me crazy asking "how long" or "how many sleeps". After all, they're kids, 2 days is like an eternity.
I planned & booked everything so there's not much to talk about with DH

 

[trixie21]

Popcorn refill

I was at MK 2 years ago and we purchased a tub of popcorn in what we were told was refillable. Does anyone know anything about that? I still have it and if it works - I will bring it on my next trip

 

[DisneyPirate85]

Last year we took DD's 18 (for Graduation) and 14 to the World, they know DW and I go every year so what we did was ALOT of misinformation:fork:.
We told them that Disney would be "just be too expensive" to take them too but we would go somewhere? We sent "clue's" to there MySpace accounts and led them to believe it was a Key West vacation. Then to top it off I made up a Dummy Itenerary for a Resort in Key West and "ACCIDENTALY" left it on the kitchen counter while DW and I went for a walk.When we returned we could tell they had been reading it, had Jet ski rentals, a day cruise excursion, and even resteraunt reservations times and locations in Key West.
They bought it HOOK LINE AND SINKER, right up to the point where they saw the signs for "Walt Disney World next exit" DW and I had a great time misleading them for 3 months even discussed the chance's of seeing Jimmy Buffet in Margaritaville:drevil: