Ideas to surprise kids with a WDW trip

[Jacklyn]

Hi All!

I'm planning a WDW vacation with my kids, my brothers, sis inlaw, mother and niece and nephew. I am in serious need of help figuring out how to surprise the kids.
This will be my niece and nephews first trip, they will be 7 and 8. My kids and I went last year, they will be 10 and 12.

Last year I surprised my kids at Christmas with the trip via a scavenger hunt. They absolutely loved it and asked I do the same if we ever go again. We decided to surprise the 4 kids on Christmas for this trip as well and I'd really like to do a scavenger hunt again, but I have the following concerns. 1. My kids will know exactly what the surprise is the second they see the first clue. 2. Our plan was to end the hunt at my mom's house on Christmas morning with the kids opening a box filled with mickey balloons, my concern with this is since my kids will have figured out the surprise they will ruin the surprise for my niece and nephew.

I really want to surprise them together, but I want it to be exciting for all of them. Does any have any advice or am I just totally over thinking this lol

Thanks in advance for any ideas/advice you can lend!

 

[KCheatle]

This is a fun thread!!!

Hmmm...

You could do a puzzle, and each kid opens a gift with a different puzzle piece until they can complete the puzzle. And, it could say "we're going to Disney world" or it could be a picture of the map of DIsney World or something??

You could give each kid an obscure gift that sort of represents Disney World until they figured it out. For example, give one kid some golf balls (epcot), and one a tree (AK), and one some type of theatrical looking thing (HS), and one kid a castle-themed objected. But, that might be a little tough for them to put it all together.

This wesbsite has some good ideas too: http://.com/ideas-for-surprising-kids-with-a-disney-world-trip-prep020/

 

[Jacklyn]

This is a fun thread!!!

Hmmm...

You could do a puzzle, and each kid opens a gift with a different puzzle piece until they can complete the puzzle. And, it could say "we're going to Disney world" or it could be a picture of the map of DIsney World or something??

You could give each kid an obscure gift that sort of represents Disney World until they figured it out. For example, give one kid some golf balls (epcot), and one a tree (AK), and one some type of theatrical looking thing (HS), and one kid a castle-themed objected. But, that might be a little tough for them to put it all together.

This wesbsite has some good ideas too: http://*************.com/ideas-for-surprising-kids-with-a-disney-world-trip-prep020/

Very cute ideas, love them! Thank you!

 

[Susan Savia]

Have a Christmas box wrapped up and under the tree that you kinda make sure gets opened last. It could be filled with a bunch of red and green tissue paper with a card down in the bottom of it spilling the surprise. Maybe in addition to the wonderful news of a WDW trip in the card, there could be a Disney gift card in it too.

 

[NonnaT]

This is a fun thread!!!

Hmmm...

You could do a puzzle, and each kid opens a gift with a different puzzle piece until they can complete the puzzle. And, it could say "we're going to Disney world" or it could be a picture of the map of DIsney World or something??

You could give each kid an obscure gift that sort of represents Disney World until they figured it out. For example, give one kid some golf balls (epcot), and one a tree (AK), and one some type of theatrical looking thing (HS), and one kid a castle-themed objected. But, that might be a little tough for them to put it all together.

This wesbsite has some good ideas too: http://*************.com/ideas-for-surprising-kids-with-a-disney-world-trip-prep020/

Oops too bad, I missed it!

 

[Weather_Lady]

You could do the big reveal via the gift box full of balloons -- and then at the bottom of the box, include a little tote bag for each child, along with the first clue on a scavenger hunt around the house, where they each collect a trip-related "care package" to put in their bag, with things like sunscreen, Disney toothbrushes, autograph books/Sharpies, disposable cameras, Mickey ears/T-shirts, journals, sunglasses, park maps, etc. That way, they won't guess the announcement ahead of time, but they still get the fun and excitement of a scavenger hunt.

 

[Jacklyn]

You could do the big reveal via the gift box full of balloons -- and then at the bottom of the box, include a little tote bag for each child, along with the first clue on a scavenger hunt around the house, where they each collect a trip-related "care package" to put in their bag, with things like sunscreen, Disney toothbrushes, autograph books/Sharpies, disposable cameras, Mickey ears/T-shirts, journals, sunglasses, park maps, etc. That way, they won't guess the announcement ahead of time, but they still get the fun and excitement of a scavenger hunt.

That's a great idea!

 

[Jacklyn]

Have a Christmas box wrapped up and under the tree that you kinda make sure gets opened last. It could be filled with a bunch of red and green tissue paper with a card down in the bottom of it spilling the surprise. Maybe in addition to the wonderful news of a WDW trip in the card, there could be a Disney gift card in it too.

Everyone has such great ideas. I'll have to do a combination of them.

 

[zurgandfriend]

My DS was a little younger at the time but I took my son to see Santa at our local mall, after the picture was taken I stopped to speak with Santa for a minute. My DS asked me what were you and Santa talking about? I told my DS I was asking Santa for a new car.
Christmas morning there was a large picture on the tree from Santa. The back of the picture was the side facing out and had a note saying that a car would not fit down the chimney but maybe this will make up for it. The other side had a picture of the Wilderness Lodge. My DS knew what it was the second he saw it. We were going in June so we started a count down on the whiteboard in the kitchen. Every morning he updated it until we left. Now he is a senior in high school and my DW and I are counting the days until he leaves for college, but I digress.

 

[brb1006]

What characters are you looking forward to meeting along with the kids?

 

[Jacklyn]

What characters are you looking forward to meeting along with the kids?

My kids favorites are Pluto and Stitch so hoping to meet them. My niece loves all things princess and my nephew loves woody and buzz.

 

[DfromATX]

Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure they'll love it. Sounds like a lot of fun! And those are great ages to go to Disney. My kids range from 13-19 and they still love to go, but the 7 to 10 age group was the most fun!

 

[YozhikRoth]

Last time we went to Disney in 2010, when my kids were 8 and 6, we told them they were going to "Manners School" over Christmas break. We kept the jig up the entire drive from NY to FL, only when we arrived at Disney did they realize what our plan was.

 

[DfromATX]

Last time we went to Disney in 2010, when my kids were 8 and 6, we told them they were going to "Manners School" over Christmas break. We kept the jig up the entire drive from NY to FL, only when we arrived at Disney did they realize what our plan was.

That's a good one! I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face though!