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Ideas??
- Thread starter guatemama
- Start date
msmith
Member
Don't tell her at all... 
Do you live close enough so that you'd be driving? Or flying?
If you're driving and leave @ night like we do, just let her wake up in the car and when you get close she'll start to see the signs and figure it out...
Otherwise, if you're flying, just tell her the day you're leaving, but don't let her know where you're going... and that its a surprise...
Be sure to get her reaction on video when she realizes where she is going...
Do you live close enough so that you'd be driving? Or flying?
If you're driving and leave @ night like we do, just let her wake up in the car and when you get close she'll start to see the signs and figure it out...
Otherwise, if you're flying, just tell her the day you're leaving, but don't let her know where you're going... and that its a surprise...
Be sure to get her reaction on video when she realizes where she is going...
H20Babie
Well-Known Member
I've done a couple of different things.
One time, I scheduled a telephone call for the morning we were leaving from Mickey Mouse. MM said he heard that ds was going on a trip and he'd see him real soon. I videotaped it and it was so cute ... the look on his face was priceless. I believe you can also have one of the princesses call. Here's the link: https://secure.uvoxnetworks.com/disney/affhome.html?affno=66 It's under the "Good Morning" option.
I have also made him a paper chain, anywhere from 7-30 days long, and each day, he would take off one of the links to countdown to the trip. He would sit there and count the days he had left. I found it really took away the "how many more days" whining and it also gave him some control.
One time, I scheduled a telephone call for the morning we were leaving from Mickey Mouse. MM said he heard that ds was going on a trip and he'd see him real soon. I videotaped it and it was so cute ... the look on his face was priceless. I believe you can also have one of the princesses call. Here's the link: https://secure.uvoxnetworks.com/disney/affhome.html?affno=66 It's under the "Good Morning" option.
I have also made him a paper chain, anywhere from 7-30 days long, and each day, he would take off one of the links to countdown to the trip. He would sit there and count the days he had left. I found it really took away the "how many more days" whining and it also gave him some control.
NewfieFan
Well-Known Member
Some people are going to disagree with me on this one but I'm not really into surprising kids. Sure it's cute to get their reaction but half the fun of a trip is the anticipation (even for a 4 yr. old). I told my 3 yr. old about our trip and he loved looking forward it. Sure there were questions (how many more days, how long is it going to take, etc.) but that just got us more excited. I liked H2OBarbie's idea about the paper chain (I may try that one myself the next time). There's lots of little ideas out there to build up the excitment to the trip. I've heard of people giving little Disney themed surprises leading up to departure day. Things like that pass the time and just gets everyone in "Disney vacation mode"! I also enjoyed researching WDW with my toddler. We would look up characters, rides, restaurants etc. on the web and I would involve him in the planning. I kept telling him that he helped plan the vacation and that it was something he could be proud of. He's already very busy planning our next trip (he tells me we need to make lists)!:animwink: I've created a monster...
msmith
Member
Some people are going to disagree with me on this one but I'm not really into surprising kids. Sure it's cute to get their reaction but half the fun of a trip is the anticipation (even for a 4 yr. old). I told my 3 yr. old about our trip and he loved looking forward it. Sure there were questions (how many more days, how long is it going to take, etc.) but that just got us more excited. I liked H2OBarbie's idea about the paper chain (I may try that one myself the next time). There's lots of little ideas out there to build up the excitment to the trip. I've heard of people giving little Disney themed surprises leading up to departure day. Things like that pass the time and just gets everyone in "Disney vacation mode"! I also enjoyed researching WDW with my toddler. We would look up characters, rides, restaurants etc. on the web and I would involve him in the planning. I kept telling him that he helped plan the vacation and that it was something he could be proud of. He's already very busy planning our next trip (he tells me we need to make lists)!:animwink: I've created a monster...
Don't disagree with you at all! I just thought the surprise idea which I read here sounded fun...
I'm not 100% sure that we could keep it from our son anyway... He picks up on 'EVERYTHING'. Besides, I agree about the fun/anticipation issue... Just last night he was dressed in his MNSSHP costume (one of them at least) and he came out of his room with this 'I'll be good if' look on his face and asked as politely as can be "can we please go to din-ney now?"
Last week the wife was leaving for the pharmacy and he asked if he could go... She said 'Sure, get your shoes' - he came back with his shoes, and asked if they were going to go to Din-ney now?!?
My two nephews that are going with us this time are extremely excited too. Every time we see them we hear "are you here to bring us to Disney now?" and "I wanna see Buzz WhiteEars!"
good times...
H20Babie
Well-Known Member
Yup, my son, now 6, is just as addicted to Disney as I am. He's been helping me plan now for a few years. We look at the resorts, the rides, the restaurants. He gets to pick his top 7 must-dos ala the Disney Top 7. It's really fun to plan with him, and he gets to feel like he's part of the planning too.
Actually, when we found out that he wouldn't be with me this coming spring break (he'll be with his dad and stepmom), he "decided" that I should go to Disney on my own to scout out some things for next year, when he'll be old enough to do the "scarier stuff". I took his advice -- lol. That's my boy :lol:
Actually, when we found out that he wouldn't be with me this coming spring break (he'll be with his dad and stepmom), he "decided" that I should go to Disney on my own to scout out some things for next year, when he'll be old enough to do the "scarier stuff". I took his advice -- lol. That's my boy :lol:
NewfieFan
Well-Known Member
Don't disagree with you at all! I just thought the surprise idea which I read here sounded fun...
I'm not 100% sure that we could keep it from our son anyway... He picks up on 'EVERYTHING'. Besides, I agree about the fun/anticipation issue... Just last night he was dressed in his MNSSHP costume (one of them at least) and he came out of his room with this 'I'll be good if' look on his face and asked as politely as can be "can we please go to din-ney now?"
Last week the wife was leaving for the pharmacy and he asked if he could go... She said 'Sure, get your shoes' - he came back with his shoes, and asked if they were going to go to Din-ney now?!?
My two nephews that are going with us this time are extremely excited too. Every time we see them we hear "are you here to bring us to Disney now?" and "I wanna see Buzz WhiteEars!"
Too cute!
My problem would be keeping the secret too - I wouldn't last a day!Sorry H2OBabie I spelled your name "H2OBarbie" - oops!
The Disney Top 7, eh? Sounds like a neat idea - but my son would need the Disney Top 100!
(FYI, I'm from Canada too!)
Since1976
Well-Known Member
Because my wife and I are such Disney geeks, our daughter is always in the mood to go to WDW. She watches the vacation planning videos all the time, and regularly asks us when she can go see Mickey again. So, in a way, she already has planned out where she wants to go. Surprising her on the day before our trip would just be icing on a cake she's already made for herself.
J_Krafty24
Active Member
My parents did the paper chain thing with us when we were little. We had family craft night and decorated each loop with stickers and pictures and glitter and made it all pretty. Then when the chain was finished they told us what it was for. That had to be nearly two decades ago but is still a fun memory I have. One of my few "Disney" memories from back then that are not from family videos and pictures.
Back a few years my wife and I did not tell our boys we were going at all. When they went to bed that night we packed. We woke them up at 5:00am with a limousine out in front of our house. They got dressed and we told them where we were headed. They were really excited and we had a great trip.
JWG
Well-Known Member
We didn't tell my neice and nephew at all when they were younger (5 and 7).
They were told (by my sister, not me) that they were flying to Mexico to visit their Uncle Juan.
They got slightly confused when they joined up with their Grandma, Grandpa, aunt and uncle. They flew in the night before we did so we were picked up at the airport and then met up with them at one of the local malls. They seemed surprised but still weren't aware of where they were.
We simply hopped in the car and drove to the property under the big sign. I'm not sure if you consider this a backfire or even more fun, but my nephew's response was:
"Wait a minute, Disney World isn't in Mexico!"
They were told (by my sister, not me) that they were flying to Mexico to visit their Uncle Juan.
They got slightly confused when they joined up with their Grandma, Grandpa, aunt and uncle. They flew in the night before we did so we were picked up at the airport and then met up with them at one of the local malls. They seemed surprised but still weren't aware of where they were.
We simply hopped in the car and drove to the property under the big sign. I'm not sure if you consider this a backfire or even more fun, but my nephew's response was:
"Wait a minute, Disney World isn't in Mexico!"
mickey&me
Active Member
If you decide to surprise, my friends had a great time waking their daughter up one morning and saying, "Let's take a ride." Two hours later, they got to the airport. Then they said, "How about taking a ride in an airplane?" (It was her first flight.) She was surprised when she saw the bags all packed in the trunk.
If you decide to tell (which I do), you can make a paper chain to count down the days. We cut strips of colored construction paper, used markers to decorate them in Disney motifs, and used a gluestick to make the chain links. Every night we take one off.
I'm sure both would be really fun for you. My DH can't keep secrets, so we have no choice. Have a great trip!
If you decide to tell (which I do), you can make a paper chain to count down the days. We cut strips of colored construction paper, used markers to decorate them in Disney motifs, and used a gluestick to make the chain links. Every night we take one off.
I'm sure both would be really fun for you. My DH can't keep secrets, so we have no choice. Have a great trip!
SweetPea
Member
Guatemama, that's so fun!!! We are leaving in one week and we're flying out of Charlotte with our 4 year old daughter and 2 year old son. I plan on packing while she is at school this week and loading everything after they go to bed Friday night. My sister lives in Charlotte so we're just going to tell her we're going for a visit. We're going to meet my sister and her boyfriend at the airport. I think we'll probably just tell her we're going on a trip with them, but not tell her where. I know she will figure it out as soon as we get to the Magical Express. I can't wait to see her face.:sohappy:
Boray
Member
We've been making the countdown chains since 2003 (when my son was 4 and daughter 15 months) and every year my kids look forward to making them (they each have their own in their room). We usually count down the last 40 or so days (otherwise the chain is way too long). We're planning on making them next weekend!!!! We can't wait!
C.M.O
Active Member
I got Mickey Paint chips from home depot and made a number line. We bought a Disney princess card (one of the little square ones) and move it down the number line each night.
I had to change my flight this year so we are leaving a day earlier then we had planned. I am not going to tell me daughter. I am going to have my mom bring her to daycare that day and then pick her up a few hours later with all our bags in the car! I can't wait to see her face when she finds out we are leaving earlier then she thought!
I had to change my flight this year so we are leaving a day earlier then we had planned. I am not going to tell me daughter. I am going to have my mom bring her to daycare that day and then pick her up a few hours later with all our bags in the car! I can't wait to see her face when she finds out we are leaving earlier then she thought!
Nansafan
Active Member
It was actually a surprise thing, my cousin wanted to come up with a unique way to tell her daughters they were going for the first time. Since we were going a few months before them, we picked up autograph books for the girls while we were there and had Cinderella sign the books, "See you in May". She gave them the books at Christmas time (they were 7 and 9). Christmas morning the oldest one opened the book said "hey cool", then "mom, this book has writing in it", "well read it", then the hurrays started.
Montyboy
New Member
A different kind of surprise
Over breakfast a friend of mine asked her twins if they wanted to go to Disney after eating. Unfortunately, they had already decided that they wanted to go bowling that day and declined their mother's offer. She tried to talk them into it, but they started crying because the REALLY wanted to go bowling, and could they just go to Disney tomorrow?
Over breakfast a friend of mine asked her twins if they wanted to go to Disney after eating. Unfortunately, they had already decided that they wanted to go bowling that day and declined their mother's offer. She tried to talk them into it, but they started crying because the REALLY wanted to go bowling, and could they just go to Disney tomorrow?
DonaldDuck34
New Member
This year my parents gave my sister and I 2 limited editon Pooh and Eeyore winter themed stuffed animals for xmas . They were like huge. So right when i opened it i was like mom r u serious u got me a stuffed animal. mind u i'm a 17 year old guy and not really into stuffed animals. so i was like o great. then i looked closer to what pooh was holding in his hand. he was holding disney dollars. so then i kinda put it all 2gether and was like mom wait does this mean that we r goin to... and b4 i could say anything her and my dads faces lite up and my lil sister yelled out DISNEY WORLD!!!!! so i thought that was a really nice way to do it.