Need help planning surprises for WDW!

[Disney_Belle]

Ok so I need some help planning this next trip. We have a wide variety of people coming, some extreme Disney Fans (that would be me!), some just normal Disney Fans, and one that has never been to WDW.

My Dad is 54 years old and has never been to WDW. We are finally going as a family (me, my husband, my mom & dad) along with my aunt, her boyfriend and my cousins and their significant others. My aunt and her group will be staying at the family suites at AS Music, while my mom, dad, my husband and I will be staying at Pop Century.

Now here is where I need all of those creative ideas I know you guys have! My Mom battled and over came breast cancer last year. Luckily it was caught very early on and she was cancer free withing 3 1/2 months. Although we were lucky enough to have it caught early, and avoid chemo, the surgery and radiation itself took a toll on her but she came back strong. 4 months later, my dad was diagnosed with throat cancer. He had to have surgery, and get radiation, and he responded very well to the radiation and he too, ended up not needing chemo. Although we were blessed with good health and both of my parents are cancer free now, it was an emotional roller coaster for 8 months.

Now we are going to WDW in January 2009 and I really want to do something special for my parents. Especially because it is my Dad's first visit to WDW. We are arriving on the Friday evening and will have seperate rooms at POP, but close together. I was wondering if I could have Disney set something up in their room? Kind of like a little welcoming ya know? I need ideas and info on how to go about doing it. I just really want to do something special for them and make this a memorable trip for them. I am so proud of how strong they both are and so blessed that they are my parents and I would just like to have something waiting for them to welcome them to a well deserved vacation!!!

We also will be celebrating my Husband's birthday while in WDW, anywhere special I should take him for dinner? There will be about 10 of us all together so something fun and entertaining would be good.

Thanks everyone, I know how creative you all can be

 

[WickedQueen22]

You could check disneyflorist.com and get your parents a romantic gift for their room. They may enjoy a gift of La Nouba also.

As for your husbands birthday.. I can't help you.. lol mine would be happy at the ESPN club.

If you booked as a Magical Gathering there are alot of nice options with meals you can do. Illuminations dinner, Sunset Safari (might be sunrise) are just two. GOOD LUCK

 

[coltow]

We are tying the Wishes Fireworks Grand Gathering Cruise next week. Look into all the grand gathering things they all seem good for groups and celebrations.

 

[One Lil Spark]

I am not sure about something waiting on them to surprise your parents in their room upon check-in, but I highly recommend WDW Florist. They do more than just flowers and can have whatever you pick out delivered to a person's room as long as you know their Resort/Room #. They are extremely helpful and won't lead you astray by suggesting stuff you don't want or need. They'll also do what they can to customize your surprise for your parents.

Here's the phone number if you want to call sometime before your trip to get ideas on what they can work up for you... Walt Disney World Florist 1-877-608-0066

As for the group meal, I'd say Hoop-De-Doo or Ohana.

Be sure to let us know what you decide! :wave:

 

[CanadianMegan]

I don't have any advice.
I just wanted to say that you sound like a great daughter. I am glad that your family is doing well now.

 

[bayoumoon]

I suggest visiting disneyflorist.com to get an idea of what you can have delivered to your parents room, you can also call them for special requests that aren't listed and gives a great idea of the cost involved.
For your special event try a Celebration Cruise they are for 8-10 people and you can get more information by calling 407-wdw-bday. Don't forget to order your disney vaction planning dvd, you may get some more ideas. It's nice to hear your family is well and hope you all have a wonderful time regardless of what you choose to do. (but let us know:animwink

 

[ljs1691]

Well, I don't know what your transportation situation is but here is what I did for my gathering of 14 (5 total rooms). We drove in early so this was easy for us.

We brought a vase for each room and stopped at Sam's Club and bought flowers and did arrangements for each room when we checked in. We also brought themed bags with us and filled them with lots of goodies for snacking. Some things we got before heading down and we bought apples and oranges at Sam's. So each room had flowers and a snack goodie bag for the week. Everyone was thrilled and I had fun putting it together.

Of course if you don't have a car then you will be limited but that is my experience.

Oh and we had a private dinner set up at Fantasmic one night (back on the private patio area). Memorable but expensive.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

[natolij02]

About something in the room, I was just reading today that you can have custom cakes made up and arrange to be in their room. How fun would it be to have a bunch of ballons filling the room along with a cake sitting on the table with a nice message. Another nice idea like someone said is La Nuba, or you could send them to a spa treatment if they are into that kind of thing, also a nice dinner for just the 2 of them at victoria and alberts.

As for your husband, depending on how much you want to spend, you could surprise him with the Richard Petty Driving Experience. It does cost around $400 but I don't know too many men that don't enjoy the thought of driving a race care.....you might just get the wife of the year award for surprising him with that :lol:

Group idea for a nice meal, I have heard nice things about the fireworks dinner thats a grand gathering experience.

Have fun planning and glad to hear your parents are survivors :sohappy:.....I am a cancer survivor myself and I can relate to your parents ability to over come and be strong

 

[Disney_Belle]

Thank you everyone for your ideas!!! I went to disneyflorist.com and found some great ideas on there So I will probably order something from them.

I also really appreciate all of your kind words for my family They mean everything to me and have given me the world, so this is the least I could do for them

I have a couple ideas for my Husband's birthday, he wants to do a fun dinner of some sort, so I am looking into some of the dinner shows. I wish AC wouldn't be closed because that would have been perfect for him, oh well there's still plenty to choose from!

Thanks again you guys are wonderful!!!:wave:

 

[Disney_Belle]

I don't have any advice.
I just wanted to say that you sound like a great daughter. I am glad that your family is doing well now.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate that

 

[Disney_Belle]

Have fun planning and glad to hear your parents are survivors :sohappy:.....I am a cancer survivor myself and I can relate to your parents ability to over come and be strong

Glad to hear you are as well!!! May you be blessed with lots of health and happiness

 

[ClemsonTigger]

For your husbands birthday, provide notification with your room reservation ( you can call back and add that), also confirm at check-in (as the info sometimes gets lost). With this, there just might be a little surprise for him in your room on his birthday. Also mention this when you are making dining reservations.

When you go to your first park, get him a birthday pin at guest relations and have him wear it for the full trip. The attention he will get as well as possibly some additional benefits will be great.

I also agree that for all of you, a dinner show at Hoop de do Review will be great fun. Other "fun" dining locations include 50's Prime Time at Studios, Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge. You may also enjoy the ambiance of dinner in Cinderella's Castle.

There are plenty of additional things that can be done depending on your budget and personal preferences. Would you want to swim with the fish in The Sea's, ride a Segway?, have a personal (Family)Disney photography session? All can be done.

 

[Cubs Brian]

Hoop-De-Doo nuff said.

 

[Disney_Belle]

Hoop-De-Doo nuff said.

That was what I was thinking Thanks!

 

[snookie5605]

planning surprises

i have some great ideas for ya! i am planning some for my husband this year for our one year anniversary and for my niece's high school graduation trip next year so i feel like a pro at this. there are two websites to go to that i read about on allears.net.one is peggyssweetsandmore.com. she makes baskets, decorates rooms, sends balloons, etc and she isnt that expensive! there are also the pixies at wdw. their website is giftsofalifetime.com. they are expensive but they will do a budget plan. they make special surprises happen while you are at a park. i am doing that this year for my husband! check them both out! hope it works!:sohappy:

 

[PrincessBitty]

I would definitely use WDW Florist - they do great work and have such a wide selection of gift baskets and themes.

 

[Disney_Belle]

I would definitely use WDW Florist - they do great work and have such a wide selection of gift baskets and themes.

I have been looking on the disneyflorist.com site since last night, but there is so much to choose from!!!

I think I am going to get them an arrangement, but I also wonder if I should get them a gift basket instead - im so confused lol.:brick:

 

[disneychic71]

Thank you everyone for your ideas!!! I went to disneyflorist.com and found some great ideas on there So I will probably order something from them.

I also really appreciate all of your kind words for my family They mean everything to me and have given me the world, so this is the least I could do for them

I have a couple ideas for my Husband's birthday, he wants to do a fun dinner of some sort, so I am looking into some of the dinner shows. I wish AC wouldn't be closed because that would have been perfect for him, oh well there's still plenty to choose from!

Thanks again you guys are wonderful!!!:wave:

Wherever you go for your husband's dinner, the CMs will make it special if you tell them, even right on the spot. We have celebrated many birthdays/anniversaries/etc. at Disney World--most memorably my Dad's 80th birthday. We had dinner in Morocco and the waiter gave Dad his fez as a souvenir! For my parents' 50th anniversary, we attended the luau at the Polynesian--it was fantastic. We also had a wonderful dinner in the Mexico pavilion; it was very romantic and they were given a special dessert. Have a great trip!