Surprising Kids?

[Britt]

Have any of you surprised your kids with a trip to Disney? How did you? (any videos?)

If you haven't, HOW would you?

We're planning on surprising my 7 year old, my 6 year old (On Friday! HAPPY BDAY!), and my soon to be 2 year old with a trip to Disneyworld, Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a day at the beach! I can not WAIT.

But, I haven't yet decided how we're going to do it. We have to travel to Denver the night before to make our flight out of DIA (we're in the Springs). And we'll be going with my inlaws. As soon as we're going/meeting my inlaws, they'll KNOW somethings up...lol

Any ideas?

 

[WDWmazprty]

Yes, we've done it twice already and will be doing it again in September. =)

Here is a video of the second time we surprised the girls. They got a letter from Mickey in the mail:




Some parents cant handle keeping the secret, but we love it! We know the kind of reaction it will get when we do tell them and its all worth it. Plus it makes the trip even more exciting and meaningful to the kids since it was something unexpected.

btw, we speak spanish, so there may be some words or things you don't understand, lol.

 

[Vader2112]

We did this Memorial Day weekend I loaded up the car before we left for a firends Birthday party Then after we got into the car to a chorus or whinning and crying about leaving the party we sprung it on them. Cheers and SCREAMS of WE'RE GOING TO MICKEY MOUSE HOUSE (as ny 4 year old and 2 year old call it.) It was really a surprise when we told them about the dinner with the princesses and lunch with Disney Junior charecters including Jake.
We also did it at Christmas time last year when the kids recieved an invitation in the mail from Mickey and Minnie inviting them to the Mickey's Christmas Party.

 

[lebeau]

Every kid is different. But I would not attempt to surprise my kids with Disney World. With my luck, I'd have the kids that cry because they thought we were going to IHOP instead. I have spent the past several months preparing my kids for what they will experience at Disney World. The fewer surprises, the better.

If you do want to pull off the surprise, I'd try to make your cover story as mundane as possible. There was a You Tube video a while back where the kids were disappointed because they were looking forward to visiting relatives instead of going to WDW. It was hysterical, but I would hate to be that parent.

 

[NYwdwfan]

That's an awesome video WDWmazprty! We haven't surprised our kids with a trip, but the big surprise this year is that their absolute best-est friends are brother and sister and my husband and I are really close with the parents. Their family was supposed to go the week before us but switched to our week for free dining (there are 6 of them - BIG savings!). The kids all separately know they are going - but they have NO IDEA we'll be there the same week! Looking forward to ideas about how to surprise!!

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome vids!

Next time...gonna surprise my kids.

 

[Britt]

Every kid is different. But I would not attempt to surprise my kids with Disney World. With my luck, I'd have the kids that cry because they thought we were going to IHOP instead. I have spent the past several months preparing my kids for what they will experience at Disney World. The fewer surprises, the better.

If you do want to pull off the surprise, I'd try to make your cover story as mundane as possible. There was a You Tube video a while back where the kids were disappointed because they were looking forward to visiting relatives instead of going to WDW. It was hysterical, but I would hate to be that parent.

OMGosh! I think I would cry!!! Man.......I'd almost be to embarrassed to post the reaction if my kids reacted like that...LOL

I've seen one where the parents told their kids they're going to see family in Chattanooga and all the little boy wants to do is go there. Even though the family will ALSO be there, from Chattanooga...haha. From that video, I've learned to uphold whatever we're planning on telling them

So I think we're going to tell them we're going to Denver (we have family that lives there and we usually stay at a hotel), and we're meeting their Great Grandma for dinner, which we'll do. And then right after, spring it on them....that way, hopefully, theres no disappointment. Im that mom that'd be like "FINE. Go stay with your grandparents, I'll go alone"...ROFL

 

[lebeau]

OMGosh! I think I would cry!!! Man.......I'd almost be to embarrassed to post the reaction if my kids reacted like that...LOL

I've seen one where the parents told their kids they're going to see family in Chattanooga and all the little boy wants to do is go there. Even though the family will ALSO be there, from Chattanooga...haha. From that video, I've learned to uphold whatever we're planning on telling them

So I think we're going to tell them we're going to Denver (we have family that lives there and we usually stay at a hotel), and we're meeting their Great Grandma for dinner, which we'll do. And then right after, spring it on them....that way, hopefully, theres no disappointment. Im that mom that'd be like "FINE. Go stay with your grandparents, I'll go alone"...ROFL

This is a shorter version of the original video. In the original, the mom went on to berate her kids to the degree that I really, really felt bad for the kids. I am sure your surprise will go much better. 99.9% of the time, I expect kids are overjoyed at the prospect of going to WDW. But this video is always in the back of my mind.

I am pretty good at keeping quiet and pulling off surprises. But I can never shut up about WDW even when we don't have a trip planned. I could never sit on that secret.

Sounds like you've got a solid plan. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[DisneyDelirious]

We have surprised the kids a couple different ways so far... One trip we had a scavenger hunt around the house and yard where they found items and clues they later realized were for the tirp. The last thing they found was a cookie shaped like a hidden Mickey the local bakery put together for us and a letter telling them we were going to WDW. The next trip we told them we were going to the zoo. i already had everything packed and hidden. As we approached the exit for the airport, we passed them a bag we told them had snacks in it. They opened the bag and it had embroidered ears in it. We are heading back in late November and are trying to figure out what the plan will be to surprise them this time. We are using our small regional airport and it is not a route we use for anything normally. I'm going to have to come up with a great storyline to go with it.

 

[Britt]

This is a shorter version of the original video. In the original, the mom went on to berate her kids to the degree that I really, really felt bad for the kids. I am sure your surprise will go much better. 99.9% of the time, I expect kids are overjoyed at the prospect of going to WDW. But this video is always in the back of my mind.

I am pretty good at keeping quiet and pulling off surprises. But I can never shut up about WDW even when we don't have a trip planned. I could never sit on that secret.

Sounds like you've got a solid plan. Good luck and have a great trip!

Oh no!! Thats terrible! : (
Yeah, I think you definitely need to know your children before you try something like that, and definitely not lying to your kids (I know, I know, one of those "liberal parents") to try and get the reaction you want out of them!

Im apparently NOT very good at hiding it. I keep wanting to talk about it with them and show them pics of our past trips....HAHA

 

[madtea_party]

My parents surprised me in October. We had planned a trip to Salem for the weekend before halloween (or so I thought). We left early in the morning and I fell asleep during the drive. My parents woke me up and told me that we were already there. I thought that they were just teasing me and i got up to tell them that I knew we weren't and I got the greatest surprise. My mom was holding a candy apple (I had told her in Sept. that my dream was to eat a candy apple down Main St.) and they both yelled "Surprise!!"

We got a early flight into Orlando, rented a car and from the airport went to Universal to check out WWoHP. Afterwards, we drove back to the airport, returned the car and took DME to Pop Century. The next day we went to MK and celebrated MNSSHP. The following morning we returned home.

It was such a great surprise! My parents told me it was the hardest secret to keep because I was constantly talking about how much I wanted to go to Disney World!

 

[Britt]

My parents surprised me in October. We had planned a trip to Salem for the weekend before halloween (or so I thought). We left early in the morning and I fell asleep during the drive. My parents woke me up and told me that we were already there. I thought that they were just teasing me and i got up to tell them that I knew we weren't and I got the greatest surprise. My mom was holding a candy apple (I had told her in Sept. that my dream was to eat a candy apple down Main St.) and they both yelled "Surprise!!"

We got a early flight into Orlando, rented a car and from the airport went to Universal to check out WWoHP. Afterwards, we drove back to the airport, returned the car and took DME to Pop Century. The next day we went to MK and celebrated MNSSHP. The following morning we returned home.

It was such a great surprise! My parents told me it was the hardest secret to keep because I was constantly talking about how much I wanted to go to Disney World!

YES! OMGosh, my oldest wants to go back so bad. He keeps talking about Splash Mountain and the Buzz Lightyear ride! It takes EVERYTHING I have not to burst and say "YAY! WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD"...haha

 

[WDWFanDave]

We took our daughter last year as a surprise to celebrate her 5th birthday...we had a birthday party for her the day before we were leaving...gave her a present box full of 'clues'...had an Ariel dress for her appointment at the BBB, had the custom maps from WDW online, and a few other things. She didn't quite put it all together, but once I told her it meant we were going to Disney World, well, it was a lot of fun. Then, I had to let her know that we were going for a whole week...she thought we were only going for a day.

Oh-almost forgot-all she wanted for her birthday was to get a stuffed Perry the Platypus, and we promised her for her birthday we'd take her to the Disney Store to get one (usually a 2 hour trip each way for us), and we kept that promise, but ended up getting Perry at the Emporium (a much better Disney Store, IMO).

Had so much fun last year, that we're doing it again! She knows we are going to Disney, and that we have our reservations, but she has no idea when! I need to be able to sleep between now and then (although I'm pretty excited myself), and I think it's just so much fun to surprise her when it's time to go anyway. Staying a little longer this year, and lots of fun planned for her birthday-breakfast with Mary Poppins, then to the BBB at the Castle, and evening dinner at Akershus. Oh, and staying in the Little Mermaid part of AoA...her favorite Princess is Ariel

Did I mention, I'm excited too?

Have fun!

 

[tarin24u]

We surprised our kids twice - we go in August and I didn't want them to "wish the summer away" waiting for vacation. The first time I put the WDW vacation video on while they were getting dressed and as they began to watch and get excited I asked, "Do you think we should go?" They said yes so my husband said, "OK, let's go!" The looks on their faces... awesome... It is one of my favorite memories The second time my husband was in Florida on business and called them during breakfast. He told them he missed them and asked them to come to Florida and take him to Disneyworld Now we plan as a family but I'm all for surprising little ones.

 

[maryszhi]

if i had kids, i would totally surprise them. i would be like we are going to Florida, but not to Disney. then when we get to Orlando and be like surprise, we are headed to Disney. or wrap up gifts with hints and then let the big reveal happen

 

[maryszhi]

Every kid is different. But I would not attempt to surprise my kids with Disney World. With my luck, I'd have the kids that cry because they thought we were going to IHOP instead. I have spent the past several months preparing my kids for what they will experience at Disney World. The fewer surprises, the better.

If you do want to pull off the surprise, I'd try to make your cover story as mundane as possible. There was a You Tube video a while back where the kids were disappointed because they were looking forward to visiting relatives instead of going to WDW. It was hysterical, but I would hate to be that parent.

omg i remember this. i felt so bad.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

We surprised our girls last summmer...



My camera is not the best and I was shaking (plus I missed my queue by a half second and messed up the timing), but it was such an amazing surprise. We drove from TX to FL and managed to pull of the surprise right at the maingate. Of course it was also 7am and this was day 3 of our trip after 2 long days of driving and a night at a motel 3 miles away from WDW...so I think everyone is also a bit frazzled.

We're surprising DD3 for her 4th bday, but I'm not sure how I'm going to do it. I may do it at home with a video on the big tv, a personalized greeting from Mickey, and a box w/helium filled mouse ear balloons----OR-----the DIsney Store said they'd do it for me. They said we'd need to give them about 10 min warning but that they could broadcast a msg over all of the screens, have fireworks go off on the white trees, flash the store lights, and then one of the store CMs would bring her into the big screen area of the store and announce over the PA system that she's going to WDW for her bday surprise.

I love the Disney Store idea, but I'm just not sure if I want to trek to the store on a Tuesday nt after a long day at work. We'll see. Either way, the first time was enough of a success and my girls are begging to go back that I think surprise #2 is going to be great as well.

 

[emma c]

we're going for first time next may and have told my daughter we going to Spain for week, waiting to see how long it takes for her to relise on way there where we going! Cant wait to see her face.

 

[WDWNooby]

I surprised my son with the visit in a Christmas present. I made up different boxes that made it a puzzle. One box had an airplane in it (the same carrier we were using), one had a golf ball for Epcot, one had a giraffe and lion for AK, etc. The last box was a puzzle of Cinderella's castle at night. It took him ALL day to finally put it all together (he was 14). Since we were taking my granddaughter as well, I did the exact same thing in February for her birthday (with a smaller puzzle). They were both beyond excited when they figured out what all of the clues meant. The hard part, waiting for our trip to happen in June after school was out

 

[sbhammonds]

Whenever you choose to tell them, whether it's the day of or a week before - the level of excitement you use when you tell them usually has a HUGE effect on their reaction!!! See our video! PS - It was the best trip of our lives!!