***Official Surprise Trips Thread and Planning Tips!***

[EpcotIsMyFave]

We are surprising the kids, DS 7 and DD5 on Christmas Day for our trip in January. I think we are going to try to get a balloon in a box or something along those lines. Their other gifts will include pins, a tie dye kit to make t-shirts, Minnie ears for DD and a WDW propeller hat for DS and some kind of countdown calendar, or chain. I'm so excited, I can't wait to tell them as they have been asking to go back pretty much since we got back over 2 years ago!

[Tigger's ally]

I am 3 weeks away from surprising my wife. She doesn't have a clue.
She thinks we are driving to Lake of the Ozarks for a lil getaway. We are staying the night before at my buddy's house. We are going to tell the wife that my buddy is flying out the next morning and I am going to volunteer to take him to the airport and drop him off on our way through St. Louis. Going to pull up to the curb to let him out....and Surprise.

I have had to go through a travel agent and have everything sent to my work address so as not to get anything at home.

So far so good. Everything is paid. Can't wait.

[lsulindy]

Surprising the kids Christmas morning with a Feb trip to DL. We've (including DH and I) never been to California. I love the planning, research, and anticipation part. I'm having the hardest time not talking about it with the kids. But, they'll still get 6 weeks to join in the pre-trip excitement.

I want to do Mickey-head balloons in a big box wrapped from Santa. Has anyone done the balloons before? I know for birthday parties, the latex balloons are usually deflated the next day. If I fill the balloons after the kids are in bed, they should still be good for the morning, right? This is the part that stresses me. I have lots of pics of Disneyland, and plan to attach them to the strings. Their other gifts will be things for the trip.

I always get them embroidered shirts for trips. We're going Mardi Gras week, and I found a Mardi Gras mickey head design for them. I'm wondering if they can open that first to build the excitement, or if it will totally give it away and take away from the big box of balloons. Last year I got them matching Mardi Gras shirts to wear to Mardi Gras, so I don't know if they'll immediately get that it's for Disney or if maybe they'll think it's just for Mardi Gras. I'd like to build it up some, but I don't want to give it away!

I also got beanie Mickey, Minnie and Goofy plushes dressed for Mardi Gras on ebay. I think I'll put those in their stockings. I'm also going to get them some light up toys and guide books.

[Jonesloonybin]

We are making our upcoming trip a surprise too. We are going at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb.

Our plan is to tell them on Christmas morning. We need new luggage anyways, so we are going to get them each a suitcase that we will fill with things that will clue them in to our trip.

We are going to Universal this trip, for the first time and then later in the year we are going to Oregon. So there will be things from all of those places, in the suitcase.

[father of 2]

We have been planning a trip to WDW for nearly a year now (leaving december 7) , and so far have kept it from the kids (dd9 and ds5). This will be their first trip. We don't plan to tell them until the morning we leave. Why? First, we won't here the end of it. Second, we want them to sleep the night before! We are planning to make t-shirts for them that say "surprise, we're on our way to walt disney world". Our current idea is to to tell them we have a surprise for them, blindfold them, put on their shirts, and have them facing each other when the blindfolds come off. If you have any other suggestions feel free to send them our way.

[Calle&Jakesmom]

Originally Posted by Tigger's ally

I am 3 weeks away from surprising my wife. She doesn't have a clue.
She thinks we are driving to Lake of the Ozarks for a lil getaway. We are staying the night before at my buddy's house. We are going to tell the wife that my buddy is flying out the next morning and I am going to volunteer to take him to the airport and drop him off on our way through St. Louis. Going to pull up to the curb to let him out....and Surprise.

I have had to go through a travel agent and have everything sent to my work address so as not to get anything at home.

So far so good. Everything is paid. Can't wait.

Awesome! Love the idea of surprising a spouse. Almost impossible to pull off, but seems like you've got a great plan! Have FUN!!

[TJDisneymama]

we're going mid-April so about 2 weeks after Easter. I'm planning to do a (plastic) easter egg hunt on Easter morning and each egg will have a piece of paper with a letter on it. When they collect all the eggs and open them they will have scraps of paper spelling out "Disney World"

[stindall]

We surprised my Dad a few years ago. My Dad, Mom, brother, and brothers friend were all down there for a family trip in early December. My Dad decided to invite my Moms best friend as a surprise for my mom. My dads birthday was on their 2nd day there so my mom's best friend thought it'd be a great idea to surprise my Dad with me and my DH waiting at the hotel after they got back from the Christmas party.

We ordered a cake a few weeks before from Boardwalk Bakery (we brought the candles and the decoration) and after we arrived DH and I went to Epcot to get it while my moms best friend went to MK to surprise my Mom. Moms bff text us and told us they were coming back an hour before they were supposed to so we hid in the bathroom for probably 20-25 minutes. We had an adjoining room so we knocked and they opened and took a few steps back out of shock! I knew he loved it because he cried and I've only ever seen him cry one other time in my life.

I made a video of the whole thing. You can watch it here.

[MouseEarsForAll]

Loving the surprises, everyone! Gotta report back!

Thanks Calle&Jake'sMom for the replies, too. I always miss when someone resurrects this thread.

[lync]

Originally Posted by Calle&Jakesmom

So excited about our surprise!

Background: We surprised our kids with a trip in 2010 (they were 7 & 9 at the time). They had been on many trips to disney before, but this time we surprised them by saying we couldn't go to Disney this year for vacation, but we were driving to Pops & Grandma's house in CT (about 3 hours away). Had a great surprise planned... drive south 'til they notice something isn't right. Unfortunately about an hour into the trip I got hit with a stomache bug and, because I was so miserable, we sprung the surpise early and ended up just telling them we were headed.- Great surprise-- they screamed, yelled and loved it, but I was really sick for the entire drive, and then my husband got it and we spent an extra night on the road- missed our first day at Disney etc. The kids were awesome and so excited, happy and thrilled with the surprise trip, but I was so disappointed because it didn't go how I had planned. We ended up having a great trip (thank goodness for the "24" hour bug) and the kids will never forget the surprise........... but:
I want to do it again and do it better

This time.... we are going to make the surprise a Christmas gift. We won't be going until February, but we will spring the surpise on the kids (now 12 & 10) through their Christmas gifts- T-Shirts, pins, other gifts (any suggestions?). This will be great becuse I really want to do the surpise, but I also know that one of the things our family loves about trips to Disney is the planning. This give us both- surprise at Christmas with time for anticipation and planning!

Sorry so long, but I am so excited, I just had to get it out there to those who will understand!!

We are too....Christmas gift for January trip. This gives us some time to get some input in the planning from our 3 girls (9... Turns 10 on trip, 7, and 3).

Thinking we may have the room filled with helium balloons with something tied to each string revealing what the plans are! Can't wait.!!! We've been planning this since February! I am so ready for them to know!

[clynngibson]

We are surprising DD 4yo and DS 1yo (I know I know he won't know what's going on LOL). We leave on Dec. 2nd early that morning or late the night before. We are going to have a BIG box wrapped up like a present. Inside will be some gifts I bought for the drive down, some Disney toys, and some helium Disney balloons. So when DD opens the present, the balloons will pop out!! We aren't surprising her until right before we leave!

[Tigger's ally]

Originally Posted by Calle&Jakesmom

Awesome! Love the idea of surprising a spouse. Almost impossible to pull off, but seems like you've got a great plan! Have FUN!!

Did it once ten years ago and it worked to perfection. Hardest part is she is manager of a bank and has access to all of our family accounts at the clik of a finger. Hiding money is the toughest part! Other than that, I would say dealing with Disney is second toughest due to once you make a ressie, the "other" departments know you are coming and jump to send out emails. That is why the travel agency was a must. No Mickey Mail at home. Thankfully , Dreams Unlimited and Kerry in particular have been great in making sure that nothing hits the mailbox. So great in fact that even though I have done all our planning on the other 18 trips, I am now going to funnel all my stuff through them from now on. Great to work with. 11 days and still a surprise

[MouseEarsForAll]

Originally Posted by Tigger's ally

Did it once ten years ago and it worked to perfection. Hardest part is she is manager of a bank and has access to all of our family accounts at the clik of a finger. Hiding money is the toughest part! Other than that, I would say dealing with Disney is second toughest due to once you make a ressie, the "other" departments know you are coming and jump to send out emails. That is why the travel agency was a must. No Mickey Mail at home. Thankfully , Dreams Unlimited and Kerry in particular have been great in making sure that nothing hits the mailbox. So great in fact that even though I have done all our planning on the other 18 trips, I am now going to funnel all my stuff through them from now on. Great to work with. 11 days and still a surprise

I congratulate you on your persistence, discretion, and overall sneakiness. Hope all goes well!

[dalgal101]

So for Christmas we will be surprising our ds7 and ds11 with their 2nd and 3rd trip. I have debated over all the different ideas, but have decided on a video. I have made a video of several of the pictures of our trip two years ago on the last picture it says "I hope you have fantastic memories from this trip...Now let's make more when we return to WDW on January 25, 2013. I imagine they will open the video on Christmas morning and toss it to the side. After we are done with the gifts I will ask if they want to watch it. I hope they say yes and then at the end give me the reaction I am hoping to see.

[osu2k1]

Originally Posted by father of 2

We have been planning a trip to WDW for nearly a year now (leaving december 7) , and so far have kept it from the kids (dd9 and ds5). This will be their first trip. We don't plan to tell them until the morning we leave. Why? First, we won't here the end of it. Second, we want them to sleep the night before! We are planning to make t-shirts for them that say "surprise, we're on our way to walt disney world". Our current idea is to to tell them we have a surprise for them, blindfold them, put on their shirts, and have them facing each other when the blindfolds come off. If you have any other suggestions feel free to send them our way.

We leave the day after you and we are not telling them for the same reasons!!!

We are not going to tell them until we are in Denver at our connection. I have custom drawstring backpacks that I made (embroidered with Disneyworld 2012 even) that will have a journal for each kid, autograph book, pins & lanyard, coloring/mad libs/word searches/ math work (depending on kid) as well as $50 disney GC for blow money. From there, we'll just let them figure it out. Our oldest should get it quick. He's thinking we are going to Disneyland next year. So it should be fun!