~Suggestions Needed On How To Surprise Kids With Trip~

[iluv2go2disney]

We are planning a surprise trip to WDW in July. Our kids know we're going, but they think we not going until December. I would really love to keep it a secret until a day or two before we leave. This is only part of the surprise. They think we're staying at Pop, since that's where we always stay. Well, thanks to a great code, this year we're booked at AKL in a savannah view room. I want to keep this part of the surprise going until we get to the Magical Express counter. They're going to flip out! I know some of you have pulled off some great surprises and I would love to hear about them. Any ideas of how to pull this surprise off would be great to hear. BTW, my kids 12 and 11.

I thought I would also add if you look at my ticker, you'll notice it is still for the December trip. This is because my kids are all the time looking over my shoulder when I'm on the DIS. I didn't want them to figure it out.

 

[scarlet_ibis]

I don't know if this works for older kids, but I just wouldn't tell them. I'd be inclined not to tell them til the morning that you're actually leaving. Packing will be tricky. Do you think you can do it stealthily? Or maybe you can say you're going to Grandma's for a few days to cover most of the packing (and pack the Disney-specific stuff in your bag, out of sight)?

I took my kids with my mom when they were 1 and almost 4, and they just thought Grandma was coming down to visit. Then we got up early the next morning and drove to the airport. That was a little traumatic for them, I'm afraid, since Daddy wasn't coming with us.

 

[LWatson]

There was a thread recently where they made up poems for clues leading the kids to the note to tell them.

For us we are going to wake them up by playing the "Opening show" for the Magic Kingdom on the TV really loud to wake them up and tell them we are going that day.

 

[pnutallergymom]

We did this last year with my 4 kids, 7,6,5 and 2.

I told them we were going skiing in North Conway for the week. So at least they got to be excited about something!! That is half the fun, isn't it??? I also told them it was a day later than it actually was....since I wanted them to sleep the night before!!!

We woke them up the morning of (3am...our flight was at 6)....I dressed them in all Disney Shirts and zip up fleece sweatshirts. They had no idea, as they were so tired getting up that early.

We had a limo come (was cheaper for 6 of us than using a shuttle service) and after DH had packed everything into the limo, we let them come outside. They freaked!! Still thought we were going to No. Conway, just in a limo though!! When we started moving, I told them all to unzip their sweatshirts and look on their shirts. It took them a minute, but my oldest caught on!! They were thrilled....except my 5yr old. He cried and said he wanted to go skiing!!!

 

[iluv2go2disney]

These are all great ideas. I like the idea of not telling them until the morning we leave, but they aren't the easiest kids to get up. They love to sleep in on summer days. So, I know they'll be too grumpy to do that. However, they both LOVE Disney World and I know if we told them the day before, they'd be jumping out of bed.

 

[scarlet_ibis]

Toss 'em in the car in their PJs!

 

[CharityLynn]

We're doing this in October! They don't think we're going for 2 years! But we're already booked for this October. We're not telling them at all....they will probably figure it out at some point but we don't plan on saying anything. We're just going for a drive..perhaps we'll say we're visiting family.

To get them up we're telling them we're going out to breakfast. I'll have the van loaded the night before. I think they may figure it out once they get in the van but we're not telling them we'll come up with some vague story as to why the luggage is there lol. we don't travel at all other than going to Disney World though so I really think they'll figure it out but who knows.

 

[kiteri]

I surprised my children in September of 2007. I gave them each a glass jar in the spring and told them to put their change in. They would earn change for chores. I would toss them a dollar in quarters for being exceptionally good. The deal was that we would go to Disney when the jar was full.

We took a "Labor Day Over Night Trip" to the city where the airport is with our suitcases, two empty jars, some Disney dollars and a baggie of glitter in the trunk.

After the kids were asleep, we set their suitcases on the floor, and put the Disney dollars and their airbills in the two empty glass jars and sprinkled glitter all through the jars and left trails of glitter to their suitcases. We woke them in the morning and told them that Tinkerbell had visited and turned their change into Disney Dollars and plane tickets! They were SO thrilled!!!!!!!

Hope you find a great way to surprise them!