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SunshineGirl
06-15-2010, 02:27 PM
The background: Kevin's parents' 45th wedding anniversary is next summer. The family has had "issues" in years past and has only all been together in one place at the same time once--for my nephew's birthday in Disney last year. Everyone in the family is a Disney fan. We had booked a cruise for June 2011 for just us (me, SG, and the girls). We got to talking to Kevin's brother and he said he was interested in taking his family as well (plus wife and two kids). Turns out it's the same week as Kevin's parents' 45th. So we decided to see if we could get the whole family to book cruises AND pitch in to pay for them to go as well. It was all negotiated and we have been planning it for 6 months. This weekend they will be at our house and we get to tell them. So I have to figure out how to make a really big deal of it!!

I was thinking of first trying to print out a nice picture of the ship and then make some little "people" to paste onto it with all of our pictures. There will be 12 of us altogether. But the big problem is that the Dream isn't done so I can't get any pictures of it!

Can anyone else give me some creative ideas of how to tell them and incorporate the whole thing--the Dream, the dates, their anniversary, the whole family going, and that we are all paying for it???
disney_girl
06-15-2010, 03:18 PM
What an awesome surprise!! I was trying to look online for some good artist rendering pics of the Dream, but not a lot of luck yet. Was thinking you could add the people on the slide or something. Maybe you could incorporate putting a message in a bottle as a cute way to give them the news. I'll keep thinking- and I'm sure you'll get some good ideas here!
SunshineGirl
06-15-2010, 03:19 PM
What an awesome surprise!! I was trying to look online for some good artist rendering pics of the Dream, but not a lot of luck yet. Was thinking you could add the people on the slide or something. Maybe you could incorporate putting a message in a bottle as a cute way to give them the news. I'll keep thinking- and I'm sure you'll get some good ideas here!

Oh! Message in a bottle would be cute!
disney_girl
06-15-2010, 03:26 PM
And you should definitely celebrate with some tasty drinks with little umbrellas lol.

Man- I wish I lived closer...I wanna make a cake :D
Blessing and Miracle
06-15-2010, 03:50 PM
What about a game of charades. It should be easy. 45 years ago they met each other and had the dream wedding, or each were the man or woman of their dreams (the ship). Then you could do the wedding anniversary and etc.

HTH's. :)
PSL1013
06-15-2010, 03:55 PM
How about a creative poem that you could do on the computer and then print it out and paste it into a really nice anniversary card and have everyone sign the card? I actually did this for my DIL's bridal shower....My husband and I booked and paid for their honeymoon cruise (their first cruise) in an inside room that they already knew about but I secretly upgraded them to a balcony that I announced at her shower with a poem that I wrote and attached to a pair of sunglasses that I wrapped up. I made her read it outloud and there was not one dry eye in the room, especially me! Here it is in case anyone cares to read it? A dolphin excursion was the big highlight of their cruise, so that is why there is mention of dolphins. :D

THE SUNGLASSES a poem by MIL

ROMANTIC DAYS SPENT UNDER THE SUN

SIGHTSEEING, DOLPHINS.....A WHOLE LOT OF FUN.

SEEING THE MOON AND THE TWINKLING STARS AT NIGHT

OH MY, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS SIGHT!

HONEYMOONING ON THE CARNIVAL MIRACLE AT SEA

THESE SUNGLASSES WILL HELP YOU......

ENJOY THE VIEW FROM YOUR BALCONY! :-)
29apr00
06-15-2010, 04:08 PM
this would involve a lot of work on your part, but how about faking a contest for the girls to enter? Have them write down their "dream" vacation (obviously it would be a family vaction on the Disney Dream) and they wanted to read it to grandma and grandpa before they sent in their entry. Then once they read it and everyone oohs and aahs over how wonderful it would be, then you can pull out the Offical Winner Certificate and present it to them and tell them their dreams have come true and it's a family cruise!
PSL1013
06-15-2010, 04:11 PM
I found an artist rendering picture

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/PSL1013/50162851.jpg
roo823
06-15-2010, 07:03 PM
Maybe the grandkids could take Grandma and Grandpa on a scanvenger hunt?

Each hunt would lead to a another clue.
Clue #1 You go here for a drink of water...find a dollar store boat with the word Dream on the side

#2 check out Sunshine Kids toys....find a stuffed Mickey

etc....

At the last clue, you would find a sealed letter to his parents that they have to stand and read out loud. It would be a letter signed my Mickey Mouse, (you can find Disney font online) explaining the all the clues add up to a Dream cruise for all

Just a thought :)
Good luck!
sunshinecindy
06-15-2010, 08:15 PM
Or you could just let Goofy tell them. LOL
secretmoney
06-16-2010, 04:58 PM
I'm not sure how to tell them, but you should all wear Disney shirts that day.
secretmoney
06-16-2010, 05:03 PM
Oh and I'd spend alot of time humming " A DREAM is a wish your heart makes"
SunshineGirl
06-16-2010, 05:07 PM
I spent a little time in photoshop last night and added our whole extended family to one of the picture's of the ship. It's corny but pretty cute. I also used the Disney font to write in yellow the date of the cruise along the side of the boat. I've got that printed out.

Now we are considering (depending on who in the house you ask):

1) a scavenger hunt with clues about the gift
2) a poem that explains the gift
3) word jumbles that they have to solve to figure out the gift
4) putting fake "mail" in the mailbox with an invitation for them to the cruise
5) a pretend crystal ball where we "tell their future" of going on a cruise
secretmoney
06-16-2010, 05:11 PM
You could add all of the photos to a dvd (like watching home movies) and at the end put "our next vacation with dates and family members listed".
Blessing and Miracle
06-16-2010, 06:33 PM
You could add all of the photos to a dvd (like watching home movies) and at the end put "our next vacation with dates and family members listed".

Oh, I like this idea.:)
shmily1
06-17-2010, 12:46 PM
I would also suggest the slide show. You could do it as a DVD or as something like Power Point and be sure you have Disney music playing softly in the background.

You could make it be about all the things that have been built for them. If you have pictures of the "family" house being built, include it. A card made by your DD's shows up on screen then your DD's hand it to them in real life. Then may be a desert for the dinner you're about to have. Then a few pictures of the Dream being built and then the next screen would be the picture you created last night with the dates on it.

No matter what you choose, it will be fun I'm sure!
SunshineGirl
06-18-2010, 11:03 PM
I think we are ready for tomorrow! I ended up taking a poem and turning it into a scavenger hunt. They'll follow the clues to find a Mickey Mouse, suntan lotion, dramamine (my MIL gets motion sick on boats!), and then the picture of the ship with all of us photoshopped into it. It turned out pretty cute.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/4712821711_476539c3d3.jpg

Tomorrow after Jillian's big choir concert and dinner we will give them their anniversary card and the first clue. I really hope they like it!
disney_girl
06-18-2010, 11:12 PM
Really cute!! I'm sure they will love it! Hope you all have a great time tomorrow!
secretmoney
06-19-2010, 02:53 AM
That sounds fun! I can't wait to hear how it goes.
shmily1
06-19-2010, 06:08 AM
I think what you came up with sounds awesome!! Be sure you have someone taking pictures because the look on their faces will be priceless!! Enjoy!
roo823
06-19-2010, 07:39 AM
Awesome job on the photoshop, Tricia!
Can't wait for the update on the surprise:mickey:
SunshineGirl
06-20-2010, 04:10 PM
Here's a 5 minute video of the scavenger hunt and them figuring out the surprise. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g-o15IttTU
secretmoney
06-20-2010, 04:32 PM
Oh my Gosh! They are so cute. You guys are going to have the best time.
PSL1013
06-20-2010, 04:58 PM
That was so great, thanks for sharing it with us!
roo823
06-20-2010, 05:27 PM
That was so cute!
Thanks for sharing, Tricia:)
disney_girl
06-20-2010, 05:41 PM
That was awesome!! Great job!
iluvamystery89
06-20-2010, 06:41 PM
too cute! love the scavenger hunt and the expressions on your in-laws faces was priceless! especially MIL, she was so thrilled :) love it!
dwkay8
06-20-2010, 08:20 PM
Aww! Awesome job Tricia+family! They were so excited! :clap:
Leslie
06-20-2010, 08:53 PM
That was awesome! They are so cute! You guys are going to have an awesome time! :mickey:
shmily1
06-21-2010, 06:27 AM
That was so awesome!! They were so excited--especially Nana!! She's probably already counting down the days now!
ligrumpygirl
06-22-2010, 05:06 PM
I did a scavenger hunt also when I told my family last year about our first Disney cruise! So much fun!
shmily1
06-25-2010, 05:43 PM
Have you checked out DCL on Facebook? I have them as a "like" and love the updates they put out on the Dream! The pictures are great and really make me want to book me a cruise too!
SunshineGirl
06-25-2010, 06:24 PM
Have you checked out DCL on Facebook? I have them as a "like" and love the updates they put out on the Dream! The pictures are great and really make me want to book me a cruise too!

I do follow them. Every time they post something new I just sit and drool over it!!
MamaO
06-26-2010, 09:36 PM
That was just so much fun to watch!!!