Surprise trip to Disney

[Dragonlady]

We are planning a trip to Disney at the end of May/beginning of June. Here's the catch...we're NOT telling our kids! (Daughter age 8, son age 5.) If we can pull it off it'll be an awesome surprise! The hardest part so far is that we're so excited we can't stop talking about Disney. Anyway, the dilemma is this: at first we planned to drive and if we timed it right, the kids would sleep in the car and wake up right around the time we're pulling into the resort. Can't imagine the looks on their faces. But now we're toying with the idea of flying if the rates drop low enough. However, if we fly it'll be harder to make it a surprise much beyond the airport. Any suggestions?

[spring]

Yay, your kids are going to be so surprised! It will be something they will always remember.

Here are my thoughts: if you drive, the kids will sleep, but the adults will be exhausted, leaving you too tired to fully appreciate the first day. If you fly (my personal preference), they will probably figure it out at some point. Every time I fly to Orlando, I hear passengers asking kids if they are going to see Mickey. You could lie about where you are going, but you could also come up with a different plan to surprise them. One thought is a special Disney-themed package they open when you get to the airport with a note about the destination. It could even be a backpack filled with Disney items upon arrival at the airport that you suddenly produce for them. You could put Disney items in it to keep them busy during the flight.

My DD has been taking her kids on "top secret adventures" since they were little. It could be to a museum, a zoo, a park, etc. All she has to tell the kids is that they are going on a "top secret adventure" and they get extremely excited with anticipation, trying to guess, but rarely right. You could possibly do something like this, tying in the Disney-themed package in some manner.

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time with your kids!

[3dog2kidmom]

We surprised our kids with their first trip when they were 6 and 8 on Christmas morning. We woke them up and told them we were going to Disney for Christmas "RIGHT NOW," and that way the surprise had a chance to sink in while we were at the airport, on the airplane, etc. It was just as exciting for them to find out that way as it would have been to suddenly wake up and realize you were there, and we didn't have to lie about where we were going.

How exciting for your family!!

[happymom]

I love hearing about surprise trips. I have never been able to pull that off. We have been taking my children every year and they have come to know the routine. They have big ears and big eyes and see and hear me planning. They still get excited none-the-less.

Best of luck! It sounds like it will be memorable and fun!

[iluvamystery89]

DH and i took DD (who was 7 at the time) on a surprise trip to wdw in 2004. we stayed at a hotel outside wdw on the night we arrived, and oddly enough, she didn't notice any of the billboards on the way there (she's been reading since she was 4, so we were really shocked she didn't figured it out), so when we got to our room, we told her we were going to disney world in the morning and she screamed so loudly, we were sure the people in the room next door were going to call the police, lol. we checked out the next morning and then checked in at pop century.
funny story: since it was a surprise trip, she didn't think we'd brought her bear she sleeps with, and when we got to the hotel outside wdw that first night, she looked really sad and said "i guess i can sleep without her". i then pulled her bear out of her suitcase and tossed it to her and she screamed almost as loudly as she did for wdw, lol.
that was a really fun trip. i hope you and your family have as much fun as we did, OP!

ETA: we drove on that trip, 10 hours from NE alabama, and even when we were actually IN orlando, DD didn't realize where we were going, even though she could read the billboards and exit signs. if you want to drive, i say go for it! we usually drive at night, DD and DH sleep while i drive, then when we get to wdw the next morning, we do a little shopping, have lunch at pop century, and DH takes DD to the pool while i take a nap in our room. it usually works out really well, since we don't do a park on check-in day.