5 Ways to Surprise the Kids With a Trip to Disney
Apart from asking if they can stay up an extra hour, if they have to actually finish their broccoli and if they can have a sleepover with their friend this weekend, the one question your kiddos ask the most often is:
When are we going to Disney World?
Since the moment your children first sang along to an animated musical, pretended they were a princess or a pirate, drooled over a fairytale or a storybook or proudly claimed they had a favorite character, their love for Disney was signed and sealed. The only way to deliver more joy to your kiddos? By finally revealing the time has come to make the trek to the Sunshine State to explore Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and more.
But instead of dropping in the news casually or letting them be part of the planning process, a fun way to reveal the one sentence that’ll make their heart race is to come up with an elaborate surprise. Regardless if you make it a scavenger hunt, a gift they excitedly unwrap or a simple letter in the mail, make sure your camera is ready to capture their total shock and joy.
Here, some ideas for making the grand ‘We’re going to Disney!’ reveal in your family:
Pretend you’re going away on a trip without them.
For children who are somewhat seasoned travelers or at least a tad older, you can strategically trick them by forcing them to come along on the ride to the airport where you and your partner are going on a vacation, ‘just the two of you.’ Before they get home from school, pack their bags and load up the car, so they never catch on to the scheme. As they tell you about their day at school and express their concern over your departure for a few days, reveal the news when they attempt to bid you farewell with a reluctant hug and kiss: “You’re coming with us. Grab your bag. We have to be at Disney World tomorrow!” Pro tip? Just make sure to have the big moment outside of the airport, so security isn’t concerned with their squeals of delight.
Send them on a treasure hunt.
A week before your departure, get your children up early with a Mickey Mouse pancake Saturday morning breakfast. As they munch and happily chatter, hand them over a ‘treasure map’ that leads to a big, big surprise. It can have them digging through your laundry room, doing laps around the block to your neighbor’s house, calling up grandma – you name it. As long as the very last clue leads them to a backpack full of Disney World must-haves and a note explaining the reason for their hunt, we’re pretty sure they’ll be so excited, they won’t even notice how exhausted they are from adventuring. After all, you have to get them trained and ready for 12-hour days in the park!
Don’t tell them until they’re already there.
If you have a kindergartner or first-grader who loves all-things-Disney, you have the lucky advantage of pulling a fast one. Especially if you’re within a few hours of driving distance to Florida, you can load up everything you need for the vacation while they’re asleep and wake them up, promising them a trip to somewhere they love – like the zoo, the park, you name it. Or, if you’re further away from Disney World, you can divert their curiosity by telling them you’re heading to the beach, no the park. Once you get a mile away from your stay at one of the many recommended Disney Resorts, spill your beans. (And hey, if they love Frozen? Might we suggest a sing-along to ‘Let It Go’ to get the vacation officially started?)
Wrap it in a never-ending present.
Especially if it’s not their birthday, not the holidays or they didn’t earn a goal you set for them, your kid’s eyes will automatically swell at the image of a wrapped gift, with no explanation. You can explain you wanted to surprise them with a small gift and then let them get to it. As they gradually open each box, it should reveal another wrapped box. For a dramatic impact, try and find as many cascading sizes as you can! Once they get to the smallest of all – preferably a ring or charm box – have a note that says: “Pack your bags! We’re leaving for Disney tomorrow!”
Mail them a letter.
Regardless if you’re 5-years-old or 50, receiving something handwritten in the mail is an exciting discovery. If your child is a fan of postcards, writing and scrapbooking, a note that’s stamped and baring their name will have them ripping through the paper in no time. And when they find it’s an invitation to nope, not another classmate’s birthday party, but their very own vacation to Disney? It’s one they’ll treasure forever.
…Or countless other ideas.
Let your Disney Travel Agent brainstorm the best reveal for your upcoming getaway, making it as magical as it can be for the most important kid or kids in your life. Since they know the in’s-and-out’s of this one-of-a-kind playground, they’re your best resource.