How to tell young kids that we have a surprise holiday to Disneyworld after Christmas

[Christine caine]

Hello everyone
I have not been on here in years!! I need some suggestions on how to announce to young grandsons 9 and 10 that we are taking them to Disneyworld right after Christmas? I can't tell them at Christmas cause we are not able too take all the grandchildren all at once and other kids will be there on Christmas. Don't want too be a BAD GRANDMA lol. They do live with use so that makes it easier. I have thought of buying them t shirts with it on it. Hubby and I are going to Disneyland in fall by ourselves. Thought about buying t-shirts that all they got was a stinking t-shirt lol and then putting on back but they are taking us too disneyworld. Was also going to make up a box of toys related to Disney. Also daughter has heard of people sending letters from characters with a word find, each day different letters to unscramble lol. I want it memorable but nit too hard since 9 yr old is disabled. Want him to be involved and understand. Please let me know your thoughts and ideas please. I truly suck at this surprise stuff.

 

[wdwmom3]

Hello everyone
I have not been on here in years!! I need some suggestions on how to announce to young grandsons 9 and 10 that we are taking them to Disneyworld right after Christmas? I can't tell them at Christmas cause we are not able too take all the grandchildren all at once and other kids will be there on Christmas. Don't want too be a BAD GRANDMA lol. They do live with use so that makes it easier. I have thought of buying them t shirts with it on it. Hubby and I are going to Disneyland in fall by ourselves. Thought about buying t-shirts that all they got was a stinking t-shirt lol and then putting on back but they are taking us too disneyworld. Was also going to make up a box of toys related to Disney. Also daughter has heard of people sending letters from characters with a word find, each day different letters to unscramble lol. I want it memorable but nit too hard since 9 yr old is disabled. Want him to be involved and understand. Please let me know your thoughts and ideas please. I truly suck at this surprise stuff.

Are you talking about this Christmas? If you are, honestly whatever you do I wouldn’t tell them until just before you leave. With covid things change so fast it really suck to have to cancel last minute and let them down. We were going to surprise my youngest with our trip we had planned for March 2020 but decided to tell him 2 weeks before , and well you can guess how that went. We are still waiting to take that trip.

 

[Christine caine]

No I wasn't planning on telling them until right before but they are old enough to understand about delays during covid. They have had to delay birthdays and other special days as well the last 18 months. Just want something to look forward too.

 

[Disneylover99]

No I wasn't planning on telling them until right before but they are old enough to understand about delays during covid. They have had to delay birthdays and other special days as well the last 18 months. Just want something to look forward too.

Do they like surprises? I wouldn’t do a last minute surprise. I would tell them a week or 2 before. Maybe on Boxing Day, you can say, oops, I think you each missed a gift under the tree. Pull out 2 small wrapped boxes with a Disney gift card inside each box, watch them open it, and see if they figure it out. Make sure you film it.

 

[wdwmom3]

No I wasn't planning on telling them until right before but they are old enough to understand about delays during covid. They have had to delay birthdays and other special days as well the last 18 months. Just want something to look forward too.

Trust me you think they can understand. But it’s tough on a kid that age to have a big surprise like that and then have it cancelled.

So I would either keep it low key, skip the huge surprise that will make them more excited. Or wait until a few days before when you are 100% sure you are going.

 

[hcortesis]

Congratulations and good luck with your planning.

 

[twincruisers]

I'd wait till the day your flying out to officially tell them. I tend to agree that covid risk factors make this a potential roller coaster ride for the kids emotionally too

 

[Alexsandra]

I agree with other just keep it a secret until you know for sure that you can go. That way no one will be disappointed!
That is what we did one year when we surprised the kids with a WDW trip.
We actually kept it a secret until our travel day. We had packed our bags a few days before and hid them in our closet so the kids would not see them. My mom joined us on this trip so she slept over the night before the flight. We woke the kids up at 4AM because we had to catch an early morning flight. It was the first week of December, so when we woke them up, we told them to go check under the Christmas tree because Santa had brought them an early Christmas Present. They ran down to check out the surprise and each opened a box filled with Disney themed goodies for the plane ride: sticker books, colouring book, Disney snacks, etc. Then we told them our travel destination and they started to cheer and jump around with joy. I am happy I filmed their reaction, it was priceless. We then all changed and headed for the airport. It made our travel day so exciting and the kids were in a good mood the whole flight.

 

[Christine caine]

OK everyone has convinced me to keep it a secret until the morning of travel. But still want a big reveal. We will have our tree down by then. A ritual in our family it comes down on Jan 1. I may just have to have a scavenger hunt through house to find a box of Disney items and a welcome to Disney from Mickey mouse letter. I will definitely tape it for sure they will be super excited. They both do love a game where they are against each other. Maybe make it that they have to work together to get the next hint. Each finds half a sentence or statement to find next hint lol. My coworkers also said to get a t-shirt from disneyland that says all my grandparents bought me was this lousy t-shirt on their vacation but on back write but they are taking me to disneyworld now!!! Thought put in box with mickey ears with their names on it lol.

 

[bababear_50]

Hello everyone
I have not been on here in years!! I need some suggestions on how to announce to young grandsons 9 and 10 that we are taking them to Disneyworld right after Christmas? I can't tell them at Christmas cause we are not able too take all the grandchildren all at once and other kids will be there on Christmas. Don't want too be a BAD GRANDMA lol. They do live with use so that makes it easier. I have thought of buying them t shirts with it on it. Hubby and I are going to Disneyland in fall by ourselves. Thought about buying t-shirts that all they got was a stinking t-shirt lol and then putting on back but they are taking us too disneyworld. Was also going to make up a box of toys related to Disney. Also daughter has heard of people sending letters from characters with a word find, each day different letters to unscramble lol. I want it memorable but nit too hard since 9 yr old is disabled. Want him to be involved and understand. Please let me know your thoughts and ideas please. I truly suck at this surprise stuff.

Hey Christine
It is nice to look forward to the future isn't it.
I made a Christmas *Guess Who's Going to Disney World Tickets* and gave them to my grand daughter.
If you have a printer and are interested just let me know their first names and I make a couple for you to print off.
*** No charge just ask that you donate a can of food to a food drive if possible***


Here is one I made for my grand daughter.

Here is the envelope

Have fun planning and even if you don't get to go this Christmas there is always a Tomorrow.
Hugs
Mel

 

[Christine caine]

Mel
That is amazing I love that idea. I can hide on bottom of box and if they don't get the hints that will definitely will tell them lol. I would love 2 please one for Dakota and one for Alex. I will give lots of food for a donation in your name. Thank you how will you send them to me? I can just print at work.

 

[karen4546]

OK everyone has convinced me to keep it a secret until the morning of travel. But still want a big reveal. We will have our tree down by then. A ritual in our family it comes down on Jan 1. I may just have to have a scavenger hunt through house to find a box of Disney items and a welcome to Disney from Mickey mouse letter. I will definitely tape it for sure they will be super excited. They both do love a game where they are against each other. Maybe make it that they have to work together to get the next hint. Each finds half a sentence or statement to find next hint lol. My coworkers also said to get a t-shirt from disneyland that says all my grandparents bought me was this lousy t-shirt on their vacation but on back write but they are taking me to disneyworld now!!! Thought put in box with mickey ears with their names on it lol.

Does Disney sell any shirts with the word "lousy" on it?

I would just wait to tell them the day of the scheduled trip. But you do what you want to do. You may have to buy that "lousy" shirt from Etsy or make it.

I would get them a "trip" backpack (Disney themed or not) and put some travel snacks, Disney lanyard with some of the cheaper Disney trading pins (you know the ones that people sell - totally not recommending counterfeit pins but real Disney pins), maybe a Disney themed ball cap, etc. Oh and a Disney giftcard if the budget allows.

I have 6 grandchildren and 3 are around the same ages as your two you are taking. They all would be disappointed if I told them about the trip and then we could not go. We had a trip planned for May 2020 and we could not go because of Covid. We did get to go in March of 2021 though!

Whatever you decide to do it will be great and you will cherish the memories you make with them each and every day. Have fun!

 

[bababear_50]

Mel
That is amazing I love that idea. I can hide on bottom of box and if they don't get the hints that will definitely will tell them lol. I would love 2 please one for Dakota and one for Alex. I will give lots of food for a donation in your name. Thank you how will you send them to me? I can just print at work.

Hi Hon
I will just post them on this thread and you can save to your computer and print or save to a usb key and print at work or
send me a private message with your email (I think you have to have min 10 messages here on the DIS to PM (private Message) someone.

Here you go

Best wishes
Mel

 

[Christine caine]

Thank you very much Mel. I just saved to my work computer shhhh don't tell the boss I'm planning vacation on work time

 

[Christine caine]

I think we might not say anything until right before. I just have to figure out how quiz like questions to give them clues to find the tickets. I think I will have to work on riddles that each has part of the answer to find next one do both kids work together. With final riddle ending in my China cabinet that holds all my Disney collectables. I have a Mickey Mouse teddy in there who will be holding the final clue lmfao, Disney cards that Mel sent m. Love them

 

[bababear_50]

Just wanted to mention that
Old Navy has some cool boy's t shirts
Mandalorian **Star Wars** Baby Yoda
https://oldnavy.gapcanada.ca/browse...eganav:Boys:Shop Boys Categories:Graphic Tees
Hugs Mel

 

[Christine caine]

Thanks
We have a great t shirt shop in our local mall that makes t shirts as you want. I may get a couple made up saying my grandparents went to Disneyland without us and all they brought back was a t-shirt. On the back I was going too write but they are taking us to Disneyworld lmfao. Who looks at back of t-shirts really. So I will have boys face each other to unwrap present and hopefully one of them looks up and sees what is on back of t-shirt lol

 

[alohamom]

I have always just used free printables or I tweak them to make them a little more personalized.

 

[Christine caine]

Oh I love those they are adorable. I have to print them and use them next year when I get too take my 4 yr old grandson and 3 granddaughters. OK that one will hurt a bit for cost but will be so much fun lol. I have to take these 2 grandsons then take the others next year lol

 

[Donald - my hero]

Thanks
We have a great t shirt shop in our local mall that makes t shirts as you want. I may get a couple made up saying my grandparents went to Disneyland without us and all they brought back was a t-shirt. On the back I was going too write but they are taking us to Disneyworld lmfao. Who looks at back of t-shirts really. So I will have boys face each other to unwrap present and hopefully one of them looks up and sees what is on back of t-shirt lol

I'm going to assume that you're NOT going to put what i highlighted onto the actual shirts and then expect them to be able to wear them IN WDW. If that's the case be prepared with different ones, don't think they'd pass scrutiny.

I think that's a great idea BTW, and the kids should be thrilled. Great move G.ma!!