Our First Family Trip and it's a Surprise to Disney World!

[jpurnell13]

OMG...I don't know what my husband and I are more excited about...the fact that we're finally doing it and take our first ever family trip and of all places...DISNEY WORLD January 2016! Or that we're actually surprising our kids Christmas morning with a Scavenger hunt to tell them!

But here's my dilemma that I hope all you Disney fans can help me out with. Both my children, 10 and 7 still believe in Santa. This trip is their Christmas gift. I have bought them little carry-on bags and stuff to go in them for the trip that they can open that day. But my problem is, how do I explain that the scavenger hunt, carry-on bags and the trip ARE their gifts. I want to keep their belief in Santa but he won't be bringing them what they've asked for this year. And I don't want to give the big guy in red all the credit for this trip (Mommy and Daddy have planned really hard for this!)

Any and all suggestions on a letter from Santa (and the Elf on the Shelf, Wayne) would be soooo appreciated. I'm stuck with the wording of it all.

 

[hardis5]

Have Wayne one day be sitting looking at a WDW brochure and another day sitting on the planning DVD.

 

[jpurnell13]

Thank you hardis5. I'm looking more for some type of letter Santa can leave to explain why there are no gifts they asked for, that he's collaborated with mommy and daddy and start the scavenger hunt. I really want to keep it totally under wraps until Christmas

 

[bababear_50]

Thank you hardis5. I'm looking more for some type of letter Santa can leave to explain why there are no gifts they asked for, that he's collaborated with mommy and daddy and start the scavenger hunt. I really want to keep it totally under wraps until Christmas

Hi
you might want to pop down to the creative DIS DISign board and post a request for a letter
here is a link
it is the second last forum on the DIS.

http://www.disboards.com/forums/creative-disigns.105/

Hugs Mel

I make coupons,tickets.pretend airline tickets.
like this
if you post their names (kids) I will make a couple for your kids.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Can Santa bring small things? My kids once asked why Santa didn't bring stuff to poor people and lots to rich people. I explained to them that Santa sends a bill to the parents after Christmas so he only brings what the parents can afford.

 

[hardis5]

Our smallest believer (5) follows our "Wayne" (Alfie) and we use him to steer or solidify the continually changing wishes to Santa. A letter like bababear_50 suggested would cover Santa giving you all a trip to WDW. Maybe Wayne left a note from Santa for Mom and Dad asking if he could give all such (with a 7 year old you better be able to produce that letter) so Mom and Dad bought tickets to their favourite park to go with Santa's gift? Maybe get them each a personalized Disney gift card to go with (would just have to figure getting as the US site does not ship gift cards to Canada).

 

[jpurnell13]

Hi
you might want to pop down to the creative DIS DISign board and post a request for a letter
here is a link
it is the second last forum on the DIS.

http://www.disboards.com/forums/creative-disigns.105/

Hugs Mel

I make coupons,tickets.pretend airline tickets.
like this
if you post their names (kids) I will make a couple for your kids.

Thanks so much bababear...I will definitely try that!

 

[jpurnell13]

Our smallest believer (5) follows our "Wayne" (Alfie) and we use him to steer or solidify the continually changing wishes to Santa. A letter like bababear_50 suggested would cover Santa giving you all a trip to WDW. Maybe Wayne left a note from Santa for Mom and Dad asking if he could give all such (with a 7 year old you better be able to produce that letter) so Mom and Dad bought tickets to their favourite park to go with Santa's gift? Maybe get them each a personalized Disney gift card to go with (would just have to figure getting as the US site does not ship gift cards to Canada).

Thanks hardis5...great suggestions!

 

[jpurnell13]

Can Santa bring small things? My kids once asked why Santa didn't bring stuff to poor people and lots to rich people. I explained to them that Santa sends a bill to the parents after Christmas so he only brings what the parents can afford.

Santa will be bringing small things...there will be carry-on's from Santa filled with things they can use on the trip.

 

[Applemomma]

Here's a thought that would give you and Santa equal credit...our local Mall Santa looks (is?) the real deal and if yours is too try this little "scrapbooking" project. Try and observe a time in his meet and greet schedule that isn't too busy and then approach him with the idea and props. You could have hubby, or the professional photographer who would probably go along with it, take some shots of you and Santa looking at a computer "planning", a shot of looking at WDW brochures from the travel agency, stuffing the gift bags, etc. put them together with a note from Santa where he says that this year he, the elves, Wayne and you parents have all teamed up to make this year's present extra special! Out Santa would have been all over this ...he's that kind of "elf"! Plus our kids always knew parents had veto power over what Santa brought, or how much he spent, so working together would have made perfect sense to them. And whatever they had originally asked for will be forgotten then second they realize they are going to see Mickey!

 

[jpurnell13]

Here's a thought that would give you and Santa equal credit...our local Mall Santa looks (is?) the real deal and if yours is too try this little "scrapbooking" project. Try and observe a time in his meet and greet schedule that isn't too busy and then approach him with the idea and props. You could have hubby, or the professional photographer who would probably go along with it, take some shots of you and Santa looking at a computer "planning", a shot of looking at WDW brochures from the travel agency, stuffing the gift bags, etc. put them together with a note from Santa where he says that this year he, the elves, Wayne and you parents have all teamed up to make this year's present extra special! Out Santa would have been all over this ...he's that kind of "elf"! Plus our kids always knew parents had veto power over what Santa brought, or how much he spent, so working together would have made perfect sense to them. And whatever they had originally asked for will be forgotten then second they realize they are going to see Mickey!

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea! Thanks so much!!!

 

[alohamom]

Here's a thought that would give you and Santa equal credit...our local Mall Santa looks (is?) the real deal and if yours is too try this little "scrapbooking" project. Try and observe a time in his meet and greet schedule that isn't too busy and then approach him with the idea and props. You could have hubby, or the professional photographer who would probably go along with it, take some shots of you and Santa looking at a computer "planning", a shot of looking at WDW brochures from the travel agency, stuffing the gift bags, etc. put them together with a note from Santa where he says that this year he, the elves, Wayne and you parents have all teamed up to make this year's present extra special! Out Santa would have been all over this ...he's that kind of "elf"! Plus our kids always knew parents had veto power over what Santa brought, or how much he spent, so working together would have made perfect sense to them. And whatever they had originally asked for will be forgotten then second they realize they are going to see Mickey!

WOW-this is an awesome idea! You might be able to do it with some kind of editing software or photoshop and not even have to hit up the local mall santa. Applemomma, you are brilliant!

 

[Applemomma]

WOW-this is an awesome idea! You might be able to do it with some kind of editing software or photoshop and not even have to hit up the local mall santa. Applemomma, you are brilliant!

Aww shucks....thanks lol...I wouldn't recommend photoshopping any other "santa" then the one your kids know though, OP! And if you're photoshopping skills are anything like mine it would be a whole lot faster to just ask Santa's help with pictures

 

[Maple Leaf]

When you get to Orlando, go to Disney Springs and get them some gift cards from Disney. You will need them anyway and then you can include a letter from Santa to explain that he knew they were coming and they can buy something there. They can use the money for small items at Disney and it will be fun for them to pick out their own gifts. Have fun!

 

[Merrb]

How was your trip?

 

[TeamH5]

Here's a thought that would give you and Santa equal credit...our local Mall Santa looks (is?) the real deal and if yours is too try this little "scrapbooking" project. Try and observe a time in his meet and greet schedule that isn't too busy and then approach him with the idea and props. You could have hubby, or the professional photographer who would probably go along with it, take some shots of you and Santa looking at a computer "planning", a shot of looking at WDW brochures from the travel agency, stuffing the gift bags, etc. put them together with a note from Santa where he says that this year he, the elves, Wayne and you parents have all teamed up to make this year's present extra special! Out Santa would have been all over this ...he's that kind of "elf"! Plus our kids always knew parents had veto power over what Santa brought, or how much he spent, so working together would have made perfect sense to them. And whatever they had originally asked for will be forgotten then second they realize they are going to see Mickey!

I'm SOOO stealing this idea this year! We're doing this exact thing for our kids, and we def have one that would still expect lots of gifts from Santa, especially since our trip is a week BEFORE Christmas. THIS idea is absolutely perfect!

 

[Yahweh]

This is my own personal opinion but sometimes when the surprise gets drawn out too long and that one moment of realization never happens, it ends up being a gradual build up which can be good, but it often lessens impact of the final reveal.

I'd probably do something simple as having the kids open the Santa gifts first, and then act really confused about the Disney gifts from Santa. Say something like "I'm sorry kids, what a weird Christmas. Santa must have had too much egg nog! Anyways, here you might as well open our gifts for you.." Your gift reveals the trip. Afterwards tell the kids that you wrote Santa to let him know that you were planning a surprise trip to Disney World and would appreciate any help he might have with that.

But if you prefer the gradual build-up, perhaps set up a scavenger hunt for Santa with with the kids. At each checkpoint leave a little gift for Santa (cookies etc..) The next morning they'll find out that Santa has left gift at each checkpoint as a thank you. If you make the Scavenger hunt, Mickey Christmas Carol themed for example, it may seem more logical and less suspicious for Santa to leave his own Disney gifts as a thank-you.

Hope it goes well!