Soooo family of 4 plus an extra 2? One loooong drive!

[Jessica pineda]

So we myself DH DD, and DS are going to WDW leaving were we live Black Friday around 2 am (god willing) and we will be stoping possibly 1.5 hrs away for my god mother on the way! (shes never been) and her youngest DD13. Anyways we plan on driving straight through approx 17 hrs non stop and add another 2 or 3 for stops. With 3 drivers it should be a breeze. Anyways we are planning on surprising the kids all of them so how should we go about it with it being such a long drive? We don't want to tell them until they see the WDW signs there? Any ideas my kids are used to long car rides so that shouldnt be too much of a problem

 

[NYCgrrl]

Sounds like you've all your ducks in a row for the drive down
What ideas/info are you looking for in particular?

 

[Jessica pineda]

Fun ideas on how to surprise the kids how to keep it a secret its so exciting my daughters super nosey and always trying to see what im doing when Im looking info up LOL

 

[KenHutch]

Well you have to pack and they are used to driving. A trip to the beach? We stopped once at Daytona Beach for a couple of hours and now its an overnight tradition as we head to Disney from Kansas City.

 

[Tink_83]

Can you tell them your going to vacation on the in Florida but think of other reasons to vacation there? Maybe your going to tour Cape Canaveral? Talk about day trips to st Augustine to see the historic settlement? Get them thinking it’s a trip to Florida for that and then when they get to Disney they’ll probably be relieved! If you really want to play this up you could even start early talking about the trip, where your going to stay, etc. long before the actual car drive. That means coming up with a separate fake vacation schedule though... I mean most kids when they see the signs to Florida are going to think Disney so redirecting them to other activities that you could do down there is the only thing I can think of.

I have family in Florida so that’s the excuse I’d use...

 

[Jessica pineda]

I only have Family in Tx so they wont fall for that.... maybe I could say we are going to cape.I cant really use the beach as an excuse since I live literally 1 mile from a beach I guess I could just say what ever heck maybe even use the family excuse I mean we will get there after dark soooo that my work. My husband says maybe we should tell them and use it as a tool to make them behave I promise my kids are great LOL

 

[3gr8boys]

I think the moment of seeing the WDW signs as an utter surprise sounds magical ....but I would think about two things...

Will trying to protect the surprise and potentially having to discourage suspicion about what the destination really is make the drive more stressful for you??
Will it be a huge disappoinment for you if the surprise is accidentally revealed before the big sign sighting??

If either answer is yes, you may want to consider surprising them somehow on the front end of the trip. ( As you approach by car, there are plenty of signs referring to Disney long before you drive under the iconic WDW sign.). Not trying to be discouraging, just a thought for increasing the chances of having a memorable reveal moment if it is important to you

 

[Jessica pineda]

Are they as far as putside of FL and also are they lit up at night? I ask because we should be ctossing state lines in to FL after dark!

 

[3gr8boys]

Are they as far as putside of FL and also are they lit up at night? I ask because we should be ctossing state lines in to FL after dark!

Actual highway type signs (as in DOT/directional) signs don't start until you get fairly close (I think) on I4....but they are certainly visible after dark...but if the kids will be sleeping or at least not window-sight-seeing after dark they may not start to get suspicious. Hard to say....but I would be nervous (it's just in my nature i shouldn't impose my control-freak worrying on others )

 

[Jessica pineda]

see that's my problem I too am a control freak which is why I am already trying to start planning for a trip that will start black Friday 2019 that I still haven't made reservations for but probably will today tomorrow or sunday. do you think I should just tell them I mean its not my kids first trip actually their 3rd but its the other girls first trip ever and im worried my kids will tell her lol......

 

[3gr8boys]

see that's my problem I too am a control freak which is why I am already trying to start planning for a trip that will start black Friday 2019 that I still haven't made reservations for but probably will today tomorrow or sunday. do you think I should just tell them I mean its not my kids first trip actually their 3rd but its the other girls first trip ever and im worried my kids will tell her lol......

It is definitely a subjective/personal thing....if I wanted it to be a surprise, I would concoct a reveal pre-trip or maybe at departure. I remember an acquaintance picking up their kids from school for spring break saying sonething like "guess what, your suitcases are in the car and we are going to Disney." Whether you stick with your original plan, surprise them differently or not at all- it is bound to be a magical trip

 

[Tink_83]

So to me your crossing multiple state lines on a very long trip. They are going to see some of that and will probably be curious as to why they are in the car. I still say another reason to drive to Florida is a safer option for this to work.

It is definitely a subjective/personal thing....if I wanted it to be a surprise, I would concoct a reveal pre-trip or maybe at departure. I remember an acquaintance picking up their kids from school for spring break saying sonething like "guess what, your suitcases are in the car and we are going to Disney." Whether you stick with your original plan, surprise them differently or not at all- it is bound to be a magical trip

Also, it depends on the age of the kids involved - like I would imagine older kids / teens want to pack their own bag. Plus your god mother may want to have a say in the surprise as well. Especially since it’s her DD’s first trip. I’d see what she wants to do as well.

 

[Jessica pineda]

So to me your crossing multiple state lines on a very long trip. They are going to see some of that and will probably be curious as to why they are in the car. I still say another reason to drive to Florida is a safer option for this to work.


Also, it depends on the age of the kids involved - like I would imagine older kids / teens want to pack their own bag. Plus your god mother may want to have a say in the surprise as well. Especially since it’s her DD’s first trip. I’d see what she wants to do as well.

Kids are 6 9 and her daughters 13 she wants to surprise her also she said but im not 100 percent sure if she actually going tor not anymore because she said to go ahead and make my reservations and she will be letting me know at later date if she will accompany us. We will be going from Long island ny about 60 miles from nyc

 

[jtopp]

On our surprise trips we told the kids once we started the trip. It gave them 16-17 hours to get into it and, on one trip, plan additional meals and FP. We go from S. Jersey, and they had all plans made on the way down (cancelling all my reservations in the process). If you want the element of surprise, have an alternate plan ready to explain the long trip.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We’re also leaving on Black Friday, with a 17 hour drive (from Maryland). Maybe we’ll pass each other! We have a mini van that’ll be filled with our 5 kids and us. I’d try telling them you’re going to a family reunion or something.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

You are going to see family to start the christmas season... none of that is a lie.
Do most of your driving at night, if you plan it right you will be getting there at first light... you can wake them up as you come up on the sign telling them wake up I think we might have went the wrong way.

 

[Penmac]

Would telling them it is a work trip for either you or your husband be possible? Not sure you have that kind of job but maybe just say it's a work convention at a FL resort and extended family are coming along to hang at the nice hotel pool and enjoy some vacation amenities? I actually do travel for my job, but I know my kids would buy that story even from my husband & he has literally never traveled for his. I do think it's important to tell them that the drive is very long. Otherwise they may be asking at every exit if you've reached your destination LOL.

 

[Wayland10]

I would tell them as you’re leaving- maybe a big sign in the car window saying Disney or Bust? I’m prejudiced though, because we tried really hard to surprise my kids only to have my dad spill the beans literally MINUTES before we were going start the elaborate plot.

 

[Kathryndisney]

You could have a bag of Disney themed items in the front with you (like autograph books, Minnie ears or Disney hat, Disney book, Disney film etc.). Start by giving them an item that doesn’t scream Disney world. Every now and then give them an item and then the last item could be a sign saying you’re going to Disney world or a letter from their favourite character telling them.

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

On our first trip to DL (we lived a few hours away), we let them figure it out when they saw the DL signs. Second trip, we made them Mickey pancakes that morning. Third trip, we had their Mickey ears sitting on their car seats when they opened the door. For our WDW trip last year, they got a letter from Mickey in the mail about 2 months before our trip. We drove from MN and there's no way I could've kept it a secret that long! I think telling them before you go would be fine - it's still a surprise, and they're excited the whole way down.