Surprising my family for a Christmas in Aulani!

[Jiminy's Girl]

I have been lurking on the Forum for a little while now and I have learned so much, but I realize that there is much to learn! We are DVC Members and have been for many years. None of us have every been to Hawaii and I am so excited to surprise my family. DH and I will have been married for 25 years this October, so I will be surprising him on our anniversary. Our four kiddos are older, 3 in college, and youngest is going to be a Junior in HS. I have checked everyone's finals, and athletic schedules, watched the resort availability window like a hawk for the last two months and recently scored a 2 bedroom at Aulani for 12/21-12-26/2018! The same day, I booked our flight, and our rental car through Costo, thanks to all of the advice given here. I want to surprise them in a creative way. I will have all of their bags packed and ready to go. Anyone have any ideas how to surprise them? I am so excited

 

[alohamom]

WOW-wish I was part of your family! What a great surprise this will be for them.

When were planning on unveiling the surprise to them?

 

[alohamom]

We surprised my daughter with a trip to NYC last summer to see the Stephen Colbert show.

We had my son (who is in computer programming and game design in University) create a trivia website all about Stephen Colbert. My daughter is a huge fan so she really didnt suspect a thing. We called it "How Well Do You Know..." We had a menu of famous people you could choose from and I just kind of hyped up the Colbert one. There were 10 multiple choice questions and the last one read "Who will be in the audience of The Late Show on August 11th 2017" and the options were a) her name b) her brother c) my DH d) me e) all of the above She was having so much fun with the trivia questions she was shocked by this and just started crying! She said it was the best surprise she had ever had!

We have done Amazing Race trip reveals, the balloon pop ones (helium balloons out of a box with clues inside), scavenger hunts.

I have always wanted to do a scratch ticket reveal but have yet to do it
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/238334324/scratch-off-lotto-replica-1-card?ref=shop_home_feat_3
I think my kids would LOVE this

I think you could do an at home luau party maybe with fake leis, set the table with palm fronds. Do a Hawaiian themed menu and have some kind of reveal at the end.

You certainly have my creative side thinking!

 

[HopperFan]

I have been lurking on the Forum for a little while now and I have learned so much, but I realize that there is much to learn! We are DVC Members and have been for many years. None of us have every been to Hawaii and I am so excited to surprise my family. DH and I will have been married for 25 years this October, so I will be surprising him on our anniversary. Our four kiddos are older, 3 in college, and youngest is going to be a Junior in HS. I have checked everyone's finals, and athletic schedules, watched the resort availability window like a hawk for the last two months and recently scored a 2 bedroom at Aulani for 12/21-12-26/2018! The same day, I booked our flight, and our rental car through Costo, thanks to all of the advice given here. I want to surprise them in a creative way. I will have all of their bags packed and ready to go. Anyone have any ideas how to surprise them? I am so excited

and WOW, what a great holiday you all will have!

 

[Jiminy's Girl]

I am revealing to DH in October and the kids will find out the night before. Love your creative ideas, alohamom!

 

[alohamom]

I am revealing to DH in October and the kids will find out the night before. Love your creative ideas, alohamom!

You could do a pass the present game. Wrap up a bunch of Hawaii type of stuff like flip flops, sunblock, a snorkel set, a real pineapple, a little plastic airplane, a small calendar with the date circled and let everyone pass it around till the music stops then the person holding it unwraps to reveal an item. Stack it so the harder clue items are opened first-maybe sunblock, flip flops etc...

You could play hangman with the answer being "We are going to Hawaii" Get a large presentation whiteboard from Staples or whatever and have it prepped ahead of time and sit them all down to do it

 

[DenLo]

Packing bags for your adult children, scary thought. You definitely will not pack something they want or know if something doesn't fit right anymore or they wouldn't be caught dead in it anymore. I suggest you do a surprise at Thanksgiving and have them pack their own bags.

 

[ErinC]

I have no advice on the reveal, but we'll be at Aulani for Christmas as well. I've booked the room, but that is it. Please tell me who you bought your airfare through? I'm holding out hope at the moment that southwest will come through with their new service to Hawaii. We will also be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary!

 

[frank808]

I have no advice on the reveal, but we'll be at Aulani for Christmas as well. I've booked the room, but that is it. Please tell me who you bought your airfare through? I'm holding out hope at the moment that southwest will come through with their new service to Hawaii. We will also be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary!

Really dont think southwest will be flying to hawaii by end of the year, they are still working on their etops certification. Which is flying across the water with a 2 engine plane.

I will also be at aulani from 12/22 to 12/26 if anyone wants to do a dis board meetup.

 

[gwensgoofy]

I will be at Aulani with my two college aged boys December 18-25-we will have to meet while there! This is a great present-I hope you are revealing it early enough that they pack their own bags and get to help plan what they want to do while there. Aulani doesn't have a lot of night life, so they might want to plan some activities.

 

[Jiminy's Girl]

I hear you about the bags. Both older sons will be at college, one is at a service academy, so very rarely wears civilian clothes. I will get them started, ie bathing suits, flip flops, T-shirts, toiletries, and family Hawaiian shirts for the photo shoot! They will have a little time to "personalize" their bags. I do like the Thanksgiving idea as well.

The family is so used to me planning our Disney trips, they will love the activities. I am thinking about getting the GoOahu Card. My thoughts are Pearl Harbor, a Catamaran voyage, surfing lessons for son's, ATV tour at Kualoa Ranch, spa treatment for DD, DH, and I, and a Luau. I am hoping that Aulani has some type of Christmas dinner. Does anyone know how far in advance to book these attractions? I saw 60 days for Pearl Harbor.

ErinC I ended up booking my flights through American Airlines. I had watched the prices for two months prior and saw some flights shoot up in price, so I pulled the trigger. I really wanted Southwest Flights to start showing up, but couldn't take the chance. We are flying from Pittsburgh. Since we are so limited time wise due to commitments, and lack of availability, I wanted a super early fight out, and a "red eye" coming home making the most of our time.

Would be so much fun to meet up!

 

[ErinC]

Jiminy’s Girl, I too am looking at the Go Oahu card and thinking if we plan accordingly it would be a good deal for us.
I’ve been checking flights and watching, but we are in a bad part of the country for decent priced flights. My oldest is in grad school and she’s the one with the iffy finals schedule. If push comes to shove I will buy airfare for the 4 of us and she will catch up a day later. I’m watching LAX and round trips from there. If those drop low enough, I’ll go ahead and buy those and we will buy southwest from here to LAX. Also the rental car prices at that time look to be really high, so let me know if you find something on that. Our trip is not a surprise, so no challenges there. The girls know this is their Christmas. I’ll give them each a visa gift card to shop while we are there, so no worries about toting presents.

 

[Jiminy's Girl]

Hi, ErinC, The great thing about Costco is that I could book it and pay when I get there. There are no restrictions for canceling and re-booking at any time. I am watching daily! As a family of 6, we need an SUV. It is pricey. If I notice a drop, I will let you know. Great idea booking two separate flights. I will be interested in how that works out for you. I tried it, thinking we might stay at the California Resort, but my trip seemed to be getting more and more expensive!