Ideas for giving a surprise trip for an adult

[elphaba91]

My sister and I are giving our Mum a surprise trip to Disneyland and New York. The trip isn't until November/December 2014 but we are announcing it as this year's Christmas present.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to tell her? I have already ordered an "I'm Going to the Disneyland Resort" window cling as well as a plush Minnie wearing an I <3 NY t-shirt. So they both need to be included in some way.

My first idea was to also get a New York sticker and stick both that and the window cling on the car (and have Minnie sitting on the roof?) and then tell her that her present is in the garage. The main problem with that is that it could be tricky to get out there late on Christmas Eve to stick the stickers on.

My second idea was to do a box (or suitcase) with Disney and New York stuff - the window cling, Minnie, fake Minnie ears from the $2 shop (with a note saying they can be exchanged for real ones), a New York guidebook, etc.

What do you think of these ideas? I'm not sure if either has the wow factor I'm looking for. Any suggestions to improve them? Or completely different suggestions? Help!!!

 

[aussie shaz]

Have you looked at YouTube for Disneyland surprises? There's lots for kids, but I'm sure your Mum would love them too! It may give you some ideas.

 

[LisaAJ]

I'm doing the surprise for my kids (can't wait!!) and I am having a puzzle made up. Going to Photoshop up a pic with something along the lines of "Guess what? We're going to Disney World!!"

There are so many things you could do. I watched a hundred YouTube videos before I decided on that one!!

 

[BecBennett]

I think the trickiest part would be surprising her, without her thinking you're going now... sorta thing... Like if you put the stuff on her car, will she think you're going to get in the car now and go?

Maybe I'm over thinking it...

Could you make a mock up of the plane tickets and/or Disney tickets? I've always liked the big box, with helium balloons inside, so when the open the box the balloons float up with the tickets attached to strings at the bottom.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I love the big box helium balloon idea (provided you have low ceilings unlike ours where if I wasn't quick they would float away and I would need to get the trestle in to get them down to read them!! -but most people don't have that issue!!). As an older person on here I am afraid stickers on the car would fall flat - I wouldn't get what they meant?? But then I'm pretty dumb! Minnie on top might help.

Unwrapping a Minnie holding tix or mock tix would be my preferred way after the balloon idea especially if it was one of those build the suspense box in a box in a box deal, each one wrapped in different Disney character paper perhaps.

I'm not very creative sorry.

 

[Tashinwdw]

There are some wonderful ideas you can use on the creative ideas forum here on the boards.

I have requested privatised pirate maps with clues on them for our children, they will find them in a treasure chest and this is how we will tell them we are going on a Disney cruise. They wont know until the morning we debark - as we will already be at WDW.

Also I Mel has made me wonderful coupons for my children so that each month they will get a coupon to help keep them excited about our September trip - as Christmas and birthdays are a small event as money is tight so there will be more holiday money. The coupons give them each an item at WDW. every month, the first one will they will get will be on Christmas day and it will be attached to a jar of jelly beans, these will be their countdown beans, a bean for each day until our holiday starts.

go over and take a look, I am sure you will be inspired with lots of ideas.

 

[LisaAJ]

Where is the 'Creative Ideas' thread Tash? I'd love to check it out

 

[zanzibar138]

Oooh I love the helium balloons idea!

I would definitely do a ticket mock-up, scroll, or something so that she will know instantly when the trip is going to take place. It's a bit different to surprising a kid in that they won't stress about things like adults will like having enough time to get passports, organise leave, pet-sitters, spending money etc.

You could definitely get a big box, and include Minnie and your window cling, as well as the helium balloons if you were going down that path. Or you could make a little fairytale style scroll for Minnie to hold, and just wrap that

DH surprised me with a Flight Centre voucher to the value of my airfare to LA for Christmas one year. He put the voucher in the Disneyland section of a US brochure and wrapped that up. It was the sweetest thing When I found the voucher I just stared and stared, and my parents had to ask what was in there

 

[elphaba91]

Some really good ideas here! Thanks everyone!

I really like the balloon idea. I'd seen that done on some Youtube videos but had forgotten about it.

I think I will include a scroll or something. My aunt is a travel agent so I might see if she does vouchers or anything. At the very least I should be able to get some brochures from her.

I might do a couple of other coupon-type things for souvenirs, like the ears. Has anyone got any suggestions for something to exchange for tickets to a Broadway show? Maybe a fake Playbill for If/Then with a note that it can be exchanged for the real thing?

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[Tashinwdw]

Where is the 'Creative Ideas' thread Tash? I'd love to check it out

Hopefully this link will work
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=105

if not its under 'just for fun' on the main board

 

[LisaAJ]

Excellent, thank you!!

 

[lovintheland]

We did the big box with the Mickey helium balloon to surprise our 3 a few years ago. I got a massive box, printed out a label addressed to them in the Disney font. Put the big mickey head balloon in with a scroll attached telling them of the surprise. While they were getting ready for school, DH put the box outside the front door and then knocked and snuck back in and we announced there was a parcel for the 3 of them. When they opened it and read that they actually weren't going to school that day they were leaving for the airport in 4 hours, it went from speechless pure shock to screams of excitement. I also had a disney box filled with disney shirts etc for each of them in the bottom of the balloon box so they also got a present to add to the excitement. I will never forget it but it still seems surreal. wish someone would do if for me one day, haha

 

[elphaba91]

Thanks for all your advice! It's slowly starting to come together now.

We are going to do the box with a helium balloon in it. The following note will be attached:

The Minnie Mouse plush arrived the other day. She will be holding onto the balloon, either down the bottom or I'm hoping she might be light enough to float up a bit with it.

In the box there will then be a few bits and pieces: the I'm Going to Disneyland window cling, a Mickey lollipop that they sent with it , a Disneyland calendar that I've made and will have printed and a pair of Minnie ears (just from the $2 shop, but with a note that they can be exchanged for the real deal). I really need to come up with some New York ideas though, so if anyone can think of anything please let me know!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I LOVE it!! I especially love the verse - I bet there will be some tears when she reads it. I think its perfect -good planning!

 

[LisaAJ]

Oooh, I love it!! Especially the poem!!

Hmmm, for New York. What about a 'big apple'!!
Or even some printed brochures of some Broadway show possibilities?

 

[dabecs]

Love love love the poem - she is going to be over the moon!

If I was to get such a great surprise I would love a NY guidebook or something I could look through and imagine all of the amazing places I'll see If your mum likes history maybe a book about Walt or Disneyland might be fun.

Let us know how the surprise goes!

PS - if you plan to be in NY for thanksgiving I can highly recommend watching the Macy's parade

 

[elphaba91]

Thank you everyone for all your advice! The surprise went REALLY well! Mum was absolutely stunned (still is, I think!) while my sister and I were crying. It was just us for Christmas this year, which was a first, and it was actually really lovely - even before presents it was the best Christmas ever, or at least in a long, long time. Present opening is really chaotic with the extended family (which really isn't that extended, usually only 3-6 more people) and my cousins are always in such a rush to get to their presents (no, they're not little kids, they're in their mid to late 30s!) that we rarely end up seeing what other people get. So it was really nice that we could take our time, leaving the trip present as the grande finale.

Firstly, we each gave Mum a Pandora charm, to throw her off the scent a bit, although they were related to the trip. The original plan was for me to give her the Mickey head Chamilia charm as I am obsessed with Mickey, so it would make perfect sense for me to give it to her. However, Chamilia apparently isn't sold in Australia anymore! So I guess that's something else to add to my shopping list for the USA. Instead I gave her a charm of two mice in a teacup, which Mum and I had said reminded us of Disneyland. It was a bit too close to the surprise for my liking, but as she and I were the ones who just loved Disneyland last time it wasn't too suspicious. My sister bought her a theatre masks charm because we see a lot of musicals; plus it can represent Broadway.

Then for the big reveal we did the box full of goodies, but not the balloon (it was just a bit too hard to organise at that time of year). The top layer of the box had the Minnie plush wearing an I <3 NY t-shirt plus the poem. Then, under a layer of tissue paper, were Minnie ears, the window decal, a Mickey lollipop (which the lovely personal shopper sent with the decal...although Mum was concerned we'd found a 14 year old lollipop from our previous trip!), Cinderella tissues, a NY guidebook, an Eloise book and a Broadway CD.

At first she didn't believe it, but I think it's starting to sink in...although she still occasionally asks me if I'm sure I don't want to buy a car or do a solo trip instead, but then she'll say something like, 'oh, this dress will be great for taking overseas!

So now we're busy planning and I'm hoping to meet up with our travel agent (i.e. my aunt) soon as I'm anxious to actually have something booked! Although being able to tell people is definitely making it seem more real. And now that it's 2014, I can actually say I'M GOING TO NEW YORK AND DISNEYLAND THIS YEAR!!!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I missed this thread back in November. How lovely of you to do this for your mum. The three of you are going to have a blast.
I loved your poem - very clever!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

DH surprised me with a Flight Centre voucher to the value of my airfare to LA for Christmas one year. He put the voucher in the Disneyland section of a US brochure and wrapped that up. It was the sweetest thing When I found the voucher I just stared and stared, and my parents had to ask what was in there

How fantastic!
I dream of the day my DH will surprise me with a gift like that. The problem is, with me so closely monitoring our finances, he'd never pull it off.

 

[zanzibar138]

Glad to hear the surprise went well (though with a surprise like that, it would be hard for it to go badly lol!) It's such a lovely thing for you and sister to do for your mum