Help planning my DS's Surprise birthday trip

[cantwait]

I have a SURPRISE trip to DL planned for June 10-16 for my DS 8 (having his 9th birthday during our trip) It will be both of our first trips!!

I was just planning to have a general itinerary for each day, not too much detail. I would love any feed back for improvements to our plans and any suggestions for things not to miss. (Maybe I should be planning in more detail?)

We have 5 day park hoppers (one EE) and a day trip to Universal to fit in (would like to do a beach day, but probably not enough time? DS should be happy with a midday break at the hotel pool though).

Sun. June 10 Arrive early/mid afternoon do DL
Mon. June 11 DCA Nemo Subs Open, avoid DL crowds this day
Tues. June 12 DL do EE day or Wed. (when are EE days??, will Grad Nights change this?)
Wed. June 13 DL / DCA do EE day if not on Tues. Do DSs Birthday badge this day from City Hall.
Thurs. June 14 - Universal trip this day (avoid Grad Night early closing) - DSs real Birthday (maybe we should be going to DL this day instead of US?)
Fri. June 15 DL / DCA - Fantasmic reopens
Sat. June 16 Travel day

We are staying off site, and I was not planning to do any dining reservations (maybe I need to??)

When to tell?
-the morning when we get in the car to drive to the airport?
- when we get to the airport? I think I could actually get him right to the airport and be taking our luggage out of the car before he clues in that we are taking a trip, then I could give him a shirt with something like "My DL Birthday Trip, June 10-16, 2007" on it.
- sooner than this?

Thanks for any replies, sorry to be so longwinded!

[VWCat]

we are going june 10-17th and have made few dining arrangements,it might be busy from nemo so I just wanted to make sure we had some for sure dining times without the wait. We are also doing d/l on both grad nights(wed and thurs)I've been told it doesn't affect attendance. There is EE on the mon,tues,and sat(none on the thurs because of grad night the night before)On the monday there are some ride closures at d/l and also the Mark Twain is down. I would tell him that morning on the way or first thing that morning in case there is anything he wants to bring. Others have done this but I have no kids yet...good luck and have fun!!!

[Malcon10t]

If you want a certain time for seating at a Character meal, I would make a ressie. With Nemo opening, it will be busy. My personal opinion, go to Universal on the day Nemo opens. I wouldn't dedicate an entire day to DCA, and probably a lot of others will also be heading to DCA to avoid the mess in DL. And even with DL closing a little early for Grad Nite, I would prefer to be in DL for my birthday. And get his birthday button the first day you are there.

[mistofviolets]

I think a great way to tell him would be to give him an early gift...like "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" so he can plan on the plane ride

You might want to warn him that the trip is happeninjg though. If you want the destination a surprise until the last minute, it can be a business trip that he's stuck going on with you :P (the business, of course, being his birthday) My dd just turned 9, and has definite ideas about what she "needs"; she'd want to help pack for a week long trip. She also "needed" that planning guide. That anticipation was really important to her.

[cantwait]

If you want a certain time for seating at a Character meal, I would make a ressie. With Nemo opening, it will be busy. My personal opinion, go to Universal on the day Nemo opens. I wouldn't dedicate an entire day to DCA, and probably a lot of others will also be heading to DCA to avoid the mess in DL. And even with DL closing a little early for Grad Nite, I would prefer to be in DL for my birthday. And get his birthday button the first day you are there.

I thought DS would be itching to get to the parks, so hadn't even thought about doing Universal that day, but it makes a lot of sense! This is why these forums are so great, I never even thought of that. Thanks!!

Whould he wear a birthday button every day at the parks, or just on one day when celebrating his birthday?

We have breakie included at the hotel, will probably share adult counter service meals most of the time, but it would be nice to have a couple of table service dinners. We aren't planning to do Character meals, so do you think we will be ok without ressies then?

[vickieluvsmickey]

How exciting! Your first trip to Disneyland!

Doing Universal on June 11 would get you away from the big crowds. But that would be your first full day here, so if you're okay with taking a break from the Disney excitement so soon, then I'd do that.

Like Malcon10t said, get his bday button the first day. That way he can wear it all week if he wants to. I don't see why he can't. It would just be that many more "Happy Birthday!'' wishes from CMs.

I agree that I would tell him ahead of time. The anticipation is part of the fun! I think giving him a park map of DL and DCA would be a fun way to break the surprise. He (and you!) could study the map on the plane.

I am going to DL tonight and I don't mind picking up a map for you. I will try to send you a PM.

~Vickie

[vickieluvsmickey]

I sent you a PM.

~Vickie

[Malcon10t]

I thought DS would be itching to get to the parks, so hadn't even thought about doing Universal that day, but it makes a lot of sense! This is why these forums are so great, I never even thought of that. Thanks!!

Whould he wear a birthday button every day at the parks, or just on one day when celebrating his birthday?

We have breakie included at the hotel, will probably share adult counter service meals most of the time, but it would be nice to have a couple of table service dinners. We aren't planning to do Character meals, so do you think we will be ok without ressies then?

You should be ok with just 2 of you, since you aren't doing character meals. Table service is great, but you might check out www.dlresortinfo.com for menus to make sure he will eat something. You may also want to arrange one on his birthday, so he can get a dessert and such. And, he can wear the birthday button all week. And if he likes tortillas, make sure he goes thru the tortilla factory in DCA for his free package of tortillas!! (Great snack at the hotel.)

[Gilesmt]

We will be there June 5 to 13. We made a few p/s for my granddaughters second birthday, one at Ariel's and one at Goovy's. We are also deciding which day would be best to go to US, Sunday or Monday as to miss the Nemo crowd.

A thought on telling him. I was reading a few post a week or so back that talked about telling boys around that age and I thought this idea was very creative. They had a treasure chest and filled it with things to use at disney, like a disney pen and autograph book, which can be found at dollar stores I am told. They then went rented the movie POTC 1 and 2 and watched them to get them in the mood for POTC 3, and then they had a treasure hunt with the last prize the treasure chest and inside the chest you can tell him he is going to disneyland tomorrow. Giving him enough time to get anything he wants together to bring with him. I thought that was the cutest idea. I have girls and they would never think that was cute. We do princess parties. If my granddaughter was older I would tell her by having a tea party for her princess friends and them have them find the fairy wands with Tinkers wand telling her we were going to DL but she is only going to be 2.

See you there.

[cantwait]

Vicky - sorry I missed your message before your DL visit. We can make do without the map if it's too late.

DS only gets to buy a package of gum if he's going on a plane trip (he visits family a few times a year). We were at the store a while back and there was a flavor he just had to have. I told him OK, but I was going to put it away until his next trip. So... I think once I get him in the car to go to the airport, I will hand him the gum. I will wait for him to figure out that he's going somewhere. Once he does, I'll give him the birthday party invitation I made him on Pixie Prints. It's really cute with his picture on it and the info like Where: Disneyland, California, When:June 10-16, 2007, Time:NOW!, etc.

I also will have a box of goodies I'll give him to look at during the car ride. I found some Disney gift boxes at the dollar store. They also had some Shrek and Donkey socks I'll add to the box plus some other goodies from the dollar store and (maybe the map?). Some print outs from the Disney site and for the hotel we'll be staying at should top it off. I'm so excited for him!

[vickieluvsmickey]

I did pick up some maps. That's a really cute way of revealing the surprise. I love planning surprises and I love DL! So I am excited for you and about your son's reaction to his first DL trip. It always makes me smile when I'm at the park and I see someone or a family who is apparently enjoying their first trip to DL. I've seen people walking around with buttons (like the Bday buttons) that say "first visit". DS could wear his bday button and you could wear a first visit button. The Disney magic is so contagious!

[minniemom]

Here's an idea, start a Disney count down!!!

Each day you would do a Disney themed activity or meal. Tell your son that each activity has something to do with his main birthday surprise. Let him guess what that surprise is!!!

Some ideas are meals with Disney recipies. Cook up a Monte Crisco for him or Mickey Mouse Pancakes. You can watch different Disney movies. Heck take him to the new Pirates movie. Or watch Cars and then go do Go Carts. Cook up a spagethii meal & then watch Lady and the Tramp. One day buy him one of the Chevron Cars that look like the Autotopia cars. You can do these fun events and see if he can guess what he gets to do for his birthday. I hope you have a great time!!!

[Leap for Joy]

Since it's your first trip too, make sure you understand how to use fastpasses to your advantage. With 5-day parkhoppers I'm sure you'll be able to do everything you want to do, but if you can minimize your wait times it'll be even more fun.

[MiaTurner]

Ooh, what an awesome surprise! I'll bet he's gonna love that! My sister surprised me last year with a birthday trip to Disney, and I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that that's my graduation surprise too. (Mom keeps trying to throw me off with different hints, darn her )

Everyone's basically said what needs to be said, but as first-timers, I would emphasize this: even though it's summer and it will be busy, relax and take your time. It was a good move getting 5-day park hoppers because you'll have time to see it all. So just pace yourself; I often times get so excited that I end up exhausting myself by the end of day two. So just take it slow, stop to see the Animation Studio in DCA and just watch the animations go by, sit down on a bench with an ice cream, all that good stuff.

As for when to tell him, hmm... There are two ways you could go with that. On one hand, the anticipation of knowing you are going and helping plan the trip is half the fun. On the other hand, I had a friend once who's parents secretly packed her suitcase and they just started driving. About an hour in she wanted to know where the heck they were going, and they finally spilled it to her. She said it was the most awesome surprise she'd ever had. So that really depends on whether he would think it would be fun to help plan, or if he'd be more surprised to find out on the way there.

[ariel39]

We are AP holders and go to Disney several times a year. My daughter had her 17th birthday in Feb and is a huge Disney Fanatic. She even waited all day for the pirates premiere while we enjoyed the park. Anyhow, she told me once that her best birthday gift would be to wake her up on her birthday and tell her that she has 10 mins to get ready, we are going to Disney! Since her birthday was on a Friday and I wanted to leave the night before, when she was leaving school on Thursday, I told her to come by my work. She came with my other daughter, 14, and asked what was up. I told her to drive home safely, but to get their stuff together as we are leaving for Disney. She was so surprised she ran out to her car screaming. It was great!!
I would wait until you get there to let him know.

[IdahoMike]

Like someone said earlier, make sure you know the ins and outs of fastpass so that you can maximize your time. That doesn't mean you have to rush from place to place as fast as you can, but just knowing which ones are "off-network", and which ones are gone the fastest (Space, Splash, Indy) are great things to know. Also, I would familiarize yourself with the DL calendar so you know which shows/parades/fireworks are running on what days. Don't miss the Aladdin show in DCA!
Most of all, have a great time!

[cantwait]

Thanks everyone for your replies It's nice to have the opinion of others who are in the know.

I read an old thread (2003 I think?) of Darkbeer's about Fastpass, but I am wondering if that information is still current of if there is a newer thread that I missed?

[thmar]

Great info on celebrating birthdays at Disneyland:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/more/mm050412lp.htm

[vickieluvsmickey]

I just thought of something else! There is a little shop on Main St. that does silhouettes. That would be a wonderful keepsake of your son's first trip to DL and since it's his Bday, I think it would even make it more special.

They are simply amazing. It's a profile silhouette that the artist cuts out of paper. DH was floored when he saw the lady start to just cut freehand. He thought they used a projector or something. It truly is a talent. And the resemblance is unbelievable.

If I remember correctly, I think it was $7.95 when we had them done and I purchased the optional frames which makes them a real keepsake. The total for each, frame included, was around $20, I think.

You actually get 2 silhouettes with your purchase (mirror images of each other), so I had all 4 framed. I kept one of each child for myself and gave the other set to my mother-in-law. All our other family members were so amazed that now m-i-l has one of each of her grandchildren.

I have one that my parents had done of me when I was 5 years old. I highly recommend having one done!

~Vickie

[cantwait]

Wow, that is really affordable! We will make sure to do that (I added it to my list)

[vickieluvsmickey]

Wow, that is really affordable! We will make sure to do that (I added it to my list)

Yeah, that's what everyone says when they see ours at home. People first comment on how nice they are and are amazed at the resemblance. They then ask how expensive they were and when I tell them, they are practically in their car on the way to DL to have one done! Actually, so many people I know have had them done since they've seen ours. It's not like the silhouette shop is hidden on Main St. A lot of friends & family said they had seen the shop, but had never taken the time to stop.

You will love it.

~Vickie

[Courtney Anne]

I have a SURPRISE trip to DL planned for June 10-16 for my DS 8 (having his 9th birthday during our trip) It will be both of our first trips!!

When to tell?
-the morning when we get in the car to drive to the airport?
- when we get to the airport? I think I could actually get him right to the airport and be taking our luggage out of the car before he clues in that we are taking a trip, then I could give him a shirt with something like "My DL Birthday Trip, June 10-16, 2007" on it.
- sooner than this?

Thanks for any replies, sorry to be so longwinded!

You will have a great time !!! I have taken my son on a few surprise trips and we always have fun. Just don't try to plan too much into your day ! Don't get upset over crowds. Take breaks when you are tired - and drink lots of water.

TAKE lots of pictures !!!

As for telling him - I told my son once when we were in the car driving. I handed him a bunch of papers I had printed from the internet with maps and schedules for Disneyland. (The ideas of the autograph book and stuff sounds great.)

Me and my son will be driving over on Friday, June 8th (his 12th birthday) and staying until Sunday. I would love to stay longer but I have to work.

Happy Birthday to your son !!