Surprising Your Kids With A Disney Cruise

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   There is some debate about the method in which you should surprise your loved ones with a cruise or if you should surprise them at all. I read one account from a teen that was surprised with a cruise and she complained that it ruined her plans with her friends and she preferred that she not be surprised! I do not feel that way at all, I could be surprised at any day, hour, or minute. All I need is my passport and my camera : )

     As soon as I hung up the phone after booking our cruise we sat down and started talking about how we would pull off this “Christmas Miracle”...

. As our plans started coming together we pulled a “Disney” and “plus-ed” our Christmas Present! As if a 5 day cruise were not cool enough we added 3 days at WDW on property (our first on property stay) starting on New Years Eve (My Birthday)! This was sure to be EPIC.

     As the big day grew closer and closer we decided to include gifts for Christmas that could be used on our trip but not give away our intentions. The kids got small travel sized backpacks, matching hoodies to wear at the parks, travel games for the trip down, and helium filled balloons were all inside a carryon rolling suitcase. Also in the suitcase was a stuffed Mickey Mouse with a note attached to him telling each kid a bit of our WDW plans. These suitcases were to be opened at the same time right after stockings.

     We counted to three off came the wrapping paper, up came the balloons, out came the items. The children were a bit confused by the randomness until they read the following messages: We will be staying 3 days at the Port Orleans Resort at WDW. We will leave in 5 days and will be at Magic Kingdom for New Year's Eve. We will visit Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Needless to say there was lots of excitement and that wasn't even the main event.

     After the cheers somewhat died down we opened our few other gifts that were left, but there was still a giant box in the corner that was not opened. Everybody gathered around it speculating what in the world could possibly be in there, they already got a Disney Trip. All three tear into the paper, more balloons start flying out. Our oldest son starts getting really excited, because there are 3 envelopes at the bottom of the box. When they opened them each child had a “boarding pass” pinned to a stuffed Mickey for the Disney Magic! Jacob kept repeating the we killed it! We killed it! He couldn't believe we were leaving for this mega trip. Our youngest daughter began squealing, and our middle daughter kept checking to make sure this was real and that we were really leaving in just 5 days.

     I'd be lying if I said that I didn't tear up, heck I'm tearing up right now thinking back on it. I'd be lying if I said that my husband didn't tear up. Mission Accomplished. It took time, but we did it, and it was in grand style.

     Would you surprise your family with a cruise? Would you like to be or have been surprised? How would you do it or want it done for you?