Are there any great flight deals around at the moment?

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I could've saved around $1350 if we had've gone with United but since they don't have the entertainment systems, I couldn't put myself through the pain of the whining kids LOL

 

[lovintheland]

Which airline are you going with?

Just had a thought! Ebay have the big walking mickey helium balloons. Get one, fill it with helium and tie it down with those balloon weights. Leave him at the front door with a letter attached to him and do a fake knock on the door and tell the kids there's someone there to see them.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Which airline are you going with?

Just had a thought! Ebay have the big walking mickey helium balloons. Get one, fill it with helium and tie it down with those balloon weights. Leave him at the front door with a letter attached to him and do a fake knock on the door and tell the kids there's someone there to see them.

We must be twins . I sent my DH the link to the big walking mickey balloon today and essentially said the same thing about knowing in the door and having him there to surprise the kids LOL.

How funny.

 

[lovintheland]

OMG! great Disney minds think alike! We're definately twins!

 

[lovintheland]

p.s. I really think this idea would have an amazing impact!!!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

p.s. I really think this idea would have an amazing impact!!!

Only problem is the wait to get it here . And it's school holidays here now so not sure when I would get a chance to pop out and get it filled, although I guess I could wait until next weekend. I can't see DH going to the florist to get it blown up and walking around with a life size Mickey .

I'm getting impatient to tell them. You are so right about the impact though.

Arrrrgggghhhh, what to do.

 

[lovintheland]

I really think the wait would be worth it!

One question for you. WAs it you the bought stuff from Disney.com and got free shipping? They are offering it at the moment but from what I have read only if you live in the US?

thanks
Helen

 

[Toy Story]

Ms. Shuttergirl,

In new York have you looked at the Beacon Hotel? We stayed there in April, in a two bedroom suite for about $320 US a night. It was two rooms, one with two double beds and a tv, the other had a kitchenette, lounge/pull out bed and tv. The Fairways Market across the road was great for breakfast (think 60 cent bagels).

It is on the Upper West Side, about two blocks from Central Park and the Natural History Museum. We bought a multi-day subway pass and had no issues waiting for trains.

 

[shushh]

Ms. Shuttergirl, I just caught up with the news! How exciting!!! Congratulations!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I really think the wait would be worth it!

One question for you. WAs it you the bought stuff from Disney.com and got free shipping? They are offering it at the moment but from what I have read only if you live in the US?

thanks
Helen

I ordered some stuff, but didn't get free shipping, just some bargains that made the shipping worthwhile

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Ms. Shuttergirl,

In new York have you looked at the Beacon Hotel? We stayed there in April, in a two bedroom suite for about $320 US a night. It was two rooms, one with two double beds and a tv, the other had a kitchenette, lounge/pull out bed and tv. The Fairways Market across the road was great for breakfast (think 60 cent bagels).

It is on the Upper West Side, about two blocks from Central Park and the Natural History Museum. We bought a multi-day subway pass and had no issues waiting for trains.

I did look into the Beacon Hotel, however we really want to be in Times Square and felt it was a little too far away from where we wanted to be.

Can you tell me more about other things it was near, how long to get to Times Square etc?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Ms. Shuttergirl, I just caught up with the news! How exciting!!! Congratulations!

Thanks Shushh, very exciting.

 

[lovintheland]

Ms Shuttergirl just had another idea last night for your surprise for the kids. Now I'm not sure if they are Deal or No Deal fans or not and it not this won't work, but, we have the electronic board game of it, I bought it for Dh for his birthday as he and DD 10 are now hooked on the show. We were playing last night and they were all explaining to me how to play etc, at one point I asked DD10 if she was now out and she said "yes, unless it was like there real show where they come out with a surprise case", right there I though "Iknow what a surprise case could contain!!!!!!". IT's just an idea but I guess unless they watched the show they wouldn't really get it. BTW the electronic game is heaps of fun.
For our trip last year because the kids already knew and I couldn't redo the treasure hunt, about a month out from our trip I did a game with them. I don't know if you remember a scavenger type tv show called "The Phone", anyway another show my kids loved so I had DH call our house one day (while he was outside) and he talked in the voice of the guy from the show, DS was totally sucked in and as I was hiding in the toilet I heard him saying "hang on I'll just put my mum on". The man on the phone (DH) asked him if he was up for a challenge and if so to gather his DS's. So from there it was a treasure hunt and at the end of it was was the briefcase containing money just like in the real show. I had gone and got a stack of American $1 notes to fill case. I worked it out so there was an even amount for each and this became part of their spending money. It was a lot of fun!!!!

 

[aussiegirls]

lovintheland, you sound like such a fun mum

 

[lovintheland]

Thanks Aussiegirls! I think I'm just a big kid! I get just as big a kick out of organising the fun things for them.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Great ideas Loveintheland. I too really enjoy planning things for the kids. My husband just said to me, lets just tell the kids now and I'm like....

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

He's a shocker at keeping a secret LOL.

I was actually thinking of somehow using our Disney Trivial Pursuit game and putting new questions on some of the cards but hadn't exactly been able to flesh it out.

A friend suggested doing a Disney themed dinner and then giving them the gifts then. I need to decide on something soon

 

[queenie82]

Wow you guys are amazing!
This is so cool all the effort you put into how to tell the kids.
I was one of those kids with a perfect place to eavesdrop on the 'organising' calls.
(back in the dark ages the phone was the main way to get info and book and organise stuff after doing the TA brochure collection)

Of course add to that my mother can't keep a secret to save herself!
Plus she wanted us involved in the planning because this was a 'once in a lifetime' trip and we did have opinions on our 'favourites'

Have a bunch of fun organising something! I love the Mickey at the door idea

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Well I caved to my DH's pressure and we told the kids today. It was hard to try and organise anything remotely exciting in that timeframe so this is all I could manage.

I quickly wrapped up 2 disney t-shirts each that I had purchased earlier from Disney.com, I included in the gift a travel journal each that I had already bought and a Hershey bar each that I happened to see at a little shop earlier today LOL.

I then printed out these gorgeous designs I found on the Creative Disigns forum that said "Surprise, you are going to WDW world". I hid 2 different ones out in the garden. I grabbed both kids and said, I've hidden a little surprise out in the garden, first one to find it gets it . Well my kids are competitive so there was much scrambling to get shoes on and get outside for the hunt. DD12 found it pretty quickly and jumped up and down. Before DS8 could get upset I said there's another one, keep looking. He found the other one and they were both very excited.

Then I said, quick inside, I've got something for you and they opened their gifts. My DH was very surprised to find a gift for him to. There were 2 "grumpy" t-shirts that I had bought earlier in the year along with a book I was saving for Father's Day but thought he would enjoy reading it on the trip instead.

I then made them Hotdogs for tea and afterwards I made Mickey Head ice cream sundaes for their dessert.

It wasn't quite as magical as the last time but I think that was more because it was a "first". The kids enjoyed it and we are excitedly talking plans now so I'm kind of relieved it's out in the open and we can get excited together.

 

[aussietravellers]

Well I caved to my DH's pressure and we told the kids today. It was hard to try and organise anything remotely exciting in that timeframe so this is all I could manage.

I quickly wrapped up 2 disney t-shirts each that I had purchased earlier from Disney.com, I included in the gift a travel journal each that I had already bought and a Hershey bar each that I happened to see at a little shop earlier today LOL.

I then printed out these gorgeous designs I found on the Creative Disigns forum that said "Surprise, you are going to WDW world". I hid 2 different ones out in the garden. I grabbed both kids and said, I've hidden a little surprise out in the garden, first one to find it gets it . Well my kids are competitive so there was much scrambling to get shoes on and get outside for the hunt. DD12 found it pretty quickly and jumped up and down. Before DS8 could get upset I said there's another one, keep looking. He found the other one and they were both very excited.

Then I said, quick inside, I've got something for you and they opened their gifts. My DH was very surprised to find a gift for him to. There were 2 "grumpy" t-shirts that I had bought earlier in the year along with a book I was saving for Father's Day but thought he would enjoy reading it on the trip instead.

I then made them Hotdogs for tea and afterwards I made Mickey Head ice cream sundaes for their dessert.

It wasn't quite as magical as the last time but I think that was more because it was a "first". The kids enjoyed it and we are excitedly talking plans now so I'm kind of relieved it's out in the open and we can get excited together.

Ms.Shuttergirl I think that sounds just wonderful and still a great way to surprise them, I would love to be surprised like that! I just say to my son "feel like going to WDW or DL" I wish I had kept it as a surprise and surprised him like you have.

So were they really excited? Did they suspect it was something Disney/Trip related before they had opened their gifts?

 

[jenshell75]

Great ideas Ms Shuttergirl,

I bet the kids are sooooooo excited

I wish I had joined Dis before I started planning. I really should not have told my children but like your husband I am terrible at keeping secrets. I just couldn't contain my thoughts.

Can you share the recipes and pics of the mickey head icecream sundae's they sound cool.

I can't wait to read more!!!!


jen