how to surprise kids with trip for xmas?

[CleveRocks]

We're surprising our kids on the last night of Hanukah with our February trip.

The way we're doing it is they'll each get some sort of Disney-related gift, plus one to share. The one they'll open together. It'll be a blank-looking DVD. We'll pop it into the DVD player.

My wife is great as using a movie-making program to make a slideshow with music and graphics. We haven't picked out the photos yet, but basically it'll be photos of our past 2 trips (May '05 and Nov. '06). It'll end somehow with either a graphic telling them we're going, or with video of my wife and me telling them (on the screen) in some humorous or otherwise creative manner.

And we plan to have a video camera rolling to catch their reactions to it all.

[ginger19]

I've done this twice and it's so much fun to surprise them. The first year they were only 18 months and 3 years old so I cut out a ton of mickey ears and made a path from their bedrooms, down the stairs, to the tree. On the tree I had a note from santa on disney stationary, luggage tags, and a book I had made describing each day they were going to have.

In November of this year they were 3.5 and 5 years old so I did luggage tags going up to the third floor. There they found balloons, the new Tinkerbell movie and planning pamphlets. We told them to get dressed, we were leaving right then

[Disney Doll]

I don't have any ideas to add, but I just wanted to say that reading everyone's ideas makes me excited for the day my son is old enough for that kind of surprise. Sounds like so much fun!

[teambricker04]

I haven't done this... but I can't wait to do it!!! I want to wake them up and then get them in the car... fun!

I think a scavenger hunt is a good idea even if the younger ones can't read. We do a scavenger hunt for easter (my oldest is nearly 4yo and the youngest 18mo) and I make pictures that direct them to the next one. So I hide something in a shoe, I take a picture of the shoe and put it in the egg. The oldest could read the final prize at the end to the younger ones.

I hope you have sooo much fun!!!

[Nana]

We are doing the 12 days of Christmas. Each item is a Disney one. It will start out with:
On the first day of Christmas, Santa brought to us-A present under the tree. When they open it, they will find a Disney game and a clue. The next one will be On the second day of Christmas, Santa brought to me 2 Disney DVDs. Some of the items I am doing are Disney candy, autograph books, pins, tickets, etc. I will be the ones reading the clues, but they will get to open the presents.