We’re going to Disney World!
01 Nov 2013
This past Tuesday, we got to tell the girls that we were taking them on a road trip… to Disney World!
Wendy got invited to participate in Run Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. She will be running the Mickey Jingle Jungle 5K next Saturday.
Wendy and I started brainstorming on how we could tell the girls. We knew they would be excited. We wanted to personalize how we told them.
We tossed around so many ideas… looked at so many websites for inspiration… but were still not liking what we were seeing. Then Wendy looked up at me and said “a map”. Brilliant!
I quickly put together a graphic of Mickey with a thought bubble, that read “Well hello Rachel and Lauren, I can’t wait to meet you next week in Walt Disney World. (signed) Mickey Mouse”. I cut it out, so that it would go on the map Wendy was creating.
Wendy created a map in ArcGIS, using the layers from ArcGIS Online. She drew the route we were going to drive.
When Wendy arrived home, the girls were upstairs watching TV, so she was able to sneak the map into my office. We had dinner, and then Wendy took the girls to their swimming lessons.
While the girls were at swimming lessons with Wendy, I set the scene:
Then Wendy texted me… “the girls forgot their hairbrush, so they’ll need to brush their hair when they get home”. They would also need to hang up their swim suits to dry. Wendy suggested to hide the map, and she would take them upstairs and help them with their hair and bathing suits. So, I moved the map, and waited. The excitement was driving me nuts!
The girls arrived home, and Wendy asked them to go hang up their swim suits. Wendy and I went to my office and got the map, and my iPhone. I set up in the living room, while Wendy helped the girls upstairs.
Wendy came down to the living room, and called the girls.
Here is our reveal video:
Rachel tried to play it cool, but Lauren couldn’t stop giggling and bouncing!
Wendy and I were thrilled with their reactions. We can’t wait to leave next week!
Here is Wendy’s Post.
While we are on our trip, we will be using #SilvaDisneyAdventure for all our social media posts (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook)
Have you ever take your kids to Disney, or did your parents ever surprise you with a Disney trip? How was the reveal?
Would love to hear your comments!
Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you would like me to review your service, product, or travel destination, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca or find me on “the twitter” at @BigDaddyKreativ
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. He likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and Travel Media Association of Canada. If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
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Yay! That’s awesome. So sweet how you surprised them. I’m also running a Disney race in February but we are going sans kiddos. But we have surprised our kiddos with their two Disney trips as well. This is the video from the first time we surprised them. http://pleasemommynomoredaddies.blogspot.com/2011/06/disney-video.html
so awesome! Loved their reaction once they realized it was true. What a great way to tell them!
I am SO excited for you guys – you are talented Craig and I LOVE how you and Wendy make such a great team :) Have a wonderful time….I LOVE that you have your own hashtag!! I’ll be following you :)
This was mostly Wendy… I just did the Mickey with the thought bubble. Wendy entered in all the data for the custom map.
You’re a team though – great work!
I’m so excited for you, Wendy and the kids, Craig! You are going sooner than you even planned to, and that’s just great! I love the kids’ reactions, and what this will mean to your family!
We took the kids to Disney for the very first time last year and it was amazing. We are hoping to go again end of year, or early next.
My parents had very little money, but we went to Disney about 4 years in a row when my brother and I were kids. We drove most years, and enjoyed the drive very much. I still have the Walt Disney journal that I wrote when I was only 6-years old, and have shown it to my own kids.
Have a great trip!
That’s amazing that you still have your journal. Both our girls did journals as well. We are still planning on going back in the Spring.
I’ve been to Disney California! I enjoyed Magic Mountain. Craig/Wendy have fun! Lok forward to your tweets. :-)
Thanks Jo! It was an amazing trip! I’d love to make it out to California some time!
That’s awesome. My husband is running in the Goofy challenge in January. Can’t wait to hear all about your experience!
LOL Goofy challenge… love the names Disney comes up with!
Oh how exciting!!! And what a great surprise! Have an awesome time at Disney!
thanks!
so fun!! we did that drive in May, 24 hours straight down! have a blast you guys!
the drive wasn’t as bad as i thought. The roads were smooth, and lots of places to stop along the way.
Nope, not bad
at all!
LOL! Wendy and a map?? Who would have thought! lol!! What a great way to tell your kids!! Very creative too! I hope to take my kids there one day soon!! Fingers crossed!
I know… duh!
So cute! What a fun way to reveal to them. I hope you guys have the best time ever. :)
We did… thanks for stopping by!
Love the fun reveal! Why miss an opportunity to add more fun, right? When we took the kids to Disney years ago, it was at Christmas time and we made a word scramble with the Disney letters. We boxed each one and hid them in the tree. It was fun to see the kids confusion and increasing excitement as they realized they were getting letters that spelled something big! They were almost vibrating with excitement as they madly tried to unscramble the words. Lots of fun! Very exciting for your family – have an awesome trip!
what a neat way to tell them!
Have fun Silva family! Disney vacations are memorable, they stick with the kids forever. What a fun way for you & Wendy to tell the kids. Creative parenting!
it all came together pretty quick… once Wendy came up with the map idea.
Awesome! I bet you’ll have a TON of fun, I’ve always wanted to go to Disney!
so have i… until last week, it was just a dream.
SO EXCITING!!! Looking forward to your tweets! Love your girls’ reactions! Love that you guys got them on video!
i know Rachel wondered why i was recording them… Lauren was too busy trying to figure everything out.
Love the video AND how you guys put together everything to go along with it (map, etc). Great idea! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with Mickey!!
it was so much fun!
Yes, when I was about 7 or 8 my Grandparents took me to Disney, although I don’t remember much except going through a cave with “It’s a small world after all” playing.. let me know if they still have that one! lol
they do… and it’s a nice relaxing ride!
That was a fabulous way to surprise your kids with such a fun family trip. Hope you all enjoy yourselves immensely
cheers!
Love the reveal. I can tell that you guys were as excited as your girls!
Congratulations to Wendy on being asked to participate in the run. I will be with you in spirit and can’t wait to hear about all your adventures.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
Only Wendy was asked… i’m not in that kind of shape… yet.
How exciting!! I love how you two set up everything, the map, the note, that was awesome. I’m hoping the hubby and I can take our little ones to Disney World next Summer. We’ve already been to Disneyland, it would be great for the kids and us to go to Disney World.
Wendy will do fantastic on the run, good luck, have a safe trip there and back and have fun!! :)
thanks so much!