Help me surprise my daughter

charmama4

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
DH and I are pranksters...big pranksters! Our latest one was that we told our DD (13yo Disney lover) that we are taking her to HKDL but leaving her at home while DH and I go to SDL next year. Devious...down right horrible... I know. However, it's the reverse. DH and I want to go to HKDL (in October) just the two of us. Then next year take DD with us when we visit SDL.

So, I am in need of suggestions on how, when, where to surprise her. Should we keep the charade up till DH and I leave for HKDL...gulp...
without her? And if so how do we break it to her? Ideas on how to incorporate Chinese flare to the surprise? I appreciate all suggestions :)
 
If my parents did this to me, when I was a teenager, I wouldnt speak to them for at least a month. Going to do something she would love and as a joke tell her to leave at home. To me that's just cruel, she is not Cinderella. But if your daughter is used to you travelling without her and going to disney without her, plus if she can handle these jokes it's up to you.

I would tell her now that it's going to be SDL and not HDL so she doesnt get her hopes up for things like Mystic Manor, but gets excited for Pirates or Tron. I wouldnt surprise her at the last moment as there is a big downside to your plan. She might already be making plans for HDL. Jokes are fun for the pranksters but not necessarily the subject.

If you would want to surprise her, I would focus on all the cool new things SDL has to offer. I would only use the flag if your daughter knows which flag belongs to China and which one to Hong Kong.
 
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If my parents did this to me, when I was a teenager, I wouldnt speak to them for at least a month. Going to do something she would love and as a joke tell her to leave at home. To me that's just cruel, she is not Cinderella. But if your daughter is used to you travelling without her and going to disney without her, plus if she can handle these jokes it's up to you.

I would tell her now that it's going to be SDL and not HDL so she doesnt get her hopes up for things like Mystic Manor, but gets excited for Pirates or Tron. I wouldnt surprise her at the last moment as there is a big downside to your plan. She might already be making plans for HDL. Jokes are fun for the pranksters but not necessarily the subject.

If you would want to surprise her, I would focus on all the cool new things SDL has to offer. I would only use the flag if your daughter knows which flag belongs to China and which one to Hong Kong.


She, our DD, was actually the one that was (jokingly) giving us the hard time about suggesting to take her to the "tiniest Disney park on the planet and not the one with the biggest castle", her words. That's what gave my DH and I the idea to prank her. We truly believe that our little "Cinderella" will be completely pleased with the surprise.

I really like the flag idea, very creative, we just may incorporate that into the surprise. And thank you for sharing your blunt heartfelt opinion, it was refreshingly honest.
 
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To each his own, but I wouldn't do that to my daughter. Planning to go this year to a park (doesn't matter what park) but then being told they weren't going til next year would really make my daughter furious with me, and that's not something I would want.

Planning is part of the fun in our house, so I would tell her about the park. I might say that Disney isn't in the cards anymore, but we are visiting _______, such as somewhere in the states. Nowhere exciting, and then when you get to the airport, she will figure it out that the flight is international vs. in the states.

Good luck with however you plan it! Your daughter sounds like a good sport!
 

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