Telling The Kids

[RVMountaineer 0]

This is our first time taking the kids to WDW. We are going to Orland to pick up our RV that we purchased and decided since we are down there why not take the kids to Disney as our first RV trip. We want to surprise our kids last minute so we don't have them bothering us about going to Disney up until the minute we are there.  What is it like driving up to FW as far as Disney advertisement? Will our 6, 5, 3, and 2 year old children recongnize we are at Disney without telling them? We would like to take our time getting the RV parked and set up and then surprise them by telling them we are at Disney. We want to record the simultaneous explosion of excitement on their faces all at the same time. Will we be able to pull this off or do we need to tell them before we head over there in the morning?

[keith_h 420]

I suspect it will be hard to hide it once you are near WDW. While there might be a back way all of the main roads and signs take you right through the main entrance with its big sign. 

[rtguy007 74]

There is a back way but I am not really sure how to get to it from a main road that isn't marked with all sorts of signs.

A warning though, if this is your first camping trip, you may not want to go anywhere else. The fort rocks.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Even a back way that I know of still has a "Welcome to Disney World" sign with Mickey and Minnie.

[Travisma 1,317]

If you are in an RV can you keep them in the back away from windows? There is a back way in past some of the warehouses and you won't really see many Disney signs until you hit the Fort

[keith_h 420]

If you are in an RV can you keep them in the back away from windows? There is a back way in past some of the warehouses and you won't really see many Disney signs until you hit the Fort

 

I was thinking sedating them.

[rtguy007 74]

If you are in an RV can you keep them in the back away from windows? There is a back way in past some of the warehouses and you won't really see many Disney signs until you hit the Fort

That's what I was thinking.

[LONE-STAR 370]

When you check in there going to figure it out. Most likely before, there are billboards all down the highway. They may not know there going but they will want to.

[djsamuel 322]

You can avoid the Magic Kingdom toll booth, but not the big Disney World signs over the roads.  There would be a way to come in behind Magic Kingdom off of Reams Road, but with an RV it would be pretty obvious you aren't an "authorized vehicle" and with all of the road construction a going on as well as police back there right now, it may be a bit tough getting through there anyway.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Maybe record them in the car when they see the first signs?

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Oh and welcome!!  :)

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Just do like my husband did when my girls started to see the signs (my son was in on the surprise) tell them you are lost and need to figure out how to turn around.

Welcome!

[parrothead7368 aka Norm 101]

We videotaped when we came in under the big sign and we are keeping it a secret again and am going to try that again. The only problem is now they read road signs......

 

Best Regards,

Norm

[Beckers 1,136]

We haven't told my son yet, which is a miracle for me. But we are flying down, so I think we are going to wait until the morning of and tell him when we wake him at 3am.

I am worried someone will spill it which is why I'm or positive I want to wait.

[Seals 111]

 Will our 6, 5, 3, and 2 year old children recongnize we are at Disney without telling them? 

 

Your kids are young. Do they even know what Disney is, as in would they recognize they are "at Disney" vs anywhere else on vacation in that oblivious kid way?  

 

When my kids were 5 and almost 3 (x2) we took them on their first trip. The 5 yr old had a best friend who had been recently and he'd talked about it. We only told the kids we were going on vacation and had an overnight stay on the way. We were driving under the WDW entrance sign and the kids were preoccupied with a movie or something. I asked the 5 yr old if he would like to go to WDW and he said "maybe some time, but not right now." He didn't look at the sign or register that we were there!  

 

An exciting new book or toy or movie when you get close could work. And don't make a big deal about it until it's time to make a big deal about it. And there's even lying when you check into the Fort -- the people who run this place like Disney and decorated it this way.

 

Welcome and enjoy your trip!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Your kids are young. Do they even know what Disney is, as in would they recognize they are "at Disney" vs anywhere else on vacation in that oblivious kid way?

When my kids were 5 and almost 3 (x2) we took them on their first trip. The 5 yr old had a best friend who had been recently and he'd talked about it. We only told the kids we were going on vacation and had an overnight stay on the way. We were driving under the WDW entrance sign and the kids were preoccupied with a movie or something. I asked the 5 yr old if he would like to go to WDW and he said "maybe some time, but not right now." He didn't look at the sign or register that we were there!

An exciting new book or toy or movie when you get close could work. And don't make a big deal about it until it's time to make a big deal about it. And there's even lying when you check into the Fort -- the people who run this place like Disney and decorated it this way.

Welcome and enjoy your trip!

When we got to our cabin my girls still had no clue. They thought we were just staying for the night because daddy was too tired to drive home. I had to finally tell them we were going to be spending the week there.

Oh and our original story was we were going to check out a campground I had heard about. Doesn't everyone drive from northern Alabama to Central Florida to check out campgrounds?

[ependydad...Doug 176]

We haven't told my son yet, which is a miracle for me. But we are flying down, so I think we are going to wait until the morning of and tell him when we wake him at 3am.

I am worried someone will spill it which is why I'm or positive I want to wait.

How are you getting to the airport? On one surprise, we told my daughter that we were dropping grandma and grandpa off and then got out her suitcase out. It took a moment and then it registered that she was going somewhere. We then gave her some Mickey or Minnie stuff and told here where we were going.

On another, we were going with friends and were getting picked up by a car service (thanks Groupon!). My wife made up Valentine's Day "invitations" that the girls read, screamed, tackled each other, and then went outside to cry (they hit my scream limit).

[Travisma 1,317]

There is a back way onto the property that has very little Disney signage.  None of the big overhead ones, just a couple small signs directing you to some of the resorts.

 

I can't link the map, but if you go to Google maps and enter these streets it'll make sense to you.

 

The only drawback to coming this way is you will have to do a sharp about 120 degree turn into the driveway.  Not sure if the big boys can handle that turn, my pick up and little PUP can do it.

 

Maybe some Class A or TT people will chime in about the turn.

 

535/Winter Garden Vineland Road to Vista Blvd.

 

Stay on Vista past the stop sign, then thru the stop light at Golden Oaks, and you'll arrive at the Fort on your right.

 

It's about 2 miles from the 535 turn off.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The last time I was able to surprise any of my children was my oldest son's high school graduation trip. I somehow managed to tell his girlfriend, boss, baseball coach, etc. and everyone kept the secret. I was able to pack his stuff while he was at graduation rehearsal.

 

At the family dinner after the graduation, I gave him this booklet. "You've graduated high school, what are you going to do now"

 

Each page had some boring thing, like go to work, get ready for college, mow the lawn, etc., then the final two pages. "Your going to Disney World!", then the receipt for his Dive Quest adventure was taped to the last page.

 

He was dumbfounded, (and also a little worried, cause he was planning on staying up all night, but we had to be at the airport at 5am the next morning).

 

Also a few weeks before, I was afraid the whole thing was going to get blown. His wallet came up missing, with his DIVE CARD in it. As he started to replace things in his wallet, I casually asked him a couple of times what he needed to do to replace the dive card. The was definitely not his first priority. (Drivers license, debit card, etc was on his mind).  Fortunately, the original wallet showed back up minus the cash in time for the trip.... whew!!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

 

Each page had some boring thing, like go to work, get ready for college, mow the lawn, etc., then the final two pages. "Your going to Disney World!", then the receipt for his Dive Quest adventure was taped to the last page.

 

That's awesome, Carol!

[djsamuel 322]

There is a back way onto the property that has very little Disney signage.  None of the big overhead ones, just a couple small signs directing you to some of the resorts.

 

I can't link the map, but if you go to Google maps and enter these streets it'll make sense to you.

 

The only drawback to coming this way is you will have to do a sharp about 120 degree turn into the driveway.  Not sure if the big boys can handle that turn, my pick up and little PUP can do it.

 

Maybe some Class A or TT people will chime in about the turn.

 

535/Winter Garden Vineland Road to Vista Blvd.

 

Stay on Vista past the stop sign, then thru the stop light at Golden Oaks, and you'll arrive at the Fort on your right.

 

It's about 2 miles from the 535 turn off.

 

That would work well.  The right turn into the Fort wouldn't be bad.  I can do it easily and I've seen much larger rigs make that turn with no problem.

[southernview -- Ray 25]

There is a back way onto the property that has very little Disney signage.  None of the big overhead ones, just a couple small signs directing you to some of the resorts.

 

I can't link the map, but if you go to Google maps and enter these streets it'll make sense to you.

 

The only drawback to coming this way is you will have to do a sharp about 120 degree turn into the driveway.  Not sure if the big boys can handle that turn, my pick up and little PUP can do it.

 

Maybe some Class A or TT people will chime in about the turn.

 

535/Winter Garden Vineland Road to Vista Blvd.

 

Stay on Vista past the stop sign, then thru the stop light at Golden Oaks, and you'll arrive at the Fort on your right.

 

It's about 2 miles from the 535 turn off.

 

We always come in this way and there is very little, if anything, to give away the fact that you are at Disney.

[Retired & Tired (Judy) 90]

Welcome to this crazy group.  The kids and both of you will really enjoy Ft. Wilderness.   Did you have any problems getting reservations for this time of the year?  Have a great trip and keep us posted on all the excitement. :heartsmiley:  :camp1:  :mh1:

[RVMountaineer 0]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!!  Since this will be our first trip, we thought we'd make the "reveal" simple so both of us can see it and videotape it.  We are picking up our RV at an Orlando dealership the day before.  We figured we'd simply make Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast the day we head into Fort Wilderness and simply watch the explosion happen.

 

 

 

Welcome to this crazy group.  The kids and both of you will really enjoy Ft. Wilderness.   Did you have any problems getting reservations for this time of the year?  Have a great trip and keep us posted on all the excitement. :heartsmiley:  :camp1:  :mh1:

 

No problems getting reservations this time of year.  We booked through the local Air Force Base for a sweet deal on a Full Hook Site.  

 

Our biggest question is how long of a wait and how long are the rides from the different parks to Fort Wilderness.

[keith_h 420]

The MK is

 

Thanks for the input everyone!!!!  Since this will be our first trip, we thought we'd make the "reveal" simple so both of us can see it and videotape it.  We are picking up our RV at an Orlando dealership the day before.  We figured we'd simply make Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast the day we head into Fort Wilderness and simply watch the explosion happen.

 

 

 

 

No problems getting reservations this time of year.  We booked through the local Air Force Base for a sweet deal on a Full Hook Site.  

 

Our biggest question is how long of a wait and how long are the rides from the different parks to Fort Wilderness.

 

The MK is just a boat ride away from FW. To me it is the best way to get back and forth. It is such a nice trip I don't pay attention to how long it takes.

 

For Epcot we like to take the Monorail if it is running. To do that we take a boat from the FW to the Contemporary and catch the Monorail to the Transportation Center. At TTC we catch the Monorail to Epcot. You can also take a bus from the Outpost to Epcot. Usually we have caught the Outpost bus pretty quickly. Returning by bus on the other hand we have always seemed to have a long wait of 30 minutes or more. It's a covered area and we've met some nice folks waiting in line but might not be desirable with younger children. Driving takes about 15-20 minutes unless you are leaving at closing then it can take a lot longer as people try to work their way out of the lot.

 

I've often wondered if catching a bus to the Contemporary or Wilderness lodge then taking a boat to FW would be faster than waiting for a direct bus from Epcot?