Hi Paula, and welcome to planDisney! Oh my goodness… surprising your daughter and granddaughter with a Walt Disney World Resort vacation? That is pure Disney magic right there! I can already picture the happy tears on Main Street, U.S.A., wrapped with more happy tears at the end of the day while watching the fireworks light up the sky behind Cinderella Castle! In the words of our generation's songstress, Lizzie Maguire: “This is what dreams are made of!” Admit it, you totally sang along!
Ok, Paula, enough gushing for now, let’s dive into how to pull off this pixie-dusted surprise! Since you already purchased
Florida Resident theme park tickets, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that only Florida residents can use those tickets. These tickets require activation with
proof of residency, so make sure you get the correct ticket types for your family when you purchase. If your daughter and granddaughter aren’t Florida residents, you’ll want to grab regular theme park tickets for them instead, even if the surprise is still under wraps.
Ok, now for the fun part! You can absolutely keep the surprise alive while doing all this behind the scenes. What you want to do is buy their tickets,
link them in My Disney Experience under your account, and quietly tuck away the confirmation email until it’s time for the big reveal. When the time comes to make the magical announcement, and the confetti pops, and everyone is screaming, “WE’RE GOING TO DISNEY!”, you can add them to your Family & Friends list and assign each ticket properly so planning
Lightning Lanes, dining, and park days is a breeze.
If you want a little extra peace of mind, a quick
chat with a Cast Member through Disney’s ticketing line or a stop at Guest Relations before your trip can double-check that everything is set just right.
Paula, I’m already so excited for you, your girls, and all the magical memories you will create during this visit! I hope your countdown goes by super fast so you can already be stepping foot inside the magic!
During that time, if you have any additional questions or want planning tips for
special dining reservations,
photo memories, or must-do’s, please don’t hesitate to come back and see us!
Wishing you rope drop vibes to fireworks to happily ever afters,
Emille