Have any of you Parents tried this?

[mainstreetmickey]

I'm tinkering (pun intended) with the idea of not telling DS5 and DS3 about our trip until the day we leave. At the ages they are they have no concept of how long it is until September. I know that the anticipation is part of the fun, but in the past they've almost been "de-sensitized" to the trip by the time it comes. They ask us nearly every day "when can we go to Disney World?" and we always answer...sometime soon. DS5 remembers, but DS3 just asks because his big brother does. This year we're considering waking the kids up with bags packed and just head to the airport.

I can't imagine how much fun that would be for two little Disney fans, thinking it's a normal day, then jumping on their first airplane ever, ending up in Orlando and then taking DME to POLY with a MK view room. Now THAT is MAGIC!!!!

The hardest part will be for DW and myself. We've already completed our ADRs, packing lists and touring plans, now there's nothing left to do but talk about it. Not talking to the kids will be a challenge but I think it'll be worth it.

Has anyone done this? Either way we'd love to have your input?

 

[MAGICX2]

On our trip in May 2006 for DS 5th bday we decided not to tell DS and DD2.5 until we were on our way. Same reason, "Is it time yet!?". But, I have to say I did not get the reaction I was looking for/expecting. Both kids had been to WDW before, but not for over a year. When we turned on the road leading to the airport DS says "Hey this is the way to the airport." I said yep. I said "When you woke up this morning what did you ask Mommy?" "Can we go to Disney World today?" he says. I told him we were doing just that, and we were taking Grandma and Grandpa to boot. He just looked at me with a semi blank face and said "OK". I was expecting yelling, screaming, oh boys, something other than ok. The anticipation is half the fun.
One thing we did for our last trip was make a paper chain with the number of days til our trip. Every morning when DS woke up he would take one link off. He knew as long as it was long we had a while, but as it started getting shorter, he knew it was getting closer. It was a lot of fun.

 

[rlyrehc]

We've always told our kids so that they could enjoy the anticipation also but I can see how they could become desensitized over time. My DSIL just did this last month. If nobody responds with info you can PM me and I can get your phone and pass it to her so she can call you with some of their ideas on how it turned out and whether she'd do it again. (Sorry, she doesn't visit the DIS. I know, I know!!)

 

[pezpam]

I've done it - saved the surprise for the airport, the airplane, or even the moment we drove up to the hotel. It was worth it for the look on DDs face. Planning with her is fun, too, but the surprises were great.

 

[desamnik]

made a paper chain, waited and waited for each loop to be the last. NO REACTION!

Twice we've woken them up yelling" Does any body want to go to Disney???" TODAY???

Great reactions! Lots of laughter and joy.

Our kids were 6 and 3 w/ paper chain,
7 and 4 w/ surprise day of trip
8 and 5 w/ surprise day of trip

I vote for the surpise day of, it is SO much fun!

 

[mainstreetmickey]

I can see both sides of it. DW and I have decided to let the DISers make this decision. So far that's: 1 for telling, 2 for surprise and 1 in the middle.

 

[tchrrx]

I'm kind of in the middle of both. DD7 knows that we are going to WDW sometime this year, but doesn't know the exact date. This gives us the freedom to talk about touring plans, go on 'practice' walks and more, without really giving away the surprise. We'll see what her reaction is when the big day finally arrives.

 

[dlnsmmy1]

I am all for the surprise of it. I told my son the first time we took him to disney and we got "can we go today" over and over and over..... So the next time we didn't tell and it was priceless. The best was the look on his face when he saw the Walt Disney World sign. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Since then all but one trip have been complete suprises. We pack the car when they aren't looking and don't let on a thing until we pull through the gate. My son who is now 6 is starting to get harder to trick. We live about an 1hour and 1/2 away from Disney so we make a trip every couple of months and I think he has memorized the route. As soon as we get on I4 he starts saying "Hey this is the way to Disney...are you guys tricking me again..." They learn quick. Enjoy it while you can.

 

[LoriMistress]

There's several threads about surprising the kids to WDW. Maybe you should suprise your kids for the night before the trip...make a treasure map and have the kids find the clues. Or make personalized family vacation tee shirts and give it to the kids. Or have a letters mailed personally from Disney inviting them to WDW!!!

 

[mainstreetmickey]

I am all for the surprise of it. I told my son the first time we took him to disney and we got "can we go today" over and over and over..... So the next time we didn't tell and it was priceless. The best was the look on his face when he saw the Walt Disney World sign. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

That had to be a great feeling!!!

MistressLori...I'll look for those other thread. Great ideas as well. Thanks!!!

 

[TDS373X]

I did this last trip(may 06) with dd then 6. We had gone in Dec of 05 for a few days prior to Christmas and at school she wasn't too productive before the trip because it was all she could think of so for the May trip I didn't tell her. it was hard to do. We got up like any other school day and loaded the dog into the car to take to the kennel since this was something new she just accepted that it was a different vet. She went back in the house and was watching TV or something while I sneaked the bags into the car. I even scolded her about wasting time get in the car time to go to school your backpack is already in the car..usual morning stuff. None of it seemed unusual to her until we drove right past her school...I just told her we were going to grandmas that day which we did because she went with us...Finally about 1 hour into our 2 hr flight we couldn't stand it anymore we asked if she had any idea where she was going...No....this was not a new expirence for her it was trip number 7. We're going to DisneyWorld I said...she looked at me like ok sure we are.. It wasn't until we were standing in line for the DME bus that she started to believe then when she saw the Welcome to WDW signs at the property line she was like and told me I was the best mom ever. We had a great trip and nobody had to listen to are we going to Disney today?? The downside is that now we are about a year removed and since she's gone the last couple of years at the end of school she gets up like yesterday and looks at me and says let's go to Disney today-if only I could make that happen so easily- and we aren't planning to go until December. I'd do the surprise thing again though and probably will as she hasn't been clued in to the Dec trip.

 

[swillis]

Planning a surprise trip here. Plan to just wake them up and yell "Get dressed we're going to Disney!"

Last year they were in on the planning, and they really didn't get excited until a few weeks beofre the trip. I just thought it would be awesome to wake them up and take them. Just a different kind of excitement I guess.

 

[bettyann29]

Thats exactly what Im doing right now.. We are heading down May 11-14 and Im not telling DD9 until we are in Orlando airport.. I have told her that we are going to visit one of my friends (technically Mickey is my friend).. I already have the airfare tickets, hotel stay reserved, tickets bought and ADR's made.. Cant wait!! There has been several times I have wanted to blurt it out and tell her but I know this way she will be soooo excited.. I have even bought her some red crocs and some disney jibbitz and put them on the crocs to give to her..

 

[Mayra]

Oh yes!! First trip with DS, he was 8. Didn't tell him until we got to the airport.

It was worth it. He coud not believe it!! it was the best surprise ever. He didn't stop kissing me until we got to Orlando. He even asked me to do the same for our next trip, and I did.

He doesn't know we're going to Disneyland. shhhh!!!!!!!

 

[kldmom2000]

I was going to try it for our upcoming August trip.... my DH said I'd never last.... I did last... about 2 days after I officially booked it this past January

I'm the absolute worst with surprises!!! I can't hold it in!!!

For me, some of the best fun is the whole planning process... watching the DVD's over and over again with our girls (they'll be 7 and nearly 5 in August) and going through our scrapbooks from our last 2 trips.....

I hope you can keep it a secret!! That would be a magical trip indeed!!!!

 

[lillygator]

since we go so often my DD's ages 4 and 2 just think that everyday we wake up it's a "disney home" day....

 

[stitch and co]

I didn't tell our three for our trip last August. Woke them up got them ready to go and the middle one (she is the crafty one of the bunch) figured it out while backing out of the driveway. My DH thought it would be hard for me not to tell them, but I did it ! The look on the 7 yr old (who was 6 then) was priceless when she found out our destination.

I would probably try to do it again, but now that they know my tricks (packing without them knowing was the hardest part) I might not be able to. They know about the Dec 07 trip because it is a family affair with their cousins who have never been to WDW, there was no way to keep that a secret.

Like it has been said, planning with the kids is great but so was making the trip a great big surprise.

 

[Heluvsme]

I wish I had the restraint to wait to tell my kiddos, I barely can wait a week!! Typically when I'm planning our trip, I'm on the internet, getting out my books, and they see the whole thing!


I'm awful with surprises, but I wish I was better, all your plans sound fabulous!!!

 

[mcqueengroupie]

We are surprising our DS6 and DS3(at travel time) with a trip 6/7-6/14, and I'm busting a gut!!!! We are able to talk freely about it because they know we are going to WDW the first week of Dec. This trip happened by accident, we are DVC owners and owners with Starwood, we thought my husband's sister was going to use the Starwood timeshare, but backed out. We were faced with using it, or loosing it. Since the dues were paid, we thought, what the heck!! We will purchase AP's and surprise the boys. We are leaving the day after school gets out, and have a 6:45am flight. It will still be dark out when we leave for the airport, and I can't wait till DS6 puts it all together. He keeps saying how he doesn't want to wait till Dec. to go, little does he know that he doesn't! Hee heee heee So spoiled, I know, but the truth is I LOVE DISNEY!!! and we wouldn't go if we weren't so addicted. 65 days till we go!!!!

 

[hebbynan]

We're doing the whole surprise thing. We're driving down from PA pulling our travel trailer. We're going to tell them we're going to South Carolina (we are to stay over night). Then the next morning, we're going to tell them we're going a little farther south. We're going to try to hold off until they see the WDW welcome sign, but if the "are we there yet's" get to be too much on the last leg of the trip, we may have to tell them. Wish us luck!!!