Surprising Kids with a Trip--Anyone have this go badly?

[BuzznBelle'smom]

There are several threads on here about surprising kids with a trip to WDW. I love the idea, but I'm wondering if it ever goes off wrong. You know, the kids are upset or disappointed somehow.

The reason I'm asking is, I just booked a trip in January, but only with my two youngest children (DD9 and DS6). My older two (DD17, DS15) are in HS and can't miss, plus they're not so into Disney as they once were. FTR, they both know, and are absolutely fine with not going, and love the idea of waking the little guys up at 4am and telling them they're heading off to WDW. DH is on-board, of course. My concern is, the little guys might be upset at leaving Dad and their older siblings at home.

So, any thoughts?

 

[blueferral]

Start talking to the younger kids about having some special time with just them. I'd do it about a week before I "surprised" them. Make sure dad schedules some special time with them as well. He can get away with a local trip, or his own Disney trip!

 

[dragonfly08]

I had similar concerns about surprising my girls (ages 4 and 7 at the time) for our last visit. Their dad wasn't able to come with us and I didn't think it would go over well if they didn't have time to adjust to that. So I kept it a secret until our luggage tags arrived and used that as part of the surprise. It was close enough to the trip that I did have months of "are we going yet?" and they were still feeling the excitement of just finding out, but far enough out for them to help pack their favorite things and come to terms with the idea that they'd be leaving Daddy behind at the airport.

 

[Missy13d69]

I think doing something slightly in advance would be the better way to go. If you think their might be some ill feelings to the idea of daddy and the older brother and sister not going, then it would probably be better to give them enough of an adjustment period to make the vacation enjoyable for them.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Do a youtube search for "Disney surprise gone wrong"

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Oh, I've seen the video. I don't think I'd have that particular problem--we "happened" to discuss this while waiting for the bus this morning, they both said they would love, love, LOVE to go to WDW again.

Both DH and I do things with individual kids--having 4, we try to do this anyway, especially since ours our so spread out in age. This past summer, DD17 and I spent a few days away, looking at colleges. DH sometimes goes on Scout trips with DS15--that sort of thing.

I can kind of see it both ways--it'll be nice for the little guys to have a trip where we don't have to worry about the older kids. It's very typical on a WDW vacation, for DH to take the older two on the thrill rides while I hang back and do something like Dumbo with the younger two. Then again, we typically rent a house with a pool, and I can see my little guy being upset because we'll be "slumming it" at the Poly this trip. Maybe surprising them a few days out would be better, it's so hard to know...

 

[WantToGoNow]

Yes my dd7 did not have the reaction we hoped for - she cried for the first 3 days. First she thought we were lying then she was upset because she didn't get to tell her teachers and friends goodbye then she realized she was missing the Halloween party at school. Never again.

 

[tinktinktink]

I like pp idea of talking to them about a week prior. I would say something like wouldn't it be cool to have some time with just the 3 of us? If the 3 of us could take a trip anywhere where would you choose to go? I would then say maybe we can do something like that soon to have some special time.

 

[krd315]

I like pp idea of talking to them about a week prior. I would say something like wouldn't it be cool to have some time with just the 3 of us? If the 3 of us could take a trip anywhere where would you choose to go? I would then say maybe we can do something like that soon to have some special time.

This is what we did. We wanted to surprise dgdd's but wasn't sure how it would go over. so we played "what if" what if we pick you up after school and go to the airport? we got positive answers and did just that. However, this time Grandpa is not going with us and I knew they would not handle that as a surprise so we told them about this trip.

You know your kids best and what we all want the most is for them to be excited and happy about going to WDW- have a great trip!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

They were definitely excited about going when I talked with them at the bus stop yesterday. I like the idea of having another discussion--you know, hypothetically, how would you feel if... If it sounds like they might have a problem, go with telling them a day or two out. Of course, I'm assuming that nothing slips out in the next few months--obviously, DH and I are talking logistics, since he'll be covering the home front. And DD17 and DS15 are in on it, and will have to step up to do more around here while we're gone. They're totally cool with that, which is good--DD17 will get a car for the week, I'll do a bunch of meal prep, that sort of thing. But the more people that know, the more likely it is that someone will slip up.

 

[huffjoann]

our daughter didn't have the reaction we had hoped for when we suprised her last summer, she was then 6. We were adding 2 days @ DW to our trip across FL,, we were @ Kennedy space and I handed her a gift bag before we got in the car and had her open it. It had disney related things and I was like what do you need this for? she was overtired at the time and didn't get it,, finally I told her we are leaving for Disney RIGHT NOW,, still no reaction of sorts,,,, just not what I hoped, LOL
She finallly had it sink in when we drove up to the hotel

 

[tamarabannon]

We've surprised our kids twice. We've sworn never to do it again.

1st trip, the kids didn't believe us, we were at the aiport lol - not a bad reaction but not a reaction really.

The second time, we told the kids we were going on a shopping weekend. So we're all in the hotel room, I'm SOOOOOO excited, kids open their suitcases, inside are Disney Santa Hats, as we were going in December.

My son was like cool! My daughter (6) burst into tears and SOBBED, refused to go, etc. Ummmm? We showed her that we had all her costumes and her favourite stuffies and THEN she was happy. SIGH.

No more surprises lol!

 

[bjscheel]

We did ours at 10 days out. They were going to miss a little school, and like to pack their own things, etc. 10 days was perfect to anticipate and prepare a little and not be in shock.

I think people run into trouble sometimes when they wake kids up at dark-thirty, or when they tell kids they are going one place and then say no we're going to WDW, etc.

If you are already anticipating an issue, definitely give them a few days notice.

I really thought my kids would prefer to be in on the planning, but they recently told me that they loved the 10 days notice and would rather do that than know months in advance like usual!

 

[lnh'smom]

We have surprised our kids on 3 trips. Each time we have had to wake them up at "dark thirty" as a pp called it. Each time DD has cried because she was tired and confused. We thought about telling them about our upcoming trip but DH said, it's not a trip to Disney without DD crying about it at 2:30 in the morning so it's another surprise trip for us! And before you all think we are the meanest parents ever the crying usually lasts about 3 minutes before she really wakes up and grasps the situation. It's just a big family joke.

 

[Arielle22]

When my DDs were about 6 and 4 we surprised them. Woke them up about 4am. I woke the girls and my husband videotaped it. When I told DD4 were we going to Disney her response was "can we go a little later?" After sleeping in the car to the airport she was fine.

We surprised them a couple of other times but that one stands out.

 

[lrigylruc]

I hate surprises myself - I even tell DH what to get me for Christmas - so no surprises here. My 4yo already knows we are going to Disney around Christmas, and they have both been watching Disney christmas events on youtube so they aren't too overwhelmed by it all. We are going to have a special "reveal" about a week before we go with Cinderella sending her an invitation (a scroll in a glass slipper!) to breakfast at the Royal Palace. I think the anticipation make it all so much more fun! It's like Christmas, it wouldn't be nearly as special without the build up all season.

 

[PartyFromSaturn]

We've had it go badly as well. Some kids just don't like surprises!

 

[OurMinnieFamily]

I told my daughter a few days before expecting a big excitement. She was 6 at the time and I got "great" turns out she thought I was lying. Got a much bigger reaction once she got her own suitcase and Disney clothes

 

[phillymummer]

I am *trying* to surprise DD with the trip in Oct. My original plan was not to tell her anything until I woke her up at 4am. I was even going to pack her bags while she is at dance class. Then, she found out her dance class is going to be in a Halloween parade the weekend will be in Disney. She was so excited to be in a parade. We had to come up with a story to explain why she couldn't be there. Over the summer, my hubby spent a lot of time away for work, so we told her that he had to go away again and this time we were going with him as a vacation. She almost cried about missing the parade until we told her we are flying! So, I would suggest to be prepared to tell them something about the trip.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

We took the kids on a surprise Disney cruise in 2008 (the year Nickelodean debuted the Nick cruises that were advertised about every 20 seconds on Nick Jr.).

On the way to the airport, I (bursting with excitement) announced that we were going on a cruise!

My 6 year old seemed excited and yelled "A Nick Cruise?! I want to get slimed!"

And then my 4 year old got all excited about meeting Dora.

... and then I told them it was a Disney cruise and they both said, "Oh..."