Creative Ways to Tell Kids

[zdesiree]

We are going to WDW on Nov 29 - Dec 08 and I was wondering how and when to tell my kids about the news that we are going to WDW. This is their first time and everytime they see the vacation video they go crazy about it. My kids are DS6, DS4, DD3. I need ideas and suggestions!! Someone told me once the idea of waking them up the same day of the trip telling them, "wake up we are going to WDW", and I like it, but I want to know what you guys have done.

Thanks!

 

[jenndisney]

I wish I could help....I can't keep a secret that long. We were going to try and surprise my daughter this year, but it just was too hard. After a week, we broke! Guess we just are too weak.

Hope you get some great ideas though!

 

[1stimedismom]

I made the kids some Disney Tickets and also printed out the Disney Journal. I am putting all this as well as some fun road games in a 3-ring binder and giving it to them for Easter.

 

[zdesiree]

I made the kids some Disney Tickets and also printed out the Disney Journal. I am putting all this as well as some fun road games in a 3-ring binder and giving it to them for Easter.

That's so cool! from where you printed out the journal?

 

[1stimedismom]

This is posted under activites for kids to do (i think).

http://www.disneydollarless.com/journal/journal.shtml

 

[thefigueroas]

I can tell you what we did with our son for our Halloween Trip. We did not tell him until the morning we were to fly out. We had to be up at 4:00am for a 6:00am flight so I woke him up telling him "Get up Honey! We need to get ready to get on an airplane!" When he asked were we were going I pulled out the first "clue". All around our hotel room (we had stayed onsite at our airport because of the early flight) I had hidden clues for a scavenger hunt, i.e. "you use me to watch House of Mouse" (the tv). That clue led to another clue and so on and so forth until he opened the closet and in it was his travel backback filled with new goodies for the flight with the following note attached "Congratulations! You finished with flying colors and your prize is an extra long weekend at Disney World for Halloween! We love you!" You should have seen his face! It took a good 5 minutes for it to sink in and then he started crying and hugging both of us and this is a child who was too big to cry (he was 6 and thought he was a "big kid"!) This was one of the highlights of any of our trips and we had a marvelous time!

 

[Caropooh]

We told our DD's for Christmas. We had them unwrap things like suntan lotion aloe, sunglasses first. Then they each opened new suitcases. They got the hint with that but still didn't know where!!! They then opened the Birnbaum guide for kids for WDW!!! They were ecstatic to say the least! Then they discovered there was even MORE when we had them open up envelopes with the cruise itinerary!!!!
My DH and I had kept it a surprise for 2 months!!!!!!!

 

[doodlebug]

We leave next Thursday night and I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore so I hid a note in a plastic Easter egg yesterday and then when my ds started opening his eggs he found the note and started jumping up and down with excitement.. My 4 yr old dd was excited too!!

 

[zdesiree]

Don't you guys think that the WDW magic starts in their faces when you give them the news?

 

[cravinthacastle]

All I know is there was no way I was going to be able to keep the news a secret. I found myself talking about it non-stop months before. But when we told our 7 yr. old DD about it, the expression of enthusiasm and sheer joy on her face was priceless. And then she could be a part of the planning process which we have since discovered is part of the fun.

 

[scouthawkk]

I like the idea of the journal! That will fit perfect with how I am going to tell my sisters-in-law they are going. They know dh and I are going to take them, but don't know when. At Christmas, I plan to give a bunch of DW realted gifts. Then tell them that they each "homework" to take home with them . Their assignment will be to let me know what they want to do during the trip, how they want to get there, where they want to stay, where they want to eat, and so on. I already know when we are going, and how I would like to get there (train) but would love their input. They will be 11 and 13 at the time (our ds will be 4, they are going as built in babysitting). I think they will have fun helping to plan, not to mention getting to brag to their friends when they come back to school after winter break that they get to go to DW over the summer!

 

[sarahsmom73]

DD 3 1/2 and I are doing a Mommy Daughter trip and leave next Tuesday! I have vowed to keep it a secret! I haven't decided if I am going to tell her in the car on the way to the airport or when we get on the plane! (DH is going to the NYSUT convention in NYC and can't join us) I bought the Birnbaum kids WDW, and some princess stuff to put in her backpack to do on the plane! She is going to FLIP!

 

[SnowWhite]

A couple years ago I cut out pictures with kids from disney magazines and pamphlets and glued my daughters face on the kids faces and put several in a photo album and wrapped it up for her for Christmas. She was confused at first until she saw "herself" hugging Cinderella in front of the castle and went nuts!!!! Unfortunately we had to cancel that trip but this year we couldn't keep it from her so we told her by showing her the Disney vacation video and telling her that was going to be us in a few months!! Now she is counting the days!

 

[ladydancer]

I took my dgd6 to wdw a few years ago and did not tell her. She came to spend the night the night before as we had to get up very early to leave for the airport.

She asked as she often did "what are we doing tomorrow"? I told her I was taking her to a park tomorrow. I just didn't tell her it was the park @ wdw. When I got up around 4:00 am and started getting dressed she woke up and asked me why I was up. So I said to her "remember the park I told you we were going to today? I'm taking you to WDW Park! To say she was excited is an understatement. Now that she is 12 she say's that was her favorite way to find out she was going. I have taken her 2 other times.

 

[zdesiree]

bump!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a friend who is surprising her two dd's in late August with a trip to WDW. I asked her if she would like me to send them a postcard from WDW next month saying "We sure do wish you would come visit us again!" and sign it from Mickey and gang. She was thrilled but asked me to say this.."We're sure looking forward to seeing you all in August!!" and then she will tell them that they are going.