Departure day surprise or time for anticipation?

[Minnesota!]

We have surprised our kids 3 times now...and we do it AS WE ARE LEAVING for the airport. They absolutely love it. And begged us to keep ALL trips a surprise from here on out.

Our next one is a surprise, too. Leaving 2 days after my son's birthday. We are saying that we are taking that day off to celebrate at Mall of America. And then that morning, (since we are going to be gone for Easter), they will wake up to find the bunny has come with plastic eggs...some filled with money, some with candy, and some with clues. It will be a scavenger hunt that takes us to Mall of America to ride some rides and then they will find an egg there that guides us to the park and fly across the street

 

[Minnesota!]

We're 30 days out and haven't told the kids yet (5 and 3). Too far in advance and my daughter would have been asking every 5 minutes when we were going. I think that the plan is about a week out to tell them that we are going on a trip, but make our destination vague. Then, we'll tell them the morning of where we are going. We have to leave for the airport at 5:30am, so the idea of a trip can't be a complete surprise!

We typically leave our house around 3 - 330am and stop at their favorite 24 hour diner on the way to the airport. That is one of the things my kids love most about the surprises - being woken up super early and being whisked away to fantasyland The other morning when we left for school/work a bit early it was still dark when we walked out to the car and my younger son pipes up "are we going to Disney?? Because this is what the sky looks like when we go". It is one of the best parts, IMO, being able to wake them up and whisk them off. We just love it!!

Our next trip our flight isn't until early evening (getting in at midnight...), so we are doing the treasure hunt and such prior...even spending some time at Mall of America - it will really throw them off! However, we have started playing Disney music (DH only plays it when a trip is in the works), and we will still stop at the diner on the treasure hunt...so not sure how much they will catch on before we actually fly out!

I love love love planning these things!

 

[3princes+1princess]

That is the question isn't it.

I have 4 kids (two homeschooled) so there is no way I could pack/prepare for a 'lets get into the car' surprise anyway.

I did do the wake up we are going to DL one time when my boys were young. I was a nervous wreck and so anxious/excited before I couldn't even sleep. One of my sons didn't believe me and another wanted to go back to sleep. NOT at all the surprise response I was hoping for.

We are surprising one month out at this one. I am not sure how it will go over. So excited to do a surprise, but the kids love planning and it will all be planned out. But I know they also love the anticipation and that month will be fun with last minute plans and telling them all the details!

Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[bjscheel]

I vote for one week ahead- at least. Especially for a first timer who doesn't know exactly what to expect- the week to talk about it would be good. And especially if they are going to miss school, or miss something else unexpectedly, or have to get up in the middle of the night to go...

We didn't surprise the kids until the 4th trip and we did it at 10 days out. They said that was perfect. They were going to miss 2.5 days of school and needed time to mentally prepare and pack their own things.

 

[scoutie]

I knew that my kids like surprises, but they also like time to digest the information. I told my kids a few days before we left (we did a scavenger hunt, where the last clue and surprise were the magic bands). I think they liked having a few days to tell their friends, think about what they wanted to do, and just have the excitement of anticipation!

 

[Burnedout]

First trip I'd allow time to anticipate and plan. Half of the fun at least. Countdowns are awesome

 

[QueenQueso]

We did a morning of surprise last time, but this time I'm thinking more along the lines of a couple days ahead, probably a week.

We started a countdown chain something like 3 weeks in advance (maybe not quite that long?) and each link had a number and a movie title on the inside. DS1 (who was 7 1/2) knew that we were counting down to a big surprise, but had no idea what it was. After he'd tear off a link, we would read the movie title inside (all Disney, obviously) and watch it as a family. DH thought for sure all the Disney movies would give it away, but I knew it wouldn't. DS had never been before and didn't even know the surprise was a trip. We left on a Monday and I woke DS up for 'school'. In the living room was a huge (like 4 foot tall) wrapped box. He ate his breakfast and got dressed while staring at it, then we woke DS2 up (he was not quite 2) and their Meme and Papaw knocked on the door. They told him they were there to see him open his surprise. In reality, Meme was going with us and Papaw was driving us to the airport.

When he unwrapped it, a dozen balloons popped out and lifted up a sign that said 'Surprise! You're going to Disney World!' And it had t-shirts and carry-on bags inside of it. Sounds complicated, but it cost like $8 at the dollar tree (brought home the box from work) and took like 15 minutes to set up. My DS is Mr. Serious, so I was trying to go overboard to get a decent reaction. But he just kinda grinned. Whatever.

He is super go-with-the-flow, so I knew he wouldn't be upset by a surprise. The little one isn't, though, so now that he is a bit older, he will need at BARE MINIMUM a one-day warning.

I'm like the little one, I don't like big surprises like that. I need to mentally prepare myself for things and go at my own pace. DH is spur of the moment, so he'd up for anything, anytime.

 

[Dawnlight]

I initially planned to have the kids completely surprised by having them think they're waking up for a regular Monday of school, but having all their bags packed and head to the airport instead.

I've since decided that we'll be telling them at Thanksgiving that we're going for winter break. It's their first time, and most likely last time, as this vacation is a gift from a family member who will also be joining us, and we would never be able to afford it on our own.

I want them to have the anticipation build up, the countdown, help with planning- especially since we are a large group going at peak time- and to help with other details of our visit.

I plan on having a scavenger hunt to lead them to clues that will eventually land them on our living room couch with envelopes including Disney gift cards for each one to open.

I can't wait to see their excitement; it makes me weepy every time I think of it!

 

[luvmy2babies]

I do surprises a lot for various things.

I have only done a same day surprise once. We went to Orlando for a long weekend. We went to visit Sea World, but did end up doing a day at MK. My daughter had a Thursday and Friday off from school because the teachers were going to a conference. I booked a late afternoon flight to Orlando for Wednesday. We’re only 2 hours away by plane and just 30 minutes from our airport. I picked her and her brother (preschool) up a little early and when she got in the mini-van and closed the sliding door, there was a sign on her window with a picture of Shamu that said “You are going to Sea World”. She was 8 and thrilled.

For Disney we have been 4 times. First trip she was 7 and my son was an infant. I revealed the day before. 2nd trip she was 9 (he was 2). She was in on the planning from the beginning 9 months out. 3rd trip we drove instead of flying so I told them (ages 10 and 3) 3 days ahead so I could finish the preparations easier. Last trip we flew again (ages 11 and 4) and I told them the day before. After the 2nd trip, my daughter told me she preferred to be surprised because it meant less waiting. And since my other child is so young, it works out better.

I wouldn’t do a same day surprise unless we had an afternoon departure again. Mornings are too rough for me to do that to her. You have to consider your child’s personality. My son wakes up with a smile most days, but some kids like my daughter are not morning people and getting them oriented to what is going on might leave everything rushed.

Some don’t like to miss school so would need time to deal with it, some are thrilled to miss school and you can yank them any time. Some children need longer for things to sink in. The time we drove instead of flying I told them 3 days ahead to help with prep, but also because I felt my daughter needed time to wrap her head around the drive. I’m the only adult so I had to split the drive into 2 days. Some children have issues with planes so need to be told in advance if they’re flying. I have seen a whole lot of those youtube video surprises ruined because the child was scared of going on the plane.

If you have one that doesn’t like to miss school I’d tell them ahead of time so it can sink in and they can be reassured. My daughter is middle of the road as far as missing school; because while she loves Disney and would love to go when it isn't hot, she knows about makeup work from the times she has missed due to illness. Since we always go for at least a week, she’s already let me know she’s not a fan of that idea if it means taking work on vacation because she knows how tired she is during Disney trips. She doesn’t even really like to journal while we are there.

 

[standhall819]

We actually asked DS7 when we were out to dinner a week or so ago if he likes to be surprised with fun things or if he likes to know about them ahead of time so he can look forward to them. He told us right away that he likes to be surprised! So that makes that easy. Taking DS7 and DS5 to WDW for the first time in a month!! Can't wait! We plan to tell them one week ahead since we need to check with their teachers for any homework or work to be made up.

 

[Conquer1]

We've been at WDW since Saturday, and we surprised them when we got to Bonnet Creek. Our surprise was awesome and received EXTREMELY well!

We're having the time of our lives and our kids (DS-17, DS-14, DD-6) all said that they loved the surprise idea.

BTW, Bonnet Creek is awesome!

 

[Megali]

I would love to surprise my kids, but I'm itching to yell our trip plans from the rooftops!

My compromise? Waiting until Hanukkah to give them the news, so they have about a month's countdown.

 

[awalker1015]

We surprised ours (6 & 8 at the time) last year by leading them to believe we were headed to Raleigh. Then we broke the news at the Raleigh airport we were actually headed to WDW.

This time my kids really want to participate in the planning, but DH and I still want to surprise them. We originally booked a May 2015 trip. Just this morning we switched the dates to March for the current discount. Both kids have birthdays that month so we are going to let them think we are still going in May and help with ADRs etc but will surprise them the day before or departure day with the trip two months sooner than planned.

 

[alisigns]

I am headed there in 41 days and my 8 year old niece has known from the beginning. Although the planning and countdown since January 20th has been long at times, it has been so much fun to get her take on all of it, order customized maps together, ADRs, FP+ and all. It gets me excited too. Just my thoughts!


Aleisha

 

[mcd531]

Thanks everyone! We decided to surprise her in advance. We are surprising her tomorrow with a scavenger hunt! ! It will be 18 days before our trip! I'm so excited for her to find out and then she and I can be excited together!!!

 

[kkmcan]

I have found that my kids don't have those big huge screaming reactions when I surprise them. They smile a lot but are very quiet. We've learned its more fun for us to "surprise" them a few weeks/months before so they can be in on the planning and discussion of what we want to do while on our trip.

We've also done the surprise while on the trip. For instance they knew we were going to DL but we pulled up to the Grand for checkin. They thought we were staying across the street at one of the motels.

Or they knew we were going to Hawaii but we surprised them with a short stay at Aulani