Do we tell him?

[Skala]

Hello Disers!
Well after a long summer work season my DH announced he fancied going back to Disneyland Paris- well I was dumbstruck and booked up before he had a chance to change his mind! We're going to try the Sequoia Lodge this time (in March we were in the Cheyenne which was great) as it sounds more christmassey! We'll be there from the 14th of Dec till the 17th.
Now we haven't told our DS yet (he'll be 6 in January) we had thought we might suprise him- he'll expect we're going on a plane to see his grandparents in the U.K ( which we are doing but via Paris!) but then as if by pixie dust we arrive in Disney! I thought it would be priceless to see his face but now I'm sooo excited planning I'm wondering if by suprising him I'm robbing him of all the excitement you get with anticipating- if you know what I mean! What do you all think?

 

[Bolanette87]

I personally think a surprise would be AMAZING!!!! The look on his little face would be priceless!!

Bob xoxoxo

 

[A Small World]

How about telling him a few days before so its still a surprise but he can get excited as well. We did this to DD last Christmas - it mean we could talk about it on the journey there and get excited together. WE are doing the same for her birthday next month - shes no idea shes going but we'll tell her 2 days before

 

[DLPdaft]

I think the surprise would be brilliant - if you can keep quiet about it that long .
I always have to tell my DD almost as soon as I've booked, because I get soooooo excited - way more excited than her! It takes her until we're only about 2 weeks away from going to start even thinking about it - so I'd suggest trying to surprise your DS

 

[hildasmuriel]

You know your child best. My daughter was 6 the first time we went and I told her about 3 weeks beforehand. She had a great deal of fun planning and writing lists of what she wanted to do first etc.
Having said that, December is a pretty exciting time of year anyway and telling him about a DLRP trip may be just too much.

 

[giuly09]

I vote for the surprise, as Bob says the look on his face will be priceless

 

[spinneruk]

I would say make it a total surprise. We are doing the same for out 3, not telling them until we are actually driving down to get on the train to france.

As you say the look on his face would be priceless and worth the wait.

 

[Skala]

maybe a few hints nearer the time is the way to go...it will be hard keeping it secret- he's already nearly caught me reading the brochure and I'm constantly humming Disney tunes!

 

[spinneruk]

maybe a few hints nearer the time is the way to go...it will be hard keeping it secret- he's already nearly caught me reading the brochure and I'm constantly humming Disney tunes!

Join the club, I have nearly let the secret out a few times.

Kids coming in when i'm on here doesn't help matters but there ya go.

Will be worth seeing their faces when they do find out though.

 

[mandy99]

We are doing this as well! DS is nearly 4 but has been talking about disneyland since our trip in april. He keeps asking us to sit down and have a chat with him about his trip to disney! We are going 29th november until 2nd of december in SL.

We decided to not tell him at all...because we live in ireland but i am from wales we are going to tell him that we are going to the airport...he will assume its to visit nan and granpa in wales...nope!!

DH wants to tell him when we actually arrive in disneyland....but i think what we are going to do is wait until we are on the aeroplane...then i'll give him a book of pictures to colour in like mickey etc...then ask him to guess where we are going!

hes going to be gobsmacked (for about 5 seconds) before he goes berserk!

 

[joolz1910]

This is a difficult one! Anticipation is part of the excitement but a total surprise would be mind-blowing! I vote for a total surprise because he is still at an age where you could get away with it, without him guessing.

I booked a couple of months ago and I've got to keep it a surprise until Christmas Day. My eldest DD (8) has probably sussed it but my middle DD (4) has no idea. I couldn't keep it a surprise until we got there because they would want to know where we were going on a plane!

I think fellow Disser, Davewasbaloo did something very similar for Halloween with his two children. If you read his trip report, you'll perhaps get a few ideas.

 

[Cyrano]

We kept it a surprise from the troops for our Xmas visit until the morning of departure.
The look on their faces was wonderful

 

[Skala]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to go with my initial thought to keep it a suprise-(I always analyse too much) at least until the airport- as Juliette pointed out I wont be able to keep things like this from him in the future- it's hard enough now- it's scary how fast he's growing up!

 

[joolz1910]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to go with my initial thought to keep it a suprise-(I always analyse too much) at least until the airport- as Juliette pointed out I wont be able to keep things like this from him in the future- it's hard enough now- it's scary how fast he's growing up!

We'll all want to know his reaction! You'll have to do a trip report for us when you get back. Good luck!

 

[mummyal]

For our trip in Dec, we haven't told the kids that we're going. They'll find out when we reach the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.

When we went the first time, we didn't tell DD until we got to Eurostar. She was 4 then and was very excited when she knew where we were going. DS was only 1, so had no clue lol. When we went in April this year, we told the kids where we were going - they were still excited though. We also wanted to keep it a secret this year coz I don't want DD blabbing it to her school mates yet as I haven't applied for leave from school for her lol.

 

[Bolanette87]

Can't wait to hear about his reaction!!! What a fabby surprise!

Bob xoxoxox

 

[hildasmuriel]

Please think carefully before you say you are going to visit relatives. I have seen Youtube clips of children having the surprise sprung on them only for them to start howling "You promised we were going to see Aunty Jane (or whoever). I wanna go to Aunty Jane's"

Some children just get a fixed idea in their mind (I'll be having hotdogs for lunch, Aunty Jane always makes hotdogs, then we'll take the dog for a walk....) and even though you're telling them of a much better adventure, all they can take in is that they won't be getting their hotdogs and walk with Rex.

 

[joolz1910]

Hildasmuriel has a good point. Kids are so unpredictable. You could always say to your DS that you have to 'stop off' to do something before he goes to his grandparents - that way your trip to DLRP postpones seeing Grandparents rather than cancels it. That way you head off the potential for him to worry he won't see them. You could do a lot of sighing and 'it can't be helped' it's just something you have to do and that it won't take long etc etc.

 

[ema74]

Surprise him if you can keep quiet about it. We did that and the look on DD1's face was priceless. I wanted to do the same for Dec but she guessed and it was all over

BTW, we'll be at SL at the same time as you and maybe even bump into you

 

[Skala]

Well you've all given me plenty to think about!
I'll look out for you at SL Ema- you'll probably hear us before you see us-I'll be with the boy asking loudly where his Nana is!! (I'll have to pave the way for that one- this suprise is getting complicated! )