Do you surprise your kids?

[RanStak65]

We surprised our kids two years ago on Christmas. Their last gift they opened was a certificate telling them that they were leaving that night for Disneyland. At first they were kind of shocked and silent, then as the reality set in, they were very excited. Still, it wasn't quite the reaction we expected. This time (we leave in 30 days!) they have had a hand in the planning process and all related details, and I think I prefer it that way. Its been fun having their input.

 

[lateshartl]

My husband and I surprised our daughter with a trip to Disney last April. We left on a late Friday night flight.

So, I picked her up from school as if it were an ordinary Friday. Although our bags had been packed for days, they were hidden and she had no idea. When we walked into our house my husband was waiting with the luggage close to the door. she was sooo surprised and happy. At first she could not believe we hid this from her. It was perfect.

This year we decided to tell her because she has been talking about going back ever since we returned from California. However, I wish we had kept it a secret because its disney disney disney - non stop every day.

Luckily we only have three weeks left until our next trip the Disneyland. We can't wait!

 

[DisneyMom&Fan]

There is no way I could ever pull off a surprise. I am constantly asking DH when can we go to DL? When? Now? Please? Pretty Please? So once I break him down, I go totally spastic and all family and friends know within an hour that DH finally said YES!!

But, I am keeping Legoland a surprise until the actual day we go for DS's birthday on April 23. At least it's still a surprise right now, but there is still a whole month that I have to try and keep my mouth shut!

 

[dedwards]

Never did a surpise Disney trip. Well actually they are surpise for them just they get the surpise about a month before we go. This me and wife were thinking of not telling htem until we got there. but them being 13 and 11 I thought they would enjoy planning alot and my son (11) has all the maps printed out studies them so he knows it liek the back of his hand.



We did surpise them with a bithday trip for my son to Magic moutain once. we held them, out of school and said we were going to vist my aunt when we pulled of the freeway to get gas at six flags they were staring at the park and son says man I wish we were going there for my birhtday. I said well maybe next year got in the car and drove on into the park and it took a few minutes fro them to relize I had tricked them. This was alot of fun.

 

[Headdie]

We just surprised our girls, 5 & 8, last weekend. For us, telling them in advance would have been absolute torture because they would NEVER stop talking about it or asking when we were leaving. Additionally, the surprised look on their faces, which we video taped, was all worth it.

We drove from AZ to CA on Saturday telling the girls we had to drop daddy off for work, something we've done a couple times before because he will frequently go out of town to work. When we were in the Anaheim area, DH talked to DDs about the movie they were watching so they never saw the park or anything. We actually managed to get them into the hotel without them knowing where we were other than CA. After dinner we walked out of the hotel, we stayed at the Del Sol Inn across from the enterance, and oldest DD started looking around and reading things and realized we were there and started screaming and so did our little one. Their faces lit up, it was great!

We also surprised them with breakfast at the Plaza Inn with Minnie & Friends the first thing the next morning. (HIGHLY recommend this breakfast BTW, we met 9 characters and since we got there first thing we saw some of the characters 2 & 3 times!!!) The next day we surprised them with lunch at Ariel's Grotto. (Again, great experience, 4 princesses and the fairy godmother.)

The whole trip was awesome. This was our second trip there and second surprise trip. Maybe next time we'll let them plan but watching their excitement was priceless.

 

[mrsheppo]

When I was a single mother about 13 years ago, I surprised my 4 kids with their first trip to DL. I had scraped and saved for almost 2 years to afford it. I call my brother and asked if he would drive us there and I would pay for his expenses too (he had never been to DL).

It was spring break and I told the kids that their uncle was taking us to Cailifornia to visit their other uncle for Spring break. They were excited about that. I had bought them all new clothes and had their suitcases in the car. About halfway to what they thought was there original destination, we stopped to eat at McD's. After finishing our meal I gave them each an envelope and told them our plans had changed and we were no longer going to visit their uncle. I told them to open their envelopes and guess where we were headed instead. In each envelope I had put $25 in Disney Dollars for them to have as spending money. It took a minute for it to sink in and then the screaming started!!

It was probably the most cost cutting trip I have gone on to DL. We ate mostly at fast food places and in the room, but the kids all still have the best memories of that trip. They have been to DL several times since and also WDW. My oldest DD said that trip started her on her now Disney obsession. She and her DH are annual passholders and even got married at the Paradise Pier hotel.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

What a great story

 

[mommykatt]

If we tell our 5 year old in advance, she won't leave us alone until we go! "Are we going today? Tomorrow? When Ma?" We usually load the car the night before after they are in bed. We wake them up, put everyone in the car, and off we go. If 5yo is awake enough she usually catches on by stateline (we drive from Vegas). Once she slept until the Cajon Pass and thought we were going camping in Utah!

 

[Michelle2]

No, I can't keep it to myself enough in order to surprise them. I think that I am the one that gets majorly excited anyways. They just do not appreciate Disneyland like I do....the weirdos.

 

[tigger0215]

I am going to take my Bet friend to DL for her Birthday in September.. It will only be me her and my mom, my friend and i are 16.. and my mom and i found a great package deal with Costco.. It includes: PH Pass, Stay at a Disney Hotel, Character Breakfast, $20.00 Gift Card for DLR, and Early admission which we wont use b/c my mom and I have Annual Passes... so I need help on how i can suprise her, I have an idea of how... it is: Ill give her the Gift Card and shell be like: Whats this for? and ill be like: Pack your Bags Naomi! Im taking you to disneyland!!

She has never been to any type of amusement park or theme park at all... so the look on her face will be PRICELESS!!!

 

[my3kids]

We did and they didn't know until we got to the registration desk. It was actually a bust. They were too confused to actually be excited. (we had 'stopped there' so my dd could go to the bathroom b/c we knew they would have clean bathrooms) On other Disney rips we told once a long time in advance and once a day or 2 before. I though the surprise was actually the worst choice of the 3.

 

[chrissybear]

Last year we surprised our 3 kids 9,7,4 with a trip to FL. They knew that we were driving to Hilton Head SC. We stayed there for a few days then I told them that it was time to go home. We were passing the exit for Daytona before the oldest started yelling Daytona, Daytona, that's in FL!!! Then I told them the 1st part of the surprise. We were staying a few days at Universal. They were so excited, it was great. After Universal we were on our way home, or so they thought. The oldest kept seeing sighns for Cape Canaveral and asked if we were going there, I told her that we needed I95, to get home and that was in the same direction, she bought it. Then we passed over the bridge and could see the Disney Wonder. I said guys look there is the Disney ship! I got a couple of oh wow's then one said I wish we were going on it. I said your wish has been granted! We are going on the DCL! They were yelling and doing the happy dance in their seats. DS4 had no idea what was going on, but yelled just because everyone else was. The oldest did ask why do you keep doing this to us? I said do you like it, she said yes. Me too, I love surprises. ( Do you think anyone in my family would surprise me with anything. Nope, they aren't too good at keeping secrets.) Any way there was 1 more surprise, that I let out of the bag while talking to our tablemates one night at dinner. We were going to WDW for 2 nights. There mouths dropped. I wanted to pull into the resort then tell them we were staying. But they were just as excited to find out the night before. It was memorable for everyone. This year they know where we are going for vacation. I will mix it up, from time to time, because I love a surprise.

 

[CindyH]

It's fun to plan with them, and talk about it in the months beforehand. This time, our next trip isn't until June 2007, so I didn't want to tell the kids yet. However, older DS6 has gotten REALLY good at spelling, so we just went ahead and told them, but cautioned them that it was more than a year away. (Aargh, I can't wait myself!)

 

[Judy from Boise]

Personally I am a control freak and Hate surprises. I would never chose to do that to a loved one! So, throw me firmly in the "half the fun is planning" camp

 

[thelionqueen]

We've never surprised the kids and I don't think we ever will. I think half the fun is in the planning & anticipation!

 

[Twinprincesses]

We were going to but my mom told them already.

 

[mshrm]

What a great thread. Some of your stories brought tears to my eyes.

Ive thought of surprising my dh and kids with a trip to WDW for Christmas but then I change my mind and plan for summer like usual. This year its California and we all love planning and picking what we will do.