First Trip when to Tell kids

[pkjne]

I know that this is probably out there someplace but I couldn't find it anywhere sorry. . . . .

This is our first trip to Disney we are going in September

We have three children who at that time will be nine years ( boy ) , seven years ( boy ) , and then a five year old ( girl )
I am trying to figure out the best time to tell them and I would like to come up with something neat so that I can tell them. Any ideas would be wonderful !

Thank you so much

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

Oh how fun! I am also going in September with my 9 year old and 5 year old. (we don't have a 7 year old though!)
This is our second trip...and we aren't telling them!
I highly recommend telling them before the first trip though, that way you can get their input and having them countdown is part of the fun!
What about putting together a treasure hunt and having things like sunscreen, travel journals, mickey ears, etc being hints? And then having the "PRIZE" be a bunch of paper to make a countdown chain? or even better! A Disney calendar with the date circled on it in RED!?!?!?

 

[Perditamarie]

You all are going to have a great time. I don't know the best time to tell them, but maybe after school is over or when it is time to make ADRs so they can help or when you receive the planning DVD in the mail.

Maybe a fun way to tell them would be to create an invitation on the computer in Disney font and print it on parchment paper and mail one to all 3, having Mickey inviting your family in Sept. There are a lot of creative ideas on these boards...you will have so much fun planning!

Will you be going for MNSSHP? A fun thing to do while waiting will be figuring out lightweight costumes for the family.

 

[dahrjo]

We are going in a couple weeks and just told them last week. My kids are 10, 8 and 5. They get really excited and anxious if we tell them too soon! They have already dragged out all the luggage and started to pack. But, it is so fun! They have all kinds of questions-it is their first trip to Disney. We didn't do anything creative to tell them. They just started asking about going to Disney, and we said OK!! It's fun listening to them tell their friends and our relatives.
They are ecstatic!!

 

[ohiominnie]

When my kids were younger and had no concept of time, we'd wait until closer to the trip to tell them. Then once it got to be 1 month out we'd make a paper chain for each of them and every day they could rip off one link. It was also helpful to me to visually see how much longer I had to clean the house, do laundry, pack, etc etc etc!

We did do a couple of surprise trips (they didn't know until a couple hours before our plane left) but that was after our initial trips.

 

[Darcy03231]

I agree with the previous poster. With the ages of your children I would wait until about a month before you leave to tell them. When mine were little we got a Disney calendar and crossed off the days before we left.

 

[pkjne]

Thank you all so much for your information. Gosh I think it is harder for me not to tell them..............................

I am having a rough time of it.

My almost five year daughter she is so funny she will get her dolls and things during the day and they will get all dressed up and packed because they are going to Disney I think that is funny.

My almost seven year old he is to funny because he will keep asking things like wouldn't you like to go to Disney. I am like sure I would........what about you.
Then the other day he found some change on the floor and he said can I put this in your bank which by the way is a family type bank any loose change goes in there for vacation someplace well he said if we could get enough saved like $450 dollars we could go to Disney world right ?

He is to funny

Thank you all once again for the information and all

 

[LynnTH]

Maybe you could tell them at Easter if you do the Easter Basket Thing. Put in some Disney stuff and Disney Dollars. I highly recommend getting the Disneyworld for Kids book (Birnbaum book I believe). My kids would page through it over and over and decide what shows and rides they wanted to do (they were 7 and 4 last time). I would also get the planning DVD from Disney. They also loved to watch that.

We too did the countdown chain as it gives them an idea of how long it will be.

 

[Atchley]

We are going in July and have already told our kids. I can't keep a secret!! I wondered where my DS was on Saturday because I hadn't seen him for a bit. I went to his room and found that he was finishing "packing" his things for vacation. No clothes mind you, just his stuffed mickey, POTC hat, Sorcerer Mickey Hat, Mickey ears, Pirate Hook, Looking Glass, Crush the Turtle, and I'm sure a few more Disney souvineers that he has collected in the past.

 

[pkjne]

That is a good idea with the Easter basket I had never thought of that. I think that I am thinking way to much into this and probably the cool idea is right in front of my face.

Thanks again for all your ideas keep them coming.................SMILE


That is to funny about your son........that would be my kids

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

We just went in January, and surprised our girls. DD turned 5 over the trip, and our little one was 17 months old, so she didn't know what was going on! We were going to tell them the day we left, but we were picked up at 7am, so that would have been a bit chaotic.

Instead, the day before, we told DD that she had an early birthday card to open. It had a picture of Tinker Bell on the outside. Inside was some pixie dust and a note that read: "Sprinkle some pixie dust, close your eyes, and make a wish...." DD was very quiet, but I heard her say, "I wish to go to Disney World!" (thank goodness - I was banking on that! ) I then handed her another card with a picture of all of the princesses on it. Inside was an invitation that I had made from the princesses inviting her to come to meet them for her birthday at Disney World. She didn't quite get it at first. Then she said, "Are we going to Disney World? For REAL?!" It was very sweet.
After that, we watched the trip planning video with her to talk about what sorts of things she would be seeing. She was so exited!! She is all about princesses and fairies, and had been talking about Disney for months. So this was truly a magical trip for her.

 

[ohiominnie]

DD was very quiet, but I heard her say, "I wish to go to Disney World!" (thank goodness - I was banking on that!

For you, it worked, I'm glad.

Our first surprise trip for the kids (4 months after their first Disney trip) we had them do a scavenger hunt to get clues. Then they had to fill in the missing letters from the clues to figure out where we were going. The only hint we gave them (when they begged) was "we are going to a land and it is fun!!!"

Well, they figured out the puzzle which read "WALT DISNEY WORLD" and ds (who was 3 1/2 at the time) freaked out. He wanted to go to FUNLAND.....one of those indoor play places with tubes and climbing nets and slides!!! He was not so happy about having to go to WDW!!!

Had I known, we could have saved a LOT of money!