Fun question - how to tell teens (1st trip to DL)

[bk7700]

Headed to DL/DCA Dec 22-26th, staying at GC. Our family's first trip. Kids are 13 and 17. This was originally a Hanukkah present in 2019 for 2020, but our 2020 trip got canceled because of "you know what".

Right now the kids think we are going to Palm Springs for winter break. This is actually true. What they don't know is that we are only spending 3 days in Palm Springs.

Option 1 - Hanukkah present again for this year (it is before our trip, so they would get the excitement for a few weeks ahead of time)
Option 2 - Pretend that we are changing locations halfway through the Palm Springs trip to somewhere random....and then watch them figure it out when we get to Anaheim (the ultimate surprise, right?)

Thanks!!

 

[GBRforWDW]

I like option 2. We did that with our daughter this summer. She's a bit younger than yours though. We drove by the Disneyland sign and her eyes lit up, we're going to Disneyland?!?!

We'll probably also do that with the Christmas WDW trip too! She also gets too focused on the trip if she knows ahead of time, so it's better if she doesn't find out until a day or 2 ahead of time that we're going somewhere

 

[poptart90]

So I could make a case for both options:

Option 1 could afford you and your kiddos time to discuss what attractions and other things are important for your group to do, and to start creating a game plan for the days you'll be there, which will be crazy busy. We went right after the 25th one year (thru New Years) and it was bonkers. So having the time to plan might be helpful. Plus (if they have any smart technology, phone, tablet, etc.) they could download the Disneyland App and get familiar with the parks.

Option 2 is also a win because of the surprise factor. I took DS on a Mommy/Son trip one year to Universal Studios. I packed his suitcase and the whole fam drove to the airport to "have dinner and watch the planes" (pre-Covid, obviously) but DH didn't park, instead he drove us to departures and unloaded DS's suitcase. It took him several minutes before he realized what was really going on...it was a moment we'll never forget. So I totally understand creating that kind of magical moment for your kiddos too!

Hope you have a wonderful trip! And let us know what you decided to do!

 

[KateDrake]

I love both options, but would say I'd lean slightly more towards option 1! I have seen number 2 ... not backfire, per say, but not go according to plan. We actually tried it with my kids a few years ago (were getting off a cruise, and were all sad to be going home the last morning. I told them that we were going to Disneyland instead, and THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME!!!) And YouTube is full of funny videos of parents who tried to do the surprise and had the kids be disappointed that they didn't get to do the thing they originally thought they were doing. I remember one of these kids who were driving to WDW, and the mom reveals that instead of going to visit their friend, they are actually going to Disney! Yay! But the kids were like "oh man, I was really excited to go to Bob's house" lol

If you are looking for a fun way to reveal for Hanukkah, you could do something like buy something they can use at Disneyland and wrap that up, and have a note inside that says they'll need it for their Disney trip. T-shirts, a Disney gift card, or even fun Disney face masks work great! Or if there is an experience they want to do like building a light saber, a "gift certificate" for that is really fun too. I think I am going with the face mask idea to reveal our trip in January.

Best of luck with whatever you choose! They are going to love it!

 

[DisneylandFan22]

I surprised my son when he was around 8 or 9. He didn't know where we were going but kind of figured it out because I played Disney songs all the way there. My daughter knew in advance (she was older) but we wouldn't confirm it until we got there.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I vote option 1. It gives the family time to plan and figure out what they want to do. If the teens have Disney shirts they want to wear, it lets them pack them for the trip. Also, if you do multiple presents, you could small trip related presents, like a gift card or Disney themed face masks (DressThePark on Etsy.com does fantastic Disney themed face masks).

 

[ishbit92]

I'd do option 1 so you guys can plan. Unfortunately Disney doesn't seem as spontaneous as it used to with how busy it is and staffing issues, etc so I think if you guys can all plan a bit as a family you'll probably be better off. You guys will still have so much fun though! I went to Disney once as a younger kid but my family really started going more when I was a teenager and that's when I fell in love with it. My brother and I were the same age as your kids when we went again for the first time in 2009, and had so much fun. Our parents let us loose in the parks lol and it was fun to have that independence at that age at a really fun place.

 

[goooof1]

Option 2 all the way ! At their ages it would be such a FUN surprise !

 

[Dug720]

As one who loves the excitement of planning and dreaming, I vote Option 1.

I HATE surprises and Option 2 would not have gone over well with me as a teen (or now).

 

[vacay77]

I think it depends on your kids' personalities. I'd pick option 1 but that's because my son does not like surprises and likes to be prepared. He can get anxious if he isn't prepared. So I'd definitely take that into account. I know someone who videotaped the announcement of their surprise trip and their child guessed incorrectly and seemed disappointed when the real trip was revealed.

 

[GBRforWDW]

Was gonna post a link to a different site that put out an article last week dealing with surprising kids with a Disney Trip, but link to that site doesn't work here.

ETA - here's their Hanukkah suggestions:
Spread the Clues Over Eight Nights for Hanukkah

Hanukkah sometimes falls a little earlier in December than Christmas, giving you time to lay out the clues (and time to mentally prepare the kids for a winter break Disney trip). If you give gifts each night, the gift items may be clues that lead up to your trip. Some nights the kids can unwrap travel size toiletries or luggage. Other nights might uncover Disney shirts, ear headbands, plushes or Disney accessories. You can buy Disney dreidel or Hanukkah menorah to drop the clues as well.

Instead of gifts, you can instead create clues that lead to one big gift — the surprise Disney trip — on the eighth night. It will be a miracle if they haven't figured out that they are going to Disney by the last night!

 

[Gamedog]

Option 2 would be my choice.

 

[laugard]

Because your kids are older, Option 1 would be my choice. But I also mostly know teens who'd want some say to plan what they'd wear for their Instagram stories , tell their friends in advance, think about what fun items they might buy, etc. And as a 17-year old, I'd definitely plan differently for Palm Springs only vs PS and Disney. But I was also a planner at 17 and would've wanted to look up maps and experiences and tips for navigating the parks. So I'd say it depends on how your kids are about planning vs surprises.

 

[lalasmama]

I HATE surprises and Option 2 would not have gone over well with me as a teen (or now).

Our teen is like this! She needs time to acclimate to an idea, even when it's something awesome. She had a school trip cancelled, so we decided to do a family vacation that week instead-- to WDW. And she was just "meh" at the time. She got really excited a few days later, but needed that time to get used to the idea.

I totally get it. I love surprises, but if it requires changing plans already made, I need a while to get used to the new plan as well.

We tried surprising our youngest daughter with a DLR trip for her 8th b-day. She bawled, and they weren't happy tears. Since she knew I was a planner, she thought there was no way we could be leaving the next day, and thought it was all a mean joke Grandpa assured he would be back in the morning to take us to the airport, and once she saw the tickets, she got excited and understood we were going. But that was the day I learned happy surprises aren't always met with happiness.

 

[Kit Jackson]

Spread the Clues Over Eight Nights for Hanukkah

Hanukkah sometimes falls a little earlier in December than Christmas, giving you time to lay out the clues (and time to mentally prepare the kids for a winter break Disney trip). If you give gifts each night, the gift items may be clues that lead up to your trip. Some nights the kids can unwrap travel size toiletries or luggage. Other nights might uncover Disney shirts, ear headbands, plushes or Disney accessories. You can buy Disney dreidel or Hanukkah menorah to drop the clues as well.

Instead of gifts, you can instead create clues that lead to one big gift — the surprise Disney trip — on the eighth night. It will be a miracle if they haven't figured out that they are going to Disney by the last night!

I love this idea. This could work well because Hanukkah is the week after Thanksgiving. Small little travel things are a great inexpensive way to give hints over the eight nights. Also, depending on what you can get they can be used after the trip as well. I'm thinking about something like a luggage tag. This next idea is on the more expensive side, but if your teens do not already have a rechargable battery pack, it's worth having for the parks and also day to day life. I keep one in my pocketbook in case of emergencies.

 

[Pluto468]

I'd go with plan 1 so the kids have a little time to plan. I don't think it will be any less exciting to find out ahead of time that they're going. I like the idea of buying little travel type gifts, maybe on the last night you could print out pictures of the park passes or give them Disneyland t shirts or something like that. Whichever option you choose, they will love it! What a great gift

One more idea- What if you told them about it the first day you arrive in Palm Springs? They would have a few days to get used to the idea but it would still be a surprise.

 

[bk7700]

Thank you everyone!! Somehow I missed my notification that there were responses so I'm glad I checked back to see such helpful ideas. Not having been to DL before, I didn't consider getting the kids involved in planning. I don't see my 13 helping out with that, but my 17 might have fun. I don't want to get their hopes up on certain attractions because of the busy season though.

Both of the kids would be great with a surprise so I'm not worried about that. I only have slight anxiety about keeping the secret for so long.

Still mulling it over! I am slightly leaning towards 1 and my husband is slightly leaning towards 2. I might have a sneaky way to get my 17 yo opinion without spoiling the surprise.....

 

[lalasmama]

Still mulling it over! I am slightly leaning towards 1 and my husband is slightly leaning towards 2. I might have a sneaky way to get my 17 yo opinion without spoiling the surprise.....

Humorous, quick story:
I was taking my youngest daughter for her first trip to DLR, and it was just a mommy/daughter trip. She was 7. It was going to be her BIG surprise present, being revealed at her b-day party the night before we would leave. .... I spent 4 months leading up to the trip "day-dreaming" with her. She had unknowingly planned a huge chunk of the trip by me asking questions like, "When we go to Disneyland when you're older, do you think you'll want to do [this] or [that] first?" She never caught on with my questions, so when we actually went, she was amazed that I knew just what she wanted to do!

 

[bk7700]

Humorous, quick story:
I was taking my youngest daughter for her first trip to DLR, and it was just a mommy/daughter trip. She was 7. It was going to be her BIG surprise present, being revealed at her b-day party the night before we would leave. .... I spent 4 months leading up to the trip "day-dreaming" with her. She had unknowingly planned a huge chunk of the trip by me asking questions like, "When we go to Disneyland when you're older, do you think you'll want to do [this] or [that] first?" She never caught on with my questions, so when we actually went, she was amazed that I knew just what she wanted to do!

Awww, I love that!!