How do you tell your kids?

[LSUmom4kids]

My 4 kids have birthdays within one month of each other in the summer - 2 in July, 2 in August. We are planning to go to WDW for 7 nights during the August week of two of their birthdays!

We are thinking about keeping it a surprise until the "family birthday party" in mid-July. Maybe I'll send out Mickey invitations telling all the relatives it's a surprise party for the kids and have it at my parent's house decorated in the Mickey theme. Then the gifts will be Disney themed gifts, some of which can be used on their trip. They'll think they are just going to visit my parents. None of them have ever had a surprise party before! I'm getting excited already just thinking about it!

We are renting a Van and driving there, so I'm sure we'll have to get things for the kids to do on the road.

PLEASE SHARE ANY THOUGHTS, IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THIS SURPRISE PARTY IDEA! Thanks.

 

[iluvcountry]

Wow, good idea!

A Cute Idea

Maybe go to a grocery store and get a Mickey cake. Ask them to put that they're going to Disney World on it.

 

[ConnieC]

LSU, that's a wonderful idea!
My 2nd son's birthday is coming soon. I want to do the surprise party for him like you... but then, we have to wait for 2months + after that before we actually go. My 1st son will be bugging every minute for 2 months.... I don't think I can tolerate that. I'll think of something else. Thank you for sharing your great idea!

 

[ckphila]

Another thing you could do is tell them where you are going and on the calender draw a mickey head on the day you are going and show the kids and explain thats the day you will be going to wdw then at the end of each day X it off before they go to bed so they know they are one day closer to going and you don't hear are we going todaay?

 

[hopesmommy]

My family is going in December. It is a surprise for DD, who will turn 5 just before the trip. It will be part birthday and Christmas. As for how to tell her, I read on another thread aobut a woman "needing to pick one son out of three to take with her". So she got them all together and told them to pick one bag and the one with the ticket got to go. Needless to say they all had tickets. So my idea is to tell DD the night before we leave that she gets to pick from the bags to see what we are going to do that weekend as a family. Of coarse they all will have WDW inside. I hope I can make it that long!

 

[Mom B]

Well, my "kids" are 31, 29, 21, and 19, but if I went back a few years and was in your situation...I think I'd do a "subtle" buildup, like doing the Disney videos, and then get the vacation planning video, and watch them all over a period of time, and start saying things like, "Gee, wouldn't it be fun if we could go there some day?" and "Hmm, if we went to Disney World I wonder where we'd stay?" or even "When we go to Disney World we can..." just to get them thinking but with no specific timetable. I'd save the "announcement" for the morning we took off...or, if I couldn't stand it that long, I'd tell them about a week before so they could take part in the packing, etc. That way they've got the curiosity and the anticipation going but won't drive you so nuts beforehand and it will still be a surprise. Maybe...? Hey, come to think of it, that's just about what we'll be doing for the next year preparing our 1 yr old grandson for his first trip next January!

 

[Mom to a Princess]

DD (5) and I are going in August. She knows we are planning a trip because we got the video in the mail and she is addicted to it. She will talk about what rides and characters she wants to see. She is definatley a disney vet. She has been to the WOrld and Land once a year since her birth year.

While I let her know we are planning a trip I don't tell her when. Normally I wait until the day before we leave and say - "hey do want to go to Disney World Tomorrow" She'll look at me and say "Hmm -- what's going on tomorrow?" I'll tell her nothing and She'll tell "sounds good to me" then she burst into a fit of giggles.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

My kids are 9,6,4,and 2. We went last march and are going again april 07.
Last year we made a Disney count down calendar, and watched the planning video(a hundred times). And they started doing there little chores to save up for Disney . We had them excited for months. How much fun is that to have something to look forward too. Not saying that surprising them wouldn't be fun because if you could keep it secret i'm sure it would be. I know i couldn't I get too excited myself. good luck

 

[Izeesmom]

My son is 5 and we went in June and I told him a week before we went last time but we are now going in about 14 days and this time I told him about a month before. I am letting him mark the days off the calendar and he is getting really excited about it. It is also teaching him about the days of the week and how a calendar works. Plus we also talk each night before bedtime what we are going to do when we get there, and what special things he has to help me with since I am taking him myself (single mom), like helping with his luggage and making sure he holds my hand at all times. Good Luck in your surprise!!!

 

[LisaMaz]

Suprising them does sound like alot of fun I've done that with camping trips but I don't think I could do that with Disney. Some of our fav. memories are preparing. We have a countdown, rent Disney movies, Play Disney games, I bought them the Disney for kids by kids book they checked off were they wanted to go. WE watch the Travel channel specials. Its just so exciting. If you want to suprise them I'd have a treasure hunt now and they have to guess what the clues are we did this for our May trip. We told them at Easter they had to hunt for eggs that had clues inside or you can take them out to dinner and tell them. Just my opinion! Either way they are going to have a ball!

 

[jtopp]

pros and cons- I've done it both ways.
Don't tell them- On the way to the airport, let them know where they are going, but take a picture. The look of surprise on thier faces makes it all worthwhile.
Do tell them- Let them help you make a plan of attack. watch theplanning video and make a list of things to see (or avoid). Them planning the vacation can be lots of fun.

Either way, you and your family will have a great trip. Enjoy

 

[MomofCKJ]

If you have made it this long I say wait and suprise them! Maybe the night before or that morning. I think the suprise will be amazing! Esp with the 6y, I think if you tell him too soon you will have lots of "How many more days", "Is it time YET?", etc.

Our 3 kids have no idea we are going in December. It will be their first time and we aren't telling till the night before. I am either giving them each a gift to open early that will be something Disney related or I may borrow the idea I read about on here with the fortune cookies, that was fun I think!

Planning is half the fun, I agree but a suprise of this magnitude (DISNEY) is pretty awesome too! We do have the planning video and watch it and talk about "someday" when we get to go. I ask what they would like to do when they get to go, etc however I always stress that we have a ton of money to save and their little brother needs to be older so as far as they are concerned it is a few years before we get to go. I think the suprise factor will be so worth it!

Have fun!

Allyson

 

[joanchris]

I am with the "tell them now" crowd...the planning was half the fun of it! Of course my kids were older (DD10 and DD6), but we had a blast watching the DisneyWorld shows on TV, looking at the different parks, planning what we wanted to do, watching Disney movies.....
We kept seeing a Shania concert secret from DD until we were about to get on the train, and it was great to see her face, but I think the excitement of the planning, even for that would have been great.
Nevermind how my DDs got to "earn" spending money through good behavior.......we had about3 1/2 mos of the pleasure of reminding them that they would not earn their disney dollar for the day (earned in 25C increments, so they could lose just a quarter for a bad incident, 50C for worse offense, etc.)
Have fun whatever you choose, they will be excited

 

[Azure]

Tell them on the way to the airport unless you can't hold it back any longer...

 

[kam24]

We are are going in May and it will be a surprise for the kids!
They know we go on vacation every year but usually it is to an island. They really want to go to Disney and we talk about going "someday". We watch the planning video and all the stuff on the travel channel. I can't wait to see the look on their face when we get there.

 

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

I am never one to keep a secret! We are taking my 21 month old and almost 3 year old to WDW. I told my older daughter about the trip to get her really interested in the characters by watching WD movies. She has fallen in love with Belle!

I have also watched the WDW DVD with her to show her that some of the rides may be dark, but they are really fun!

As for the plane ride I bought both girls a clear back pack and filled it with Disney oriented items. Like, a Tigger or Pooh figure, Cinderella crayons, Bear in the Big Blue House coloring book, etc. This hopefully will keep them busy on the plane! BTW-most of the items I bought them for their backpacks were purchased at a .99 store! I love those places!!!

Have a great trip!

 

[HappyLawyer]

my dtr knows we go to florida every other year for the month of december, i could never keep it to myself, i get to excited.

 

[disneyphanatic1911]

im having the same issue. we too are going in mid may. i was thinking about telling them on the day i graduate from college (this is a trip to thank them for being so suportive over the last three years).

Congratulations!

 

[coneeny4]

We went in 2000 when my daughter was 2 1/2 and when our son was born in 2001 we told my daughter we would go back when her brother turned 5. Well at their last birthday party (they have the same birthday October 27) she told everyone we would be going do WDW next year. So were going October 26 to November 1.

 

[Mcbruns]

We are going in June and were planning on keeping it a surprise. The more I thought about it, we decided to tell them. We all LOVE the planning and excitement. We told them by giving them a riddle. They are so excited and we have had a countdown going since 100+ days.