How far advanced do you tell your kids?

[BensWife]

We have not told our kids about an upcoming trip in September. We were planning a trip for Spring Break 2015, but moved up the date to September. Our older child is a little more anxious than our younger son, so I think we should tell him before we go to give him a chance to prepare. I think if we tell them too soon, then it would be hard for them to wait that long. We were thinking about a month before, but I don't know if I can wait that long!! I am sooo excited to tell them. How far in advance did you tell your kids? (BTW, they are 7 and 4 if that matters). Thanks!

 

[ericstac]

one christmas vacation to WDW we didnt tell our three boys until I was about to board the plane lol.. Our plane trip was early in the morning like 6am, so they were told that I had a business trip and mom and them were driving me to the airport to see me off. They didn't even have a clue with the 10 pieces of luggage that it was everyone going..

We filmed it, its on our VLOG, they were funny.

After that we tell them pretty much from the get go for the most part, sometimes we will even plan with them prior to booking getting their input. Then the older one DS12 is in charge of our Mickey/Minnie countdown calendar that sits on our mantle all year counting down the days until we leave..

This next trip in July is just my youngest DS5, the wife and I. The other two are going to camp. The decided they wanted to try camp this summer with their friends so we said cool but what do we do with your brother.. One mentioned taking him to WDW.. GREAT IDEA!! and off we went to plan that out

 

[TheSpooph]

We are leaving in late July and I haven't told DD4 yet. She will want to go right away once she knows - she's like her momma that way!!

I think I'm going to tell her 1 to 2 weeks before and make a countdown calendar. That way it'll be a little easier to understand when I say 14 more days!

 

[Drusilla99]

When my kids were that age & we did wdw & a dcl combo we told them from the get go, this last trip out east, they only got a couple months notice & they are now 14 & 11. We are dl ap's & go about once a month. I do not tell them about toes days until I wake them up early, or maybe the night before. Even though they've been probably 100 times,they both still get so excited & what if someone got sick, or couldn't sleep? It would be such a huge bummer if we had to cancel or if people were in cranky moods.

 

[Phoenixrising]

I've run the whole gamut with the kids when it comes to planning trips to DL. My DS11 is a stress magnet, and I have to be careful what I do, as to make the trip less stressful for him. Our next trip isn't till 2017 to DL, due to being very tight financially. I asked him recently how far in advance he wanted to know of the trip. He just wanted to know the dates when we are leaving 6 months in advance and that's it. He doesn't want any info about flights, hotels, where we are going, etc. I personally find this strange, but it gives me more time to plot against the kids (I'm got an hyper overactive imagination and frequently use it). I personally think it really depends on how your kids react to major change, and how they react to surprises. You know your kids and know what is going to work best for them. Just don't create an elaborate cover story as to where you are going, then surprise them with DL. This blacklashed on me royally in 2011, as they wante to see Grandma more than go to DL. Have fun on your trip!

 

[crystal1313]

We live about 6 hours away driving. Usually we don't tell our kids until we are on the road. Twice we told them we were going to Tahoe and they believed it. Lol. But now they know the way to DL. Our last trip we surprised them as we were getting into the car. DS6 was thrilled but not so thrilled about the drive. DS4 cried immediately. He was already worrying about his ears going over the grapevine his ears really bother him in high altitude. Poor guy. So that wasn't quite the reaction we were looking for but once we reassured him he was excited.

We are going in July and have mentioned the trip to them already. We aren't doing a countdown or anything. I'm hoping this plan doesn't backfire as they've never known this far in advance. I've been talking with my DS6 about his expectations and what he expects to do in the trip because I noticed the last two trips he had certain ideas in his head and if things didn't happen the way he expected he got a bit upset. I'm trying to teach him that we will do everything he wants but it might not be that very second and that he needs to go with the flow more. My parents will be with us and hoping that will help

 

[lalasmama]

Like others, I've told DD early sometimes, and late other times.

For DD's first trip, we told her the night before. She didn't believe me. She was days away from 8yo, and we had told her (in the past) that we would go when she was 9, so she thought we were telling her a year early.

The second time we told her in October that we were going in February. That trip was for her 9th bday.

The next time we take her, it will be this December. She asked for a surprise trip, so she knows we're going, but no idea when. We'll tell her a few days before, at Thanksgiving, during prayers "I'm thankful for ..... Only having to wait 5 more days until we are in Disneyland!" We'll see if she's paying attention, lol!

In our case, DD can be easily excitable, as well as obsessive on certain topics, so telling her ahead of time results in her not talking about anything else for the whole time. Shockingly, that gets annoying to even me, the Disneyophile in the home!

 

[jenpace]

For one of the DL trips we waited until right up to the end to surprise the kids. Never did it that way again...a big part of the excitement is the anticipation and planning. Surprising them at the last minute cheated my kids out of a big part of the experience. Everyone is different but in my family, the planning, anticipation and daydreaming is all pretty important.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I've done it both ways and they bring their own set of excitement. Some of the trips they've known about as we planned them. There have been a few they didn't find out about until we pulled up the hotel. This upcoming trip they don't know about and will find out at the airport. I love surprising them, they love surprises, so it all works out. And they know about both the Oct & Nov trips.

 

[nikkislaght]

We have started preparing the moment we get on the plain to come home from Disney. and We have told them the night before we leave.. most often though we tell them very early on.. My son has SPD and needs to time to prepare.. so if that means a year,, then that's what we do...

When we told him the night before it took him 45 minutes to believe,, and then the anxiety kicked in... once we were in the air and on our way it was better. but we still had a our issues as he didn't pack "everything" he needed..

 

[rentayenta]

I tell them the minute I have some sort of confirmation whether in my head or on paper. I like to share in the excitement with them.

 

[WillowHaven]

My boys are the same age as yours. We are planning our first trip for President's week, so it's about 8 months out now.
We are planning to tell them at Christmas. They will get a countdown chain/calendar then, so hopefully that will help with the questions of "how long?".

I agree with those who have said the anticipation is so much of the fun. I don't want to take that away. And I think at least my oldest will need some time to prepare as well.

 

[mummabear]

We tell them when we book so about a year in advance.
The kids stay excited, everytime we watch a movie its all about how we will meet x at Disney.
It also comes in handy if they are complaining about walking-we can say "its a big walk from BBB to AG, this is good practice"

 

[perlster]

in advance?

On Saturday, I witnessed a little girl being told she was in Disneyland after entering the park.

 

[disneychrista]

As long as the trip is FOR SURE, tell them so they can help plan.
But then again only you know your kids and how they can handle it. My kids were not "surprise" trip kids. So I always told them from the beginning.

 

[myers2170]

We have been to WDW a few times and have let our kids know well in advance of the trip. The excitement leading up to the trip is great. Two weeks ago we made our first trip to Disneyland. Our kids had never flown and have always wanted to go to Disneyland. We stopped at a McDonalds on the way to the airport (the kids thought we were going to our son's Dr apt in Nashville and were going to stay in Nashville a couple of days) and when the wife and kids went in, I put the airline tickets, Disneyland Tickets, Dodger tickets, etc. in their seats. When they came out to get in the car, we filmed their finding out. It was priceless!! Our kids were tore up and it made our trip even more magical. They even hinted that they would like to be surprised like that again. It was very difficult for my wife and I to keep it hush hush but well worth it after seeing their reaction and having it on film. I highly recommend a surprise trip at least once...if you can contain your own excitement fort the trip...I don't know if I can again. LOL

 

[Pesky]

For our last trip (6.5 and 4.5), I told them when we walked into the GC lobby. Literally. Had them figure it out and they were excited and fine with finding out all we had planned. That said, I can't do that again. Not telling them was KILLING me. I promised them next time they could help with planning, so we will likely tell them a few months in advance for the next DLR trip and over a year in advance of WDW so they can help pick out where we are to stay.

 

[YukonMommy]

We've done a few things. The first time they found out at Xmas and we went Jan 21. The second time they knew when we came back we were saving to go in 2 years....so they knew the whole time. This last time we told them the night before our 5:50 am flight! Its been a blast everytime.

Have a Magical Time!

 

[WestMom2two]

We live 6hrs away and even though I plan up to a year in advance we didn't tell our kids last trip until we were there. It was kind of fun. This time we are going in November for Christmas time and we have talked about it since January lol I probably shouldn't but I'm an over planner and I get so excited. They like to save their birthday money and make a count down chain and its fun. Although, my 6 year old son said he really liked being surprised and asked if next time we can surprise him again.

 

[KeKy4]

Our last trip, we told them the morning of. We told them about 6:30am and by 3:00 we were on The Little Mermaid! I loved it. Our next trip is close to my son's 6th birthday, we leave 4 days after, so planning to tell him on his bday.