How to surprise kids?

[aprilfoolwed]

We just booked a trip for December 10-18!

The kids think we are going in June. Because of some changes in employment in our family, we are moving things up! They have no idea we're pulling then from school and doing 8 days at Disney.

Now how to tell them? I'd love to do one of those huge "you aren't going to school today!" surprises, but one of my kids has some anxiety issues, so they need a bit of a heads up before going.

And great ideas? Thanksgiving is 2 weeks before our trip - maybe something then?

 

[tina.tina]

I don't think my DD13 would appreciate getting surprised at the last minute at all. She loves to plan like I do and I wouldn't like a last minute surprise, either. We have a lot of family meetings with our kids. Around Thanksgiving, we talk a lot about what we're thankful for. I would either say something like- I'm thankful we get to go to WDW sooner than we thought and it's less than a month til our trip. Or, if you play board games, you could play for a secret prize and whoever gets the prize can read off what you've all won.

 

[pinkprincess30]

I would love to tell our kids WAY in advance to have the anticipation build up but we did that last trip and DH really wants to surprise them. We have a 4 hour drive to the airport so we will drive over the night before we fly out. We plan to tell them the day we leave home, before school. I'm sure they won't have any problem concentrating that day! I was thinking of making Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast and having the table set with the pancakes, a Disney mug and their personalized Mickey Mouse ears at each place setting (from our last trip) and then breaking the news that WE'RE LEAVING FOR DISNEY TONIGHT! They know we are saving up to go, but not that we have set the date. I would love to hear what you end up doing for your big reveal. One other great perk to spilling the beans is you get help packing Oh how I wish our trip was only 2 weeks away, and would love to see Disney at Christmas time! Have fun!

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

DMIL is treating my family and DSIL family to a fabulous trip next June, 10 nights at The Contemporary MK view. We told all the kids by making a count down chain. I taped it to the inside of the box top and when they opened it the chain came up out of the box. At the end of the chain there was a sign that said "we're going to Disney World June 5-15, 2014!" They thought it was great. I had maps and other stuff at the bottom of the box. My kids are Juniors in high school, so I left the chain for my 12 yo niece to rip off every day. Every once in a while she sends me a picture of the chain's progress.