If you sursprised your kids with a trip, did any of them not like being surprised?

[ButWhyIsTheRumGone]

We're surprising DD...she'll turn 5 less than a month after the trip. She LOVES surprises about 98% of the time. Only you know your kids. We're hoping the surprise turns out well, but we're trying to set the stage for that. DD is very happy in the morning (she'd be a disaster if we told her after preschool since she's usually exhausted)--we'll tell her and leave in the morning. The day we leave is usually my day off & we often have low-key plans (although she has asked to go to DL for the day--a 6+ hour drive--several times on these days) so hopefully she won't have it in her head that she'd rather go to Costco than WDW. We'll have a little time for her to pick her travel buddy stuffed animal & grab any little things she wants to bring along, but usually her attitude when we make a plan spontaneously is "cool, let's go!"

The reasons we're doing it at this point are: her reactions are often times hilArious & if it goes over well, we'll treasure the video of her reaction forever; she's not so much into the planning process at this age--she just says yes to everything; and really, why not?

Oh, one thing I thought of since DD has been to DL but not WDW, is to bring the vacation planning DVD to watch on the plane to build the excitement.

 

[nadira36]

We surprised our girls once (They were 4 and 2) - it didn't end well. Their upset had me upset, which had DH upset - really it's the only trip we didn't enjoy - and I can blame it all on the rough start. Oh don't get me wrong - we did have fun - but it took a lot more effort on everyone's part.

This trip, we will surprise them - kind of. They know we're going, they know where we're staying, they're planning our days with us - but we're leaving a week earlier than they think we're leaving.

Switching where you're going, DL compared to WDW and so many other things, I'd really suggest telling them. But you know your children better than anyone. Do they typically handle spontaneous outings, meals being random, their day being turned upside down, or are they more structured, rigid, and like to know what's coming next?

 

[nadira36]

I agree with this too. I wouldn't create a fake trip (unless it's a trip to the grocery store haha), then do something else. I can see how that could cause some unnecessary disappointment.

This is where our surprise bombed. I DID tell them we were going to the grocery store, then just kept driving, and went to the airport. We told them at the airport. They were sad they didn't go to the grocery store.

 

[puffkin]

This is where our surprise bombed. I DID tell them we were going to the grocery store, then just kept driving, and went to the airport. We told them at the airport. They were sad they didn't go to the grocery store.

My DS would probably be upset too. I never take him to the grocery store so he would find that to be a real treat