I'm afraid DS will be upset by our surprise trip

[dijid]

Has anyone ever had a child get upset, rather than excited when you surprised them with a WDW trip? We've been planning this trip since April and the kids have no clue that we leave in 8 days. (Yikes! We leave in 8 days!) We thought it would be a lot of fun to wake them up and tell them we're going on a field trip (we homeschool) and then take them to WDW.

Now I'm having 2nd thoughts.

We've told them we'll go to WDW sometime in the next year and have talked about it lately (to get some ideas of what they would want to do, etc.). DS(6) has told us that we *must* wait til he is 48" tall and can ride RnRc before we book a trip. When I asked him what he would do if we went before then, he started crying at the thought. My heart sank. I tried to talk about how exciting it would be and all the rides he can ride, but no dice. He has his heart set on RnRC. At 47.5" with shoes, I don't think he'll make the height requirement 11 days from now when we plan to go to MGM.

I'm at a loss on how to handle this. I still think the surprise is best, but I'm worried he'll have a complete breakdown over the fact he isn't 48" yet.

 

[pperfectmom]

Oh, I bet he'll forget all about it in the excitement. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Even if it bothers him while you're at MGM for a little bit I doubt he'll resent you for taking him to WDW. If so, I'd tell him it would be the last place you ever take him.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

I say let him have the breakdown for a bit and when he calms down, try to talk to him about all the fun stuff to do. Perhaps get him a book on WDW that he can look at during the trip. I guarantee he starts planning out other things to do before you get there. If not, I'm sure he will change his mind once you get there and he sees everyone else having fun. How can he not? It's DISNEY WORLD! The odds are against him.

Good luck, Mom!

 

[eliza61]

We've told them we'll go to WDW sometime in the next year and have talked about it lately (to get some ideas of what they would want to do, etc.). DS(6) has told us that we *must* wait til he is 48" tall and can ride RnRc before we book a trip. When I asked him what he would do if we went before then, he started crying at the thought. My heart sank. I tried to talk about how exciting it would be and all the rides he can ride, but no dice. He has his heart set on RnRC. At 47.5" with shoes, I don't think he'll make the height requirement 11 days from now when we plan to go to MGM.
.

Don't bring it up again. He might surprise you. RnRc is situated off in a corner. Unless you go all the way down to Tower of Terror you wouldn't see it, so it's not like he'll have constant reminders of it in his face. I'm willing to bet that with all the million other things to look at you can distract him.
Last but not least, if he has a mini breakdown, so what. He will not be the first kid nor the last to be seen crying at Disney world. Just gently tell him that your sorry but he's not quite tall enough to ride yet and unfortunately rules are there to keep us safe and that you bet he will be the next time you go.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Do you have other kids who are tall enough to ride RnRC, or is he the tallest? I think it would be harder to take if everyone else got to go but him.

FYI - RnRC is scheduled to go down for rehab on September 4. Sounds like you will be there before then, but would it be better to go later in your trip so it is closed the day you go to MGM?

I agree that he will get over it. If you try to ride, try early in the morning so he is as tall as possible!

 

[dijid]

Do you have other kids who are tall enough to ride RnRC, or is he the tallest? I think it would be harder to take if everyone else got to go but him.

FYI - RnRC is scheduled to go down for rehab on September 4. Sounds like you will be there before then, but would it be better to go later in your trip so it is closed the day you go to MGM?QUOTE]

I forgot the one big part - his 7yo sister is over 48" tall and is looking forward to her first ride. There's no skipping over RnRC.

Oh well. I think we'll just deal with the meltdown. Do they sell Mickey Bars nearby?

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I forgot the one big part - his 7yo sister is over 48" tall and is looking forward to her first ride. There's no skipping over RnRC.

Oh well. I think we'll just deal with the meltdown. Do they sell Mickey Bars nearby?

Pray for a growth spurt! I'm sure he will recover if he is not tall enough - maybe there is a favorite thing he can do while big sis rides RnRC. Not much consolation, but you can promise another trip!

 

[Gretchen]

Shoe lifts???
G

 

[Minnie_me]

My brother and sil surprised my niece with a cruise recently. They told her that they were going to the beach house, and then stopped "to look at the boats" in NYC. After watching the ships for a while, they told her that they were actually going on a week-long cruise!!!

She burst into tears!

She's 13, and spent the next half hour frantically texting all of her friends to let them know she wouldn't be seeing or texting them for a week. Then she freaked out because she packed for the beach house, not for a cruise, and had "all the wrong clothes" - LOL!

I doubt that your little guy will be like that, but just thought I'd share!

 

[MSSANDRA]

My DS would not be happy with a surprise trip. he needs time to digest and adjust to ideas. Sounds like it might be time to tell them. Plan something really fun to do while sis rides R&R. I might take the esay way out and plan the day there after rehab and them no one gets to ride.

 

[CindyW]

I don't know if you have it so this may be wasted words...

But how about putting in the DVD from Disney Vacations? My kids watched the DVD with me while my husband and I were on the fence about going this year or next. Every clip they show of something other than RnR should be able to excite him a little bit!

And make sure you talk to your daughter. I'll bet she wouldn't want to upset her little brother by talking on and on about RnR, so just remind her that it will be a sticking point with him and to be sensitive. No running through MGM gates screaming "Aerosmith here I come!" If you can split your party while she rides, you could probably find a great distraction for him to enjoy!

The dinosaur near Indiana Jones would be a decent walk away from RnR (kinda far) but that may buy you time for her to queue, ride and get off while he enjoys an ice cream from the big green Gertie! **This is what I remember from 1996, so if Gertie is no longer pushing ice cream I'm sorry!**

Best of luck and try not to worry! Kids can be so blown away by Disney that they soon forget how important that one ride was!

~Cindy
Mother to two that have never been on Haunted Mansion, because every time we hit Disneyland its down for refurb! Kids survive intact and happy every time! (HM also down for our WDW vacation in 10 days - I can plan them, huh? )

 

[Cruz91]

...RnR is right by ToT. So every time my DD got sad / mad she couldn't ride RnR, we just slid by and went to ToT. That worked the last two trips. Since the last one, however, every meal has been about eating fruits and veggies so she can grow enough to ride RnR when we go back. At this point - if she can't ride, she may never eat another vegetable as long as she lives!

 

[powellrj]

I always avoid the surprise trip threads because I was surprised by a trip once by my parents 30 years ago and still wish I had of known about it before I left. I don't like surprises and I wish I had known so I could have been involved in the planing. If I were you I would tell him now so he can get his mind around the idea he may not be tall enough.

It will also give you time to go over alternate ideas together. I would get some planning books together and let him help plan some ride strategies so he is not as disappointed. Also let him know that RnR and ToT are both rides at MGM that we have had problems on before with breakdowns, so just because he maybe tall enough, the ride may not be working that day and he may not have ridden it anyway. On our last trip we were never able to ride ToT and wasted way too much time in line only to have the ride shut down. The same with RnR, we were only able to ride it once and when we tried at other times there were problems.

 

[ont/ohana]

Hi, My oldest daughter melts-huge- when we surprise her with anything, including what we have for supper. I wonder, has he ever melted down for any other surprises? My DD7 loves surprises so we usually tell our older daughter and she keeps the surprise for our younger one!
As for RNR, maybe a promise that he can choose something (I know it's a bribe) from the RNR gift shop or he can choose the first ride at another park for the family?
Good luck and have fun!

 

[dijid]

We almost broke down and told him yesterday. I had called DH in the afternoon and we agreed it was probably just best not to bring up Disney anymore. At dinner, DS came right out and told DH that we couldn't go to WDW until he was 48" tall. We then tried the "but there's so much more to do than RnRC" and focused on all he could do. Tried to get him excited. Asked him what if we won a free trip? He said he would tell them we have to wait until he grows.

In the end we decided not to tell him. DH and I will not bring up Disney again until the morning we leave. DS can get weirdly obsessed with things and we worry he would lose sleep trying to plan our trip. We had problems previously with him reading the Unofficial Guide and Birnbaum's guides after checking them out of the library. It was all he would read and talk about for days - and we weren't planning a trip at this point! (Yes, he did just turn 6 and he really can read the UG)

Luckily we dont hit MGM until after the other parks, so hopefully he'll be okay with things. And we'll give him a couple hours notice before our trip in case there is anything he wants to take with him, or information to look up.

 

[tweedlemom]

I know the Unofficial Guide had a section on height at one point in time. Parents have tried lifts and big, chunky shoes to get their child through the height requirement, and it does work sometimes. Does he have hair that is long enough on top that you could gel and poof up just for your day at MGM? It's worth a try.

 

[Tabetha]

Is this going to be the last trip ever? Can't you just tell him that you promise you'll book another trip as soon as he's tall enough to ride, but that this year he needs to pick some other things he wants to do?

 

[my3disneygirls]

I know the Unofficial Guide had a section on height at one point in time. Parents have tried lifts and big, chunky shoes to get their child through the height requirement, and it does work sometimes. Does he have hair that is long enough on top that you could gel and poof up just for your day at MGM? It's worth a try.

Sure it's worth a try if you want to endanger the child. I hope you are not being serious. Height requirements are in place for safety purposes. I don't think that anything is worth that kind of risk.

 

[LuvOrlando]

If it were me I would skip the surprise idea and tell him so he can have the week to sulk and get over it by the time you leave. If you leave things it seems his reaction might ruin your trip for you. I see 3 choices, #1, tell DD she will have to wait until DS is tall enough so you can all do it as a family, #2, See if you can start out at another ride or park so DS can squeeze in something that no-one but he can do (another coaster somewhere maybe), #3, sit with DS as he cries over being left out.

Personally, I'd do 1 or 2. Privately, let DD think about which choice she would prefer. Privately, ask DS which choice he would prefer. Then make your own decision and stick to it. Giving the kids an opportunity to voice their opinions, even if you don't agree with them, will negate the idea that its not fair, put the problem a little into their control and help them learn how to resolve conflict with compromise and compassion for other people. DD may just be ok with waiting or DS may just be ok with being the 'only' kid to go on Space Mountain. My kids always surprise me with how compassionate they can be when the choices are in their hands and their sister or brothers happiness is in their hands too They don't want to be responsible for the other's tears any more than I do.

 

[lady9]

We surprised our children in Feb. '06. We told them we were flying to Houston to see a friend of mine who had just had a baby. We flew into MCO and met DH who had driven down. We started driving by all the billboards and signs for WDW. DS 9 started to question where we were. (I teased his fourth grade teacher about the geography because we told him we would drive to Houston from Orlando and he totally bought it.) Finally, we went under the Magic Kingdom sign and we said, "Surprise! We are going to Disney, not Houston! DS loved it and laughed. DD 4 began to wail, "I wanted to go to Houston! She continued to cry when we pulled up to the Contemporary. The bellman gave her stickers and called her "princess" but she continued her "I want to go to Houston!" I am sure everyone around us thought she was nuts. We got up to our room on the 9th floor facing the MK just as Wishes started. After it was over she cheerfully announced, "I want to do down there (MK) and have some fun!" It was a perfect vacation after that and we had a great time. (That is until we drove home and DS got the stomach flu and DD had an ear infection-but that is another story.)