Leaving tomorrow...have yet to tell the kids! Anyone else do it this way??

[marcyinPA]

We are telling them tonight, after they've done their homework. We've actually made a video and that is how we'll break it to them! Hope they sleep tonight, we have to leave for the airport at 6:30 a.m.!

I feel so sneaky!

 

[staci]

Yeah!! That is so exciting!

 

[llp479]

We surpsied our 3 dds. We picked them up from school and headed for the airport. We played a CD from Illuminations and said wouldn't it be neat to see some fireworks this weekend. Oh, by the way, we thought we'd go to Epcot to see them. They actually started crying when they figuered out we weren't kidding.

Good luck getting them to sleep!

 

[frogmommy]

We are telling them tonight, after they've done their homework. We've actually made a video and that is how we'll break it to them! Hope they sleep tonight, we have to leave for the airport at 6:30 a.m.!

I feel so sneaky!

Wow! How cool are you?

*putting this idea away for future reference*

 

[CA Disney Fans]

We've tried to surprise our DS, but it's so hard to keep the excitement in. Maybe next trip, we'll do better.

Let us know what their reaction is.

Have a safe and fun trip.

 

[thelionqueen]

I think that anticipation of going on a trip is almost just as fun as going on the trip!!

I make my kids a countdown calendar, so everyday they have something to look forward to.

They help me plan, pack and we talk about going at least once per day. Every day that gets closer we just get more excited.

I think the surprise would be truly memorable, but for us, excited anticipation is what makes every day fun and keeps us going.

Having no anticipation would be like waking up one morning and saying "Merry Christmas" without a tree, decorations, lights and garlands! For us, Christmas is the month leading up to it and savoring every minute of the season not so much the day.

Just my .02 worth.
Have a GREAT trip!!!

 

[ChristyJ]

We surprised our kids the morning of our trip too-I think I was as excited about suprising them as I was about the trip!!

ENJOY!!!!

 

[marcyinPA]

I think that anticipation of going on a trip is almost just as fun as going on the trip!!

I make my kids a countdown calendar, so everyday they have something to look forward to.

They help me plan, pack and we talk about going at least once per day. Every day that gets closer we just get more excited.

I think the surprise would be truly memorable, but for us, excited anticipation is what makes every day fun and keeps us going.

Having no anticipation would be like waking up one morning and saying "Merry Christmas" without a tree, decorations, lights and garlands! For us, Christmas is the month leading up to it and savoring every minute of the season not so much the day.

Just my .02 worth.
Have a GREAT trip!!!

Keeping the anticipation to myself has been VERY difficult. But when we went in May of 04, and took them out of school, my oldest obsessed about the trip for about 3 weeks before we left, and his school work suffered for it. I swore I'd never make that mistake again!

This time, since he's in 5th grade (my youngest is in 1st), I figured he really had to concentrate at school, and he's been doing FANTASTIC so far this year. I'm really glad we didn't tell them, because if we had, these first few weeks of school may have been a loss.

This will be our last trip during school time, so I wanted to make it special. I'm certain we'll go again sometime (during school breaks) and they can help us plan then!

 

[beattyfamily]

Nope, I could never keep it a secret. I get so excited I have to share and we love to do count downs.

Maybe someday.

 

[stage manager]

We leave on 10/20 and aren't telling our kids until we make the connecting flight in ATL. My 1st grader loves surprises. His favorite aunt lives in ATL, so the flight there is enough to get him going. When I tell him to look for the gate for MCO, I think he will figure it out pretty quick.

We think it is great fun not telling them. Besides, if they knew we would not be able to quell the excitement. Fall is insanely stressful at both our jobs, so this trip is as much for us as them. If they were constantly asking how many days, I don't think I would enjoy it as much as I am.

 

[jazzyjess]

We tried this but alas I blabbed to my 5 year old. Couldn't keep it in. Husband sick of hearing me talk about it and plan.

Since my 5 year old had never been before and had no idea what to expect, he did not have any issues sleeping the night before or being distracted. In fact, the whole airplane experience seemed to be "just another thing" to him, even tho it was his first time!!!!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[powellrj]

I would never do this to my kids. They enjoy planning the trips as much as taking them. I would hate to be surprised so I would never to it to anyone. To me planning is half the fun.

 

[thelionqueen]

Keeping the anticipation to myself has been VERY difficult. But when we went in May of 04, and took them out of school, my oldest obsessed about the trip for about 3 weeks before we left, and his school work suffered for it. I swore I'd never make that mistake again!

This time, since he's in 5th grade (my youngest is in 1st), I figured he really had to concentrate at school, and he's been doing FANTASTIC so far this year. I'm really glad we didn't tell them, because if we had, these first few weeks of school may have been a loss.

This will be our last trip during school time, so I wanted to make it special. I'm certain we'll go again sometime (during school breaks) and they can help us plan then!

I too am taking 1 son out of school, he is 8 and in 3rd grade. The trip is used as an incentive for his schoolwork as well.

He MUST do well in school in order to be able to go. He knows this and it motivates him more than anything else I do all year. He is one of the top 2 students in his class (I always encourage him to try to be the highest achiever, but am very happy with his dedication as is) and he must complete all his work diligently in order to go on vacation.

Maybe it's just me, but I do not tolerate any misbehaving or lack in school work on a normal basis, so when vacation time approaches, my son knows he has to apply himself twice as hard, not half as much.

In any event, to each his own. I just know myself that I have to have a trip planned almost all the time and looking forward to it, even if it's 5-10 months away gives me daily motivation in everything I do. I wouldn't want to take away the anticipation from my kids either.

One time my DH surprised me with a weekend away to vegas. I was happy and mad. I was happy because it was a great surprise, but mad because I didn't get a chance to look forward and plan for it. I told him to never do it again, but thanks for the surprise! Sounds weird, but I would have been twice as happy and twice as surprised if he had told me even a few days before.....just my obsessive planning gene I guess

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I hope that OP really enjoyed springing the news on the young ones. Have a fabulous trip.

 

[staci]

I hope you get back on before your trip and let us know how it went!! I loved planning as a kid, but I would have FREAKED OUT (in a good way ) if my parents gave me that sort of surprise!

Have a BLAST! We will join you friday

 

[drewc]

We are trying to surprise our kids for our trip next week to Ft. Wilderness. Originally we were going to drive, which would have been easier to cover up. Now we are flying and they know it. Well, at least our 8yo knows it. I think she has figured it out - she is way too clever by far. She gets a little Mona Lisa smile when we talk about our upcoming camping trip. Hmm. We probably shouldn't have even said anything about camping and just totally sprung it on them.

Her younger brothers are blissfully clueless as far as we know. Mickey would have to personally guide them to the gates of MK before they would catch on.

 

[Disneyrsh]

We did that once, and won't do it again. Our two girls, 5 and 6, were sort of like, we're going now? What about the packing, what about the toys I bring, what about making the plans?

It's like we robbed them of the anticipation.

We tried it once, decided it didn't work for our family, and now they're always in on each planning session.