Make it a surprise?

[ellmnop]

I am planning our 1st family trip to Disneyland in November. Our plan is to make it a surprise for DD (5) and DS (2). But after finding this board and reading tons of posts, trip reports and the unofficial guide, I'm seeing the value of preparation. I think that preparation probably should include preparing the kids - watching you tube videos, etc.
Does anyone have any insight? Have you surprised your kids with a trip? Are you glad you did? If your kids know about the trip, how do you prepare them for it?
I guess I'm a bit nervous because with my daughter's personality, I've found that if she goes into a new situation knowing what to expect, she does a lot better. But I also think it would be an awesome surprise!

 

[Lynzer Torte]

I'm not one for surprising. I believe half the fun is the anticipation.

However, this being your first visit and your kids being so young, I'm not sure how much anticipation they can really have! On the other hand, I'm not sure surprising them will be that huge of a surprise if they don't know much about DL and what to expect.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

well i went last year to DL (the first one as just our family and we told him up front. he started saving money for it and started watching movies and enjoying the planing of where we wanted to go togetehr and stuff. This year he has known we are going after his bday (1day after now) was 4days after in the begging) that kinda confused him. But we just started a calnder that he is crossing off and now we have 82 days left..tomorrow will be 81 lol)

He also last year helped pack what he wanted to take. (music drawing stuff for the long bus ride and snacks.)

Im gona get stickers for when we are 30days away or something and start that with him Heck i might just get 80 stickers and start now lol

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I've done it both ways and I find that my girls prefer knowing ahead of time. The first time we went we told them, but I'm not sure they really knew what I was talking about as they were only 2.5 yrs and 10 months at the time. This past Christmas we surprised them and my oldest actually got mad that we hadn't told her. She quickly got over it when we were actually there of course. They know about our upcoming trip.

I think either way you do it will be fine and they'll just love being there. I've learned about "tinkerbell gifts" from these boards (having "Tinkerbell" leave little gifts either every night or have them in the hotel when they first walk in) and that makes a great suprise for the kids.

 

[Sy-]

I planning on surprising my wife when we get to Anaheim. She knows we are doing 6 nights in Anaheim but she thinks we are going to be staying at the Fairfield Inn for $600. Little does she know I cancelled our stay at Fairfield and rebooked our stay at the Grand Californian for $3800 (tickets inclusive). I can't wait to tell her "Surprise!!! I spent $3000 more than you thought". I expect a couple punches/kicks to the head, but it will be soooo worth it! So I figure a good time to spring the surprise is when I'm not driving!

BTW my DD(4) knows we are going. She has been collecting coins that we are going to change to Disney Dollars before the trip!

 

[caygrayloremomma]

We leave next Tuesday and the kids think that we have arranged a tour of the airport. They are 9 and 5 (and then 8 months). We basically told them that if we bring suitcases, like we are going somewhere, they will let us go behind security and watch the planes take off by the gate. We are telling them once we get to the gate.

Yeah it might all blow up in our faces- or it might be awesome. I'll share when we get back.

 

[bumbershoot]

My mom surprised us once, on what was otherwise a driving trip from the Bay Area to the Grand Canyon. On the way back it was revealed that they had plans for DLH the whole time, with a couple days at DL. It was cool, b/c it was an add-on to the main trip.


But I'm not sure I would make it a surprise for little kids, and not for their first time. DS has been at 1, 2, twice at 3, and for his 4th birthday. Except for the first two trips he's been involved in the planning and excitement. I can see surprising him with an extra trip in a few years. But I wouldn't want to possibly "ruin" your first-trip enjoyment if kiddo has a negative reaction to a DLR surprise!

 

[DLovinFam]

We've done it both ways. When my kids were younger, they knew about the trip ahead of time. My girls actually told me after our 2005 trip that they wanted to be surprised the next time. We surprised them for our June 2008 trip and it was a huge success! I've never seen them more excited! I vote for not surprising your kids for this trip, and surprising them when they are older with a furture trip.

We surprised our kids (ages 16,12 and 6) 6 days before we left, so they had those days to be excited with us and help us pack.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

well my dh and me just talked we have decied to suprise DS with the dec trip if we go. we wouldnt tell him till like my bday or something lol. hed still have two weeks of planing and stuff hehe

 

[DisSarahK]

I'm kind of in your boat--my children are 4.5 and 2.5 and right now they have no idea we're going to Disneyland. Originally I wanted to really surprise them...maybe tell them on the way to the airport or something. I have since changed my mind. My children have never been to a theme park or amusement park and really have no idea what Disneyland is--except my 4.5 year old knows that Mickey lives there and there's a castle there. She says she wants to go there "someday." I think they would be overwhelmed by everything if we sprung this on them at the last minute.

So, we're going to tell them ahead of time, but not yet. I don't want to have two months of "are we going today?"!!

 

[ellmnop]

Thanks for all of your input! I think I will talk with dh about telling the kids at least a little while before we go so we can prepare them. They've never even watched Finding Nemo or Toy Story or really any movies, so we've got some homework to do!
My brother surprised his daughters w/ a trip for one of their 5th b-days, so DD has always wanted to have a surprise trip there. It sounded like a good idea in theory, but I really think she'll do better and we'll all have a better time if we can get her prepared for what is going to happen in advance.

 

[madfelice]

I prepared my kids by letting them watch the movies etc and then surprised them with the trip. They didn't know till we rolled up to the hotel, which is no mean feat when you're coming from Australia. The effect was amazing and they were thrilled.

 

[disneyluvbug]

For the first time we suprised DD for her 5th bday with DL..we go 2 times a year so she knows it and loves it!! So we drove down for the first time ever in February..only telling her it was a roadtrip..and she had no clue what that was..her and DS 1 did amazingly well!! All she knew was that she was getting a suprise for her bday, and it was something she had to wait for after her bday. When we got down there (we stay at GCH normally and tried DLH this time) we said, well here is ur present..shes like m are we in disneyland?? She was crying she was so so happy.. i asked why she was crying, she said mom I don't know the tears just come out and won't stop.. That moment was priceless!!! We are going next week and have not told her!! She is always making plans for us when we go, like what shoes to bring and outfits..she knows we will go someday..just not when!!!

I love suprising the kids..when she is older I may tell her before hand.

 

[PinkBudgie]

How about a compromise? You could surprise them by a clue hunt through the house to find a stuffed Mickey Mouse. Then tell them you are going to visit him at his home.

 

[annieb727]

I agree with others who have said on this first trip, it may not be wise to surprise them. When we were preparing for our first DLR trip with the boys, we had them watch videos of rides and stuff. It worked out really well, got them really excited about it (they were 1 & 3 then) - and we have done that a lot since - esp because our little one didn't really remember it - so when we went when he was 3 (they were 3 & 5 then), we did the same thing, let them watch videos.

Well, I am taking them on Saturday - we're currently visiting family in the Bay Area, and when we leave on Saturday, they will have no idea where we are headed. However, this is for a couple of reasons...one - I don't want our family to know we're going - two...I don't want the boys telling them we're going. And I think it will be easier on them without the anticipation. If we said, "When we leave grandma and grandpa's house we're going to Disneyland" I think they'd want to leave now and not enjoy the time we're spending here.

I think we're going to surprise them with Disney World in October (we're moving to South Carolina and planning a trip for right after we get there). They really want to go after watching the planning DVD and seeing all the cool things there, so I think that will be a fun surprise...they'll have no idea where we're driving too...

 

[DevilDuckie]

How about a compromise? You could surprise them by a clue hunt through the house to find a stuffed Mickey Mouse. Then tell them you are going to visit him at his home.

I like this. I kinda think waiting to surprise at the last minute is solely for the benefit of the parent and cheats the kids out of the fun of preparing and anticipating. My kid loves seeing the hotel website and going onto Disneyland.com to look at maps and check shows and parade times and God help us if we don't let him have input on the dining choices!

 

[disneyluvbug]

We talk about DL all the time, my DD tells me her favorite things about it almost daily. I make all PS after asking her were her favorite place to eat is. We alwyas have to do Ariels Grotto, Goofys kitchen and Blue Bayou..she loves those places!!! So I include her in the planning, we have AP's so she says mom we can go whenever we want..right now she is planning a trip for her brothers 2nd bday..its to cute!! I don't feel its selfish not to tell her, I told her the 6 trips before the last that we were going and really liked suprising her better..We bought a double stroller last week and she said wow m om, this is going to be great for DL!!!

 

[caygrayloremomma]

Hmmmm all the points in this post bring up some important things to consider.

It truely depends on your kids. Given that our kids know that we are going on vacation (they think Seattle) and are able to be part of the packing and are excited for that trip, and the fact that they know what Disneyland is and are excited to go but understand that they need to wait until their little sister is older, it is going to be such a great surprise for them.

That said- if they didn't know what it was, what to expect, or that we were taking a trip at all- I think our perspective would be different.
As for the surprise being more for the parents- I am thinking that is also something that is individual to each kid and family. Knowing our kids, they are so about cool surprises and to them this will be the ultimate in cool surprises. In fact I think them knowing would be more for us because we can hardly contain ourselves and are dying to tell them now.

If you wanted to make it a surprise there are ways around it. Our nine year old is very astute- but that said, they know that even though they dream of going to Disneyland this year it is not to be, but we are planning next year (at least that is the story) so we can have conversations like- what would you want to pack if we were going to Disneyland. When we go next year do you think it would be fun to have dinner or breakfast with the characters.....
Just another perspective.
Surprise or not it will be awesome so enjoy your vacation.

 

[FourM's]

We have surprised DD's ages 12 and 9. They have been to Disney lots of times before and done the whole planning thing so we thought that a surprise would be nice for a change. They both said they enjoyed being surprised. We told them just in time to pack and leave for the airport. So few surprises in life. Fun to do it once in a while. Depends on your kids and how often you get to go I suppose. Have a great time either way!

 

[FourM's]

Sorry! Double post! Oops!