Not-so-Magical Christmas surprise.

[Paigeanne]

We have been waiting for MONTHS to tell our sons 5 & 8 about our 1st cruise!! We're going on the Magic out of Galveston on Jan 26th. Well, we had the most adorable box of stuff full pics and things to tell the kids we where going, including a cute little note from out Elf on the Shelf telling them we had been keeping a secret etc... We set up the automated call from Mickey, the whole 9 yards.
And they where tremendously under impressed.....
I get it. They're young and don't really know what to expect..... but CRAP!!! Our video is terrible, I mean, they asked if hey could play Skylanders now. And I told my hubby to turn the #%@$ thing off!! I almost cried. We've watched some YouTube vids and talked about it all day, and its a LITTLE better. Definitely NOT the picture I painted in my head!!!

 

[mmouse37]

We have been waiting for MONTHS to tell our sons 5 & 8 about our 1st cruise!! We're going on the Magic out of Galveston on Jan 26th. Well, we had the most adorable box of stuff full pics and things to tell the kids we where going, including a cute little note from out Elf on the Shelf telling them we had been keeping a secret etc... We set up the automated call from Mickey, the whole 9 yards.
And they where tremendously under impressed.....
I get it. They're young and don't really know what to expect..... but CRAP!!! Our video is terrible, I mean, they asked if hey could play Skylanders now. And I told my hubby to turn the #%@$ thing off!! I almost cried. We've watched some YouTube vids and talked about it all day, and its a LITTLE better. Definitely NOT the picture I painted in my head!!!

I totally understand but sometimes we, as adults, build up a picture in our head of how our kids will react to something and it turns out completely different than what we thought.

Just because they were not overjoyed don't feel hurt....they will warm up to the idea over time. Just think...Christmas morning and all their toys are around and they can't grasp the idea of something intangible like a cruise. Their focus is on what is in front of them and what they know.

Don't worry!

MJ

 

[Gdes1]

Your story reminds me of the experience we just had on our cruise. We took DS when he was 18 months old and he loved the characters and so many things. So, we were very excited to take him back this month as a 3 1/2 year old. We are just back from the 14-day EBPC on the Wonder.

I would say he had an "OK" time. I think some of it was overwhelming. I think 90% of his problem is just his age. But I was SO sad about him not loving every minute of the cruise.

We are also having an "interesting" Christmas, again, due to having a 3 year old. Right now we are doing a gingerbread house kit I got at Target. I'm glad I didn't try to make one from scratch because I would have been bawling if he didn't show interest in it, or smashed it, or otherwise did not create the perfect moment I had in my head. So, all of this has been a lesson to me....no more expectations or setting up of "moments". If something occurs and he's happy, then that's great. But Mommy is not trying so hard on things from now on.

Merry Christmas!

 

[believinthemagic]

I feel for you. Since we go to WDW every year we decided to leave our last trip a surprise until the day we left to change things up. We were going to wake them up in the morning and tell them to hurry and get ready so we could catch a plane to Disney.

Well, my 8 yr old was really upset, and started crying. He was actually "off" the whole day. We learned he is much better off if we prepare him ahead of time.

 

[Paigeanne]

Thanks for the kind words!! I know they will have a blast, but this morning I was crushed. I expected the scenes from the youtube videos. They really are warming up to it the more they see about it. My 5 y/o thought it was like his pawpaw's fishing boat!!

 

[Paigeanne]

Our goodies

http://instagr.am/p/Tq2tgiq8WU/

 

[lark]

Very few post videos of disappointed reactions, so youtube is a skewed sample.

I think the surprise gift really has a better chance of working if it's something they have done before or already know they want to do because of videos or friends. Five years old is just too young to really have any idea what you're talking about, even with pictures. Eight is close but still tough. Hopefully, they will go and love it and then you can build on that.

It is just also really hard to say "your gift is that in a month x". It doesn't matter for many kids how great the x is. All they hear is that they are not getting something now. That doesn't mean anything except that they are children. Their minds work different.

The important thing to remember is that the fact that their brains are too little for heavy abstract thinking has no relation to how much fun they will have on the cruise.

 

[rance]

Exact same for us today. My kids are 5 and 7. They are glad to go but their reaction won't be on a Disney commercial. Lol.

 

[kcashner]

So your kids' reaction to something they won't get for a month didn't live up to your expectation....kids live in the "here and now." Something a month away is hard to wrap their heads around. This is even more difficult if this is a first cruise or first trip to WDW since they have not idea what to expect.

I don't know what the arrival process is in Galveston, but in PC sometimes the real excitement starts as you go over the bridge and see the ship. The fact that they weren't thrilled with the anticipation of getting a gift a month from now may well be replaced with the thrill of seeing and being on the ship.

It sounds like they had a great day with their "now" gifts.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

We haven't taken our first cruise yet, but I had found an amazing price on one about 2 years ago. DH was not convinced but willing to consider it. I showed the kids the DCL video and they were like - eh.

Well, DH said , "if after watching that 3o minute commercial you get that reaction than forget it."

They came to me 2 weeks later and asked if they could change their minds- Um no- that price was gone! It just took a while to sink in.

 

[Fjobe]

Sorry the surprise didn't go as planned. I have never been able to keep one of our trips a surprise. Usually I start off thinking I'm going surprise the kids, and end up telling them 2 days after I book! If I ever succeeded in surprising them, I would probably be a little bummed if at least 2 out of 3 weren't excited (DS is a very mellow kid, so while I think he'd be happy, I wouldn't expect him to show it outwardly). I am sure they will be super excited by the time the cruise comes around! Enjoy your vacation!!

 

[dizneekrazee]

I feel for you. Since we go to WDW every year we decided to leave our last trip a surprise until the day we left to change things up. We were going to wake them up in the morning and tell them to hurry and get ready so we could catch a plane to Disney.

Well, my 8 yr old was really upset, and started crying. He was actually "off" the whole day. We learned he is much better off if we prepare him ahead of time.

That was my DS13 last week. We went to DLR in August, and I told them we weren't coming back for 3 years. Decided to surprise them with a trip. When we got in the car, I told them where we were going, and he was mad. Wanted to go home. He too, likes to be prepared ahead of time.

 

[erinsmom03]

Loved your goodies, they are great!!!! Your boys will be excited when they understand more what is coming, and I am sure your family will have a great time on your cruise!

 

[CulpeperCrew]

We have been waiting for MONTHS to tell our sons 5 & 8 about our 1st cruise!! We're going on the Magic out of Galveston on Jan 26th. Well, we had the most adorable box of stuff full pics and things to tell the kids we where going, including a cute little note from out Elf on the Shelf telling them we had been keeping a secret etc... We set up the automated call from Mickey, the whole 9 yards.
And they where tremendously under impressed.....
I get it. They're young and don't really know what to expect..... but CRAP!!! Our video is terrible, I mean, they asked if hey could play Skylanders now. And I told my hubby to turn the #%@$ thing off!! I almost cried. We've watched some YouTube vids and talked about it all day, and its a LITTLE better. Definitely NOT the picture I painted in my head!!!

My 5 year old and 8 year old had a very similar reaction. I picked them both up from school early. I had Mickey mouse bags FULL of Disney gear and we broke the news to them that we were leaving that minute to cruise on the Fantasy for Christmas vacation. My oldest seemed "kind of" excited but my daughter CRIED!!! She said she was afraid to go...we have a boat that we spend a lot of time on in the summer so we THINK she pictured that boat and having to sleep on it for 7 days. My kids are very "go with the flow" so I was not expecting this reaction at all. But let me say that once we arrived at the ship ( just 10 days ago) my kids had an absolute blast. But also be prepared that once on the ship, in your close quarters, you will experience moments where where they are still carrying on about little things or even complaining about something and you will find your blood pressure rising as you think about the money and time you invested in this. Again, kids are kids and they will never fully appreciate anything until they are not kids anymore

 

[mad madam mim78]

I will admit. Skylanders is pretty cool!

My kids are the same way. My DH and I were considering an adult only trip in May but DH feels bad when we go without them. He insisted we at least ask them if they want to go. Two out of three kids said NO to disney world. Since majority had to rule they will not be going this time. I just don't get it. I would poop my pants anytime I heard he word disney and my kids couldn't care less.

Oh well.....adult trip in May!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ekatiel]

If it makes you feel any better, we surprised ours this morning, too, and they were pretty non-plussed. They already knew we were planning on taking a Disney Cruise, they just didn't know when, so they were like, "Cool. Hey look at this other present we can unwrap." Maybe I should have saved the gift until the end of unwrapping! Oh well, they're a little spoiled when it comes to vacations. I know they will get excited, I just need to give them a little time to get revved up ! --Katie

 

[ekatiel]

Oh, and I scheduled the call and TOTALLY forgot about it until I read your post . Hhhmmm, I guess that was the mystery 866 number on my phone this morning. I'm such a dork!!! --Katie

 

[Paigeanne]

My 5 year old and 8 year old had a very similar reaction. I picked them both up from school early. I had Mickey mouse bags FULL of Disney gear and we broke the news to them that we were leaving that minute to cruise on the Fantasy for Christmas vacation. My oldest seemed "kind of" excited but my daughter CRIED!!! She said she was afraid to go...we have a boat that we spend a lot of time on in the summer so we THINK she pictured that boat and having to sleep on it for 7 days. My kids are very "go with the flow" so I was not expecting this reaction at all. But let me say that once we arrived at the ship ( just 10 days ago) my kids had an absolute blast. But also be prepared that once on the ship, in your close quarters, you will experience moments where where they are still carrying on about little things or even complaining about something and you will find your blood pressure rising as you think about the money and time you invested in this. Again, kids are kids and they will never fully appreciate anything until they are not kids anymore

Thanks for the advice!! I need to take a step back and be present, even if everything isn't "perfect".

 

[Paigeanne]

I will admit. Skylanders is pretty cool!

My kids are the same way. My DH and I were considering an adult only trip in May but DH feels bad when we go without them. He insisted we at least ask them if they want to go. Two out of three kids said NO to disney world. Since majority had to rule they will not be going this time. I just don't get it. I would poop my pants anytime I heard he word disney and my kids couldn't care less.

Oh well.....adult trip in May!!!!!!!!!!

YES!! We had $$ saved up to go to a resort without kids, but came across the 'kids sail free' in the planning stage. So we gave up our trip for this one. This morning I was all "Cancel it!!" But now, I'm a little more relaxed.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We planned to tell our boys about our 1/18 8-night Magic out of Galveston as a Christmas surprise. Well, DS16 figured out well ahead of time what we were up to. It's hard to do any plotting when you homeschool and your teenagers are like your sidekicks 24/7. LOL! Then hubby wanted to shock us all on Christmas morning by upgrading us to a 1-bedroom suite...but those beans got spilled when shoreside concierge called my cell phone to offer their services. LOL! DS15 was clueless until this morning which is amazing, really. Anyone could've easily put all the pieces together. Anywhoo, so they unwrapped the "surprise". DS16 just smiled and giggled thru it all. DS15 was convinced we were pulling a prank, that we weren't serious. In reviewing the video he just looks so shocked and in utter disbelief. A few times he asks, "Seriously?" It's not until the final detail registered, the 1-bedroom suite, that he cheered. Both boys definitely know what they're heading into since the cruised the Magic last May (& liked it better than the Dream) in a 1-bedroom suite (via port upgrade). Of course I had visions of commercial-worthy reactions but I don't think we got bad reactions either. They're teenagers. I have to remember to take any/all expectations and toss them right out the window because they're too weird to ever predict in any way. Throughout the day the cruise has come up in conversation a lot. The 15yro says stuff like, "Oh my gosh! When Uncle Jerry said last week he wanted to ditch work and go with us, THAT's what he was talking about!" or "Holy crap! That's why Nana gave us Disney gift cards for Christmas!" It's registered with him throughout the day how everyone else in the world knew about this. The excitement is building, too. They've asked to look at the deck plan I have. We mentioned how big the FE group is and told them they would have to lend a hand with the distribution. Lots of little things. It's been a lot of fun even if we didn't have that super-amazing initial freak-out. They're definitely happy and will have a fab time which is all that really matters.