Poll: Surprise Kids or Not?

[cyberfilly]

Egad - now what do I do? It's a tie ball game!

I'm leaning towards telling them soon with a "12 Days of Christmas" riddle and see if they can guess what it is. I'm working on my own version of the Christmas song that will go something like this:

"On the first day of Christmas my parents gave to me...
all their love in a very special way!"

"On the second day of Christmas my parents gave to me...
two cement swans (we're booked at the Swan)
and their love in a very special way!"

"On the third day of Christmas my parents gave to me...
three soggy acres (the pool at the Swan and Dolphin is 3 acres big!)
two cement swans
and their love in a very special way!"

"On the fourth day of Christmas my parents gave to me...
four huge playgrounds, (the four main parks)
three soggy acres,
two cement swans,
and their love in a very special way!"

and on down to 12. Still working on the rest. Suggestiosns welcome and feel free to borrow my idea for your Christmas visit to WDW!

 

[elan]

I voted to surprise them. We have gone several times when we surprised our kids apr06. It was priceless. I picked them up early from school so we could catch our flight. My ds kept complaining about the book fair. He was upsest that we would miss it. I told him everything would be fine. I promised.

We told them on the way to the airport. It was one of our best trips.

If you will go again I would surprise. If it's unlikely you won't be going back I'd surprise them a few weeks beforehand, so they can share in the planning.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I would most DEF. surprise them!! In fact I am planning a surprise trip for '08 as we speak! We have surprised them for 2 of the trips and told them and did count downs for the others. They really don't like knowing ahead of time-the suspense just about does them in In fact, when we took them in May, it was sort of a last minute thing, & dh wanted to tell them 2 weeks out, I of course did not. But- he did it anyway. made them up a scavenger hunt and was all hyped up about it-- for a few minutes they were all freaked out and laughing. But then..... when they realized it was 2 weeks away, my boys almost started crying.

Of course I was laughing cuz dh was so shocked. They just can't handle the wait! But, I really do like surprising the kids anyway and this is just the absolute best. And when they were a little younger that would ask 5 or 6 xs a day-when is it? And answering that for 4 months or more will drive you a bit batty!!
so yeah-wait! You will be glad you did.

 

[kldmom2000]

I was going to try the surprise approach with our girls (ages 4.5 and 7) for this upcoming trip, but it lasted about 24 hours! I just love the anticipation and build up with the planning.... I have a friend who pulled it off successfully with her 8 and 6 yr old last year.... but I just can't do it myself I like to watch the planning videos and go through our old scrapbooks w/ them before our trips

 

[mamaprincess]

We have surpised the kid's once before and it was cute however...

I think that planning and anticipation is half the fun of it all. Finding creative ways to count down until your trip day and keeping the Disney magic alive pre-trip is so much fun. We have a trip coming up in November and they will just randomly yell out Disney with such glee and we just giggle. I keep some things about the trips a surprise. For instance, I booked them an appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the castle and Princess lunch at CRT right after. There are some special things I keep a secret until they happen. I also pack some surprises in their suitcase. You can buy little inexpesive Disney gifts and leave them by their beds or even have staff deliver them to your room so that when they come back from the parks, they'll have a gift from tink or mickey or whomever they love. There are many ways to surprise them during their vacation and that just increases the magic.

If you tell them in advance, make the time leading up to the vacation magical. Maybe have Disney night once a week until vacation time. You could do a Disney movie, play Disney games and maybe dress up in Disney costumes or gear for it. Have a little Disney vacation party before you leave. Have a fairy godmailer send a post card to them from mickey and friends telling them they can't wait to see them. Create a countdown calendar for them to mark off the days. Listen to Disney music in the car. Look at the planning DVD over and over! Have Disney talks. We love talking about what we are looking forward to doing. The anticipation and planning are so exciting for them. It extends the magic.

 

[mommyof3princess]

I love to surprise my girls. I like seeing the look on their little faces once they relise where we are. DH and I are going to take them this thursday to disneyland and they don't know it. But on the other hand we have told them and actually planned it before. And we had alot of fun as a family counting down the days. But to not get side tracked my vote was for to surprise.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

As an adult, no I wouldn't want to be surprised...but as a kid, heck yes! I can't imagine my mom turning to me and telling me...we're going to Disney TODAY or TOMORROW and me having said...jeez ma...wish you had told me before!

 

[hoosiergirl7]

I voted for the surprise factor. I agree that it will help keep your kids focused and as a kid I had always wished that my parents would surprise me with a vacation let alone a vacation to Disney. Even now I wish my Dh would surprise me with a vacation.

They'll never forget it. Or you could tell them about a month before you leave that you are going on vacation but not tell them until the day you leave where you're going. At least they then get a heads up as to the fact that you're even going on vacation.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Before I read the other posts, I voted NO, and almost said "I would never take away the anticipation unless there was a good chance the trip might be cancelled."

But some of the surprises sounded sooooo cute that I think that my original answer would have been too rigid!

You know your kids best. - Is planning part of the magic for them? Would you not know to pack something that might be very important to them? Would they have made plans with their friends and be upset/feel guilty that they had to cancel? (I know, it's DISNEY!, but the pre-teen brain can work in mysterious ways.)

Based on my own family, I would tell. (I like your 12-days poem, by the way.) But I "get" the other opinion more now, too.

Have a great trip either way!!

 

[cyberfilly]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for their opinions/suggestions. The poll is still really close, so I welcome additional voters! I'm sure whether I surprise them or not we'll have fun. (I'm leaning towards surprising them!)

Keep the votes coming!!!