Rethinking Surprise Plans... Advice?

[powellrj]

There is no way I would surprise a 14 year old. When my kids were that age, they wanted to be involved in the planning and would be really ticked if they didn't have some say in what we were doing.

 

[firegurl]

We are leaving in a surprise trip on Saturday morning. I have had second thoughts about it but we decided to stick with the surprise. We have to leave for the airport around 4am so we probably have to wake DS6 up around 3:45. He thinks DH and I are going on an anniversary trip so he will be staying with my In-laws. I had planned on just waking him up and saying, let's go to Disney. DH wants to give him his MB and ear hat in the car and tell him that he we decided to take him with us and he will need those items. Over the past few days I have started being intentionally vague about the time we are away and the actual plans for him. At this point, although I want to tell him every second of the day, we are so close that I am sticking with it.
We do have the added benefit of the anticipation. We have spoken often of another trip with DS. He asks about going back every single day. He has planned a ton of the trip without realizing it. He picked our resort, picked ADR's, he just thinks its for "one day." Smiles or tears, I will be taking video to remember it.

 

[6loversofdisney]

You can still do a surprise. You said you home school so work in a geography lesson and give them the longitude and latitude to Disney. Make them find out where they are going.

I really like this idea

 

[bjscheel]

We did our "surprise" with a treasure hunt at 10 days out. Girls said that was perfect. Long enough to anticipate and prepare some.

 

[1stvisit0909]

We've done it both ways. Our first trip was 100% surprise, they found out at breakfast the day we left- it was awesome.

Our Christmas 2012 trip, they knew about when we booked it at 110 days out, and that was awesome.

Our current plan is a surprise. And they want to go to WDW SO bad.
They saw the news about the hat, and have been begging to go see it "one more time" even if "just for a day".

They will FLIP when we tell them. I havent decided how yet. I need to figure that out.

 

[KimBean]

Ok. DH is in. I think he was a little surprised I wanted to change the plans. I told him I hadn't decided but he was like you sure sound convinced to me. LOL! He agrees it will just be easier and less confusing. More surprise none of the fake.

I was able to get the O'hana ressie so we now have CRT, CM, Akershus, and O'hana for character meals. We have Narcoossees, Fultons, and Coral Reef for some adult flair (it is our 20th anniversary) and 50's PT and Raglan just for fun.

I have 30 FP's and 10 days in the parks so not really a chance that I can miss something that they really wanted to do. Plenty of time for all that. I got A&E and 7DMT.

So, the plan right now. We will have a surprise for dad anniversary dinner where the kids are in on it (but not dad, but really he is.) We do this for our anniversary a lot. Years have been lean (picked up now.) So a lot of recent years have been homemade decorations and homemade food. LOL! I'm going to put a compilation video together of our 20 years that I'm going to have the 14yo help me with. (I just did something similar last year for my brother getting married.) Unbeknownst to her I will add some slides at the end that say "My parents have been married for 20 years and all I got was a magical trip to WDW!" But, spread it out over a few slides and the reveal will include MK music and pics of the castle so the lesser reader gets it as well.

Then we'll have Magic Bands for them to open and Disney cupcakes for dessert. I'm excited now!!

 

[Prose]

I totally think it depends on your kids. Our DD (15) would hate to be surprised. She wants to choose her own clothes and have a little input into things.

 

[BRacila]

I love your idea of a surprise, but I agree you should tell them 2-3 days ahead of time. The anticipation of the trip is an awesome feeling and this way you and your DH both get to experience their excitement and happiness.

Maybe make a game out of it? Hide clues they have to find around the house that will lead them to figuring out where you're going. Just don't make the clues too easy at first

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using DISBoards

 

[abyrd86]

We went back in March for our first trip and we had made a video to surprise the kids (DS 10 and DD 8) for their very first time at WDW. We had originally planned to show them the video the night before we left, but I could NOT contain myself and wanted them to feel the same anticipation I was feeling! We showed them the video a week before our trip and they were thrilled! That way, they didn't have to wait TOO long but still got to anticipate the trip with us.

For our trip in December, it is part of their Christmas present from me and DH. We told them up front this time and the reaction was just as good as the first time with the surprise!

 

[Planogirl]

I would tell them. They will still be surprised and a big part of the fun is planning ahead of time.