Should I tell the kids we leave in 6 days?

[whamma]

We leave on Friday 7/10 (staying at SSR, developer points for adding on BLT wish we could be at BLT!)--and somehow my kids (DS 12 and DD 6) haven't a clue! I am suddenly SO anxious to tell them. I will have to start packing for real on Monday. Should I tell them? If I don't, how do I explain why I am getting out suitcases and analyzing outfits? Anybody have any cool ideas how to "break the news" to them? I considered wrapping up a box and putting some things in it about this trip i.e. info about SSR, the Fireworks Dessert Party, the space shuttle (it takes off while were there) plus Sea World & Discovery Cove. (Yes, we're going to try SeaWorld and Discovery Cove for the first time ---BUT our hearts are TRUE blue Disney--it was just time to try these places.) Any ideas? Or do I just try to keep it a secret?

 

[wheelcap]

Get out all of your books about Walt Disney World, and put on one of the free vacation planning videos, and show them things online, etc. Just way over-do it until they ask, "...what's with all the Disney stuff..."

 

[ToddyLu]

I would organize their clothes in the closet and have all your stuff packed. Then just ask them that night before over dinner "where they would like to go if they had to pick"...hopefully they would say Disney. You could let them know, then everyone run to the bedroom and pack up for the next day....I would be too excited to sleep.....let us know how you do tell them...I will live vicariously thru you.

 

[culli]

Are you driving or flying? If you are driving tell them you are going on vacation but don't tell them where. When you get a few hours out give them presents with Disney stuff. If you are flying don't tell them until you check in at the airport. Our kids are younger and we told them we are going on vacation and didn't tell them, my daughter didn't figure it out until I was checking in at the ME line. It is a pretty cool surprise if you can pull it off. Now of course whenever we go anywhere they think it is Disney (which it usually is or the waterpark). We are going to Branson (got a real cheap Marriott) and now just typing this I hope they won't be disappointed.

 

[Mickeyfollowers]

I have a friend that is going with us in Sept and she hasn't told her kids yet. School will be started back and our kids wear uniforms so it will be easy for her to pack up without them knowing and hide the suitcases and pack the car up once they have gone to bed on Friday night. She is going to get the kids up and put them in the car and not tell them till they start seeing the signs for Disney. Her husband is just like a kid he is so excided and would tell the kids if his wife would let him, lol. I have know for a year now and it just kills me that I can't openlly talk about the trip in front of them since they are always around. I haven't even told their kids that my family is going and can't wait to see their faces when they see us there. I can't do that with my kids they know we go every Sept and sometime Jan. Have a great trip and tell the mouse I will see him soon.

 

[jakenjess]

We surprised our kids a few years ago. We left after school on the last day, and we told the kids we were going to Boston for a couple days, so they didn't question the suitcases. We drove to NH and when we were stopped at a rest area told them, yes, we were going to Boston, but we were going to the airport to get on a plane to Disney. They were totally surprised (didn't believe us at first!) and it was wonderful! Good luck, and have a great trip!

 

[thelionqueen]

Tell Them!!!!
Surprises are fun, but the anticipation of going to WDW is the BEST!!!
I wouldn't deny the kids the opportunity to look forward to going, anticipation is usually more fun than the trip itself. Imagine if kids didn't have Christmas Eve and just woke up on Christmas morning; yes it would be a great surprise, but not having time to look forward to it isn't worth it imo.

 

[lazydazy8]

DON'T TELL!!!

One of the greatest moments of my life was waking my kids at 4:30am to head to the airport for their first trip to WDW.

We planned the trip for almost two years. I still can't believe I kept it quiet. We went the first week in December. As I put away the kids summer clothes in September/October, I discreetly packed the suitcases in my bedroom.

The night b/f the trip, we told the kids we had a "mystery tour". My DH took our preschooler to the beach with the dogs while I packed the car. My DD6 came home from school and did her homework as usual. When my DH and DS4 got home from the beach we piled in the car to Manchester, NH where we were flying out of and had a hotel room booked. We checked into our room before dinner at the mall. The kids were thrilled to have a hotel with a pool, dinner at the mall, and a ride on the carousel at the mall!! "This is the greatest surprise EVER!", they told us as they got off the carousel. I was a mess! I couldn't stand it!!

Early early the next morning, when I woke up the kids, we brought in a box from Santa with a poem that told them they were going to WDW.

My kids STILL pull out that video every couple of weeks to watch it. My DD (now 9) tells me that it was the greatest surprise of her life!

It was a magical trip and one of the greatest memories of MY life!!

 

[RLRDA]

As a DVC member you'll have plenty of trips that they'll know about in advance and can anticipate. If you've gotten this far and they don't know about it, I'd keep it a surprise. We've surprised our kids with an entire trip once last Sept/Oct and on another trip we surprised them with relatives that were joining us that they didn't know about plus a longer trip when we split our stay and checked in to AKV (we told them we were going to look at the models before we headed to the airport). On both occassions they were thrilled. There are always ways for you to pack when they're not around or simply do it after they've gone to bed and keep the suitcases in your closest. If you think they'd like to get excited about the trip - tell them the night before. Then you run the risk of them not going to sleep!

Whatever you decide - have a great trip!

 

[drummer1616]

We had a trip in 07 where the kids favorite cousin with his parents were also there at AK.We never told them and even played it up.Due to his last few days of school they thought the cousin was still in school,we kept saying,`` oh I wonder what he`s doing in school right now``.After arriving at SSR we had Fantasmic Dinner VIP planned and we arranged with our in laws where we just merged together in the crowd without the kids knowing it,and THEY FREAKED when they realized we were all there. Funny thing to it at first the kids didn`t really think it was the other one,just another child who looked like the cousins.

 

[BostonDisneyKid]

Don't tell them (if you can hold out). You've gotten this far without them knowing, whats a few more days... What an incredible surprise !!!

 

[whamma]

Thank you for all of your ideas! I caved in and we told them last night. I wrapped up a box and put it on the table after supper. At first I pretended it was for my DH but finally told the 2 kids to open it. They had NO guesses as to what was inside. Inside were miscellaneous photos that I'd wrapped in tissue paper i.e. a SeaWorld brochure, photos of 3 of the restaurants where we will eat, a map & photo of SSR, a Discovery Cove brochure and the last item was the email confirmation of our airline reservations. I had my 12 yr old DS read that aloud. My 6 yr old DD's face was priceless. Wish I'd videoed but only got still photos. They are excited. I'm glad I told them. If both were younger--like my DD's age, I'd have waited. But "tween" DS needs a few days to process things--I don't think he'd have appreciated the "surprise" as much if I'd waited until the day of or day before. We leave in 5 days and I can now pack without fear of being caught!

 

[natale1980]

We told our son about Disney World the whole time - and when he woke up in the morning to go he still seemed surprised!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAmG3aO7-do

-nat