Should we spill the beans???

[A's Princess]

Jan 2006 we surprised DS then 5 and DD then 2 with a quick 3 night - 4 day trip to WDW and had fantastic time. He relished being woken up and asked if he wanted to go to WDW that morning - still loves to tell the story about it. Told DS we would go every 3 years. Fast forward to another surprise trip planned for 3 weeks from today! I couldn't wait - loved the whole 5y/o in disney magic and feared DD now 4 would lose her princess adoration - so we booked it and are doing a great job keeping it a secret. Budgeted carefully this year, paid for the surprise trip and got a few well-chosen toys for Christmas but not a lot. Neither DS or DD had any big items on their Santa lists - pretty well grounded kids IMHO.

About a week ago DS decided what he really wanted from Santa was a Patrick White (WVU football player) jersey and helmet. No luck trying to find those items in New England! I am afraid he will be disappointed Christmas morning and a few friends suggested telling him about the trip. I am torn! He is starting to get what the real meaning of Chrismas is and we don't want him to fall into the number and type of presents measuring a "good Christmas." But unfortunately he came up with his "big" present too late for Santa to get it. DH is see-sawing just as much as I am. We realize how lucky we are being able to have a nice holiday and then a vacation 3 weeks later but wonder if "spilling the beans" might make Christmas morning more special. My parents will be there and would love to see the kids' reactions.

Opinions? Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[StayFLA]

The choice is yours. If you want to spill the beans, Put a card from Mickey or a princess in everyone's stocking saying that he can wait to see you in three weeks. They'll be happy on Christmas day and then they can make a countdown chain during the week and then they'll be beaming to tell friends and family.

Ralph

 

[islandtimect]

It would be great to make your trip to WDW one of your children's gifts from Santa, as long as they don't think they can ask for this gift every Christmas. My daughter wants to see High School Musical on Ice, and I had already bought the tickets but didn't tell her. So she asked Santa for the tickets. I've put the printout of the show and tickets in a cute decorated Christmas box.

Maybe your son would enjoy the anticipation that comes before arriving and not mind missing out on the surprise part of the trip. My daugher enjoyed looking at our park and hotel maps, and watching the dvd before leaving home.

Good Luck

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Such a toss up because then they could be expecting such a great gift every year. However, it would be fun to plan with them for the next three weeks

 

[BarbieGal457]

Hmmm..this is a toss-up! I think it would be exciting to anticipate it over the next three weeks with them, as well as to have their grandparents there to see their reactions. This tactic worked on me, at age 17! My parents surprised me with Billy Joel tickets by putting the printout and tickets in a box in my stocking. I couldn't wait to go (and then I couldn't go-I was bedridden with a stomach virus!). It'd be great to surprise them the morning of the trip, but maybe it would be fun to change it up this time too? Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great time!

 

[bigbabyblues]

I think it would be so much fun, but I would make sure they know it's from you and DH, not from Santa. Maybe that would keep them from asking for a trip each year?

 

[A's Princess]

Many thanks for your replies! We are still unsure what to do - our new plan is to see if DS reacts to not getting the WVU jersey and helmet and then maybe tell him. He probably would enjoy planning what to do in each of the parks now that he is older.

Merry Christmas and thank you again for your thoughts!

 

[_queenie_]

I think you should go ahead and spill the beans. I think that way they have something to look forward to and can get really excited. When my niece was five her parents insisted on keeping DW a surprise (they were meeting us there), and she got really mad. They drove down to go to a convention in Jacksonville and told her that they were driving home. They really drove south, and when she was asleep they picked her up and brought into Cap'n Jacks where we were eating lunch. They had to wake her up and my DS had the job of explaining to her where she was. What a complication that was! It didn't take her long to burst into temper tantrum. Ever since then for some reason they've insisted on making everything a surprise. They surprised her on flying up from TN and coming to see us for christmas, they surpirsed on taking her to see a red sox game, etc, etc. And countless times she's told me "I hate surpises!". Now it probally wouldn't be that way if you told them enough ahead of time, but surprising is just not a good habit to get into. I like the idea of giving them a note, maybe you could send it as a card in the male and address it from Mickey Mouse, that would be awful cute!