Surprise the kids or have fun planning with them

[erika412]

I can't decide what I want to do.

My two older DDs have been to WDW twice before, but probably don't remember the first trip. They do remember parts of the second trip. We look at pictures often and even just talk about WDW. They ask to go back a lot.

DH and I are discussing going back this fall. I can't decide if I want to tell them and do all sorts of fun planning stuff like countdown chains and making autograph books. Or do I want to one day just say "we're going to WDW tomorrow" and watch them explode.

Pros or cons of either option?

They will be 6 and 5.
Trip#1 they were 29 months and 16 months.
Trip#2 they were 3 months shy of 4, and 4 months shy of 3.

 

[ColoradoLime]

Well we are off to our first trip next month and it was never a surprise as DD has been wanting to go since she was 2 so we've been talking about it constantly.

I figured I would do the "have fun planning" with her thing and told her we were going. I got an autograph chain, did a 90 day countdown party with Mickey themed foods and Disney essential presents, bought an autograph book, etc. I have to say, the whole process has been a let down for me. I'm super excited about the trip, but there really isn't any excitement from DD as far planning goes. She's not interested in the countdown chain and the reaction to her Disney presents was less than enthusiastic.

Granted your kids may be different as they have been before, and I know part of DD's problem is that she doesn't know what to expect. But our next trip I think will have to be a surprise. So if you can manage to keep it bottled up for that entire time, I say go for the surprise route.

 

[Darcy03231]

I took my niece for her first trip last fall. She was four, almost five, at the time. While the trip was planned about 8 months in advance we waited until the week before we were going to tell her. This way she had some anticipation time but it wasn't dragged out for too long.

 

[mjkacmom]

We surprised the kids when they were 4, 4, 6, 9, and 11 the morning of the trip. The 2 oldest went when they were 2 and 4, but had no memory of it. I told them we could go in a couple of years, so they did do a little planning (saw some youtube stuff). Their reaction was so cool! Dd11 said that she'd rather go to the beach than WDW when we would bring it up, but as soon as I told them we were heading to the airport, she dropped the "I'm too cool for disney" act, and was super-excited.

 

[srwarden1928]

I think the planning and anticipation is part of the fun for kids as well as adults. I think they might not notice because they are so excited, but the surprise takes that part of the fun away from them.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I don't think I COULD surprise my kids! I'm really really bad about keeping secrets, plus I homeschool thenm and they would notice my preparations, I think! I think it would be more fun for a 2nd, 3rd, etc. trip! I think a 1st trip would be more fun to plan together so they could learn all about what WDW has to offer.

Either way you're going to WDW and they'll love it!!

 

[stacy6552]

There is no greater time in our household, then when the kids are earning their Disney dollars for the upcomming trip. They do things the first time asked. They wait patiently in store while I shop. They cooperate......Tell them I say and enjoy the bribery.

 

[sk!mom]

I've done both and vote for telling and planning together. For me the planning and anticipation of a vacation is part of the fun.

I was disappointed the one time that we surprised DD. She didn't freak out in a good way- she cried!? Not happy tears. I think she was just overwhelmed. It was weird because my DD is generally a girl who likes surprises. If you check out YouTube and other threads, the reaction that I got isn't uncommon. The surprise often falls flat.


Since that time, I've chosen to surprise her ahead of time. For instance, she freaked out (in a good way) a couple of weeks ago when we surprised her with Jonas Brothers tickets. She is now enjoying the anticipation and planning of a fantastic birthday weekend with her two best friends.

 

[5stljayhawks]

There are number of ways, such as knowing all the characters. Earning money through chores AKA making beds, cleaning up..... Also visit ebay and buy a bag of pins(15 or 20 pack) my kids are 5/3/1 and the two oldest got into pin trading. You don't need to bring the pins everyday but every now and then makes it fun. Plus I swipped a few and are full display in the car, just as a reminder .

Mailing post cards to home is also pretty cool

 

[Tink561]

I couldn't surprise them, I'm no good at surprises. Also, it is such fun to involve them in planning.

 

[RMulieri]

It depends on you and your kids. If you like to include the whole family in the anticipation and the planning ( the best part imho) than including the kids is a must. OR if you have special needs children or a child that does not handle changes in routine or handles surprises all that well than tell them. I love the idea of surprising a child, but sometimes the reality is not as fun as the thought of it. I had a friend that planned everything out in secret hoping to surprise all 3 kids...they were surprised all right, and not happy campers either. Apparently my friend had to come up with a reason as to where they were going and built up a camping trip as the reason . The kids really wanted to go camping and to the beach like was planned and promised.

 

[tzolkin]

We are surprising our kids this time, but they're still somewhat involved in the planning.

We had our first trip last year. The kids loved the planning for six months. We did Disney movie nights once a week, they earned Disney dollars, we had a countdown calendar, we looked over all the information we could find online to pick out our "must dos". We had such a wonderful time that the first day there that my DH already mentioned "the next time". Ever since we got back, we talk about Disney almost daily, my kids watch the planning DVD, they got pins for Christmas/birthday, etc.

We are going this May, but decided to surprise them. My DH is graduating on a Saturday and we're leaving the next day for 12 days at Disney. The kids think we're going to FL to visit grandma, but that we can't afford to do Disney. They've been helping me with the packing and they even recently made a countdown chain. We still talk quite a bit about our next Disney trip... they just think it will be in the fall or next spring.

 

[RIDisneyFan]

We surprised our DDs last year - they were 8 and 10. This was our 3rd trip in the last 4 years. I would definitely surprise them again. It was great! We did a scavenger hunt the day before we left, and the last "clue" they found said we're going to Disney World tomorrow. DD8 didn't believe it at first, but then I showed her the suitcases that I had already packed. They were both surprised and very excited, and my DH captured it on the video camera - it was wonderful! They had asked about going again, but we had them convinced that we had to save up more money and wouldn't be able to go until the following year. So I was able to ask them some questions about Disney to help with the planning (such as . . . when we go next year, do you want to eat at Chef Mickey's again?) We will not be going for at least a few years (we're saving up for a down payment on a house) but we will definitely surprise them again next time too.

 

[SweetStitch]

I am surprising my son with a trip at the end of summer right before school starts. He has been begging to go for the last couple years. I think I am going to tell him we are flying to visit his Aunt & Uncle in Virginia - and then tell him when we land in Florida.

I already have him saving his money - I keep telling him, "We will go to Disney, I'm just not sure when". So he is putting extra money in a special jar.

It is very hard to keep this a secret - I want so bad to tell him, but I think seeing his face will make it all worth it.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We surprised our kids (9&7) on Christmas morning!

We started planning a January 2009 trip in about June 2008. I thought since it was so close to Christmas we would just make it their Christmas gift from us and we would tell them on Christmas morning!

I have to say that it was VERY hard! I really missed them not being able to plan with me. But it was totally worth it in the end and I am glad I did it!

The were in shock and thought it was a joke! Too funny!

Like I said, I am glad we did it, but I don't think we would do it again. I am looking forward to them planning with me next time!

Here is the thread about our surprise ~ http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2037004

 

[BoogasMom]

There is no greater time in our household, then when the kids are earning their Disney dollars for the upcomming trip. They do things the first time asked. They wait patiently in store while I shop. They cooperate......Tell them I say and enjoy the bribery.

Bribery!!! Yay!!! That's the complete truth! My sons did the same thing when they were earning their disney dollars. I say go for the best of both worlds.....

Our first trip ever was in December of 2008 and the boys knew all along we were going (ages 5 and 8) and were in on the planning. We talked about going back in a couple years to give us time to save up the money we would need. But, we had an awesome opportunity present itself to us and DH and I decided to book another trip in December 2009. The boys have no idea and we are having fun planning the surprise of telling them. We are going to wait until the Fall to tell them and that way after talking Disney down for a few months, they will be so surprised that we are actually going back in a couple of months instead of a couple of years.

This way, we get the surprise element but still have time for them to be in on the planning and anticipation. I think the anticipation and planning of a DW trip is half of the excitement of going!!!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I think it depends on your kids. Mine don't like to be surprised with things like that and they don't handle it well, they like to help plan and have a handle on what's going on. We surprise them in smaller ways, like the trip we're planning now will be our first time staying on-site and when they saw the pics of CBR on the website one DS told me "oh, I'd love to stay there, but I know we never will, it's too expensive" so we're definitely not telling them where we're staying, but we are telling them we're going. We also wait until it's closer to the trip, though, just in case DH can't get off work and we have to cancel.

 

[2littleprincesses]

We are going the end of August and my plan was to give them a box on the last day of school. Inside would be a calendar, pins for trading, a couple other things (maybe a shirt for each) and a big sign saying--we are going to disney world. I can't decide if I will do a scavenger hunt to find the box or not. I have time to think about it. It is hard to keep it a secret for now. Only roughly 2 more months til they will know!

I will also check out the WDW kids book at the library so they can read about it and see what they want to do. We have never been and I want them to pick out some things to do for themselves.

My youngest needs some preparation. We will need to do walks this summer and this will be a motivator. She is also not big on rides or characters so this will be incentive to try new things before we get there.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[dsnymomof4]

We've done it both ways and each has its own advantages. If you surprise them, it will mean more work for you trying to keep things secret, but its so much fun when they get excited (hopefully) and they don't have to wait a long time to go. On the other hand, especially since this is their first trip (that they remember at least), it might be more fun for this trip to tell them and let them help plan and make the autograph books and watch them get excited as the time approaches. Maybe you could surprise them like a month ahead of the trip - that way they will still have a little bit of the anticipation!

 

[roxiehartseeyore]

We're going with complete surprise but we're also taking kids that are 16 & 13, if they were younger I'd think we'd keep it a secret but let them know a few weeks in advance. As of right now they think we are going camping (we live in florida and are driving) so we plan on telling them when we are about 2 hours or so away from WDW. I can't wait, the secret is killing me. Thankfully they don't live with us (they are my cousins) only a few more days until I can let it all out!