Surprising the kids, not feeling the love

[hiddenl1fe]

My parents never surprised me and my brother. They always told us about it beforehand. This summer, my DGF and I are planning on surprising her son (4 yrs). We're driving down from Jersey and staying 1 night right on the Georgia-Florida border. We're still on the fence as to when to do it. I say we should do it about 2-3 days before we leave, she votes to do it that morning in Georgia.

 

[thr33boys]

We surprised our kids in our two previous trips but in different ways. For our 1st trip, we didn't tell them at all. Our plan was to tell them when we got to the airport but because we travelled to a nearby US airport, we missed an exit (we were already running late) and by the time we parked and got through security, the plane was half boarded. We just got on and didn't have a chance to talk to them. I sat with my 3 year old at the time and my DH sat with the 5 and 8 year old. I don't think they even asked, we were just so rushed. They found out we were going to Florida from the pilot. At the time, I was just relieved we made the flight.

On our 2nd trip, we told them a week before so that they could get excited but still have a concept of a week not being too far away. We showed them a slide show from the previous year's trip, it worked well.

For our trip this year, we will tell them at some point over the summer. Not yet sure how but this way they can be more involved in the planning. Although, the resort is booked, they can have input in restaurants, fast passes, and magic band colours and names.

 

[Fueledbycoffee]

We surprised our kids with a Spring Break trip as a Christmas Gift a couple of years ago. They knew their cousins were going to be there & we convinced them we weren't going. It was a fun surprise but a bit shocking too. We defiantly get "our money's worth" with the time spent planning! This year my parents are meeting us there & the kids don't know... So hard to keep it a secret but I can't wait to see their faces!

 

[planningjollyholiday]

We always surprise our kids the day we leave. But they are the type of kids that will never try to find their Christmas presents early because the surprise is so important to them. Last vacation we went to Aulani and we told them a month before we left as it was their easter present. They each had a countdown calendar that they did everyday. We will never tell them that early again. The time seemed to drag while we waited for our vacation to start. Afterwards both boys said that they never want to know that early again, and that a week out from vacation would probably be enough time to get excited for the trip if we were going to tell them early.

 

[C2DW2015]

We are visiting DW for the first time with our children in about 5 weeks time. Booked it almost 18 months ago and have kept it a secret. We are bringing grandparents and auntie with us. We have had so much fun planning the vacation. We have a Facebook planning page that has 18 months worth of research, links to planning videos, fun conversations which is a great record in itself. We have told the kids that the 4 of us are holidaying in London to get them to the airport hotel the night before. Grandparents and auntie will surprise them over breakfast on the day we fly with their presence and a custom made invitation. We've kept it a secret to manage their excitement but it hasn't hampered our excitement. All of the adults have had so much fun identifying restaurants, organising character dining, booking fastpasses, organising the BBB and other stuff like in room celebrations. I don't care about the reaction of the kids living up to my expectations because I know we are going to have an amazing time together as a family and have so many great memories together. The grandparents took me and my sister (auntie) to DW over 20 years ago. I doubt they will get to go again so for them to experience it with their grandkids is going to be special.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would just tell them now. Not everyone likes surprises. Some kids need time to digest a trip like this. I speak from experience. No more trip surprises for my kids.

 

[Arkansan]

We surprised our kids once and it went over really well! So well, that two of them have written about the surprise for various school assignments. I agree, however, that it was very hard to keep the secret and it took away some of the fun planning, but the benefits outweighed the disadvantages overall.

I was going crazy trying to pack everything in secret and to cover all the bases--didn't want to forget a swimming suit or someone's favorite pair of jeans. We finally told the kids the night we left for the airport. (A three hour drive and a pre-airplane night in a hotel). They received their Boarding Passes as an early Christmas gift. We got their reaction on film. It was really amazing seeing them all slowly come to the realization first, where we were going and second, when we were leaving! We then gave them 20 minutes to pack their carry-ons. That way, I couldn't be blamed if I didn't pack the correct electronics or forgot a charger. The main suitcases were already in the car.

Hope you have a wonderful trip! It is a great memory and one they all talk about fondly, although they enjoy the planning, too. Hope they end up enjoying the surprise.

 

[tami82]

I totally get it. I'm one to constantly talk about our trips and im would feel the same way. Can you possibly tell them today? This way you have the week to talk about it.

I remember when I was a small child and i would talk my mom into going to my favorite places like pigeon forge TN I would get so excited for weeks beforehand and it would be all that I would think about. The time leading up to the trip was one of the most exciting parts for me. To this day I still remember how excited I would get and it was such a great feeling. I loved our family trips back into 70's lol.

 

[AshleeH]

We surprised my kids with a trip to Disney World (got a fairly good reaction when they saw the sign over the road), surprised them with Disneyland (the video was so terrible that I deleted it - they were overwhelmingly underwhelmed - although they got more excited when we got to the parks), and surprised them a few weeks ago by walking outside the parking garage and showing them the Disney Cruise Ship and telling them that's how we were getting to Alaska. That video is amazing! They were shocked and it was something we'd told them would take us years to save for (which was true - they just didn't know we'd already taken those years to save and the trip was already paid off when they asked). Keep expectations low. I told them no more surprise trips after that - no way could we top a Disney Cruise to Alaska.

 

[cjbcam]

We surprised our kids with their first trip a couple years ago. I had it all set up it was their main Christmas present but we weren't leaving until the end of February. The reaction was little to nothing lol. They did not really even understand what Disney World even was. The next time we surprised them the week before we went and they had the reaction I expected for the first time. Now Disney is talked about daily. I'm not telling them until a week before our next trip again just to make it easier on me.

 

[MommyMK]

Telling them this afternoon. Finally feeling excited about this trip! Can't wait to watch them figure it out and see their reaction.

 

[jen7233]

We just go ahead and tell ours for any trips. I like that they can see preparation and planning, and concept of time. But surprises are cool and some people like trip surprises. So, whatever way works for each person.

 

[MommyMK]

We told them tonight, did a scavenger hunt with the magic bands as their prize. It took them a minute to figure out we are going this week, but they are pretty thrilled. Ran to start packing right away.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We are DVC members too, and are surprising our son (5) for our August trip. It was his request. He knows we go often, so we still are able to talk about Disney and what we might do next visit, but he doesn't know when it will be. I'm actually kind of enjoying it. Plus my DH is a Disney addict as well, so we have plenty of Disney planning talk going on in the house after the beasty is in bed. I hope your surprise goes swimmingly to help make up for the disappointment for you leading up to the surprise.

 

[buzznina]

We have surprised them twice and it was fun but our DDs would rather be part of the planning process. Helping pick the resort, which days to do the parks etc. Plus it's a great thing to hold over their head when they are not listening or doing what they are suppose to do

 

[shnoukys]

We are surprising our 3 boys, if I manage to keep this a secret hehehe. My middle child has always wanted to go he love Mickey. So we decided that on his birthday which is the day we are leaving they would come home from school do our normal routine (homework etc..) we would order pizza since it's a thursday and we won't normaly be able to do a big celebration and my aunt brought us back some Mickey dollars that we will put inside the box in a enveloppe with their names, so when they will go to pick their slice they will take them and open them. If they don't catch on right away we will say there is only one place we can use them (they will be keepsakes since we already have their Disney gift cards loaded with their spending money) and we will proabably say should we go? maybe this summer? or maybe after you take or showers and put your pyjama's on!!! The car will be loaded when they are at school. I can't wait, hope the surprise goes well.

 

[maloned]

We've surprised our girls. I loved their reaction.

I liked the suggestion of being able to speak about it by just saying, "the next time we go to Disney."

 

[quagmire0]

I do the absolute opposite of surprising the kids. I tell them over a year in advance, because I can't wait. I obsess over it way may than they do. But the nice thing is that they get mentally prepared for it. I can show them videos of the rides. I can get them hyped up riding things. DS, who wouldn't let us take him onto Haunted Mansion last trip is excited to go on it now. So, in a way, that's a good thing. Also, while I could see a surprise being fun, we are very much like OP in that we'd want to be preparing in those couple weeks leading up to the trip and not have to try and be sneaky about it.

 

[dsnymomof4]

I LOVE planning surprise trips for the kids! We first did a surprise trip in 2008 - we went to my Mom's on Thanksgiving and while the kids and I were there, DH was home packing the car. When we pulled up to our house, they saw the luggage on top of the car. The next time I surprised them was a few years ago the day they got out of school for Easter break. They walked into the house and there were empty suitcases on the floor and when they opened them, the note inside said we're going to Disney - tomorrow! Start Packing! They were so surprised - they screamed! The last 2 times we went, the older kids knew, but I decided not to tell DS7 simply for the fact that he would keep asking over and over when our trip was. So, we just didn't say anything, but didn't really keep things hidden. In fact I packed his Lightning McQueen suitcase and had it out in the living room for a few days and he didn't even ask about it. Then, on the day we were leaving, a white van pulled up to take us to the airport and he asked why and I said he was just taking us for a ride! It wasn't until we approached the airport that he said "Hey, are we going to Disney?" It was hilarious! Then, this year, we planned to leave Easter day. So, we had an Easter egg hunt for DS7 and at the end it said we're going to Disney. He loved that! In fact, he said to me the other day that the next time we go, he wants to be surprised like the Easter egg hunt. So, now I have to think of something for our trip in 3 weeks!

 

[Karel]

The best way to surprise kids is to plan the trip four days before you leave! This is what we did one Thanksgiving. I had the suitcases up on the third floor, a place they would not go up to and packed when they were in school. I even had them trying on shorts, saying I was packing them away for the next year and wanted to see if they would still fit. It was the first time they ever flew too. We woke them up at 5 AM and said let's go. The littlest cried because she wanted to go back to bed!