Surprising the kids

[mrs.ariel]

So we have a Disney cruised planned and my boys know all about it...what they don't know is that we will also be going to WDW for a few days before the cruise and staying at POP!!!!!

This will be our first surprise trip, but the more I read and plan, I wonder....how soon before we go should I tell them?

I hear about customizing magic bands and booking FP 60 days out....maybe I should get more input from my kids about what they want to do?!

Or am I reading too much into it and I can just tell them on the flight over from CA?!

What have others done?

 

[Ametista]

So we have a Disney cruised planned and my boys know all about it...what they don't know is that we will also be going to WDW for a few days before the cruise and staying at POP!!!!!

This will be our first surprise trip, but the more I read and plan, I wonder....how soon before we go should I tell them?

I hear about customizing magic bands and booking FP 60 days out....maybe I should get more input from my kids about what they want to do?!

Or am I reading too much into it and I can just tell them on the flight over from CA?!

What have others done?

I surprised our DD one time when she was 7. It was really fun but she admitted later that she prefers the excitement leading up to a trip, the daily countdown, the talking about what we will do, etc. So now I always tell her and we discuss that serious matter all the way to school, every day, no matter how far out the trip is. Sooooo, I guess I would let them know soon enough that they can make decisions about FP+ because that might take some time. And its just so fun to talk about upcoming trips!

 

[Haygar2]

We surprised our kids in September 2012. We told them we were going to Cedar Point and then Put-in-Bay. I tried to really get them excited about it. My daughter could not figure out why we had to get up so early to drive 3 hours. I had to come up with some crazy reason why. Apparently she believed me because she didn't question me anymore. I have to say, she wasn't very excited our trip location. We woke them up, the morning we were leaving, and gave them "Happy Vacation Day"gifts. By the time they got to the second gift, my daughter figured it out. Her brother was a little slower, but he got it once she started screaming. It was fun.

They know about our upcoming trip. They think I am crazy because I am obsessed with looking at Disney stuff.

Yes, it's easier to ask them what they would prefer and what they want to make sure they do, but I wouldn't trade surprising them. It was fun.

 

[danceintherain]

I hate surprises, so I doubt I'll ever surprise my kids.
I've considered surprising DH a few times, but I always want his input on something at some point.

I like the planning part.
That said...since DS is only 3, we try not to talk about fun things too far in advance, because he doesn't have a real concept of the passage of time.
Even just his grandma coming "next week" causes confusion, and he asks about it every day.

(because he just asked to see this particular emoticon)

 

[fiona408]

We are going in two weeks, and are surprising the kids....we're driving there from ct (which we've done before). We're going to pick them up at school early with the car packed and leave from there. I can't wait to surprise them!

 

[tina.tina]

I hate surprises, so I doubt I'll ever surprise my kids.
I've considered surprising DH a few times, but I always want his input on something at some point.

I like the planning part.
That said...since DS is only 3, we try not to talk about fun things too far in advance, because he doesn't have a real concept of the passage of time.
Even just his grandma coming "next week" causes confusion, and he asks about it every day.

(because he just asked to see this particular emoticon)

DS would be fine with a surprise trip but DD likes to plan everything ahead of time. She would be upset to miss the planning aspect.

We didn't make a big deal about our first trip until Christmas when we gave them WDW related gifts and gift cards. Our trip was planned for February 5th. Unfortunately, DS broke his collarbone and we delayed our trip to April.

In March we were passing by the airport and just drove over there for no reason. We started discussing whether or not to fly to WDW. DS was 5.5 and thought we were leaving right away. I guess it seemed like it was taking forever to him. He was so disappointed. He still loves this guy:

 

[karenklo]

We surprised our boys in June of 2012. We told them we were heading to the zoo, but then drove to O'Hare to catch our flight! IT is GREAT video of them rambling on in the car. We got to the terminal before they figured out we were not at the zoo and my Dad had to put on his mickey ears to clue them in! I love to watch it!

 

[RalphinSC]

I've surprised mine twice. The first time was when we picked him up from school to take him and the second time was the night before we left. Video for the second surprise is in my sig.

Now he's nine and we are going again this Summer. I want him to help be the suprisER this time as his two cousins are going and they do NOT know about it. So he's getting to plan and get to be the one to help share the surprise excitement for once. So far, he absolutely loves the planning process and is asking good questions.

 

[pellegirl]

On the previous trips DD always knew but she kept saying after the 2012 trip that she wanted to be surprised. Fun for me but honestly this is horrible! I want to tell her so bad but now we are only 3 days. I bought a baby countdown clock and design my own Disney faceplate that says "Days until Disney". We are giving it to her on Friday (2/14) the day before we leave. We usually give her a small Valentine's day present so she will be shocked when she opens this one!

 

[butterfly71076]

We are surprising DS this time. We are leaving on a Friday (driving down from Chicago), so I am just going to get him up, like he's going to school and then surprise him. Not sure how yet, but, as far as I know, he has no idea. As fun as it is planning things with him and him being so excited for weeks, even months before, I think the surprise is going to be so fun!

 

[4xmom]

I surprised my 4 this past September. I told them we were going somewhere they had ben asking to go. We stopped at South of the Border to buy fireworks and they were so excited with their surprise. I then drove to FL while they were sleeping. We stopped at random hotel and told them that we were lost. Got up early the next morning, got them watching a movie in the car and they all fell asleep. Woke them up as we got to Welcome to Disney sign and said we were lost again. The video is awesome. The oldest was 12 at the time and complaining about us not using the GPS. Baby girl 9 "got it" first and started screaming. Then there was tons of questions about clothes, school, ect. Oh and my parents were standing in the AKL waiting when we walked in. About 2 hours later, my dd 10 pulled me to side and said I just can't believe that we are really here.

I would not tried that surprise for anything! They love to help plan too, but this is the one thing that will always remember the most.

 

[Mom2Luci]

We are surprising DD in just under 2 weeks for her 6th birthday. We've had to adjust slightly, but she thinks we are going to my mom's in southern GA for a week which we usually do around her birthday. The catch is we're driving this time. We are leaving Chicago Saturday evening and driving for about 5 hours before we stop for the night, then we are finishing the drive to my mom's on Sunday. Monday is my mom's birthday so we are taking her out for lunch, then we will tell DD we're going to the beach for the afternoon. DH will distract her at the beach and I will write "We are going to Disney!" in the sand.

 

[mrs.ariel]

Ok, I am convinced to keep it a surprise!
Luckily they know about the cruise and the hotel, so that part we can plan- excursions, etc.


The cutest thing is that we were watching WDW and DL shows on tv (destination channel) and my older son said, "mom, wouldn't it be so awesome if we could go to WDW when we take our cruise? But, I know it's expensive and we are already spending so much! Maybe someday we could go there!"

Plus, we just went to DL in December, so they really won't expect it!

He will be SO surprised! I think we'll tell him the night before, or on the bus to the resort after we fly in!!! I'll be sure to video, it too!!!

I just hope I can contain my own excitement!!!!
Thanks for sharing all your stories!

 

[butterfly71076]

Ok, I am convinced to keep it a surprise!
Luckily they know about the cruise and the hotel, so that part we can plan- excursions, etc.


The cutest thing is that we were watching WDW and DL shows on tv (destination channel) and my older son said, "mom, wouldn't it be so awesome if we could go to WDW when we take our cruise? But, I know it's expensive and we are already spending so much! Maybe someday we could go there!"

Plus, we just went to DL in December, so they really won't expect it!

He will be SO surprised! I think we'll tell him the night before, or on the bus to the resort after we fly in!!! I'll be sure to video, it too!!!

I just hope I can contain my own excitement!!!!
Thanks for sharing all your stories!

Your DS sounds so sweet!
I keep watching Disney shows, listening to music, anything to talk about it with my DS. Then I'll say, maybe this summer, after school, then he gets a bit bummed. He is going to be so excited with this surprise! And, our trip will be around our nieces birthday. They moved to FL last year and we haven't seen them since July! This is going to be so fun! Not sure I can last the next 2 weeks!!