Thoughts on surprising the kids?

[quoo]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but apparently I stink at searching today!

What are your thoughts on surprising the kids with a trip? I've been planning a late august trip since... 2019 now... we postponed in 2020 and again in 2021 and somehow haven't told the kids yet at all.

They are boys, 10 and 6, turning 7 before the trip.

A mom friend has told me horror stories of the kids crying all the way to Disney because she told them they were going to the local bowling / arcade... so I don't think I want to pretend we're going somewhere else.

I'm thinking of a few options:

- Tell them the night before by giving them their magic bands and tell them to pack
- Pack for them, tell them we're going somewhere 'fun' and make them guess? (possibly being super annoying about admitting where we're going) would probably let them know that they need to pack their normal airplane bag

We are flying down so I think by the time the 10 year old sees our flight destination they'll have figured it out. If he doesn't already know (apparently this kid waited like 2-3 years to tell us he knew about Santa because he "didn't want to ruin it for us")

We are probably checking a bag or two for this trip so logistically it would be easy to pack for them... even if I have to hide the suitcases in the attic or something

Something else?

 

[MICKIMINI]

Magic bands and a new Mickey tee shirt should do it! Maybe a small bag of goodies for the flight.

Enjoy!

 

[OppR2nist]

We were diabolical in the way we did it. We said nothing to them. We packed their bags, and gave them Mickey Mouse PJs to wear to bed the night before. Our flight was early, so we had to get up at around 4 AM to catch our flight. We told them a new supermarket was opening up, and we wanted to hit the grand opening sales. THEY WERE SO MAD.

We wanted to avoid problematic questions when we got to the TSA, so we told them the truth in the parking lot. THEY WERE EVEN ANGRIER! We got on the plane, and things weren't even real until we landed at Pop Century. It was pure magic from there.

Point of reference, my boys were 11 and 9, and my wife and I are notorious for springing traps on them like that

 

[quoo]

I love this. Soooo tempted to do something similar, but our flights a little later. My 10 year old will catch on I think by the time we get to the airport. Or he'll start trolling us back and be like so we're going to the moon right?

 

[Jonfw2]

My wife and I told my daughter we were going away without her for a week and she was staying at her grandma's and we'd drop her off on the way to the airport. Then that morning, we drove right past grandma's house. Well, she started freaking out so we had to give up the surprise right there...but we kept it right until the morning of!

 

[Edna Cloud]

Only you know your children; mine would have been livid if we had either lied about where we were going or not told them until the airport. We could leave it until shortly beforehand to tell them, but definitely wouldn’t have liked to be misled.

 

[DeeBee3]

We picked our daughter up from school early. Told her she was going for a haircut in the morning so she knew she was getting picked up. We told her the truth in the car on way to airport. She was upset she wasn't getting a haircut because she told the class she was getting one.

She got over it, but it was a funny reaction.

Next time when we had 2 kids we told them a few days before because I couldn't stand holding it in. We didn't want to tell them the night before.

 

[OppR2nist]

Only you know your children; mine would have been livid if we had either lied about where we were going or not told them until the airport. We could leave it until shortly beforehand to tell them, but definitely wouldn’t have liked to be misled.

I think the only thing that makes the anger go away is the feeling of wonder being whisked away with little warning. Of course, my kids were concerned about who would manage day to day things while we were gone (we have a dog, for example), but we assured them everything was taken care of. Amazingly, lying to our children instilled a sense of trust in them, because they knew we had taken care of everything.

 

[tinkerjo]

So I am one that never springs a surprise on my kids like this. We enjoy planning our vacation as a family too much. We would have family meetings to discuss plans and map out our days and meals. Now I did like the idea of letting them know you are all going on a big trip and let them pack “normal vacation clothes” but if either of them are upset I would let that child in on the secret and let that child help with the surprise. Maybe the oldest would like to help you with the surprise for the younger one!!!!

 

[JoyfulHeart]

when my kids were 3 & 5 we took them for the first time and drove. We were with my in-laws so they knew we were going on vacation, but that was it. They spent a lot of the ride guessing. I did break down and tell them the next day ( we still had 5 more hours to drive) so they could watch the billboards. They were surprised and excited. we went last year and will go next week and we told them ahead of time and they like to "check the ride times" or look at menu's of places we will eat...etc... they have also saved up their money so they can buy stuff at Disney. If I could I would wait until a few weeks out and tell them, but DD (11) listen to close to what mom and dad say. She asked me in January when I was getting ready to book, which Disney hotel I choose-lol. At the time I was going to let them know we were going in May for our June trip-HA!

 

[tguz]

We don't lie about where we are going. We did something simple. When the magic band package was delivered, we went out for pizza and while waiting, we let him open the box. He was 9 and it took him a few seconds to realize what they were and what it meant and he was so surprised. That was his first trip to Disney.

 

[quoo]

Yeah.. I don't want to lie, but I might tell them we're going somewhere and they have to guess where.
The magic bands I think arrive today! Hopefully will intercept them. I forget if the box is all Disney branded.

 

[tguz]

Yeah.. I don't want to lie, but I might tell them we're going somewhere and they have to guess where.
The magic bands I think arrive today! Hopefully will intercept them. I forget if the box is all Disney branded.

I like the guess idea, that would be fun.....with hints and stuff.

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

I love surprising my kids with fun activities and trips. If I told them in advance that we were going somewhere they would be constantly asking for a countdown. We planned our first family Disney trip for April 2020, and we all know how that turned out. And then for Oct. 2020, then Feb 2022, and each time we had to reschedule. It would break my heart to have to tell them that we had to reschedule.
I'm 90% sure that our Sept/Oct trip is going to happen and I will tell them 2-3 days in advance so I can prepare them for flights, waiting in lines, etc etc. I wasn't planning on doing anything special but now you have me thinking. I love the idea of giving them their Magic Bands. I think I will do that too. I usually record the surprises so I can look back on their bright little faces and relive the joy.

 

[quoo]

I have been debating telling them a few days in advance so they can pack but I'm worried that'll lead to my 6 year old being *soooo* excited that he won't sleep for several days.

 

[Figment Mom]

While I think a surprise trip could be fun, I told my teenager before I booked the trip and my 7-year-old after the magic bands arrived (about a month and a half before the trip). I'm so glad I told him because he is enjoying the anticipation as much as I am.

 

[Anna131517]

I think surprising anyone is more fun in theory than realty. For a lot of people, including kids, it creates anxiety and ruins the experience. How do your kids normally handle sudden changes in plans? I personally tell our kids as soon as we book, then start showing them videos of the hotel, the parks, etc. We let them pick out personalized magic bands before the trip, which they love, and decide what to pack in their backpacks for the car or plane ride.

 

[PrinceRaki]

Tell them to pack as you are going somewhere fun, maybe some clues or like a trivia game on the way to the airport. While at the airport walk around and let them guess which gate you are boarding. You can also have a gift box with you (mickey tshirts, magic bands) and hand over to them when they find the right gate. I think it is good to keep them busy and kill waiting time

 

[leebee]

I wouldn't do a last minute surprise. Kids worry about all kinds of things: Who will feed the kitties, who'll take care of the dog, what about school, and god forbid there is something fun/big planned at school for when they'll be gone, that they've been looking forward to and will now miss. I like the idea of springing it on them when the magic bands arrive. This gives them time to help plan and arrange things in their brains (so when the teacher talks about the bounce house at field day, they can think- bummer... but I'll be in Disney! instead of getting all excited about the bounce house and learning at the last minute that they'll miss out.

 

[MerryJ]

When my oldest were little (7 and 5) we planned a trip where I met them unexpectedly at the airport with their dad and their baby sister. They thought they were just on their way home from their trip with their father. Instead we were all headed to Disneyland! They were excited, but not as excited as I wanted them to be (which isn't fair to them!) I think we overestimate how excited the kids will be and that can make them seem ungrateful, when really they are just overwhelmed.
I am taking my two younger kids (6 and 11). The older one was the baby on that other trip! I have been casually watching videos about trips to Disney World when they are around and they are both excited to go "someday". They don't know I just booked a trip to Disney World for January 2023. My plan is to have something for them to unwrap under the Christmas tree this year that will let them know we are going. That gives them almost a month to be excited and get accustomed to the idea, I still get my surprize moment, but I don't have to put up with my 6 year old asking if it is time to go yet for the next 6 months!