To surprise or not to surprise that is the question?

[buzz for boys]

I know quite a few of you over the years have surprised your children with a trip to Wdw.
At the moment we are considering if its a good idea or not !!
I like the kids build up of excitement over the months before the holiday and Im not sure if them not knowing would distract away from the whole build up or add to it ??

What did you think when you surprised the little people in the family ?? Would you say its worth all the anxiety of them finding out ?? Would you do it again???

Louise x

 

[higgy66]

We thought about it for the last trip but I have to say I'm so glad we didn't.

We had soooo much fun planning the trip together, going on "Disney training" walks to get them ready for the parks and generally talking about the trip. It also helps when the kids know why they can't have certain things as we're saving for Florida.

Again this time we thought about it but decided "no" again as we feel it's a long time until we go yet we can have so much fun with the build up which just wouldn't be the same for us for the sake of a 10 minute suprise when we eventually told them.

This is just my opinion as I know people on here have done it as a suprise and when I've read about it I've thought it sounds amazing but it's just not for us - unless it was a last minute booking and then I think we would.

 

[wayneg]

I know others have done it, Lee suprised her Daughter, Nigel kept a cruise secret but its not something I would consider, part of a holiday is planning as a family for me. We are going with relatives this year, our 3 year old God Daughter, she is already excited about going. I love the build up excitement with kids.

 

[scottish mum]

We have never completely surprised the kids but often don't tell them till about 7 months out. We usually book well in advamce and it would be too soon to tell then 14 months before.

At around 7 months they can have their input into any must do adr's, BBB etc.

The kids enjoy the planning as much as the holiday itself and I couldn't deny them that, plus I would miss the countdown calendar

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Louise. I did it once. I knew DD would handle it and it wasn't her first trip so I knew she would be fine with it. However it was a once off thing. Absolutely worth it but it has its trade offs. If you are able to wait until later this evening I will post a summary of the good and bad from my personal experience and you can glean some questions to ask yourself from there. I am so glad I did it, but as I said before and still say now - it was a one off.

Of course there are different times to break the news as a surprise. You could do it a month or so out so that they still get to join in part of the planning and countdown.

 

[2Tiggies]

Im not sure if them not knowing would distract away from the whole build up or add to it ??

Both. I found I had no sense of build up at all. The day before I was still sitting at work as if it were any other day. It just never registered until I went home to grab the cases. I will elaborate on it later and you can have a read and a good think.

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

No I wouldnt I like them to be involved in the planning, we talk a lot about what we are going to do when we are there and they have each chosen a restaurant they especially want to go back to

 

[buzz for boys]

Both. I found I had no sense of build up at all. The day before I was still sitting at work as if it were any other day. It just never registered until I went home to grab the cases. I will elaborate on it later and you can have a read and a good think.

Thank you Lee !!

 

[joolz1910]

I was adamant that this trip (2012) would be a complete surprise, but now I've done a complete U turn. I like the idea of the kids being involved in the planning. If all goes to plan, I would probably tell mine 6 weeks before we go. That might make going back to school after the 6 weeks holiday more bearable!

 

[Minniemouse07]

I actually asked dd (9yo) about this last week. If she would ever like to be surprised w/ a WDW/DCL trip and she said no!

She much prefers helping plan and wouldn't like to be surprised at all.

That is what I thought...it was nice to hear I'm right once in a while!

 

[mommy_grrl]

I'd like to let the kids in on our cruise (4 & 6) but we are spending 3 days in Barcelona before, and we'd really like them to enjoy that, too!!

I know them - they get so excited that every minute would be spent listening to "when do we get to go to the ship".

But....we plan on taking them to Disney and on a Caribbean cruise when we move back to the US....so we've been looking at videos on the cruise website of the ships (but mostly the Magic) to get them excited about the idea. They know they'll get to go eventually...

The Med cruise is so port heavy that it isn't quite the same as a Caribbean...and the outings are totally different. I totally plan on letting them help plan the next trip, but this first one? BIG surprise.

 

[Pegasus928]

For my part I would love to surprise our 2 with our next trip. I guess a lot of it does depend on how often you have been. If it was the first time then planning is a major factor, but if they have been before and you plan on going again then surely just this once it would be nice to spring it on them.
I also suppose it comes down to how much of the planning your kids do get involved in, and whether they sit for hours watching ride videos on youtube and the like.
I say go for the surprise

 

[taylor91]

Here are 2 of my surprise stories: Both my brother and myself were surprised with our first trip back in 2001 (I was 9 and my brother was 6). We were told that we were going to Spain for a few days, and was told the night before that we were going to Disney. That is one of my favourite memories...especially with my mum having to convince us that they weren't lying.

Fast forward to the 2009 trip, we didn't tell my brother who was 14 at the time until we were sat in the airport eating breakfast 2 hours before our flight. We had reasons for everything to stop him suspecting, including that Virgin Atlantic fly to Spain now and even had code words for Disney He had no idea!! We had told him we were going to Benidorm to stay in the hotel that the TV show is filmed at... his face when he found out we had lied to him for the best part of the year was priceless, a little bit of embarrassment that he had been fooled for so long but after he was so happy

It is totally up to you, but the surprise is amazing and makes memories, especially if you have a camcorder ready

 

[paulh]

wouldn't keep Florida from them
But have kept a skiing trip only because it was an Xmas present but we still had over a month after Xmas until we went
Paul

 

[CHEK]

Each to their own, but we did a surprise trip and it was fab, the girls expressions were something that I'll cherish for ever & never forget This was back in 2006, our eldest was 7 and youngest 5

They didn't notice anything untoward at all, they thought we were all having a family day out with my parent's, they'd chose to go to Rhyl suncentre, so they packed their bag's for the taxi journey with a little help from mummy!! (including their swimming goggles and bikini's)
We had the suitcases picked up the eveing before by our parents who were coming along with us so they could be put in the taxi at their house & the driver was informed it was a secret

Both DD's were really excited on the morning thinking we were going out just for the day , we kept them really busy on the taxi journey & only when we pulled into Mancheter airport did my eldest DD suddenly speak up and ask why are we at the airport????

At this point both DD's were really excited, we asked them to guess where they were going?......"Tenerife"......."DISNEY".....Yeah.......OMG they were sooooo excited

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Louise

Honestly, my take on this is that people over-anylise a surprise trip. There are some important factors you need to weigh up, but really, you either like the idea of it or you don't. And if you do, the one aspect you do have to condsider is whether the kids will handle it. I can hardly see a child being told they are going to Disney (when they have been, love it and would love to go again) being upset about the trip.

What I would be very wary of is not to make up a story as to where you might be going. I had initially planned to tell DD if she asked, that we were going to see my friend in Spain. Six months later and the secret still safe, I changed my mind because (again, nature of the child) she would have built up expectations for her trip to Spain and then felt I had lied to her.

When I decided to do it there were a few things I knew I had to get straight in my mind and accept from the outset which included:

• I had to ask the obvious question: Does DD like surprises? (the answer in my case was yes)
• Will she miss out on the run up to the trip? (Yes, to a point, but she watches planning DVDs and youtube all the time and constantly talks about 'next time' so I could use this to incorporate into the planning)
• I had to accept that dropping a bombshell on anyone, especially a child may not have the desired reaction initially. I had to fight my thoughts so that I didnt build up my own idea of what the response should/would be from her side. I had to accept that she may be completely overwhelmed and become upset at first)

I also suppose it comes down to how much of the planning your kids do get involved in, and whether they sit for hours watching ride videos on youtube and the like.

This is very true. My DD's input in the planning in the past had been just that. It gave me a good idea of things that she wanted to try, which helped with the planning.


There was an 18 month gap between the previous trip and the surprise one. Kids (and their likes and dislikes) change rapidly when they are still so young. From this perspective, planning was a bit of a nightmare. I went on what she liked before when choosing character meals and putting together her autograph book. We ended up cancelling 2 ADRs because she just wasn't interested. It wasn't a big deal, but it did make it difficult.

For me the best part was the planning. I loved making things for her for the trip and every month I would buy or order a few things for a suprise pack for her. I enjoyed doing the autograph book for her. I loved keeping the secret.

The drawbacks, both practical and otherwise was as follows:

I missed it on some of the things I thought she would/would not like as her interests had changed

With the absence of a countdown, it never really registered that we were going until I was getting the things to the car to go to the airport hotel.

I was prepared for every possible reaction from DD except that she wouldn't believe me - at all. (It took about 10 minutes to convince her that I was serious )

Packing was a nightmare and not having the cases out for a day or two beforehand definitely took away from the pre-departure atmosphere.

This last one, may not affect you, but it only came up when it was time to leave. I underestimated the effect of the build up followed by a fantastic trip and had a hard time coming home. I was a bit down for a good week afterwards and some of it was jet lag, but it has never been to this extent. (You will see how it already started on our last night when I get there in my TR) I am without a doubt that the intense anticipation for so long made for a very extreme withdrawal - like post Disney blues are not bad enough

I had to type this amidst countless 'emergencies' in the house so anything that doesn't make sense in this unchecked and unedited post, please feel free to question.

Last point I will add that was in my mind was that planning a surprise still leaves the option open to announce the trip at any point if you change your mind. If you announce the trip first, the surprise is out of the question

Hope some of this will be helpful

ETA: It might be a good idea to add that it was completely worth the effort for me and I am so glad I did it. DD still talks almost daily of the best surprise she ever had

 

[london75]

Everyone knows about the holiday but no one knows about the cruise, it's our first and we're on the Dream on the 25th. I plan on printing up a letter from Mickey in nautical themes for the kids and probably the wife as well inviting them on the cruise the day before. Yes I am a grown up man, you've got to have a bit of escapism haven't you and God knows my childhood was miserable lol!

 

[wayneg]

Honestly, my take on this is that people over-anylise a surprise trip. There are some important factors you need to weigh up, but really, you either like the idea of it or you don't.

I think this sums it up, what type of person you are, I find it difficult to understand why you would give up 6,7,8.... months of planning for 10 mins of excitement but I am not a "surprise" person, just ask Karen, I think I have sent her 1 bouquet of flowers in the 25 years we have been together, seriously I have done the odd surprise like a bottle of wine & chocs waiting in the cabin but I admit I am too practical, if we want something we get it, we don't wait for a Birthday or Xmas to get things and I won't buy anything unless needed.
I am sure the suprise route works for some, its just not my idea of planning a holiday.

 

[disneyholic family]

my neighbor completely surprised her 3 boys....
none of them had ever been there before, including the parents, so there wasn't really very much advance planning (they never thought to ask me - the psycho disney crazed nutcase who lives down the block from them)..

i mean they totally totally totally surprised the boys....
they told them they were going to eilat (the local resort here on the red sea).....that's a 45 minute flight from here...nothing....
and since their boys had never been out of the country before, they didn't pay attention to the fact they had to go through passport control...besides, that flight is at 1 in the morning, so they were too sleepy to take notice...

even the plane didn't set them off really....they didn't know that 747s don't fly to eilat....
and they also didn't realize how long the flight was (13 hours) since they fell asleep.....however, when they woke up, they started to suspect.....duh...
and then they arrived in New York.....another clue.....dorothy we're not in kansas anymore...
it was at that point the parents told them - "we're going to disney world"...

from what i heard, the reaction was more stunned silence than jumping for joy....i mean, what did the parents expect, they'd just been in a plane for 13 hours...

 

[Pegasus928]

I think this sums it up, what type of person you are, I find it difficult to understand why you would give up 6,7,8.... months of planning for 10 mins of excitement

I guess that depends on when you plan on telling them. If you tell them just before getting on the plane - as a friend of mine once did - then the planning is non existant. If you tell them the day or 2 before then that will be enough time for them to get involved in the planning - as in what rides they want to go on and which parks they want to do - without weeks of sleepless nights due to excitement.