To surprise or not to surprise?

[linzjane88]

We planned am impromptu trip (about 4 weeks total planning time.... Yikes!). We originally planned to tell the girls (7 and 3)that we were going as we pulled into the airport. Well our trip has snowballed into a big extended family thing with cousins driving down from out of state and grandma flying with us.

Originally when it was just going to be us 4 I thought a surprise trip was the way go but now I feel like we're missing out on so much pre trip excitement! Should we tell ? We're about two weeks away.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would. I think children need to mentally prepare for these trips as much as we do, sometimes even more. A vacation means a change in schedule, environment, etc. That's a lot to process. A surprise might sound exciting, but it's a lot to wrap your head around. I know my DS8 would be totally thrown off and unsettled if we just pulled up to an airport and announced we were going somewhere. He enjoys being a part of the planning and knowing what to expect going in.

 

[Hezzy04]

Even if it's not a last minute surprise....couldn't it be a surprise a little bit in advance? Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? If so, maybe have him holding a sign saying "14 days until we go to Disney World!" Then you can get mad at him for telling the surprise. Lol...

If no Elf, maybe wrap an early Christmas present (assuming you celebrate Christmas) and leave it paying out. It can be Disney shirts or even just a decorated piece of paper saying that you will be going to Disney World in however many days?

 

[Pesky]

I am only doing the surprise again because DD requested all future trips be a surprise as she enjoyed it so much the first time. I think it's a "know your kids" time. If you think they would love the last minute surprise, go for it. If you think they wouldn't, don't. I have a mix so I'm having to try and work around that but it will mostly be a surprise for them.

 

[Jen4400]

Surprising them would be really fun, but it's also nice to let them be involved ahead of time. I think when you go with a larger group, it would be easier to prepare them, especially if you've gone before with just your immediate family. It would give them some time to process that this trip will be a little different, but still so much fun.

 

[Baklava]

It's too individual to make that call for someone else's kids. Neither of mine would cope well with a surprise. It would be absolutely awful. Other families say it's the best thing ever.

 

[linzjane88]

Well I decided I wanted to tell them but my husband wants to go the surprise route. My kids are super easy going so I feel like I am giving up all the fun pre planning we usually do and they aren't going to have the awesome reaction I am expecting. Oh well, it's worth a try just once.

It's really hard trying to covertly pack! December disney weather throws me off too.

 

[tabrizia]

With it being a huge family trip I would tell. I might try for a surprise with a small private family only trip, but when you bring cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents into it, I really feel giving a heads up so they can be prepared is nice.

 

[powellrj]

Google a few you tubes of Disney surprise trips gone bad!

 

[ajwolfe]

We've done it both ways. My kids liked the surprise of it the when we went that route (new suitcases filled with Disney stuff at Christmas for a trip) but I think they would rather be part of the planning. They like helping decide where to eat and stay, etc. They are very much like us that the planning and anticipation is part of the fun.
Plus I would think with an extended family trip it would be even harder to keep that a secret.

 

[Accident]

I never did the surprise trip but the first trip my daughter didn't really help much or know what to expect so it was a good trip but a deer in headlights trip. There was also a lot of "can we do that" instead of "I can't wait until we do xxx". Once she started to help plan a little, especially the list of "I don't want to do that daddy" the trips became a very different experience. I like the holiday gift of the trip surprise style but still having time to learn about WDW and adjust some plans.

You know your kids best to decide which method would work best for your family.

 

[linzjane88]

Well we told big sister. She was excited but I think we got the same reaction out of her as we would if we told her the day of. I think she is more excited to see her cousins than to go to Disney. We haven't told DD3 yet. She will definitely be more excited to go to Disney! I kind of think we go to Disney too much for there to be any shock value left in going ....I have a problem

 

[disneyjes]

It really depends on your child and how well they handle surprises. Some kids just need time to process and prepare themselves while others don't. I would advise on not telling them you're going one place and then really take them to Disney. Just never ends up good! lol.

On our first trip we told our son so he could help plan and get excited! For our next trip we're surprising him...to a degree. We're telling him we're going in a year and a half so he can help plan but we're actually going in a few months. So he can still help give input and plan, but he will be surprised to the actual date!