To tell or not to tell?! Help!

[wrighter]

So we leave in three days for BWV. Being joined by my mom, her husband, sister, and her boyfriend. I am so excited I can't even see straight!!! But we haven't told the kids yet. We had planned on telling DS5 and DD3 Friday morning before school, so they could be excited and tell their friends all about it.

The kicker - the kids are home from school today for a snow day. I had planned on doing all sorts of organizational stuff today to get ready, and now I can't! Not unless I tell them. I WANT to tell them! I want to see their excited little faces!!! And then I could actually get some stuff done today.

Anyone care to weigh in on this one? To tell or not to tell?

 

[mom2travel]

would dad be upset if not there to see the happy faces?

maybe you can give them some type of "project" to occupy them so they are distracted and you can get stuff done. Or send them on a scavenger hunt for items both needed for your trip and not, so they think it is a game but you are getting stuff together.

 

[RMulieri]

I would tell them as long as your spouse or So is ok with it.We really honestly would have loved to surprise our 4 yr old last year, but my kid needs time to warm up to new situations or we pay a dear price for it.

 

[disykat]

At their ages, you might still be able to fool them with some silly story. "This is the day I air out the luggage. Normally you wouldn't be home, but now you can help!" Then later, "Oh, gee, since the luggage is out and you're home all day, why don't we play 'going on a vacation?' That was one of my favorite games when I was your age!"

I'm not big on surprise trips and wouldn't do it myself, but if you want to, I think you can still pull it off.

 

[koolaidmoms]

We have done it both ways. We have gotten to the parks and pulled into the hotel before the kids really even realized what was going on - that is a story we will retell for ages. DS (then 4) looking at the Disney buses and saying, "Those people are lucky they are going to WDW." When we told him we were there it was the best.

We did tell them about this trip. As long as DH is okay with it and you really want to then tell them. Can you put up with all the questions and stuff until they leave and still get your stuff done?

 

[mickey&arielsmom]

Can you tell them you're going somewhere else and then surprise them with the actual place? We're taking our camp trailer and staying at the RV park across from Disneyland. My kids think we're going camping in California!

 

[redrosesix]

Can you tell them you're going somewhere else and then surprise them with the actual place? We're taking our camp trailer and staying at the RV park across from Disneyland. My kids think we're going camping in California!

I vote for this one. You can tell them you want their cooperation while you are getting stuff done -- whether you want their help is up to you, but at that age, I would probably not. Then if you want, you can reward them for being so good by telling them where you're going.

 

[RMulieri]

Can you tell them you're going somewhere else and then surprise them with the actual place? We're taking our camp trailer and staying at the RV park across from Disneyland. My kids think we're going camping in California!

Not a good idea with little ones.I personally Know people that have done this and it has backfired.The little ones built up the camping trip and got so excited, that they were actually upset they were not going camping.

 

[KelnRon]

No!!! You kept it a secret this long I wouldn't ruin it yet!! They are 3&5 so you may be able to get alot more done then you think! We are keeping our's a surprise & will tell the kids the second we drive through the parking lot of the airport! I know how hard it is b/c I want to tell them soooooooooo bad!

 

[MOREMICKEYFORME]

Keep it a secret.
We did this a few years ago when DS was 3.
We drove to the airport and said that we were there to watch planes, he was so excited. We checked in (he had no idea what that was, and we packed very light). We watched planes for awhile and then asked if he wanted to get on one...WOW, he was thrilled. Then we surprised him again and told him we were going to see Mickey Mouse...he was a very happy kid on that flight, and the best behaved!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

We surprised our girls twice. The first time was in 06, I booked the trip and made all the plans, I did laundry and as I was folding their clothes I packed their 2 bags, DBF and I put them in the back of the minivan and then we packed our stuff and it put in the van after they were in bed. We got up the next morning and followed our normal routine, the girls got ready to go and so did we. We all loaded into the van and headed out, the girls were a little confused here because DBF doesn't leave when we do but we told them that we had something to take care of (our home had burned down and we implied we were going to the house to talk to the contractors who were rebuilding it) and they accepted that.....until we drove past the sitters home and didn't stop. They asked again what was going on, I told them DBF and I had taken the day off and we were going to go on a drive, they asked where but we didn't tell them. We drove to Anaheim (6.5 hrs or so) and they never caught on....not even when we drove past DL did they realize. They did another person said, we got to the hotel and checked in and they said "Mom, are we really close to DL?? Can we maybe go??" LOL It was GREAT! We went up to the room, gave them ticket package DD12 (then 9) read it and was soooooooooo excited!!!!! It was the best!!!!

The following year we did a scavenger hunt, I did clues and the girls had to figure them out to find the "treasure" which was another DL package. On that trip we upgraded to AP's so we've been back a lot since but I really miss the "magic" of them being surprised.

What did you do OP?

 

[tnkr mom]

WE tried the surprise thing and it did not work for us twice -
First time a week prior to Christmas - Had the table set with all things Disney, bags packed with plane stuff to occupy and Disney Holiday Sweatshirts. Woke them up at 5am; crying its still dark... me making weather excuses and told boys seperatly to get dressed.... they reluctantly do, come down and both realized they were wearing same outfit and freaked out (not even noticing Disney), So cameras rolling, bagels toasting we told them and ...youngest DS was NOT happy to be leaving our Christmas tree and "who will take care of our dog and water the tree" a million questions. Next time we told them we were going away but to Arizona, daughter screaming we are in the wrong line this plane is going to Orlando! People must have thought we were nuts the way she carried on, I THOUGHT we could get on the plane and she wouldn't notice. I really wanted to see their faces when they hit the Orlando airport (which they know well)! Dear kids MADE me promise I would surprize them with that again because they really like being part of the planning, since then I ask them what is the one thing they want to do.....and it has worked out great (same AZ swap FL trip I asked son if he could eat anywhere in the world for his b-day where? He said Boma...so I was immediately on the phone and he still talks about that surprize!) Good luck in whatever you decide to do, keep us posted!!!!