To tell or not to tell...

[TotalSnowWhite]

I've had our tripped planned since May and booked for about a month.

Here's the dilemma...

Do I "give" it to the kids for Christmas so they can start getting ready (our trip is in May '08) for it? For example, they can ask for Disney Dollars or Disney Gift Cards for Christmas, etc. My little guy is 2, so he won't really "get" it until we get there, but my princess will flip out!! She says, with a sigh, "I wish we could go to Disney World right now!!" every time she sees the newest commercial. It's hilarious!

ORRRR.....

Do I wait until they see the gates? I would looove the see the look on their faces since they're not expecting it. Of course, the will be almost 6 by then and may figure it out when we hop on the plane to Orlando.




What should I do???

 

[Perditamarie]

I think that would make a magnificent Christmas gift. You could wrap up some Disney stuff (planning video, plush, sunglasses, kids planning book,etc) and watch her/them figure it out. Then you can make countdown calendars, family t-shirts, autograph books while you anticipate your upcoming trip-check out the Creative DISign boards for inspiration.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I think that would make a magnificent Christmas gift. You could wrap up some Disney stuff (planning video, plush, sunglasses, kids planning book,etc) and watch her/them figure it out. Then you can make countdown calendars, family t-shirts, autograph books while you anticipate your upcoming trip-check out the Creative DISign boards for inspiration.

That's part of the reason I kind of wanted to tell them before the trip. The planning and countdown is half the fun!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

The only trip our DS knows about ahead of time is the big trip we take in the summer. The trips we take during the school year are always surprises because he gets too distracted if he knows we have a trip coming up. He needs to be able to focus on his schoolwork right up until the minute we leave.

 

[noahdove]

There is an awesome iron on the creative disign thread that says:
Surprise we are going to Disney World and the date..I am giving this to my granddaughterI'll have the camera ready when she opens it For my nephew, I wrapped serveral items up, had them numbered and when he only had 1 left and still didn't get it, I had written a note for him and wow the expression was only a Kodak moment and I got it His older stepbrother went in the spring and he has wanted to go every since, so this was a great way to tell him..his mom wanted to tell him right after she said it was ok for me to take him and she was sooooo excited to let him know....We have 293 days left...I love this type of surprises.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

The only trip our DS knows about ahead of time is the big trip we take in the summer. The trips we take during the school year are always surprises because he gets too distracted if he knows we have a trip coming up. He needs to be able to focus on his schoolwork right up until the minute we leave.

Well, my is in preschool and my is in kindergarten, so that's not really an issue for us, but I can definitely see how distracting that could be for the little ones (or me!!).

There is an awesome iron on the creative disign thread that says:
Surprise we are going to Disney World and the date.

Yeah, I've been poking around there since I planned the trip. That's part of the reason I want to tell them at Christmas so I can give them the cute countdowns and shirts!!

 

[kimsuenew]

Wow ~ to make WDW a Christmas gift is wonderful! I might add a countdown calendar for each, and then daily they can cross off... until it is time to go!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Well, my is in preschool and my is in kindergarten, so that's not really an issue for us, but I can definitely see how distracting that could be for the little ones (or me!!).



Yeah, I've been poking around there since I planned the trip. That's part of the reason I want to tell them at Christmas so I can give them the cute countdowns and shirts!!

Ah, your DD is still young enough that it wouldn't cause academic meltdown for her to know about the trip! My DS is in middle school, so he would sit and dwell on WDW all day if he knew we were going, even if the trip was a few months off.

 

[mrsbert]

I think not having to stress about planning without the kids finding out sums it up. I can't imagine trying to make matching shirts, etc. behind the kids back. Too much stress for me. I had enough trying to plan it.

 

[MomtoGKC]

I had the same question! We're going in May 08 as well and it is a surprise. I just don't know if Christmas is too early to tell them - is it going to be too hard to wait until May? If I don't tell them that morning I'm afraid they'll find out from other family members talking at Christmas dinner since some of them are coming. I would hate for them to find out by accident. Also - my mom is giving them this trip so i really want her to be the one to tell them so she can anjoy their reaction, and since we live far away and will on;y se eher at Christmas we may have to let her do it then.

Hmmm...I guess I have a little while to figure this out!

 

[mrsyakitori]

I would give it as a Christmas gift. Your dd sounds old enough to enjoy getting ready for the trip & I think she might catch on once you hop on the plane to Orlando and that might spoil the magic.

 

[TheDizMom]

I am always one for telling them in advance to get them really excited for it. We love to do the trip countdowns and plan what to take, etc. If you are going to give it to them for Christmas though they won't know to ask for Disney Dollars or gift cards. I would recommend if someone asks you for suggestions on what to get your children you could give them those as an option, that way they can get the trip for Christmas and the spending money. Just make sure they know they're going before they open any Disney Dollars or gift cards.

 

[Nicolepa]

Well, my is in preschool and my is in kindergarten, so that's not really an issue for us, but I can definitely see how distracting that could be for the little ones (or me!!).



Yeah, I've been poking around there since I planned the trip. That's part of the reason I want to tell them at Christmas so I can give them the cute countdowns and shirts!!

Well, we told our kids early once, when they were the age of yours. For 3 months all we heard was is it today? Why aren't we going today. At this age they just really don't have a concept of time. I think 5 months ahead is too early. We usually wait until about 3 weeks before.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Well, we told our kids early once, when they were the age of yours. For 3 months all we heard was is it today? Why aren't we going today. At this age they just really don't have a concept of time. I think 5 months ahead is too early. We usually wait until about 3 weeks before.

That's exactly what my mom told me, "Once you tell her, she'll be bugging you about it until we leave." Haha!!

If you are going to give it to them for Christmas though they won't know to ask for Disney Dollars or gift cards. I would recommend if someone asks you for suggestions on what to get your children you could give them those as an option, that way they can get the trip for Christmas and the spending money. Just make sure they know they're going before they open any Disney Dollars or gift cards.

Yeah, that's what I meant (we could suggest those as gifts), not have them ask for them. I know if we didn't tell them at the time and they got gift cards, etc., they'd keep begging to go to the Disney Store to spend them.

I think not having to stress about planning without the kids finding out sums it up. I can't imagine trying to make matching shirts, etc. behind the kids back. Too much stress for me. I had enough trying to plan it.

Well, I've had some success, but I always want to ask the if she'd like this shirt or those shorts, etc. for the trip. The is easy, though. I've actually told him "We're going to Disney World," and he just says "Ok."

I had the same question! We're going in May 08 as well and it is a surprise. I just don't know if Christmas is too early to tell them - is it going to be too hard to wait until May? If I don't tell them that morning I'm afraid they'll find out from other family members talking at Christmas dinner since some of them are coming. I would hate for them to find out by accident. Also - my mom is giving them this trip so i really want her to be the one to tell them so she can anjoy their reaction, and since we live far away and will on;y se eher at Christmas we may have to let her do it then.

Hmmm...I guess I have a little while to figure this out!

When will you be there? We'll be there May 27-June 2 and staying at the Poly.

I would give it as a Christmas gift. Your dd sounds old enough to enjoy getting ready for the trip & I think she might catch on once you hop on the plane to Orlando and that might spoil the magic.

I thought about that. I don't know if she knows WDW is in Orlando, though. Is the airport Disney-ed out? It's been eight years since I've been in that airport.

 

[ZPT1022]

We're trying to make the same decision that you are, only we're going in April (unfortunately) instead of May. We just can't decide. On the one hand, the surprise would be so awesome, plus the benefit of not having to hear the "Why can't we go noooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww"'s that we're sure to hear if they know in advance. BUT, if we do it as a Christmas gift we can cut down on the amount of other stuff we give them, and we really do have too much stuff in a small home. Plus there is always the extra incentive of "Well, if you give me a hard time, I'll leave you home when we go to WDW" It would also be nice to be able to ask family to give them Disney Dollars or stuff for the trip (summer clothes maybe?) instead of more stuff they don't really need. I know that sounds like we're really ungrateful for the nice gifts our families give them but they get way too much. By the end of December in CT they really don't need any more winter clothes and they always get a ton which they never get a chance to really wear. Our living room and their room already looks like FAO Schwarz exploded, so they really don't need too many toys either, so the Disney $s would be awesome. I have no idea what we'll end up doing either.

 

[MomtoGKC]

We're going the first week of May - I think my mom just changed the plans and now we're staying at the Wilderness! I would love to wait until about a month before the trip to tell them, but since I need my mom to be able to give them the surprise that won't be possible. I'm still thinking of ideas though...

 

[3princesses+aprince]

We are going to be arriving on Monday May 5th!!!!!! WE'll be at All Star Movies!!! I too, was thinking about giving it as a gift, we'll have the room booked. I was thinking about a box with the customized maps I ordered from the Disney website, the planning DVD, and a scroll that says, WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD, and maybe a few other little things for each from the Disney Store. Plus my best friend said if I was going to do that ,she would give them all 20 Disney dollars, that would be a good start to their saving.

But.... it's sooo early to tell them, My oldest are 11 and 8, they will be thinking about it, i'm sure, but they'll know that they have a few months to wait. On the other hand, My dd6 and my dd3(who will be 4 in March) will be the ones asking me every morning they wake up" are we going to Disney today"

So I'm still not sure what i'm going to do either, but I know once I reserve the room in a few weeks, i'm going to want to tell them. Well we could always give it to them for valentines day! I never know what to give them for that occasion, besides chocolates.

 

[MomtoGKC]

I was thinking about waiting until April Fool's Day! Then they'd only have a month to wait and they'd have to decide if I was tricking them or not.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

We're trying to make the same decision that you are, only we're going in April (unfortunately) instead of May. We just can't decide. On the one hand, the surprise would be so awesome, plus the benefit of not having to hear the "Why can't we go noooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww"'s that we're sure to hear if they know in advance. BUT, if we do it as a Christmas gift we can cut down on the amount of other stuff we give them, and we really do have too much stuff in a small home. Plus there is always the extra incentive of "Well, if you give me a hard time, I'll leave you home when we go to WDW" It would also be nice to be able to ask family to give them Disney Dollars or stuff for the trip (summer clothes maybe?) instead of more stuff they don't really need. I know that sounds like we're really ungrateful for the nice gifts our families give them but they get way too much. By the end of December in CT they really don't need any more winter clothes and they always get a ton which they never get a chance to really wear. Our living room and their room already looks like FAO Schwarz exploded, so they really don't need too many toys either, so the Disney $s would be awesome. I have no idea what we'll end up doing either.

I totally feel you on the exploding toy store!! I feel like DS's bedroom is a show room!! DN(iece) is the same way!! And she has TWO bedrooms, one at each grandma's house!! Of course, I love to spoil them, so I can't go blameless here.

"If you want to go to Disney, you better BEHAVE!!" I never thought of that option!

I was thinking about waiting until April Fool's Day! Then they'd only have a month to wait and they'd have to decide if I was tricking them or not.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I was thinking about waiting until April Fool's Day! Then they'd only have a month to wait and they'd have to decide if I was tricking them or not.

April fool's day. Now that's a good one. Oh, I can see that playing out, they would really not have a clue if it was real or not.

I was thinking about it again today, and I think I'm going to give them a big Disney box for Valentine's day. I wanted to do Christmas, but the more I think about, i'm thinking it's too early. (We're going the first week of May) I want to tell them when I can say "surprise we're going... soon" Easter would be better, I could have done big easter baskets of Disney stuff, but I know I can't wait that long. Valentine's Day will be pushing it as it is.