to tell or not to tell???...

[danielocha30]

I surprise them! DD 11 DS 10, they help with planning, pick restaurants and plan the day at the parks, but I leave out dates and the Hotel we are staying, so they don’t have a clue when are we going. We talk about the trip and they always ask if there is anything new on our “ Disney plan”. We have done it 2 times out of the many trips we have and is been priceless to see their faces.

 

[BriLovesDisney]

I would tell them. I hated getting surprises when I was younger (still do), but more importantly it would be nice for them to help with the planning process. Also, it's something they can look forward to.

 

[BriLovesDisney]

I surprise them! DD 11 DS 10, they help with planning, pick restaurants and plan the day at the parks, but I leave out dates and the Hotel we are staying, so they don’t have a clue when are we going. We talk about the trip and they always ask if there is anything new on our “ Disney plan”. We have done it 2 times out of the many trips we have and is been priceless to see their faces.

I like this idea! It's kind of a perfect mix.

 

[TXAg83]

We did this with our twin girls when they turned 6. Their birthday is in December so we decided to go to WDW. They had been earlier in the year for my DW's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. But that was just a quick 3 day vacation with siblings, cousins and such. We just told the girls we were going on a vacation, didn't say where. My DW did all the packing for the girls. When we got to the airport we got to the gate for a direct flight to MCO. They began figuring it out. If they hadn't been to WDW earlier in the year I don't think they were old enough to know that WDW is in Orlando.

After that year we took them on several vacations for their birthday without telling them where we were going. They always enjoyed the surprise and adventure of trying to guess the location. They would start guessing when we got to the departure gate. We have gone to NYC but flew into Newark, Williamsburg, VA but flew into Richmond. It's even more fun when you don't go on a direct flight.

 

[Shanti]

Planning a trip to Disney for my husband, myself, DD 5.5 and DD who will turn 8 while on the trip. the 5.5 year old has never been to Disney and the last time my oldest was there, she was 2.5.
Do I tell them we are going?? ( June 2018) trip or wait and tell them the night before???
I am such a planner, and the anticipation and excitement makes me happy, but is it worth the wait to see the surprise on the girls faces? Or tell them soon and let them be apart of the planning???

I'm a teacher and a few days ago before spring break began, I asked a few 3rd grade girls about their spring break plans. One looked a bit glum & said, "I'm not doing anything over the break. At least I think I'm not because my parents always make those things a surprise." When I suggested to her that that sounded cool, she said, "I hate surprises."

For me that confirmed my opinion that kids, like everyone else, have the right to know about a trip they'll be taking before being whisked away without any notice. Telling them & letting them plan & anticipate might not make a cool You Tube video, but it does help the kids look forward to the trip and to have some feeling of control over their lives.

 

[Patrick McMahan]

We surprised our 6 year old, but he had already been to Disney 5 times so it wasn’t anything new for him. I saw tell them in advance. The anticipation leading up and the planning is part of the fun.

 

[TXAg83]

Just want everyone to know that we do not post anything on YouTube (and don't have Facebook). We often tell our kids that we are going on a trip (usually a birthday trip), just not where. Our girls are 16 now and still look forward to surprise "birthday" trips. Letting them use their imaginations to try and guess our destinations has been a lot of fun over the years, and quite a lesson in geography.

 

[feistyunicorn]

Following, trying to figure out how to tell our son that we are going.

 

[Kingdome8]

For our third trip we did a scavenger hunt for Disney the morning we left. THey still talk about it and want us to do it again. Six clues led to packed suitcases.
May do again with my youngest

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Following, trying to figure out how to tell our son that we are going.

Im going to wrap the Magic Band box and hand it to my child, who thinks we are going away but somewhere else.

 

[SD33]

Both! Surprise then but do it a couple weeks to a month out. Go big, make it magical, but give them time to plan and anticipate with you.

Best of both worlds!

 

[Canesfan3234]

friend of mine had an invitation "mailed" to his daughters from Minnie Mouse inviting them to disney about 2 months before the trip. Then leading up to the trip, he would buy cheap disney parks stuff "old park maps, pins, popcorn bucket" etc off ebay and would always ask the seller to address it to princess DD's name. It was a massive hit.

 

[_Kristi_]

Tell them! Anticipation is part of the fun! We have done the surprise vacations but the ones with the little Mickey Mouse countdown chain in the kitchen are the best memories. The kids looked forward to pulling a link off every morning. Knowing just adds to the magic.

 

[Dreambig39]

This response may be a little late, but I did a combo of both! I'm going the same route this next visit, as well. I told my kids (last trip ages 2, 6, & 8) that I was planning a trip to Disney, but not sure when we would be able to go. The night before trip, I packed suitcases after everyone went to bed and packed the car for the airport. The next morning, I woke them and gave them their clothes (Mickey shirts) and told them to put them on because today was the day! The response was great! They were super excited (wish I had recorded it!) I wanted them to know it was coming at some point, so they wouldn't feel completely taken aback. But, I know that when my kids know a specific date of something that big, it would be all they could think about in the few days ahead and we would have trouble getting through the school day. Hope your trip is magical!

 

[Cornucopiaoflove]

I remember the first time I went as a child I was told in advance, but I was an only child at that point. When we went the second time I knew in advance as well, but we surprised my younger sister a few days before. Regardless, I don't think we slept the few days before we left haha! I guess it all depends on how your kids handle surprises like that!

 

[krisb1969]

I started planning in January 2017, told my 7 year old on her birthday with a Disney exploding box card (complete with Disney charms for a bracelet/necklace), then we went in November. I had made a count down calendar as well which made it extra fun. I think she would have enjoyed the surprise, however we both had lots of giggles and before bedtime talks about all the neat things we were going to do on our trip.

 

[Frenchy0819]

I am torn on whether to surprise my kids now! My son actually requested a "surprise vacation" earlier this year. In the past, we've always told them so they can be excited. Now I am so conflicted. I think we may surprise them a week before. It is making it harder to plan without them knowing.

 

[Frenchy0819]

I started planning in January 2017, told my 7 year old on her birthday with a Disney exploding box card (complete with Disney charms for a bracelet/necklace), then we went in November. I had made a count down calendar as well which made it extra fun. I think she would have enjoyed the surprise, however we both had lots of giggles and before bedtime talks about all the neat things we were going to do on our trip.

What's an exploding box card?

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Just don't tell them TOO far in advance. Remember when a month felt like a year does now? We told DD when we were first planning a trip when she was 8, and she asked us to surprise her next time so that she didn't have to wait for an eternity!

 

[Heather Felker]

I'm trying to decide when/how to surprise our seven and five-year-old! We will be leaving the day after the five-year-old's birthday.