Updated - Surprise or tell them - We Did It!

[llp479]

We just booked a 4 day trip to WDW 9/15 - 9/19. Our 3dds, 10, 10, and 7, have no school the 16th and 17th and we're trying to extend summer for our girls. Our youngest badly broke her arm this summer so swimming was out, as were many other things we had planned to do as a family. Even now, she's in PT trying to gain full use of her arm and hand.

We're debating on surprising the girls. We thought we would just pick them up at lunchtime from school, and leave for the airport. I could pack our bags in the AM so they wouldn't know.

My concern is what if I didn't pack something that they absolutely "had" to have with them while we were there. Having been several times, I think I could probably manage to pack all their "must haves", but what if I forgot something.

What would you do?

UPDATE:

We managed to keep our mouths shut. Even though DH came quite close to blowing it a few times!

We picked them up at school. They thought we were taking youngest DD to the DR for her arm. On the way there we went past our local Six Flags. The girls said they wanted to go this weekend. DH said maybe we could go to a theme park this weekend. No comment from the girls. Finally, I put on the CD from Illuminations. DH says we should see fireworks this weekend. I said "How about we go to Epcot to see them?" The girls were still not getting it. Finally, DH and I said, we're going to WDW right now! All three girls were stunned and started crying! It was a magical moment that I will never forget.

We're having a wonderful time. Crowds are non-existant so we're enjoying all our favorites.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Maki Mouse]

Surprising kids with a Disney trip is just sooooo much fun! We did this last year: I picked my daughter up early from school (I told her she had a doctor's appt), then I told her we had to stop home first to pick something up. When we got home we told her that we couldn't wait any longer to give her her Xmas gift - of course she didn't mind. I had put together a box of Disney things - a journal for the trip, a kid's WDW guide, a princess nightie, and last but not least..... a t-shirt with a bunch of Disney characters on it, and under the characters was printed "Merry Christmas, we are going to Disney World!" Needless to say, she freaked out - and we have it on video! It was priceless!
We had enough time for her to pack a bag of her "must haves" (I had already packed her clothes, etc) - then we took off for the airport!
It was such a hard secret to keep - but DEFINITELY worth it!

Good luck!

 

[ladydancer]

I surprised my granddaughter with a disney trip when she was was 6. I told her she was coming to grandma's to spend the night and the next day I would take her to a "park". Of course she thought I meant a nice park with swings and slides. The next morning I got up and started loading the van to go to the airport. She asked why I was up so early because it was 5:00 am. I told her we were really going to WDW.

I just told her and my grandson ages 11 and 9 on Wed. I was taking them again in Oct. The reason I told them ahead of time this time is because they will have just as much fun planning as actually going. They are cousins and older now and are able to get on the internet and look at the disney site and make list and plan every little detail for themselfs. I bought them the book WDW for Kids by Kids. They love this book and are having fun reading and making plans. It is so much fun just watching them.

 

[stacy6552]

we suprised our son once. It was totally anticlimatic and not worth forgoing using the trip as incentive before hand(oour kids earn Disney Dollars). Suprise them now.

 

[Disney Ella]

Surprising them sounds like fun. Wish I could do it but I could never keep my mouth shut and the kids like the planning and anticipation. I would definitely tell your kids they were going somewhere as ladydancer suggested so that they would pack things important to them. You wouldn't ruin the surprise of WDW that way, and you wouldn't have to listen to any whining because you didn't pack that very important thing.

 

[llp479]

I think we're going to try to surprise them! We're going on trip this week, so I can see what things they pack and bring them in September.

That's if we can contain our excitement and not spill the beans

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Deafmedic]

I'm always planning different scenerios about how to surprise my family with the trip. My DW is aware of the trip but not where we are staying so she gets to be surprised also.

 

[Figment_Faerie]

When I was 9, my parents told me to go to sleep early one night because they said I had a Doctor's Appt. the next day. When I woke up I was in the car! My mother was hovering over me and saying "Heather were in WDW" needless to say I didn't believe her, so I put my head back down! She shook me again and said "LOOK"!!!! When I looked up I saw signs for Orlando and Disney everywhere!!! I totally freaked out!! I was so excited!!! My parents had taken me out of bed, placed me in the car and driven all the way to WDW!!! We live in Cincinnati!!! I can still remember how much fun that vacation was!!!

 

[llp479]

If DH doesn't blow it, we're going to surprise them. If it was any longer than just over a month, there's no way he would make it!

I think I'm going to tell the older 2 they have ortho apts, and the youngest PT. They'll figure it out when we get on the tollway that we're not going to the DR.

I'm not telling any of my family either, because they think we're crazy already

 

[llij]

We are going this December and have decided to surprise our DD's. It has been hard keeping the secret, but thankfully we have another trip planned for next June so we talk about that instead. I'm trying to think up some fun ideas to spring the suprise on them. There have been some nice ideas mentioned in this thread!

Have fun on your trip and let us know what you end up doing.

 

[disneychrista]

My kids are NO FUN when it comes to "BIG" surprises like trips to Disney etc. I have tried several times to surprise them and it left me wishing I hadn't.

So I guess you would have to know YOUR children to know whether or not they would have fun with your surprise.

 

[llp479]

A couple of years ago we surprised them at Christmas with a trip for New Year's with our departing au pair and her sister. They were thrilled with the surprise.

I think they'll be excited. It's been a rough summer with dd's arm, and the older two have been impacted by her injury as well.

Plus, it will be only the second time we've been there with just the 5 of us. Past trips have usually included our au pair, and usually some other set of relatives - my parents, or DH's brother and wife. Our Thanksgiving trip is all of us plus our au pair, another au pair, and my sister's family.

So far so good. DH has been busy getting ready for our trip tomorrow to DC and Williamsburg so he hasn't spilled the beans yet!

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Angel51201]

I just received full custody of my 3-yr old DD a couple of weeks ago (w/ no overnight visitations w/ her dad) and I decided to plan a mom/daughter celebration trip. :flowers1: I've elected NOT to tell her as she really doesn't understand the time thing just yet anyway.

I plan to put her in the car around 3am to drive to the airport, which is 3 hrs away. Hopefully she'll sleep until we get there and then I will tell her "we're going to visit Tinker Bell at her home."

Her 1st trip was last Nov/Dec w/ Disney cruise (and her "best friend & cousin" with her) and everytime she watches the Disney World commerical on TV where the dad says something about visiting Tinker Bell at her home, she says "oh, Mom, I wish we could visit Tinker Bell again" or "Mom, when can we visit Tinker Bell again?" I'll probably cry when I tell her, but that'll be ok too.

We're going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on Oct. 3. Whoo-hoo!

 

[llp479]

We did it! See update!

 

[firsttimedisneymom]

How fun!!!! My dd knows we are going again with Grandma and Grandpa. I am not telling when it is until the day before we leave so she can pack She is going to be soo excited!!! Last year with did the paper ring 30 days out and took a ring off every day .. she loved that too!!

 

[alecam]

That is so awesome!! What a GREAT surprise!! I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut! I think I told them the day I booked it!!
Keep having fun!!

 

[Ibelieveinfairies]

I'm so glad everything went well....what a great surprise. My DH and I are currently secretly planning our next trip in April '05. DDs are constantly asking "When can we go back to WDW?" and love seeing the Travel Channel shows. DH plays grumpy and says, "I don't want to go back...too much money!" and I am constantly saying "I don't know if we can convince Daddy to go back" DDs have spent a lot of time recently reminding DH of the fun things to do at WDW...can't wait to see their faces when we get in the car and answer that question they will surely ask, "Where are we going?"

 

[maciec]

I am kind of half suprising my 4yo dd. I told her that we were going and I created a paper link chain. We cut one off here and there and each day I tell her how many days left we have. She has really no concept of how long it is until we go. She just sees the chain getting smaller.

I wanted her to be suprised that we are going, but I wanted her to be excited as well. So, I have just held back on letting her cut a couple of links. I think there are 36 days left on the link and we really have less than that. So when we wake her up on the day we leave she will be really suprised. Plus, I won't have to fight with her to get her to go to bed the night before.