When to tell the kids?

[motaei]

We will be at the World on June 26th & I have not told the kids yet. We are combining it with DH's work travel. I've already told DD-22 a month ago, because I know she has her own schedule with school & work & would have to plan around it in advance. However, I have not told DS-11, or DD-9 that we are going back so soon (we were there in December). I'm very excited because I thought that WDW would be a once in a lifetime visit & lo & behold..... Anyway.....Should I tell them now? Wait until school gets out on June 11th. Or wait until the weekend before so that they just have time to pack? I know that I will get a bunch of different answers, but thought I would throw the question out anyway. Thanks in advance for the advice!!!

 

[Barb D]

I've done it both ways, and in general my kids seem to prefer knowing ahead of time so that they can look forward to it and help with the planning. Anticipation is part of the whole WDW experience. That said, I just asked my 10yo DD what she thought you should do, and she said, "Surprise them!"

Guess that was no help!

 

[gallaj0]

I have 2 situations where I'll tell them:
1. Wait for a special occasion, and let them know. An anniversary, birthday, holiday, anything that makes it look like you're doing it for a special reason. We've been fairly often, and I don't want them to loose the idea that it is really something special.
2. Wait until you need to get them to do something they don't want. Even if you have already booked everything from the flight to the PS's, tell them unless they cooperate, they may not get Disney anytime soon. It's blackmail, I know, but it makes them much easier to handle if they realize sometimes you have to do something you don't like in order to get a reward later.

We have a 5 day WDW stay with a 3 night cruise booked already, but haven't told the kids yet, I'm waiting for our anniversary, or to get them to do something, whichever comes first>

 

[HollyJoy]

We're going in December, and darn if I didn't already open my big mouth and tell my girls! Ugh! I just couldn't keep it in.. too exciting. BUT, just think about how cool it would be to just spring it on them! A friend of mine did that a few years back.. they were on their way to Florida to visit her parents, when they said, "Oh yeah, and we're going to DisneyWorld too!" LOL The kids were in a state of total shock!!! LOL

 

[eileds]

We've been back just a week. I told my kids we were going but not until the summer. This way, although they're only 6,5 & 2 the older ones got to help with some planning and we could chat about it to people. Only told them when I got them up at 5.30am that we were actually going that day. It was fantastic!

 

[Scoootch]

Okay - I'm basing my answer on my experience from when I was only 5yrs old but........I say totally surprise them!!

My very 1st trip my parents did not tell me we were going to WDW until we were actually there (I know much easier to do with a 5yr old then older kids but...). I found out by them turning on the radio to the "park info" that said "WELCOME TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!" Needless to say they had me screeming and jumping up and down for joy And that was way back when all that WDW was - was the MK To this day it is one of my all time best memories ever! So if you can surprise them and create such a wonderful memory like I had then I say GO FOR IT! At least try and wait until the day you are leaving or maybe have them pack but don't tell them their destination. Anyhow, I vote for surprising them!

 

[Rapunsel]

I remember the first time my parents took me back to Disneyland after we moved to California. Mom told me that we had to go to a dinner with my dad's friends and that if I wanted to sleep in the car I could. I was about 7 or so. So I fell asleep and about 2 miles before we got there she took my Mickey Ears out of the glove box and put them on me. I was a bit surprised, but she then told me that my dad's dinner was at Disneyland. I thought that was the coolest thing...

But them I am one to get excited and not sleep about a week before any big event. So it depends on your kids. But I would say wait.. Until the day you leave. We do that to my son all the time. We never tell him that the family is coming to visit until we pull up to the airport. Then he tries to guess who came to visit. That way He does't ask how much longer till... gets here . He is only 2...

 

[CajunDixie]

I opt to tell them. At their ages they may want to help plan the trip or may want time to save up extra spending money. I can see surprising little kids like 5 and under.

 

[BUCKEYE MICKEY]

I would let them know you are planning a trip for later in the year (not letting on to the exact date) kids of all ages will ask "How much longer?!?!?!?" Then spring it on them the day you leave.

We had to leave earlier on our trip (it was week after 9-11 and our orginal flight was cancelled) My dd's thought we were going to dinner with their Aunt, till we pulled up at the airport! Boy were they surprised!

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

I will say though, they do enjoy the planning, and we are going to be going on June 26th as well, so I bought them the books and let them make lists of sights they want to see and they eagerly planned for our June trip and then we surprised them with an early trip at the end of March! THEY WERE SHOCKED!!!!! My girls are ages 11, 9 & 5 and we had them totally fooled and gave them the surprise of their life when we got to the Airport to drop off my mom (who was really going to WDW with us). They were all misty eyed and sad that Grandma was going on her yearly trip to Puerto Rico and leaving them behind and then we said Awww don't be so sad, how can we make you happy?! I KNOW, how about a trip to Disney World!?! Their mouths just hung open ... eyes practically fell out of their sockets!!! It was AWESOME!!!!!!! So ... you CAN do a bit of both worlds, have them help with planning, etc., just tweak the arrival time LOL It will be well worth it!!! In our case, the girls still go on and on about how cool it was that we surprised them!! Their teachers were even in on it and even the teachers were amazed at how we pulled it off and told us how cool it was!! It was an incredible memory for our gang!!!

 

[MouseClubMom]

Depends on your kids. I have done both with mine. I think they like the anticipation but I remember getting a nice surprise myself as a kid...

We went to WDW at least 4 or 5 times a year growing up. One year I went away to Golf Camp in Sebring, FL. When Mom and Dad came to pick me up I BEGGED them to take me to WDW since we were already in FL. They told me we had to get home.

I fell asleep in the back seat (still pouting like the spoiled child I was) and woke up as we were pulling up to the parking plaza. My Dad said we were just driving by but weren't stopping. I thought I had the cruelest parents in the world until my Dad stopped at the Polynesian and told the valet we were checking in! I couldn't believe it until they started unloading the luggage.

Great memory for me. My Dad loves to play tricks to this day like that. Too bad he hasn't pulled that "going to WDW" one in many many years...

MCMom

 

[DonDuck Fan]

We are going in Dec Too

Not sure when to tell our dd's 2 and 5. To be honest I have already told the 2 DD. Not sure when to tell the 5 year old. We talk often of a trip to WDW, when she is 12 and what she would want to do.

So not sure either

DonDuckFan

 

[parmtoo]

We have a trip planned for this Aug. We're not telling the younger kids until we are almost there. I love seeing the look on their faces when they find out we're going! Right now they just think we're going camping in Savannah, Ga.

 

[lasmickey]

We have a trip planned for the end of September. I've been going back and forth on when to tell them, but have finally decided to tell them sooner than later. They know we are going "sometime" and "when we save enough money" but they have no idea that it will be this year. Exactly 100 days away from our trip, (which just happens to be Father's Day), we are going to do a scavenger hunt which will end with them getting backpacks filled with stuff to take on the trip with them, along with a paper chain my DH made (it's really cute, it has a different disney character or symbol on each link), to count down the 100 days. Hopefully that will cut down some on the "How much longer?" questions. We can just tell them to look at the paper chain!

This way, we get to surprise them, but they still get to have some of the anticipation/excitement of knowing when the trip is and helping us plan too!

 

[motaei]

You guys have some great ideas!! I have to admit, I would love to just surprise them the morning we are leaving, but I wouldn't dream of packing for DD-9. She is very particular in what she wears. So I do need to at least give them time to pack. And she will want to pack all her Mickey Mouse shirts for WDW. I like the idea of picking a special day to surprise them. That would be fun!! Decisions....Decisions.... Keep the ideas coming!!!