Surprising daughters with Disney trip on day of trip

[jerivera]

So, we've been to Disney several times, but we decided that this year we'd surprise our girls with a trip to Disney. Up to now we've said we'd need to wait until next year whenever they ask when we're going again.

We got some princess dolls, Disney shirts, put them in a nice box, and taped a message to the bottom of the box that says: "Keep Calm, we're going to DISNEY WORLD Today", then we wrapped up the box, put a ribbon on it, and have it hidden until the day we're going to Disney.

Question is, has anyone ever done the "surprise!" trip before? How did it go? Was it worth the extra effort?

Suddenly I'm wondering if we're getting too excited about it.

 

[ghtx]

https://www.google.com/search?q=dis...08,d.eWU&fp=a87448d60f1ea26c&biw=1680&bih=920

 

[DisneyFive]

Personally, I seem to read/see more lackluster responses to a surprise trip than the other way around. Many of those are first time trips however, and the kids just don't know how to get excited about someplace they have never been to.

...also, in full disclosure, I'm not a fan of the surprise vacation for the kids. Very little payoff, and the kids don't get any chance to anticipate and mentally prepare for the fun they are about to have. (Especially a trip as big/meaningful as Disney.) That's just our (wife and I) opinion though.

Dan

 

[MacDalt]

How old are they?

 

[erinsmom]

We did a "surprise" trip for our oldest daughter when she was 5. But we didn't surprise her the day of. We had Mickey send her a package inviting her come visit him. She loved it. It was a princess suitcase full of goodies. So maybe think about giving them the "surprise" a couple days before that way they have something to look forward to if you are worried about how they will react. Either way I'm sure they will be excited to go. I like surprising my kids and think it's worth the effort.

 

[DisneyFive]

How old are they?

Looks like 7 and 5 going by the signature.

Dan

 

[ttintagel]

I would only do the "day of" surprise if you know from long experience that they love big surprises. Not all kids do; I didn't deal well with them at all at that age. I needed to mentally prepare myself for big changes.

 

[WillAustin]

We've surprised our kids twice. The first time went really well, and the second not quite as well, but worked out fine. It was definitely worth the effort though.

It's hard keeping the secret.

The second video in my signature starts with the first surprise.

 

[Wishes Count]

My parents did this to us once. I was probably 10? Told us we were going to Hershey Park, which is an amusement park, but that we were taking my Aunt and Cousin to the airport first. So we get in the car and I notice all the suitcases and thought my Aunt had A LOT of stuff. Then we get to the airport and my parents say "You know I don't think we will go to Hershey after all..." My sister and I immediately got mad because we hadn't been to Hershey Park in several years and was looking forward to it. Then they said "I think we will go to FL with your Aunt and cousin instead!"

I was excited but later disappointed that we would not get to go to Hershey Park! My mom was shocked when I asked her if we would still get to go to Hershey later in the summer because I had really been looking forward to it!

 

[ashley23]

It becomes an issue if you have to wake up early. My friend tried this and it was a serious pain to explain why they had to go to bed early. Kids weren't helping the cause where if they knew why they wouldn't fight them. Things like, no you can't wear that shirt because I need to pack it for the trip. It seems like a lot of extra effort. 3 days out seems to still be real close to the day but far enough out that it doesn't add to the burden of getting ready.

Or tell them in advance they are going on vacation, but make it a state park or something so they at least know why mom and dad are packing and why they are getting in the car that morning.

 

[budafam]

I surprised my son for our 2nd trip. He was 5 and we did a mother/son trip. I did it the "day of" but the problem there was that he had to get up at 3am so I think he was still asleep when we told him. Once we were at the airport, he was flipping out though!

I surprised my daughter on her birthday as well... I made her up a backpack with all kinds of Disney goodies and a note saying we were going (she was 4 at the time). She was excited but it wasn't anything over the top. They also announced it on the news since we put her picture on there for the birthday club. We didn't go for another month after I told her that time though.

Someday I'd like to surprise both of them but I'm not sure how. Lucky little things have been there so many times, it's just part of their lives now

 

[Snooks23]

I'm surprising my DD in just 2 weeks. I can't wait!

 

[ohiotodds12]

We did the surprise trip a few years ago. For us it was great because our kids were a little older. We thought that we would just pick them up from school and they thought that they were taking me to the airport for a business trip. I even had a fake itenary hanging on the fridge for my trip! We decided to tell them the day before because I could not pack everything I wanted to myself. We handed them the magical express tags to put on suitcases, it went really well. They could not belive it. The thing that they did tell us later was that they had a hard time at Disney becasue they really enjoyed the anticpation and planning for the trip. If I had it to do over again, i would still surprise but maybe a few days ahead of time that way they can kind of let it all soak in. Whatever you do, have a great time with this!

 

[wiigirl]

I'm surprising my DD in just 2 weeks. I can't wait!

 

[pooksma]

We are about to surprise DS . He has NO idea we are going next week. This will be the third time we've surprised him with a trip. The first time was a bit less enthusiastic than the second. The second time he screamed and yelled and jumped around.

Of course, he is 12 now and may not be quite so excited.

Everyone reacts differently.

 

[d1gitman]

we've done several surprise trips, all with great reactions from our DS's. However, they are starting to figure out our pattern.

afer our trip in March, we had asked them if they wanted to help plan our next visit and they said they like being surprised. I think it all really depends on the person.

 

[tiki23]

From reading a lot of surprise trip threads, it seems that it has been difficult for many kids to "switch gears" to "Surprise - we're going to Disney!" when they had been thinking they were going to Grandma & Grandpa's or Uncle Bob's to stay with the cousins or a weekend at the local amusement park.

I think when I get to take grandkids to Disney, that I'd like to surprise them but give them a few days to get ready for the fun.

 

[Dayton Flyer]

I think kids like surprises if they're truly surprises. If you try the "we're not going to X, instead we're going to Disney", it does not surprise me that they have to get over the initial disappointment of not actually getting to go to X, because after all you did say you were going to X. I think if it is a day of surprise where they weren't expecting anything at all, they would be over the moon about it... otherwise, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[ThatBrunette]

We're not telling my son anything. We plan to pick him up at school and drive to the airport. Depending on how much electronics we bring, he might not notice until the next morning.

DS: Where are we going?
Me: We're going to visit some friends.
DS: I'm on level 15 on Mario!

 

[sb682]

I wouldn't recommend it for a first trip, but since they've been multiple times, I think they'll like the surprise. It also keeps them from working themselves into a frenzy of anticipation before you leave, so if your kids are the type who won't stop talking about it until you drive under the big sign, I'd keep it a secret.

We surprised DS3 with his first trip this year. DH didn't want him to know ANYTHING about WDW at all. He would've loved if DS didn't even know it existed prior to arriving. I got him to cave and DS saw bits and pieces (characters, PPF, the castle) but that was it. He did not have the super-excited, bouncing-off-the-car-windows reaction DH was hoping for, and I think it's because he didn't know what to expect. Your girls KNOW how fun Disney is! I would go for it.