When to tell the kids we are going

[tinkerjo]

So we are taking our 3 oldest grandkids early 2025. ( maybe Feb/March) they will be 10-9-6, all boys, and all closer to the next age up. The oldest 2 have been to WDW as babies but obviously don’t remember. My other DD and family are also going. She wants to tell them now. I would like to wait until Christmas 2024. That would give them about 2 months to ask a billion questions. BUT I started thinking, these boys don’t get to travel, I take them to the zoo once a year which is an hour 1/2 away and things like the pumpkin patch, local pool, etc. I’m afraid they will overwhelmed and I should let them know sooner so we can watch some videos so they know what to expect. They also are immature for their age and the oldest has ADHD. I’m we will have plenty of help when we go, so I’m not worried about that. I just want them to have a good time

 

[o&smom]

I think either idea would be great! It could be fun to have more time to watch some videos together and talk about all that they will want to do.

 

[Kmpcfp]

My kids are similar in age, and they would probably appreciate getting a couple of months advance notice to watch some videos and get excited, but telling them now that they are going on vacation in over a year would seem like a lifetime to them.

 

[fly girl]

Personally, I wouldn’t tell them now. That is eons away for young kids.

Christmas 2024 sounds more appropriate to me, and gives them plenty of time to mull it over and ask questions.

Granted, you know them better than anyone. My honest opinion is no earlier than 3 months or they will start to think it’s never going to happen, and/or lose the some of excitement and fascination of going.

One and a half years away is a lifetime to small kids.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So we are taking our 3 oldest grandkids early 2025. ( maybe Feb/March) they will be 10-9-6, all boys, and all closer to the next age up. The oldest 2 have been to WDW as babies but obviously don’t remember. My other DD and family are also going. She wants to tell them now. I would like to wait until Christmas 2024. That would give them about 2 months to ask a billion questions. BUT I started thinking, these boys don’t get to travel, I take them to the zoo once a year which is an hour 1/2 away and things like the pumpkin patch, local pool, etc. I’m afraid they will overwhelmed and I should let them know sooner so we can watch some videos so they know what to expect. They also are immature for their age and the oldest has ADHD. I’m we will have plenty of help when we go, so I’m not worried about that. I just want them to have a good time

at the boys ages I would stay with plan to tell them at Christmas 2024 now is wat too long for them to understand. you could still start watching videos saying what do you think about trying this some day no special timing. when you finally tell them and you can then remind them of the videos and what they liked

 

[ttintagel]

I'm all for telling kids ASAP. Especially if one of the older ones is neurodivrrgent. Huge surprises that I didn't have time to mentally prepare myself for were very hard to deal with for me as a kid; so much so that I even get a little stressed just reading about parents keeping their travel plans from their children.

I think it's also a great idea to let older children have some degree of input into some of the smaller aspects of the travel plans.

 

[AliceNDinah]

I sent my little boy on a scavenger hunt the day before we left....that's when he found out we were going. We were in the Magic Kingdom a year ago today, and I'm so itching to get back! So magical and I need to be in Vacation Mode again!!!!

 

[Genie+]

I think for the 9 & 10yo anytime within that same school year could work.

 

[danceintherain]

I don't think I'd wait until Christmas, but I wouldn't tell them right now either. I think 6 months before is good.

My kids knew about the trip we were supposed to take in March like 2 years before, then we ended up having to reschedule (the youngest got cancer). My daughter has ADHD and she asked about the trip all the time for a while. Now, I think the kids are a little jaded, and may not even trust that we're ever going.

Also, the parks don't necessarily release maintenance schedules very far in advance. Our trip was only planned about 9 months in advance, and things are still changing around the schedule.

 

[sponica]

I think anytime between September and Christmas 2024 is fine. Now is definitely way too early.

 

[tinkerjo]

Thank you everyone for your replies. They know we are going when they are “older” so I hope to get them to a closer amusement park next year or some bigger vacation than the zoo. I just don’t want them overwhelmed when we go to the point that it’s stressful. Maybe we can start watching some videos next summer/fall and start to think about telling them. My DH feels the videos ruin the experience but I disagree. I’m so excited about taking them. I really want next Christmas to be all about the things they will need for WDW like pins/lanyards, autograph books, tshirts, beach towels etc.

 

[Skippyboo]

It’s a long way until 2025, what happens if you tell them now and something unforeseen happens and you can’t go.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Not a parent. I was pre pandemic very active in different Children's Ministries at my church. Former Preschool and School age director and teacher. First and foremost, thank you and your husband most sincerely for the love and care you give your grandkids. My own late grandparents were people I sure cherished as extra blessings in my life from God.

I agree with others that now seems awfully early to tell them. I would wait until at least later Summer if not Autumn 2024 to tell them. Christmas works, too. You, of course, know them best. Prayers all of you enjoy a safe and truly fun time at WDW.

 

[Anna131517]

Tell them now. Anticipating a trip can be just as fun as the actual trip. I also find my kids do better having plenty of advanced warning. This would allow their parents plenty of time to show them videos of where they’ll be staying and what they’ll be doing. They’re old enough that they have a concept of time. I have a 6, 8, and 10 year old. We always tell the kids about trips as soon as we know we’re going. There’s no downside in my opinion.

 

[mjkacmom]

Tell them now. Anticipating a trip can be just as fun as the actual trip. I also find my kids do better having plenty of advanced warning. This would allow their parents plenty of time to show them videos of where they’ll be staying and what they’ll be doing. They’re old enough that they have a concept of time. I have a 6, 8, and 10 year old. We always tell the kids about trips as soon as we know we’re going. There’s no downside in my opinion.

It really depends on the kids. I booked a cruise more than a year out and told the kids right away (7, 7, 9, 12, 14). Zero excitement, they asked me why I told them so early. We vacation about once every three years, so it’s not like they’re spoiled. The previous vacation was WDW/DCL, told them that morning, very exciting. After that, some of the kids were old enough where I needed their input due to them being in high school with school/sports/work, so I’d talk with them before booking.

 

[puffkin]

My oldest we usually just told him when we got in the car on the way to the airport. We went 2-3 times a year so it was fine with him. Once we told him a few weeks in advance (as he would be missing his last baseball game and last few days of school) and he was mad at us. Said he didn't like knowing so far in advance. He was 8 lol.

My youngest DS has ADHD and does not like to be surprised, but he also tends to over analyze and over think things. We typically tell him about big things a week to two weeks before big events. If we know it is going to be something triggering for him, we tell him closer to the event to give him less time to worry but enough time to digest.

That being said, since we go a lot, I am the planner and we talk about Disney/theme parks A LOT in this family. So I am constantly making mental notes of things they like or new things they will want to try. That way, I usually have everything planned out to meet everyone's wants by the time we tell them so there is no arguing that we are doing stuff one wants and not the other. I try to keep everyone happy!

 

[danceintherain]

My youngest DS has ADHD and does not like to be surprised, but he also tends to over analyze and over think things. We typically tell him about big things a week to two weeks before big events. If we know it is going to be something triggering for him, we tell him closer to the event to give him less time to worry but enough time to digest.

This. My DD has ADHD also, and her ability to build a mountain out of a mole hill, in her mind, is phenomenal. Good or bad, if she fixates on something it can become overwhelming to her very quickly. We're still working on finding the right balance for her. Fortunately, she's learning coping skills through therapy and getting older.

Only my oldest is the the point where I can tell him something a year in advance, and he understands the time between now and then. My 6 yo and 3 yo won't be particularly helpful for planning anyway, so it probably doesn't matter when we tell them. My 6 yo will probably be thrilled that our next trip means he's missing a week of school, but if I told him that now, he would just ask me regularly when he gets to do it. Maybe he won't ask as much as DD would have at that age, but it's still obnoxious. He just started school again on Thursday last week, and I had to tell him like 5 times that the weekend was upon us.

 

[tinkerjo]

My kids were always part of the planning we always talked about our trips as a family, even when they were little, but these grandkids are sooo different. We can’t get 5 minutes down the road before they ask “are we there yet?” And they hyper focus on everything. The 5 year old reminds me weekly that I promised to take him to Disney world when he’s older. I keep telling him maybe when he’s in 1st grade so he has some timeframe. (He Just started kindergarten)

 

[disney_mood]

So we are taking our 3 oldest grandkids early 2025. ( maybe Feb/March) they will be 10-9-6, all boys, and all closer to the next age up. The oldest 2 have been to WDW as babies but obviously don’t remember. My other DD and family are also going. She wants to tell them now. I would like to wait until Christmas 2024. That would give them about 2 months to ask a billion questions. BUT I started thinking, these boys don’t get to travel, I take them to the zoo once a year which is an hour 1/2 away and things like the pumpkin patch, local pool, etc. I’m afraid they will overwhelmed and I should let them know sooner so we can watch some videos so they know what to expect. They also are immature for their age and the oldest has ADHD. I’m we will have plenty of help when we go, so I’m not worried about that. I just want them to have a good time

I usually book a year out and tell my kids then. My daughter probably asked once a month when we were going and we started a countdown 30 days out which was cute.

FYI, my oldest daughter has ADHD as well, please make sure when you guys are closer to the trip to either pre-register for a DAS pass which is a disability pass, or go to guest services day one at the first park. I didn’t have any idea about it until I was talking to another mom at WDW who had a child with ADHD. She told me about it. By the time we got it, it was the last day at the parks but it helped tremendously and I wish I had known about it the other 4 park days!! Waiting in long lines when you have ADHD is extremely difficult and they usually get restless and start acting up (at least mine did). Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this since I didn’t read through every single response. Just wanted to let you know!