How soon to tell children about WDW trip?

[apricotwalnut]

Obviously my husband and myself know about the trip. We are unsure of when we should tell our 3 year old son. Right now is too far away. I am debating about telling him the day that we leave or the night before. When do you tell your children?

[tjrj]

It's a personal decision. There was an excellent thread awhile back about how some MPers surprise their kiddos while on the drive to WDW or at the airport. It also depends on the age of the child-obviously you don't want to get into that "waiting for Christmas scenario".

At Christmas this year Disney offered a free call from Mickey. We signed up for that. Quite fun for even the adults to hear the Mouse on the other end of the line saying "can't wait to see you".

For me, I started really talking up the trip about two months before hand. Even though I've been making plans for 9 months-and not in secret. We've watched the planning video. My youngest DS is 15 with a developmental disability. We are now 2 weeks away, and he still doesn't "get" it. He thinks we are going back to DL for a couple of days-which is fine with him-he LOVES DL.

The older the kiddo I think the more you want to involve them in the planning. Make sure that their favorite attactions are in the plans, let them take ownership of the trip-to decrease whining later, etc.

[Clotho]

I personally would want to give at least a couple weeks, and engage my child in some "planning" or "dreaming" activities--give them a coloring book and ask them which character they are most looking forward to seeing. Watch the planning video together and talk about what rides they want to do on, etc.

I think that kind of anticipation and *participation* for a child can be not only fun but and important part of making memories for them. :) Enhances the experience.

[Drince88]

My 3 year old nephew knew for multiple months that they were going to WDW with their Aunt. I think I got them all a book in October, he turned 3 in January, and we went in March. (The book was mostly for his older brothers, but he liked it too). I think it really helped with him.

For one, he wasn't too sure about Dumbo, because to him it looked like a 'big boy spinning ride' from the pictures. So his parents and another Aunt TALKED UP Dumbo with him - "Oh no, it's not just a big boy ride, it's really made for 3 year olds" etc. So he was excited to ride Dumbo, and it was the first ride of the trip for everyone. We walked by Aladdin's carpets later that day and he was NOT interested, and the next day when we were there late and there wasn't much of a line, he had NO interest in it. He wouldn't ride Triceratops Spin in AK either.

I don't think we would have gotten him on Dumbo if we hadn't been able to talk it up to him and let him know that it really was a ride sized for a boy his age. And it would be just a shame for a 3 year old to not want to ride Dumbo, particularly when you make a Bee-line for it right after rope drop!

[wed@wdw]

We tell our kids as soon as we have the trips booked. Usually 4-5 months in advance. Our youngest is three and she is so Disney crazy that she wants to know when we are going back as soon as we are home! (I'm training her well!;) )

One thing that helps with younger children is visual countdowns. We always mark it on the calendar, and the kids cross out the day before when they get up in the morning. Another thing I have done (not just for Disney trips, but other vacations, Christmas, & big events) is make a paper chain. You cut up strips of paper for as many days away from the trip you are and help them link the strips and glue them. My youngest loves glue sticks. Then each day one link gets removed and they see the time get shorter as the chain does. I let them "decorate" the strips before we make the chain, and usually hang it in one of their bedrooms. Plus we watch the planning videos and yell out what rides we are going to ride.

Have fun!!:D

[tchatters]

We told our 4 year old months in advance, then started a countdown chain at 30 days out, gave him a flipbook of the itinerary at about 14 days out and just kept talking! We wanted him to be as excited as we were, and also to know how many more days so he'd stop asking us.

[TinaMouse]

We usually tell, but this last one was a TRULY last-minute trip. We only had 1 week from booking to being on-site, so we did the surprise thing. We told him that he was driving Daddy to the airport. Then we told him he could walk Daddy to the plane. We spilled the news right when they called our plane. He was only 4, so we were able to spring it one him. It was really fun!!! I wouldn't do it every time, though.

We also love the long planning, building excitement route. For the next trip, we began having "Disney Days" 17 months before. Once a month, we watch a Disney movie, followed by a WDW DVD (planning video, memory DVDs from previous trips), and special Disneyfied food. It's a TON of fun.

Either way....personal choice and think about your particular child and his/her normal reaction to "surprises." Have a TERRIFIC trip!

[TiggerRPh]

Obviously my husband and myself know about the trip. We are unsure of when we should tell our 3 year old son. Right now is too far away. I am debating about telling him the day that we leave or the night before. When do you tell your children?


I have no problem telling your son now. Generally we're planning nearly a year away but we often don't tell the kids until maybe 6 months away. The last trip we didn't tell them until the morning we left...that was hard to do. We had to talk in code whenever we spoke about the trip.

You're a bit more than a month out....I'd tell him now if it was me, but it's up to you.

[Malcon10t]

Obviously my husband and myself know about the trip. We are unsure of when we should tell our 3 year old son. Right now is too far away. I am debating about telling him the day that we leave or the night before. When do you tell your children?I have already told my nephew (3) we are going to Disneyland (in Oct.) I haven't gotten specific about the date, just that we are going to go and these are some things that might happen. You know your child best. My oldest at that age had issues with schedule changes. Even if we were going to Disneyland, it would have upset him to have found out at the last minute. It was outside the routine. For him, it was better to give warning. You might just start telling him you are going "next month" and not get too specific. At 3, I don't think I would wait til the last second.

[adriennek]

You might just start telling him you are going "next month" and not get too specific. At 3, I don't think I would wait til the last second.

I agree with being vague for now. With our kids we'll tell them in terms of birthdays or holidays (First we have your birthday and Halloween, then we go on our trip.) I agree with a paper chain countdown a few weeks out.

Adrienne

[shna]

I've got the opposite problem. Hubby & I are going without the child for MouseAdventure, then staying the night & going to the parks again the next day. We've been trying not to mention the "D" word because we don't want her to get all excited about going when she's not going at all. We're referring to our trip to "Anaheim" instead. I guess we'll just tell her that Mommy & Daddy are going to Anaheim overnight but that we'll be back the next evening.

It's a bummer to leave her behind, but we haven't done an adults only trip to the parks since September. It's a totally different experience.

[TinaMouse]

I think it's ok for the kids to know where you're going. It helps them to realize that the whole world doesn't revolve around them. We were even able to take the 4yo to WDW without the 11yo freaking. The 11yo gets to go in the fall and th 4yo doesn't (school scheduling problems prevented them from going at the same time).

DH and I went to DLR last August by ourselves for 6 days! We told them it was a mommy and daddy vacation. Of course, we brought back some really choice souvenirs!;)

[MermaidHair]

Our next trip is without the kids. They do not know we will go to DL, we keep saying we are going to "Los Angeles"

The Next trip after that, however, is for my son's b-day. He knows we will go because he will be turning 5 and we went for his sister's 5th. His b-day is 6/22 and I would rather take them out of school and go in May than brave late June crowds. My plan is to tell them we are going in June, get them in on the planning and anticipation and then wake up one morning and say "No school today! DL instead!" How fun will that be? :D

[Clotho]

OMG! I would have LOVED that Mermaid! FUN!

[mkraemer]

My kids' teachers have asked that I not tell them until we're actually leaving so that they're not distracted at school.