It's hard to keep the secret!

[IloveJack]

DH and I decided not to tell our DDs about our trip in December, mostly because we want to see their face when we tell her that morning, but also, because they are four and two, we don't want to be asked daily (for the next 6 months) when we're going. ;-)
Anyone else found it hard to hide the surprise? Both of my DDs are such huge Disney fans, and I'm excited, too, making it hard not to tell them.
Any ideas on how to surprise them? I've thought about waking them the morning we leave and saying, "If you could go anywhere, where would you go today?" Or "Let's go on vacation; where should we go?" The ODD has been begging to go to WDW since we got back from our last trip, so I'm sure she'd say Disney to either. I've also thought about not telling her til we get there, but she'd ask where we going for 12 hours. Anyone ever surprised a pre-schooler? How'd you do it?

[buzznwoodysmom]

We have surprised our kids several times with disney trips. When they were just turning 4 and 2 they actually didn't really "get it". They were happy to be in Disney, but the whole surprise part was sort of lost on them. Lol. Not really the reaction mommy had hoped for. Of course your children may be different.

Then we surprised them again when they were 7 and 5! I got a much better reaction that time. We had our summer vacation at Disney's Vero beach resort and the boys thought we were driving home. Instead we drove to Disney. I asked them, while recording them of course, if they had enough fun in Vero or if they wanted more fun? They said more fun, so I told them to look out the front windshield just as we were driving through the "gate". They flipped out. It was very fun and exciting, and definitely worth keeping the secret.

We also surprised them in Disney one year. We had spent Thanksgiving week at the Beach Club. On our departure day we packed up the car and drove to the Poly for breakfast at ohana. Half way through the meal I asked them if there was anything they didn't do that they wanted to do before the drive home. Oldest DS said he just wished he could have another day, youngest DS said he wanted 3 more days!!! So we told oldest "unfortunately your little brother gets his way, we are staying 3 more nights". The other surprise was that we were staying at the Poly which had been our "dream resort" for many years.

I have done little surprises on most of our trips. It is usually a surprise extra night at a resort we haven't tried yet. We have done the water parks, or Disney quest with our extra bonus day. It's just a way for us to get a little bit more Disney before we go home. This Thanksgving we plan to surprise them by arriving a day earlier, stay at WL that night, and attend MVMCP.

[T-Belle]

There's a video on you tube that you might want to watch, if you haven't already. Type in "Lily's Disneyland Surprise". These parents surprised their daughter with a trip for her 6th birthday. I cry EVERYTIME I watch it. Maybe it will give you an idea.

BTW~Congrats on the new Prince!!!!

[MaterializedHaunt]

So when you said you have a 12 hour drive this instantly reminded me of a way my mom and dad surprised my brother and I with a trip.

Pretty much what happened was they loaded the trunk of the car with all the luggage without us knowing. Then we had a very busy day to where we would fall asleep in the car. Next thing you know we are at our destination. Granted it wasn't 12 hours and it wasn't WDW, but this can still work.

So if you do something like this like my father did when we got there we were confused and we questioned how we were going to get new clothing for the next day and toothbrushes. So my dad did a little "Magic Trick" and vualla! The trunk had everything in it!

It's fun to think of ways to surprise kids and other people. I would definitely check out youtube as they have alot of good ones. But ultimately it depends on how your kids are and what makes them excited the most and just incorporating little things here and there into it to make it more memorable. Good luck!