When to tell the children?

[Arielle22]

My husband and I have just decided to go to Disney for his 40th bday this coming August.

We have been to Disney many times with them, the last time in Oct 2001. The last 2 times we did not tell them until we were leaving. Now that they are older I would like some input from them on what they would like to see. However I don't want it to be so far away that it is tough for them to wait.

They are 7 and 9 yrs old girls.

So when do you tell your children they will be going?

 

[HM]

We always tell the kids as soon as we know ourselves. They are 7 and 9 yrs this year. Our next scheduled trip is in late May/June and they've known about it since September (I won the trip in August). There has been no waiting problem at all. And they do like to have input into the planning. They have specific restaurant and activities requested. Hope this helps. -HM

 

[Arielle22]

Thanks for the input. Congratulations on winning the trip. That makes it even sweeter!

 

[alisbarc]

We have 4 kids (12, 9, 5, 3) and always tell them as soon as we know we are going somewhere. The 2 big ones do very well with the wait. The 2 older ones also receive a small allowance each week ($5) and the advance notice gives them time to save.

We usually go to Disney once a year. My DD12 is really good. She saves $1 a week for souviniers when we go. Alsways gets something really nice. Our DS9 usually starts to save about 2 months before the trip and usually has about $20. Spends it mostly on junk (but its his $ so we let him).

The whole family gets in on the planning. We vote on what parks, water parks, etc to go to. Look at pictures on the net and DIS board and have a great time planning together.

ttfn

 

[pegasusEH]

We told our son as soon as we decided to book (which was last May for this coming June). He is 9 and although it's a long wait he breaks it down by setting different targets, like Christmas, his birthday in January, Easter, school half-term and then we are just about there (at long last).

The last time we went we made a chart so he could mark off the days for the last 3 months or so.

February to August isn't so long to wait.

I get far too excited to keep it a secret anyway!

 

[MinnieGi]

I don't think Feb. to August is too long a wait for a 7 & 9 year old. They can even count down the days on a calendar or make their own project to keep track of the days until they go. It will also give them lots of time to plan what attractions they really want to do. I know I love planning, I'm sure a 7 & 9 year old would enjoy it too!!

Gi

 

[Arielle22]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will tell them as soon as I book the room.

I want to tell them soo bad!!

 

[disneymom3]

WEll, my two/almost three yo and my 6.5 yo both already know that Grandpa is taking us on a land and sea vacation in Mar of 2004. That is a long way off, but if we hadn't told them, Grandpa would have anyway--he is just as excited as the kids!! I love to have the tentative date of the next trip booked when we are done with the current trip. Makes it a lot--well, okay, a little--easier to leave. Then we also feel like if there is anything we don't get to, we can always say we will do it next time.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I agree to go ahead and tell them. At that age my DS loved to help plan. I would get some good planning books and perhaps even one geared to kids. They can help plan what and when to do. You can look toward steps in the planning process such as making 120 day PS and then 60 day PS. Involve them in saving for the trip too.

Have fun!!!!


Jordan's mom

 

[Verandah Man]

Above is a poster that I made for our DD(then age 3), to count down the last 100 days before our trip to WDW in 1993. My DW and I had as much fun each morning watching our DD putting a Disney sticker on the poster, as she had putting them on. It made those last 100 days more exciting and helped in getting her ready for our vacation.

 

[cd&kids]

Gotta' tell this story. We went last April...and finalized plans the November before. We waited until the end of our kids' Christmas week vacation to tell them. (We thought they'd be too wired on Christmas Day....waited until the day before they had to go back to school and were a little depressed.)
My wife and I made it a scavenger hunt....writing up 10 questions, or clues, that would lead them to the next spot in the house where they'd find another clue. The final clue told them to go to the laundry room to find their big surprise. Inside the laundry room we had a large Mickey doll holding a sign saying "See you in April!"
We will remember that moment for the rest of our lives...the looks on their faces were priceless.
We weren't concerned about the kids (12, 8 and 4 at the time) being too anxious for four months with anticipation. We looked at it as giving them four months worth of excitement. Why deprive them of that fun feeling?! (And they already know about our next trip this September!)
Have fun, Arielle!

 

[goofygal1975]

Another vote for telling them. My son is 7 now and for the past few years, I've always told him about our upcoming trips. We palnned our upcoming trip this June for his 8th bday last SEPTEMBER!!!! AND in Jan we started planning out Disney Cruise for May 2004!! I like to be able to share the excitement with him and planning what we want to do. He loves having the input.

I have read some posts, where parents don't tell the kids until they are on the plane, or even pulling up to WDW!! How I sometimes wish I had the will power to do that!! HAHAHA!! But It is so much fun to watch them being excited over the trip, saving money for souvineers.

BTW I love that chart up above!! We have 114 days till our June trip....I am just going to have to make something along those lines for my son!! Thanks for sharing it!!

 

[Verandah Man]

goofygal1975,

Making this poster was so much fun and quite easy. We got all our Disney stickers at our local Disney Store. I'm not sure if they still carry them or not. This poster was made nearly 10 years ago. I also cut out Disney pictures from our Disney magazines and placed on the poster.

Have a blast making a poster, it is worth it!!!

 

[etwinchester]

We planned our upcoming trip back in September/October of last year. My daughter was only 2 1/2 years old and we told her as well.

We purchased a small box at AC Moore crafts, stained it, decorated it with Mickey stickers and labeled the top "Mad Mickey Money". Everytime someone came over and gave her money, she would put it in the box and say it was to see mickey. She'd even ask the grandparents for $3 everytime she saw them (don't know why that amount) but it worked for her. If I asked for that, they'd tell me to get a job. Every penny she finds she wants to put in her mickey box. It's nice to see a little girl wanting to save her money.

Anyway, she just turned 3 and took all her birthday money, christmas money and what she conned the family out off. Let me tell ya, she has $218 saved. Now she's even getting valentines money and still collecting everytime she sees the grandparents. We only have about 14 days to go so I'm curious to see how much she ends up with... At this rate, she can treat mommy and daddy to a nice meal...(ha-ha)

 

[etwinchester]

We planned our upcoming trip back in September/October of last year. My daughter was only 2 1/2 years old and we told her as well.

We purchased a small box at AC Moore crafts, stained it, decorated it with Mickey stickers and labeled the top "Mad Mickey Money". Everytime someone came over and gave her money, she would put it in the box and say it was to see mickey. She'd even ask the grandparents for $3 everytime she saw them (don't know why that amount) but it worked for her. If I asked for that, they'd tell me to get a job. Every penny she finds she wants to put in her mickey box. It's nice to see a little girl wanting to save her money.

Anyway, she just turned 3 and took all her birthday money, christmas money and what she conned the family out off. Let me tell ya, she has $218 saved. Now she's even getting valentines money and still collecting everytime she sees the grandparents. We only have about 14 days to go so I'm curious to see how much she ends up with... At this rate, she can treat mommy and daddy to a nice meal...(ha-ha)

We also started a countdown chain at the beginning of February. She loves to wake up in the morning and take off a link. She'll even count the remaining ones to see how many days left. I'm glad we told her. You can tell she is definately excited and has fun saving & counting down the days...

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Our first trip even WE didn't know we were going until just days before the trip! Talk about a spur of the moment trip!

But this time... I told the kids as soon as I knew we were going again. It is a long time and the older one is the only one that really "grasps" when we are going (after summer) but the younger two don't have a clue really about that much "time". The youngest really doesn't even understand at all! LOL (she's 2)

I think we are going to do that chart when we get to 100 days. That's a GREAT idea! And I know they would like it.

But for now...they are "counting" down the days by looking at pictures online of where we are going, helping mommy pick out "stuff" (ie: clothes, backpacks, etc) to buy online (and in stores) to take with us and saving up allowances to buy stuff they want while there! I actually think it's better this way for us... they get the anticipation this time and before the last trip they really didn't even know WHAT Walt Disney World was! They just knew "Disney" meant all their video tapes they have.

LOL

 

[goofygal1975]

Verandah Man

Thank you. We mad a list of stuff we need, posterboard, stickers (we should have some at home already) pictures of disney,(we may use some of our extras from past trips). I showed my son your picture and he is excited. Now, we have 113 days left to go. But he wants to start the countdown TODAY!! haha. We comprimised and decided to make it start at 110 days!!

....off to the store to get supplies.....

 

[Verandah Man]

Lucky you, we're going to get snowed in again this weekend.

Now that my DD 12 is getting older, she thinks I'm going overboard with our upcoming cruise in August. I'm just a BIG KID at heart. For this past Christmas I made tree ornaments with the DVC logo and also ornaments of the Disney Magic. I also made a calendar that is on the wall above my computer desk counting down the days until our cruise. The calendar has a photo of the Disney Magic as the main page, it is so nice to look up and see The Magic, especially since it has been so cold and snowy around here this winter.

My mom has always been arts and craftsy, I think I get that from her.

Have fun with your poster, and if you can post a photo of it, I would love to see it.

 

[Verandah Man]

goofygal1975,

Above are photos of my latest family Disney projects used to get us through these cold and snowing winter days, as we look forward to our August 2003 Disney Magic Cruise.

 

[dahess]

We started the countdown at about 140 days. The kids know that when spring gets here & school ends then it will be time for our trip.