When do you tell your DCs that you're going to Disney?

[TwinFoxes]

Just curious when you let your kids know that you're going to Disney? My DDs are little, so we can talk in front of them and they have no idea what we're on about. But I'm thinking that even by next year we'll have to figure out when we tell them. I would guess you don't want to do it too early, especially with little kids, because then you get months of "when are we going?" But with older kids it's probably really fun to have them in on the planning.

Anyone just surprise your DCs?

I think at some point (very close to the actual trip!) we're going to tell them we are going to visit Mickey. We are pretty sure we're going to take the train, so we'll also tell them that at the same time (they love trains almost as much as they love Mickey!)

I am soooo looking forward to their first trip, can you tell??? :)

[egoldber]

Our last trip, we told the kids about 4 weeks ahead of time.

[clc053103]

I told DS early on, but didn't make a big deal about it until maybe 2 months out. The first time I don't think he really "got" it because he was so young, until we got on the plane.

To get your kids excited in those final days, make a countdown calendar!!!! I've seen "chains" where they remove a link every day, countdowns made out of the Disney inspired color paint chips at Lowes (or is it Home Depot? Anyone?)- they use the sample cards (shaped like Mickey heads) and put a number on each to be removed each day. I made a simple mickey head countdown (traced bowls for ears, plate for head) with a post it pad in the middle so DS gets to peel off a number each morning.

[klwa]

We've talked to the kids about the fact that "One day" we'll go back, so Sissy can get pictures just like Bruh-Bruh did. I don't know that we'll actually tell them until the week before. I don't want to have to deal with them doing what my niece did the last time we went. Every day, when I'd hit daycare to pick up DC, she'd come running to me begging to leave THAT DAY. They told her 6 months before. That was a LONG six months.

[fivi2]

I didn't tell them until the night before we left. BUT we were going to my dad's in Florida the first night so they knew we were going out of town, they just didn't know the WDW part. I did tell them about WDW the day before because everyone knew we were going and kept telling them to have fun with Mickey... My girls were 4.5 and had been there before.

[TwinFoxes]

I told DS early on, but didn't make a big deal about it until maybe 2 months out. The first time I don't think he really "got" it because he was so young, until we got on the plane.

To get your kids excited in those final days, make a countdown calendar!!!! I've seen "chains" where they remove a link every day, countdowns made out of the Disney inspired color paint chips at Lowes (or is it Home Depot? Anyone?)- they use the sample cards (shaped like Mickey heads) and put a number on each to be removed each day. I made a simple mickey head countdown (traced bowls for ears, plate for head) with a post it pad in the middle so DS gets to peel off a number each morning.

How old is your DS?

These crafts are GREAT ideas! I think I will try them.

[clc053103]

Ds just turned 5-we go every sept and this is the second year we did the countdown calendar. It was fun to make together and really does build excitement for the big day and stop the inevitable "when are we leaving?" each morning! When is your trip? I think your girls may grasp the concept, and if not, well, it will be fun for you and DS too. ;-)

If you PM me your email address, I can dig up a photo of ours to send you!

[liz]

We told our kids a few weeks ago (we are going in October). Honestly, DH and I are more excited than the kids. They really aren't into the Disney movies or characters, except for the "Cars" movie. I am sure they will love it when we get there, though.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I wish I hadn't told DD we are going in Oct. She's driving me crazy.

[alien_host]

We told DD on her birthday at the end of April (I gave her a rolling suitcase crammed with some disney stuff...t-shirts, costume from Disney store and a book about going on the airplane since it was her first flight) and we left about 10 days later. I made her a paper countdown chain for the # of sleeps we had left and each morning after she woke up she tore off a link.

[emily_gracesmama]

Ugh, we've been counting down since February, with the when are we going and I wish we could go tomorrow, next time I'm waiting til two mths out! I'm gonna go make a countdown calendar for 30 days out!

[TwinFoxes]

Ugh, we've been counting down since February, with the when are we going and I wish we could go tomorrow, next time I'm waiting til two mths out! I'm gonna go make a countdown calendar for 30 days out!

This is what I'm afraid of!

So yesterday D saw an envelope from WDW that had Mickey on it, and she got excited. I couldn't help myself and said "maybe one day we will visit Mickey". Her eyes got big and she said "Mickey??? Bye-bye???" which meant we're going now? I quickly back pedaled.

[cckwmh]

we are going in dec. and my almost 5 year old dd has known for about 1 year. (thanks grammy and grampy!!) my parents bought her a carry on about 3 months ago and it is packed already. every night i would unpack it and she would repack it the next morning. if she wants to play with the books and toys in it, she takes them out and repacks them. i have stopped unpacking it because it drove me crazy. whenever we have the suitcases out for another trip, they end up in her room with the contents of her dresser in them so we can go.

i wish she didn't know. she was asking about if we were leaving tomorrow at bedtime every night. now she knows all the birthdays and holidays that have to happen before we go, so she is getting better about it but her favorite thing to talk about in the car is what we will do in disney.

maybe we can do a countdown...i will start in september when we are 3months out.

[firstbaby]

We told our kids the afternoon before we left. It was HARD keeping it a secret, but their reaction was great! They were so excited, they slept in the same bed that night whispering about everything they thought they would see (we hadn't been before).

[BabyMine]

We went for M's 5th birthday and didn't tell him until the hotel was in view. We stayed at the CR so he could see the castle. My SIL lives and works at Epcot so he thought we were just driving over to see her. He was beyond excited.

[sewarsh]

Umm...we didn't get the chance since my in-laws told them. real nice.

[liz]

Umm...we didn't get the chance since my in-laws told them. real nice.

Oh, no! Your in-laws get a big :thumbsdown:. Unless they were paying for the trip?

[WatchingThemGrow]

I told DD we were going after all the leaves fall off the trees and we were wearing jackets b/c it is cold out. Of course, it is 94 outside every day this week, but she insists on being cold inside the house, wearing a jacket, then running outside to find ANY leaf on the ground. Next time - maybe a couple weeks, not months.

[sewarsh]

Oh, no! Your in-laws get a big :thumbsdown:. Unless they were paying for the trip?

Well, its their time share that we're staying in, but otherwise, everything else is paid for by us (including the time share fee for the week, which, of course, we are totally fine with paying). They are going to join us for 4.5 days so i guess they just couldn't wait to spread the word. i was annoyed, but whatever....you've got to choose your battles, right?!

[ilfaith]

We've generally told our kids a day or two before we head to Disney...but that's typically when we decide to go. We live in Florida and have been annual passholders in the past (although we are taking a little time off from Disney after getting a little theme parked out last year).

[hillview]

We told them about 2 weeks before we went. I should have surprised them :)
/hillary

[egoldber]

The reason I can't surprise them is 1) I like to let older DD's teacher know 2-3 weeks in advance and 2) she has restaurant preferences. If there is a place she really has her heart set on eating at again, I like to give myself about 4 weeks to try and make that happen. :)