How Far In Advance Do You Tell Your Kids?

[Slpray]

I have tons of similarities to you! We just got back from a great WDW trip in Feb of this year. Our kids are now 10 (boy), 7(boy) and 5 (girl) and we are booked for a 7 night eastern carribean on the allure in May 2016!

 

We told the kids right away. We were considering a Disney cruise or this one, and they chose this one because we could do a longer cruise for the same amount of days. We'll do a Disney cruise next. ;-)

[CanadianDee]

Just a quick update! We cruised last week and it was an awesome experience! We told our 5 y/o DS when we arrived at the Port of Miami after an approximately 9 hour driving trip! We got him up at 3:30 AM, put him in the car, he slept for about 2 hours, and then was wide awake the rest of the trip. He made a few guesses about where we might be going (camping or to eat at Fishlips), but otherwise was very patient and relaxed. As we pulled up at the port and the porters began to get our luggage, we told him that we were going to be boarding the Sky. He was so excited that he began shaking! He said he had dreamed of this his entire life. lol It was an AWESOME trip, and he's ready to go again. :)

 

Omigosh, that's so adorable. He's dreamed of it his entire life. :)

 

When we travel with our granddaughter - as we always do, she's the best fun ever! - we tell her well in advance and she's heavily involved with planning.

 

When Mom and Dad travel with her, the destination is a surprise.

 

Both ways work; both are tons of fun. Frankly, I'd burst if I had to keep vacation a secret though. :)

[CanadianDee]

Taking our granddaughters turning 8 day before cruise and the other turning 3 on the cruise. We leave this Sunday & they don't know yet. Their birthday party is Saturday & I got them both kids roller luggage & will fill with outfits I bought them. Plan is to wake them up Sunday morning & load them in the car. 3 year old will just go with flow. 8 year old will keep guessing but just going to say we're going on a trip and can't wait to see her face when she sees the ship.

 

It looks like you've already left for this adventure, but it sounds like a blast. Isn't grandparenting the best?

[BLAMBKY]

We just told my 16 year old son that we are going in June to Bermuda.....and his cousin (who lives in another state and skypes everyday, while they play video games together) is going WITH US! :D My sister has video that turned out super cute. They have already mentioned making a video & starting with our reveal to the boys. And my son had the nerve to say to me tonight....."How am I ever going to concentrate at school now?!" :eek::) I guess waiting is hard no matter what age!

Edited April 22, 2015 by BLAMBKY

[LuCruise]

OP here. I was thinking we'd tell our kids during Christmas holidays for our April trip, but here's a scenario not to tell. Way back in the fall we bought theater ticket about 6 hr drive from us with a road trip in May. Kids very excited...esp my 5.5 year old as its a musical we both love and it'll be her first time seeing it (she's seen the movie about 21 times). We too them right away.

 

Now here we are not too far away and I'm having serious eye issues. Had surgery and may need more...which may end up cancelling our road trip. They are devastated, especially DD as it means missing the musical (I.e. Even if we postpone the trip, the musical will no longer be there).

 

You just never know what life throws at you and it can lead to disappointment.

[Gardeneroflove]

OP here. I was thinking we'd tell our kids during Christmas holidays for our April trip, but here's a scenario not to tell. Way back in the fall we bought theater ticket about 6 hr drive from us with a road trip in May. Kids very excited...esp my 5.5 year old as its a musical we both love and it'll be her first time seeing it (she's seen the movie about 21 times). We too them right away.

 

Now here we are not too far away and I'm having serious eye issues. Had surgery and may need more...which may end up cancelling our road trip. They are devastated, especially DD as it means missing the musical (I.e. Even if we postpone the trip, the musical will no longer be there).

 

You just never know what life throws at you and it can lead to disappointment.

 

For this reason, we never told dd. 'we're going to the zoo today!' THe first time? the car wouldn't start! Now, we just say 'we're going somewhere fun'

 

BUT by 3, she knows life happens and needs to learn to go with the flow. We suprised her last cruise, and it didn't work well!

 

We suprised her today with a zoo trip, and she kept asking why we were going to where we normally go on wednesday. She had fun, but she's not the spur of the momenet let's go kid, yet.

[bubba83]

That's great that you tell them all right away. I so want to and let them share in the excitement, but we're not even at the year mark. When we went to Disney World mid October last year, we booked in February, and told them end August (so about 6-7 weeks before). We then got my DD a calendar so she could count down the days (my older one had one and he understood time better).

 

Another thing I should have asked...for those that told right away, how old are your kids? And how much in advance do you book?

 

 

Well we booked in October 2014 for our April 2016 cruise, lol.....it will be our daughters(2) first cruise as well. They are 4 and 2 (will be 5.5 and 3 at the time of sailing)....but we told them as soon as week booked. I showed them pictures of the ship and YouTube videos of the ship because they had no idea what a cruise was. And explained that we are on big ship, that we will eat, sleep, swim, play on the ship and visit different islands/countries....... they are absolutely ecstatic, my 4 year old is more talkative about it than the 2 year old but that's because she understands more.... the only down fall, she doesn't understand time as far as days, months, or years yet....she knows we will cruise when she is 5 and sissy is 3, but when she talks about it she says we are going on our cruise tomorrow or yesterday, HAHA....

[LuCruise]

Well we booked in October 2014 for our April 2016 cruise, lol.....it will be our daughters(2) first cruise as well. They are 4 and 2 (will be 5.5 and 3 at the time of sailing)....but we told them as soon as week booked. I showed them pictures of the ship and YouTube videos of the ship because they had no idea what a cruise was. And explained that we are on big ship, that we will eat, sleep, swim, play on the ship and visit different islands/countries....... they are absolutely ecstatic, my 4 year old is more talkative about it than the 2 year old but that's because she understands more.... the only down fall, she doesn't understand time as far as days, months, or years yet....she knows we will cruise when she is 5 and sissy is 3, but when she talks about it she says we are going on our cruise tomorrow or yesterday, HAHA....

 

Ah...those are such sweet ages.

That's the thing with telling early. They don't understand time and will constantly ask if we're going yet. When January comes along, you can get them a calendar and each night cross off the day...with a big X (or picture of a ship on your ship travel date.

[bus man]

My kids are 6 and 8. We tell them about a month and a half out. That way, they have long enough to be excited, but not so long that it seems like an eternity away. ("How much longer until we go on the trip?" gets tiresome after awhile.)

 

On our last cruise, DS was too short to use the Flowrider, and he was disappointed. Sadly, the ship we're going on next doesn't have a Flowrider. But I'm sure there will be enough other things to occupy his attention!

[Gardeneroflove]

Well we booked in October 2014 for our April 2016 cruise, lol.....it will be our daughters(2) first cruise as well. They are 4 and 2 (will be 5.5 and 3 at the time of sailing)....but we told them as soon as week booked. I showed them pictures of the ship and YouTube videos of the ship because they had no idea what a cruise was. And explained that we are on big ship, that we will eat, sleep, swim, play on the ship and visit different islands/countries....... they are absolutely ecstatic, my 4 year old is more talkative about it than the 2 year old but that's because she understands more.... the only down fall, she doesn't understand time as far as days, months, or years yet....she knows we will cruise when she is 5 and sissy is 3, but when she talks about it she says we are going on our cruise tomorrow or yesterday, HAHA....

 

I think since we go yearly, dd just knows we're going on a cruise. lol. she doesn't ask when, but loves to pretend.