There is so much anticipation when it comes to Disney vacations. Walt Disney World vacations can be planned years in advance. Plus, the way they break down how to make dining reservations and Fast Passes, the anticipation just keeps building until you can’t take it any longer. For kids, dealing with the excitement and anticipation can be unbearable. If you’re keeping your Walt Disney World vacation a secret, I’m sharing some fun ideas on how to reveal a Disney Vacation to kids.
Related: How We Became Disney Vacation Club Members
We used to tell the kids right away when we booked a vacation, but now that they’re 3 and 6, they don’t understand the concept of time. My youngest literally sees a Disney commercial on tv, puts on his shoes and tells us that he’s going to Disney. As cute as that sounds – it’s not cute when we tell him that it’s not time to leave. Keeping it a surprise gives us a chance to plan in peace and stops them from asking when we’re leaving.
I’ve gathered some fun ideas ( a few from other fellow bloggers) and I’m sharing how we’re revealing our upcoming Disney World vacation as well. Hopefully this sets you on the right path to reveal a Disney vacation that’ll be unforgettable.
5 Fun Ideas To Reveal A Disney Vacation To Kids
You want to plan something that’s going to be easy and fun for the whole family. Planning something too time consuming or difficult may not be executed well. Having the opportunity to surprise a loved one with this announcement is one of the best feelings ever. Vacations are such a better gift than toys too. You’ve bought your family many memories to cherish for years to come. Let your surprise announcement be part of that fun too.
It’s up to you how elaborate you want your surprise to be. However, just remember that all kids handle the announcement differently. Don’t have any preconceived notions of how it’ll go down. It might be completely different than that. Some children have a hard time processing the surprise or simply do not understand what it means – especially if it’s their first trip to Disney Parks.
Also be sure to tell your kids not too far ahead of the actual trip. The delay can cause confusion since kids have difficulty understanding the concept of time.
The Scavenger Hunt
You can create a fun scavenger hunt, around your house, with clues that will reveal a Disney vacation to the kids. You can print out a worksheet with clues that lead to different areas around the house. When they find all of the hidden objects, that are Disney related, and see them together – they’ll certainly know!
Create An Advent Calendar
Christmas time can be all about leading up to a big surprise. If you’re planning to announce your Disney vacation on Christmas Day, then you can use and advent calendar to reveal your Disney vacation. Get 25 craft boxes from Amazon or your local craft store and glue them together so that the box tops can still be opened. It’s cute to arrange them like a wreath or tree. In each box, plant a small clue. Magic Bands, park maps, character themed jewelry or socks – things like that will help lead to the big reveal.
Pack Their Bags
You can tell them you’re going on a trip and not let them know where you’re going. When it’s time to pack, present some brand new character kids luggage and a few trinkets. Their magic band, new ears, sunglasses or a beach towel (great for a Disney Cruise Line trip) and a park map will certainly surprise them!
Plan A Family Movie Night
Theme a family movie night around their favorite Disney movie. Watch some Disney+, make some mickey themed foods and then surprise them at the end of dinner! It’s a fun way to build some anticipation and hype, especially if you never do themed family movie nights too. You can make your own napkin rings, out of card stock paper, that says “we’re going to Disney!” This Mickey milkshake is totally adorable and could be a cute part of the reveal.
Make A Disney Themed Craft
You can organize a family craft afternoon that’s all about the trip! Put together some card stock and let the kids decorate a cover for their own autograph book. If they’ve been to Disney previously, you can even add a printed photo to the front of their book. As they’re making it tell them why they’ll need it!
How We Revealed Our Disney Vacation:
My oldest son is a Kindergartener and we’ve been working hard on our sight words all semester long. We practice nightly with flashcards that I made. To surprise my son, we packed everything when he was at school so it would be a total surprise.
Before bed, we started practicing our sight words like usual. I added the flash cards, “We Are Going To Disney World” in six separate flash cards. He sounded out the first four words and then completely understood the rest when he could see our excitement. The next morning, we left for vacation! Sometimes you just have to get creative and have fun with your Disney vacation reveal.