Can you keep a secret?

[Dandyhighwayman]

Shh!

I am here in disguise. I am a long time regular (ish) Dibber, and I have registered with a brand new account today. Some people who know me in real life are on here and others will be able to work out who I am / where I am from previous postings.

Please excuse the secrecy but apart from Mrs Dandyhighwayman and yours truly, you are the only people to know of our 18 day trip to WDW in July/ August next year (2018). As far as anyone else knows we are off to Rhodes for a couple of weeks in the sun (we aren't). We have two children. Lets say that they are one boy aged 14 and one girl aged 16 (they aren't). The eldest is taking her GCSEs in 2018 and we don't want her distracted too much in the summer, which a known trip certainly would. They know we are saving up for a trip back when Galaxy's Edge opens (whenever THAT might be). Our wider families and friends know nothing of our plan. We have booked flights, tickets car and accommodation.

The plan is that on the morning of the flights, we go to our local airport . Lets say that it is Gatwick (it isn't). We park up and go to the terminal in question (which I don't know because I don't fly from Gatwick). The kids always check out the board for the check in desk, so we will give them the GENUINE flight number then and hopefully we win enough brownie points to ensure a REALLY good nursing home in 25 years time.

As you might guess, we are no strangers to Disney Trip planning and sort of know what we are doing, but the last time we went to Florida was when the sprogs were both under 10. We were all involved in the planning etc and the run up to it really dragged for them. They both said that in hindsight they would have preferred it to be a complete surprise. Hence... The Plan.

Now, this plan is not worry free. The offspring are different beasts from all those years ago. The eldest has never really shaken the Disney bug and is leading the charge for a return in a few years time. In fact , she is a bit of an obsessive. The youngest is a huge Marvel/ Potter fan.

Both of them have swallowed the Greece decoy completely, although not without some long faces (neither like beach holidays particularly, they like "doing" holidays). I have talked them round. Maybe too much. Hell, even I am starting to look forward to seeing the Greek ruins of Lindos and learning to windsurf again ( the 'again' is also a decoy. I am spectacularly unsuited to any sport which requires such a high degree of balance and limb/brain coordination and which may require the assistance of the RNLI if I get it wrong).

My worries are as follows:
1. The truth leaks out early. DD lapses into a Disney-based coma and flunks her GCSE's
2. The reveal at 'Gatwick' airport is a complete flop. I have read horror stories about kids getting a bit weird at a surprise airport reveal , but most of those involve younger ages, not teenagers.
3. That they would have preferred the (altogether cheaper) imaginary trip to Rhodes (this I think is unlikely, but it is a niggling worry).
4. Getting the packing right. Greece has been chosen as the decoy destination as sun , heat etc coupled with traipsing around ancient greek monuments brings us the required swimwear, t-shirt, shorts, sensible trainers combo. Will they insist that had the KNOWN that they would be going to Florida then they would have packed an entirely different wardrobe ensemble?

Finally, I am thinking of getting to the airport (Gatwick, as I keep saying) VERY early. Lets say 4-5 hours before flight time, so that we get enough time to calm down , share the planning pack that I have prepared, talk about the fastpass and ADI choices I will have made (on which they will both have strong opinions) etc before we get on the 9 hour flight to MCO.

In short I am worried that this surprise which I am putting so much effort to creating and maintaining might backfire on me in some way.

I don't think any of you can persuade me not to do it this way, but I would be interested to hear anyone else's experience of doing the secret trip and the airport reveal. Did it go well? Anything that you would do differently? Any lessons to learn?

Cheers in advance, and to my friends on here, I apologise for the deception, but it is all in a good cause (I think). Its not that I don't trust you not to blurt it out ... well, that's exactly what it is.

Your Dandyhighwayman (except I am not)
xx

[Guest]

I've got no experience in keeping a secret until the airport. I had to keep our family trip with the nieces a secret from them, for 10 months, from decision until the big reveal, three months before departure. It was torture.
It sounds like a fantastic surprise, good luck.

[loldis]

I would be annoyed but purely because it means I wouldn't have packed my stash of Chip & Dale shirts. If you could sneakily sort that, you'd be golden. And I'm saying that as a person who HATES surprises.

[COL41]

Personally I would tell the kids at least a few days beforehand that they’re off to Florida. They make have spoken to friends and got really excited about Greece and actually be initially a bit disappointed which personally I’d hate. DD was almost 8 on our first trip and I booked DC as a surprise as she was obsesssd with Dolphins. She though we were queuing for a water park when someone mentioned the dolphin swim and she ended up having a bit of a melt down as the unexpected excitement was just too much.

[loves2plan]

Our children much prefer a surprise holiday (they were 13 and 15 when we did this year's reveal), but we do always reveal it 4-7 days before we're due to fly. It just gives them chance to pack, tell friends and enjoy the excitement for a few days before we head off.

Our next surprise trip will be in October 2019 when we'll reveal it to our DD on her 18th birthday at the start of October

[Hooray4Disney]

Hi,
What a lovely surprise for you DCs - i’m sure they are going to be very pleased so you do not need to worry ... Rhodes or Disney... erm Disney always!

I planned a surprise holiday for my DH three years ago. I was also going to leave telling him until the airport but I am glad that I didn’t. I told him 5 weeks before we went so that he could look up New York and do his own little bit of research before we went.

It sounds like it has been a while since your DCs have been and as they are older now, they might like to have a look before you get there about what’s changed etc.

Maybe a week before so that it doesn’t affect your DDs exams?

Good luck with keeping the secret ... I found it so hard

[Geordieprincess]

I have done 2 surprises but neither quite as late as the airport and my kids were much younger.
First time Disneyland Paris - they had no idea we were going anywhere and I woke them up at 4am and asked them if they'd like to go to Disney NOW. Older one grumbled you're joking and turned over to go back to sleep, younger one yelled YES and was up and dressed in seconds.
Second time, to Orlando, had told them we hadn't booked anything for summer (bit far fetched as I'm always so organised!). 2 weeks before holiday, went to town and said shall we pop in travel agents and see if they have any cheap deals? Kids said really? Can we? Went in to collect the tickets and the look on their faces as the travel agent read out the details was priceless. Fantastic couple of weeks followed for them planning and getting excited. Wouldn't work now as I'm diy-ing the next few hols but could definitely recommend a travel agent reveal. Son started crying happy tears and whole shop got involved once they realised the kids hadn't known.

[Mrs sun]

I think it’s wonderful! I only wish I could keep my mouth shut and do the same !
They will love it I hope ! I remember when m6 kids were younger and thought they were going to a leisure farm for a day out but we went to Blackpool as a surprise for a couple of nights ! Guess what? They cried and were devastated!😂

[ILoveDaveLamb]

Could you maybe go out for a family dinner 48 hours out, having 'run out of food' at home, and do the reveal then. Then you can talk over dinner and DC can pack what they would for Florida and update all their friends on social media before you all whisk off to the airport in 2 sleeps time? (i think 24 hours could get a bit stressful.)

Have a great trip whatever you decide! x

[Mel49]

Personally, I find that the planning and build up with the kids adds to the excitement of any holiday and have never managed to keep any trip a secret for long

If you can manage to keep the secret I would maybe let them know after the exams are finished so they can join in with the final planning and packing but obviously you know your kids best. Whatever you decide I'm sure you'll all have a fantastic time