Grandparents on the Run to Disney World: To Surprise or Not to Surprise?

So you’ve decided to take the grandkids to Disney World. Everyone is in for a trip full of fun, wonder, and magic! Some grandparents wonder what could make at trip like this more magical and an answer quickly comes to them: make it a surprise! For some families this makes sense but for other it can cause unforeseen problems. Let’s take a peek at some of the pros and cons of surprising versus not surprising.

Consider the preferences of your grandchildren

You’ll obviously think about whether or not your grandchildren even like surprises. Some love them, while others prefer a more orderly world where they can prepare for even exciting surprises. Don’t get so caught up in the idea of how joyful you’ll feel to surprise them that you forget this trip is all about the kids.

Consider the schedules of your grandchildren

Even if your grandchildren are the types who’d love a surprise, remember that they have lots going on in their lives. Their parents may be able to find a time to visit Disney World that wouldn’t affect their ability to make it to soccer practices and other scheduling conflicts, but they may be making plans with their friends or looking forward to activities their parents aren’t taking into consideration. Sometimes planning dates and times with your grandchildren can be the best plan to assure they don’t have to choose between a trip to Disney World and other commitments.

Consider the schedules of your children

Of course the grandkids aren’t the only ones you’ll speak to. There may be a specific week during which your kids would love some time to themselves, perhaps because their work schedules will be busy, or maybe they want an adventure all their own. Don’t make plans without first involving the parents. If the parents are interested in being involved in every single aspect of the trip, then surprising the grandkids may not be the best idea, as the many meetings you’ll need to have with their parents may get suspicious.

Consider how much your grandchildren like planning

This one can go either way. Are your grandkids the type who like to sit down with park maps and plot out the course for the day? Do they want a say in which resort or vacation home you rent? For some of us, planning is half the fun! You wouldn’t want to take that away from the grandkids. For others, we’re just ready to go – go – go. If your grandkids fall into the latter category, then they’d likely love to have you simply show up at their house someday with a pre-planned trip ready to go.