Surprise vs Countdown - which do you prefer?

yikes, tough decision- but I am a planner all the way and I love the fanatical hunt of good deals, upgrading resorts and tackling touring strategies...so I am going with the countdown!

Yikes... BOTH!!!

Like MM said, I love the countdown, the build up of anticipation, the planning.

But I would LOVE to be surprised. I think. Wait, now that I really think about it, I would be too worried that it wasn't planned right, no fastpasses, no ADRs....

I think I will stick with the countdown

I think that the planning and anticipation work for adults but that the surprise would be better for children.

This is what I think too. Our friends (the parents) are relying on us to help with the planning since we're pros now. And they are worried about the girls being too excited and not being able to focus on their school work as we are going after their first week back in September.

I'm excited since we are having breakfast in the castle and dinner at BOG! This is the fun aspect of planning ahead.

Both. As much as I LOVE planning, a surprise trip means another trip to Disney

I want to be surprised about 9 months ahead so I can do all the planning; however, I think surprising kids would be soooo much fun! I bet you two are having a ball helping plan this surprise!

For me, planning and obsessing is half the fun so I'm going with countdown. But for a child going for their first time I think a surprise is great!

Pretty sure I would have a really hard time being stealthy!!

While I think surprises are a ton of fun, I am really bad at keeping secrets. So if our house there has always been a countdown.

Totally agree with Figments Girl and JanJ!! In 2015, on my birthday, DH and I had breakfast in the castle and dinner with the Beast at BOG. As an adult, it was totally amazing, so for two little girls it will be mind boggling! Please be sure and post pictures!

I love the planning and I'm also pretty good at pulling off the surprise trip after years of never telling my son we were travelling.

In a way I would love a surprise trip but as I work full time and am the chief form for funds for family travel, oh and my ma is useless at surprises. Add to that I prefer to travel solo I am fairly sure that a surprise trip would be more than a surprise! The closest would be to win a trip in a competition .......

When I went with my friends in February, they surprised their kids about three months out so they could help plan fastpasses. As you know, they left out one surprise for when they got there - me. Lol.

They watched a lot of you tube videos with the kids the first time they went (2015) so they plan their fastpasses for rides the kids wanted to try.

They had fun with the countdown. I would say countdown with one surprise while on the trip.

Since I'm the planner, there's no such thing as a surprise trip. I love the countdown, but sometimes it would be so cool to just say "the heck with real life. let's go to Disney today!"

I agree I think it's a great idea for children to surprise them, but I love the planning too much. Saying that I would love the surprise of getting told we are going and all paid for as long as its in enough time for me to plan and get the ADRS and FP's I would want ha!

The "surprising the kids at the airport" sounds so cool! I hope they get a big kick out of it.

Personally, I would LOVE for somebody to surprise me with a trip to Disney. Other than dinner reservations, we don't do a whole lot of planning for our vacations. We're "what do we feel like doing today" kind of travelers. However, Disney FORCES me to plan just about everything, and I find it quite stressful. When I tell hubby what I'm thinking about planning, his stock response is "Whatever you want, dear." WHAT I WANT IS SOME INPUT FROM YOU!!!! I'll go ahead and make ADRs and FPs and plan side-trips and what-not. Then, about a month before we leave, he'll make his tee times. Now I have to see if everything I planned works with his schedule. Oh...sorry...can't do the morning FP on Expedition Everest because he's golfing. Let's hope I can change that to the afternoon. Nope can't get an afternoon FP this late. Let's try a different day. Oh yippee...I can get one for Tues instead of Wed. Now I have to change 6 FPs because we have to change parks. AAAARRRGGGHHH. So frustrating!

Somebody please surprise me with a trip where I don't have to plan anything. I'll just go along for the ride. If I don't get to ride Expedition Everest, oh well. At least I didn't have to pull my hair out trying to make a schedule that works for everybody.

Sounds amazing! You'll have to share your thoughts on the 2 bedroom at BLT. We're thinking of possibly renting one for our October trip next year.

We loved it, especially that the suite has 3 full bathrooms! You can't go wrong with BLT.

Best answer ever!

I would definitely go with the surprise for the kids! You can do it!

I LOVE this Ken & Jan!

Do not hesitate or delay! Looking at Oct 2017 there is little available in a 2 BR during the month!

I personally would never want to be surprised. I wouldn't have time to do all my pre-trip checklists and I would be in panic mode knowing things had been forgotten and probably the cats would starve.

But it's a whole different thing for kids. Time crawls for them, especially when they're anticipating something fun. Surprise them.

And bring me!!!

They have 3 bathrooms!? When we stayed at Saratoga in a 2 BR they only had two! That's awesome! Thanks for the info, Ken and Jan!

October next year, so October 2018. We can't rent points until November.

We are down to 60 days and the surprise is still on, at least for the kids. Picked our FP's today and was able to get Flight of Passage for the day and time we wanted. We'll also be there for one of the DVC Moonlight Magic nights at AK!

Trying some new restaurants this trip:
CRT for breakfast (so excited for this one)
Chef Mickeys for dinner
Disney Junior breakfast at Hollywood & Vine and
BOG for dinner

Won't be long now!

Your plans sound wonderful! What an awesome surprise. I'm addicted to the planning part of our Disney trips, but I certainly wouldn't be angry if my husband surprised me with a trip sometime. I'm looking forward to hearing about your big surprise reveal.

Can't wait to hear what you think of FOP~

Oh my gosh! I can't wait to hear about the Moonlight Magic night!