I have tickets for my best friend, her DH, and I to take Ellie (age 3) to the circus in a few weeks. I really want her to enjoy it, but every time I mention going to the circus, she says "I don't want to" or "I can't". I haven't been specific about WHEN, just going to the circus SOMEDAY. I can't even get her to be interested in the idea. I'm afraid I'm going to have wasted all that money on tickets because she won't enjoy herself. Any tips on getting her interested/excited?

ETA: We read Olivia Saves the Circus every night before bed and she loves it, which make it all the more confusing to me.

Maybe you can find some books in the library about the circus. Then she would have an idea of what it is. Is she maybe afraid of something specific about the circus? Or maybe you could let her watch Dumbo and that would get her interested?

My mom took Sierra last summer and they had a great time.

I wouldn't talk about it anymore. Don't say a word until you pull up to the place. We talked to Caroline about going to the circus and she kept saying "I don't like it" (when she's never seen it or even heard the word before!) So finally I just left it alone, and that afternoon told her we were going for a surprise. We met my mom at the subway, so Caroline thought that was the surprise, until we got downtown and walked up to the building. Then she said "YAY, the circus!" and has a fabulous time. So let her forget it about it until that day.