Talking about hospital in advance

[tvfriend]

DD (nearly 3) has to have an MRI scan on Monday with a general anaesthetic (sp?). She won't be able to eat or drink on the day but we have to leave home early anyway.
Just wondering whether it's best to tell her a bit in advance- ie she'll begoing to hospital, seeing doctors, no food etc or just to get there on Monday without really talking about it first?
She has seen physios, consultants etc and is usually fine about it but I find if I try to prepare her for things too much it backfires.
Do we just make it into a 'fun family outing' .

my ds was in hospital for an operation in January. we had a visit first a couple of weeks before and the showed him some of the smaller equipment, what the surgeons wear etc. and he didnt really like it. in the end we went along with the story that he was going to hospital so have a special sleep and that was it, he actually enjoys going to hospital but he goes that much its like a second home to him but we don't tell him what is happening until we really have to so that way he does need to worry beforehand.

My dd (5) went in to have her grommets fitted and adenoids out under GA when she was 4. We briefly mentioned it in advance but didn't go into much detail. More along the lines of "Mr X is going to make your ears better and you'll have some special medicine to make you go to sleep so that he can do it." Then try to act relaxed on the day!
My thoughts are with you as it is tough seeing your little one have a general anaesthetic. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I've heard it's not nice when they go under! May have to have adenoids out at some point too so will have to go through it again.