Family Trip or Couples Trip....WWYD?

[DisneyElite4]

We've had our twins first Disney trip planned since before they were born. It is supposed to take place this fall during our oldest child's 5th birthday and two weeks before they turn 3. The trip is already booked and we have the money set aside. But lately I've been starting to ponder a couples trip instead of a family trip.

Pros
1. Having twins when our oldest was barely two has been hard on me and DH. We don't have any family nearby so we rarely get breaks or date nights. This would be heaven for us.
2. Oldest son is going to Disney in January with his aunt, grandparents, cousins and myself, so he will get a Disney trip in 2017. Guilt lifted.
3. We already have the money set aside, so it's easy to shift it to another trip.
4. We have willing and trustworthy and FREE babysitters. (Grandparents)
5. DH and I both worked at Disney, met there and got married there. It's very special to us, and I know we would just postpone this trip a year for right around the twins 4th birthday.
6. Our twins are a hot mess and a lot to handle. I honestly just think it's because there are two of them, and they would seem like easy kiddos if we'd had them several years apart. However, this trip with them will be difficult.

Cons
1. The cost of a delayed trip will go up exponentially. This first trip was planned to be taken right before they turned three, and thus "free."
2. Even though I know bringing them at almost three will be difficult, there will be some wonderful magical moments I know we will miss.
3. HUGE MOMMY GUILT. My oldest is going on his third trip to Disney in January!
4. My DH and I have years to go on vacations together and only so many with the kids. We can't afford two vacations in one year, so we can't do both. (The January trip is paid fully by grandparents.)

 

[EvilQueen2018]

This is a really personal decision only you can make. I could not take a Disney trip without my kids but I'm not you. I wouldn't look down on anyone else for doing it but I could not. I haven't been away from my 3 year old for more than an hour and that was only a couple times, I know I'm not normal.

 

[MamaBelle4]

We have 4 girls, 8, 5, 3 and 1, so I feel you. We don't get date nights either.

If I went to Disney without my girls, I would constantly be saying, "Oh, Ava would love this!"
"Look it's Punzel, wish Ellie was here to see it." Etc.

If your parents are willing to watch them for a Disney trip, why not just a weekend? Book a cabin at a nearby state park and have a nice, quiet weekend.

My belief is this. The girls are going to be grown up before I blink. (What do you mean my Katie is 8 and has her first crush on a boy. NO NO NO NO NO). Disney is for everyone, but you simply cannot beat watching your child experience the magic for the first time themselves. My Ava was 2 when we took her last. Everything astounded her and she smiled and giggled the whole trip. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It is a decision you ultimately have to make, but remember your husband will still be your husband when the kids are grown. Childhood is so fleeting.

 

[keh422]

I would take the trip with just your DH. DH and I left our three kids with the grandparents in October so we could go to WDW by ourselves, and it was wonderful for all of us. Amazing time for us as just a couple, and good bonding time for the kids with their grandparents. We are taking the kids in May, so it won't be too long before they get to enjoy the parks, and it was a much needed and first trip away for DH and me in over 10 years. Yes, we did often say aloud that one or all of the kids would love something, but it just made us more excited to share it with them on our family trip. If it were going to be years before you'd go back, then my answer might be different. But a year won't mean anything to your 3YOs. They will enjoy it just as much whenever they get to go. If you don't think YOU would enjoy it right now, though, then I just don't think it's worth it. I get the cost savings of not having to pay for two additional kids, because this next trip we will have to pay for our 4YO for the first time, and our 10YO as a Disney adult. But I would still take my chances that a year later would mean a potentially much easier and more enjoyable trip for everyone.

Good luck with your decision. I know it's a tough one.

 

[mjkacmom]

Couples trip!!! When our twins were born, our other kids were 1, 4, and 6. When they were little, we loved taking trips without them, got easier each time. Trust me, you have years of traveling with them, and the older they get, the more enoyable it is. Mine are all teens now (except for dd20), and we love every minute of our vacations with them, no way I want a couples trip right now.

 

[DisneyElite4]

Thanks ladies! Good advice all around. To clarify, the couples trip would NOT be to Disney. I was just trying to explain that since we love it so much, we would definitely be back with the twins sooner rather than later if we didn't take them in 2017.

I like the idea of maybe doing a long weekend somewhere with DH and seeing if we could shorten the Disney trip so we could have that money for two trips. Still thinking it over. Thanks again!

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Thanks ladies! Good advice all around. To clarify, the couples trip would NOT be to Disney. I was just trying to explain that since we love it so much, we would definitely be back with the twins sooner rather than later if we didn't take them in 2017.

I like the idea of maybe doing a long weekend somewhere with DH and seeing if we could shorten the Disney trip so we could have that money for two trips. Still thinking it over. Thanks again!

Careful about those couples trips, that's where twins come from....

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Couples trip. We've traveled a lot with DS since he was 1 and boy, the trips when he was younger were REALLY hard. And I call them trips because they definitely were not vacations. On a few trips we spent a lot of extra money and brought people with us to help out. It was the only way to get a break. He is 9 now and it is so much easier and, now, actually fun! Now matter how you slice it, traveling with young children is difficult. Take a break, do a couples trip and save that WDW trip for a time when you are a little more confident it will actually be fun for all of you. Mommy and Daddy deserve some fun and relaxation too! One thing that helped us at WDW is my DS started to really love the kids clubs when he was about 7, so he spends a night or two there. We've also used Kids Nite Out when he was younger so we could have a date-night dinner.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thanks ladies! Good advice all around. To clarify, the couples trip would NOT be to Disney. I was just trying to explain that since we love it so much, we would definitely be back with the twins sooner rather than later if we didn't take them in 2017.

I like the idea of maybe doing a long weekend somewhere with DH and seeing if we could shorten the Disney trip so we could have that money for two trips. Still thinking it over. Thanks again!

Definitely try a short trip first. We've done overnight in NYC, a bed and breakfast weekend, a long weekend in Hilton Head, a weekend at an upscale lodge, a spa resort - hmm, I never noticed the pattern, but we stuck with places not very little kid friendly. We also did a 6 day cruise for our 10th without the kids

 

[Megara5115]

Couples trip. We've traveled a lot with DS since he was 1 and boy, the trips when he was younger were REALLY hard. And I call them trips because they definitely were not vacations. On a few trips we spent a lot of extra money and brought people with us to help out. It was the only way to get a break. He is 9 now and it is so much easier and, now, actually fun! Now matter how you slice it, traveling with young children is difficult. Take a break, do a couples trip and save that WDW trip for a time when you are a little more confident it will actually be fun for all of you. Mommy and Daddy deserve some fun and relaxation too! One thing that helped us at WDW is my DS started to really love the kids clubs when he was about 7, so he spends a night or two there. We've also used Kids Nite Out when he was younger so we could have a date-night dinner.

I went to type something of my own and realized I couldn't really put it better than this! I'll add that while it's hard to get out of mom mode and thinking about all the things your kids would like at Disney, the truth is they don't know what they are missing. They will still enjoy Disney in a couple years and it will be 10x easier for everyone to enjoy themselves when they get a bit older. I say couples all the way! Go somewhere relaxing

 

[DisneyElite4]

Careful about those couples trips, that's where twins come from....

Ha! DH is fixed so there's no chance of surprises, thankfully!

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you have "hard" kids...and you need to reconnect with your spouse...take the couple's trip. Disney in the heat is no fun with crazy, meting down toddlers. I've only dealt with one at a time in the slowest period of the year with a grandparent, separate bedrooms and bathrooms, and no sit down dining to worry about...and I still took time for date nights ON the trip (thanks Nana) AND time in the hot tub alone with a glass of wine every night.

You could split the difference and only spend 1/2 of your budget on your couple trip, so you could be way ahead for saving for the next year...

 

[crazylady]

I would try to shorten the Disney trip and add a short trip with your husband. I find even a night away from the kids is a good way to recharge. One time we went to a semi local hiking kind of place and brought the dog instead of the kids. It was great and very relaxing.

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

I really think this is a decision the boards can't help you with, it seems very personal. Whichever you choose, I hope you have an amazing trip

 

[5stljayhawks]

Do both in one trip, really. Disney has day care, use that. Is it cheap? no. Is it fun for the kids? yes. There are also other babysitting services at WDW. We took our kids to poly kid club, just wish I would have done it sooner. then went out to eat at Cali grill. Two nights in kid club and dinner will probably be less $$ than 2 trips.

 

[mjkacmom]

Do both in one trip, really. Disney has day care, use that. Is it cheap? no. Is it fun for the kids? yes. There are also other babysitting services at WDW. We took our kids to poly kid club, just wish I would have done it sooner. then went out to eat at Cali grill. Two nights in kid club and dinner will probably be less $$ than 2 trips.

Her twins are too young for the kids club. There is a sitter service recommended by WDW.

 

[kboo]

We had kids late, so all of the grandparents are too old/ill/weak to care for our kids, and we have no other family nearby. We've done a couples "staycation" in NYC before, which was really fun, but we also spent a lot of that time just catching up on sleep or talking about how much we love/miss the kids (this is a common conversational topic on our very infrequent date nights, too). We found that booking 1-2 adult nights at WDW with a babysitter (Kids Nite Out) and hitting the parks on an evening EMH, and/or going to a nice dinner without the kids, was enough for us to get the best of both worlds. Especially since our kids are little (1 and 5 now), we found that having an adult date night *at* WDW was a nice break from dealing with meltdowns and stalling.

(also, I'm such a nerd about saving $ that we took ODD the week before she turned 3, and will probably do the same with YDD in 2018)