Our kids don't want to go to Disney!!! UPDATED: They want to go!! Woo hoo!

[buckler]

We have taken our two DD's (currently 4 1/2 and 6 1/2) to WDW twice (9/03 and 12/04). My husband and I were in the beginning stages of planning another trip for 1/06. I sort of hinted at the subject to the kids and they said they don't want to go until they are older . They think going 2 times is enough for now. My poor DH looked crestfallen when I told him. He had tried to pretend that he only goes to humor his family but I think he enjoyed the last trip more than the kids . What kind of freaky kids am I raising?!?!? Now my DH and I have to wait for our next Disney fix. Maybe we should sneak off to Disney on our own without them.

On the plus side, my kids loved our trip to the Disney Hilton Head resort and are eager to go there again. Now we just have to wait for a special Disney Visa rate!

 

[MKCP5]

absolutely go without them!!!! An anniversary getaway or long weekend. Do something else together as a family.

 

[TMTIP]

My kids (dd's 11 & 9) have said things like that before and my jaw just drops open! I go ahead and plan the trip anyway (who am I kidding--we go for me anyway!). When I start talking about it alot they seem to get excited and everything falls into place.

How did you like the Hilton Head Disney? We were thinking about going but have not heard too many reviews about it. Any info would be nice.

 

[jonestavern]

I would try to find out what they didn't like about it-was yr schedule too rigorous for them? or perhaps they felt Mom & Dad were holding them back ? was it too hot or too cool? Maybe mix it up more between the parks & hotel recreation? a long romantic weekend might just be the solution for you & DH
we are planning on HH for next March!

Jean

 

[JerJan]

FYT.....for info on Hilton Head visit the DVC threads....more info than you could ever want. You also might consider renting points from a DVC member for your trip to HH as it is usually much cheaper than paying the cash rates. Good Luck!

 

[trayletha]

That's it - I am afraid you are going to have to give them up for adoption. They were obviously switched in the hospital with your “real” children. You should definitely take a "grown-up" trip.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

My 8 y/o DS & I are going on our mom/son trip to Disney Sunday and I invited DD (10) to come along yesterday and she very nonchalantly said "no thanks, I want to stay here with Daddy and Grandma!" Then I just couldn't let it go, all evening I kept asking "Are ya sure? Come on, it'll be a blast". "No thanks, you and Matt go and have fun!, It's your trip with Matt" I was crushed!

 

[melindaandrob]

Take a grown up trip!! Dh and I are doing this in Sept. My ds is 7 and the last trip he was a poop! He wanted something in the gift shop at POR and when I asked him if he had any money and he didn't he flipped out! I escorted him out of the gift shop and not thinking walked him through the food court at dinner hour. He is stomping through the food court saying how much he hated Disney World and this was the worst day of his life. The friends we were travelling with were at the cash registers laughing as I walked through with this little monster trailing behind me. When I spyed my friend I put my hands in the air and announced 'the happy family has arrived' I realize now how crazy I looked To be honest I avoided the 'shock' thread on the boards for fear of seeing myself!

Go with hubby! My dh and I are looking forward to doing rides together! No babyswap!

 

[buckler]

The first time we went we didn't rent a stroller for our oldest DD the first 2 days. She got pretty worn out so we rented a stroller the other 3 days. On our 2nd trip we had learned and had strollers for both kids the whole time. Our 2nd trip was as close to perfect as you could get. It was the week before Christmas and crowds were low. No lines anywhere! We had some magical moments with characters etc. Except for some slightly chilly weather (we came prepared!) it was the ideal trip. So the kids aren't down on Disney due to a bad experience. They want to go back again someday, just not now. Crazy kids! On the plus side, if they are older we might be able to do a few of the rides we skipped over on our first 2 trips. It is also funny because my husband has now been "outted". He is a closet Disney addict!

We had fun at HHI. We stayed in a 2 BR villa. The room was really nice. We were close to the pool but not close enough to be bothered by noise. Our trip was only for 3 nights so we didn't do a lot of activities. We mostly went to the beach and the pool. We will definitely return if I can get a good deal on a room.

 

[virginiamama]

You could always try a Disney cruise!

 

[Tinkim]

My kids are going on their third trip in three years. That is my secret plan . . . to go at least once a year. So far so good. The kids Disney obsession is coming along nicely. We just finished watching a show about Disney on the Travel channel this a.m. and the excitement is still intact. Soon we will consider working on dad's closet obsession to bring it out into the open but this may prove to be a difficult operation as he is in "deep Disney denial" as I like to call it.

Seriously though . . . I know my kids will probably get tired of going to WDW someday (except DD - she is obsessed with all things Disney) and they may want to venture over to (((shudder))) Universal or not do Orlando at all I think if that happened and they seriously didn't want to go I would take an adults only trip. That is something DH and I would love to do. To be able to explore the World Showcase and Epcot would be wonderful. I can't even consider it now because I am one of those who would feel guilty not taking the kids but if they said they didn't want to go DH and I would be on a plane fast!

 

[Cruz Family]

I have a friend whos children did not like going to Disney. When we were talking about her last trip with the kids I realized she was doing a few things that made the trip less fun for the kids. First of all they stayed at GF, great for adults but not exactly the best for children. Where as the value resorts are a more fun atmosphere and geared to families with children (and a whole lot cheeper). They did not get hopper passes and spent pretty much the entire day at each park. If they would have spent a little more money to get hopper passes they could have spent the morning at one park, take a little break in the afternoon then head over to a different park in the evening. I think that makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
I don't know what your last trip was like but give it some thought and maybe with a little tweeking (hotel, dining, rides, show) and letting the kids be a small part of decision making, they may have a better time.
If not, its time for an adult trip!
Melissa

 

[Autumnsdisneydad]

Take a solo trip! there is so much to do with two adults! my wife and i had a great time in the past!

 

[I95 to I4]

My husband and I went through that with our kids when they were little also. they are 20 and 17 now. We just started to go one year with them and the next year alone. It was great. Now they ask when the next trip is!!

 

[SnowWhite]

What kind of parents are you? Obviously you haven't been instilling fine family values in them. I mean they should learn to love Disney long before they are potty trained!!!! You gotta ship them back to the stork and ask for your "real" children!!! I would die if my children ever said that! Actually my DH would be even more devastated! Thank god our children (well my DD and soon to be my DS as well) LOVE Disney!!!!

If all else fails....take the adult trip!!! We are counting the years until we can!!

 

[buckler]

I think the kids hatched a plot to drive me crazy. We just had a nice conversation about Disney and they obviously enjoyed their last trip (they were full of smiles and laughter remembering different things we did). I mentioned their favorite ride It's a Small World was open again in hopes that would sway them. Nope. They wouldn't budge. They say they had fun but they don't need to go again yet. They are driving me !

I'll just have to give up for now and be thankful my children aren't greedy or whiney (most of the time).

 

[Alexander]

Four and six.....their votes count?

Seriously, though, were your last trips commando-style? Did you wear them out, or did you listen to what they wanted to do? We learned very early on that DS gets to call most of the shots when we are in WDW. It's the best way to keep him and thus us, happy. We coordinate a schedule together, let him know why we chose MK this day and then we discuss the rides we'll do, etc. We NEVER stay in the parks past noon because swimming at the hotel his absolute favorite part and standing in long lines is his least (hmmmm--he must get that part from me!)

 

[buckler]

Mystery solved ! My 6 year old thought that we were going to go on the trip NOW and she would miss the first day of school! She has been counting down until the first day of 1st grade and wouldn't miss it for anything. Once we clarified that we would be going in January and she eagerly agreed to go. The 4 year said she didn't want to go because she didn't want to go without her sister. Hooray! We still plan on my older DD missing a few days of school but she doesn't mind that as long as it isn't the first day of school.

So, it wasn't that there was anything wrong with what we did before. We'll change a few things like skipping the night time parade and Wishes (both kids agreed that that was too late for them). But, we're back on track!!! The trip wouldn't be the same without the kids with us.

And yes, we do follow the kid's lead on the trip. We take plenty of breaks and I sit down with them before the trip and go over the rides with them on the internet so they can decide which ones they want to try. We're all about the kids!