Would your WDW trips be different if you went without kids?

[pirate]

We just took our first Adults Only trip this past December, and loved every minute of it! Our kids are 16 and 11. The 11 year old was a little upset at first, but we had just gone as a family in June so she soon got over it. It was nice not to cater to the kids wants. We ate at the places we wanted to eat at, rode the rides we wanted to ride, went and looked at what we wanted to look at when we wanted to. We are planning another Adults Only trip for October and can't wait! I definately advise any parents that have gone with your kids, to go w/o them, the guilt only lasts for a minute!

 

[Planogirl]

I think about this. My problem is that my DH doesn't like WDW. I won't make him go so I imagine that I'll try to go with friends or maybe even travel on my own. It should be interesting.

 

[3floridarays]

I seriously dread the day when DS decides he doesn't want to vacation with us anymore. We just got back from WDW today and celebrated DS's 11th B-Day. DH and I have never taken a trip without him and can't imagine doing it yet. We were married for 10 years before DS came along and had the opportunity to travel as a couple all over the world on many, many trips - even did WDW and DL. We loved our couple trips back then, but we get one "go-round" with DS and we are loving every minute of it.

We expect to have lots more couple trips once he's grown and I'm sure a great number of them will be at WDW. When that time comes, I will enjoy drinking my way around the world, staying at more Deluxe resorts, doing food & wine festival, etc.

Oh good golly, I'm getting weepy just THINKING about him growing up...must find tissue...

 

[Vickis3js]

DH and I are going next month for our 10th wedding anniversary. It will be our first trip to WDW without the kids but we travel once-twice a year without our kids. Always just a long weekend. I never feel sad or guilty. Do I miss my children of course but DH and I need time as a couple he works long hours and sometimes 7 days a week and our kids are active in tons of sports and after school stuff so there are days, heck weeks where we see each other for an hour. DH and I love our time away we can kiss without hearing DS scream EWWW gross LOL. Plus they get to stay with Grammy and Poppy and that is better then WDW to them some days LOL. My kids are totally fine with us going next month without them, mainly because they know that we are taking them in Dec for twice the time we will be there without them.

Anyway this trip will be different because we will be eating at a lot of signature places and not having to stand in lines for hourse to meet princesses and fairies LOL. Plus I might get to sleep in a bit which is foreign to me at home or away.

 

[MousketeerMary]

We went to WDW 3 times with our own kids, and have had to joy to go twice with our DD, DSIL, and DGD4. We had a fantastic time going with them, turns out DD has inherited our "Commando - take no prisoners" style of park touring from us. We travel well with them and really enjoyed DGD4, she is so much fun and LOVES the roller coasters and the fast rides!

However, we are looking forward to our first trip together without kids, just to try going at a different pace. The plan is to spend more time enjoying the resort, and take our time maybe enjoying parts of the parks we have not had the time to see. Maybe less rides, more shows, or just time spent walking around enjoying the beautiful landscaping? And a tour, we plan to take a tour for the first time. Who knows, maybe we will even hit a pool..........

 

[garada3]

Absolutely! We would have enjoyed our two week trip!

Instead, the three male offspring (14, 12 and 10), that I painfully brought into this world, pretty much ruined the family vacation to Disney.

Not quite sure why they picked Disney to shape-shift into monsters. All three are honor roll students, scouts and generally make their parents very proud.

But from the moment we arrived on property, it was like a MMA event crossed with a Jerry Springer episode. I am pretty sure that they managed to get into arguements with their own ndividual reflections each morning while brushing their teeth.

A great deal of time was spent in disipline situations because the way they were treating each other was not okay. We planned for and did spend time doing different things, sending the older two off to ride rides, taking turns choosing what to do but to no avail.

If I am ever given a do over for that disaster trip, we will absolutely, positively go without the kids.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

One word, begins with S and ends in X

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Okay, okay... also romantic dinners (cali grill at the CR would be my suggestion, make an ADR during Wishes) and just the alone time... being able to stroll thru WS not rushing taking in all the details, a moonlit walk on the beach of one of the resorts (you dont have to stay there either) and find a hammak (sp?) on the beach and snuggle... I do have a bit of romance in me but the other thing is fun too!

 

[MareSINY]

I moved in with my sisters family 3 years ago, so although I don't have kids of my own I am a major part of my nieces lives (heck, the baby has been calling me Daddy for a while now... we all laugh about it, since I'm a woman LOL)

Anyway, 2 weeks ago I went to Disney without any of the girls, this was the first time since they were born (the oldest turns 9 next month) that I've been to Disney without a kid in tow. It had it's pros and it's cons.

Pros: 1) I got to eat at restaurants I've never eaten in before, since I didn't have to worry about whether or not they served chicken nuggets. 2) I didn't have to make mad rushes to roller coasters or worry about who was tired, who was cranky, who wanted to ride with who. 3) I spent a whole week without watching a single cartoon. LOL Oh that's not entirely true... I did see Philharmagic, Muppets 3D and ITTBAB... LOL

Cons: 1) I missed the girls. 2) It wasn't as magical. 3) I missed the girls. 4) I tended to watch other peoples kids and smile, wishing the girls were with me having Disney moments. 4) I missed the girls A LOT! LOL

I'm glad I did it, but next year I think I'll go some where other than Disney, maybe Vegas? LOL

 

[JPN4265]

We have found that going without kids is a lot of fun. The first time we went, we found ourselves talking about our daughter, and what she would be doing. But now, we just enjoy ourselves. We don't find ourselves running from one ride to the other. We actually slow down, and enjoy the parks. Disney has so much more to offer when you just slow down. Now because we don't have to worry about school or sporting events. We can plan more trips to Disney, just shorter durations. This makes for a very fun year. And guess what we found out.....DISNEY, ITS NOT JUST FOR KIDS!

 

[DisneyHardin]

DH and I are going this summer before we start trying to have kids. I am so excited to do the trip with just adults. The last time I went I went with a friend and their 5 year old, which was fun, but it will be fantastic just the 2 of us.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

We haven't been to WDW yet without the kids. However, we do try and schedule one childless evening without the kids (thanks to Kids Nite Out). It has given us a little taste of what it would be like to be at WDW without the kids. I actually got to ride a few attractions with DH and dinner tasted so much better hot.

I know our children are only this little once and there will be a time when they don't want to visit WDW and stay home with their friends. For now, we are cherishing the family bonding time we have at WDW.

Jennifer