Advice for trip without kids

[tjkraz]

Next year DW and I are planning our first solo trip since becoming parents. At the time our little ones will be 3 and 1 yrs old. The 3YO has been to WDW twice already, and we'll likely be taking two family trips in the 11+ months following our solo trip to maximize those APs.

The trip is going to be no more than 4 days / 3 nights. Kids will be staying with grandparents.

Anyone have any advice for how you handled similar situations?

Did you tell the kids where you were going? I'm really torn on this one. We've already decided there's no way the camcorder is coming with us. I may not even bring the camera. I'm just not sure how our son will respond if we show him a picture of us standing in front of the castle. He may not even realize that it's a brand new photo, or he may completely freak out!!!

Any advice for handling the separation anxiety? While I will certainly miss the kids, I've had to leave on a half-dozen business trips since our son was first born. On the other hand, the only time that my wife spent separated from our son was when she was in the hospital with the second child. Any tips for things I can do to put her at ease?

 

[dizzyintx]

I wouldn't hide the fact that you are going to WDW from your kids. Honesty is always the best course. Just tell them this is a grownup time for ya'll to be together, that you will take them next time.

Children need to be able to trust their parents and know that parents need time alone.

Now if you can tell me how to get my 24 year old to quit sulking about us going to WDW for our 25th anniversary, I would really appreciate it.LOL

 

[CamColt]

When we went to WDW for 1 day and then on the 3 day Disney Cruise alone our kids were 2 1/2 & 5 1/2. We told them where we were going and they were still thrilled to be going to Grandma & Pops. Like your kids, ours are not Disney deprived(both have been on 1 cruise, DS#1 turns 7 right before his 6th trip and that will be DS #2 5th trip, a month before he turns 4).
We brought the video camera and took many pictures. The kids enjoy seeing those. My 6yo recently told me that I need to go away again, LOL! Yes, he had fun with my family.
IMO, all couples need time alone together, even if they are parents. Where they choose to spend that time is up to them and the kids have to accept that.
Go, enjoy yourself and do take pictures and video. If you are like us, those alone trips are rare and Im sure you will want something to remember it by.

 

[InstImpres]

I did tell my DD8 that I was going and doing many special Mommy things. I took a backstage tour and a resort tour. She also is not Dis Deprived (7 trips already and 3 more planned over the next 2 years). I did take lots of pictures but they were different than my family trips photos. I enjoyed more landscape and architecture. My standard DD and character picutres were non existant. I only had 2 character pictures out of 150. She enjoys looking at my pictures (and razzing me hat she didn't go) and I remind her of all the special things she did while I was gone.

Also, guilt worked well for her in the souvenier dept.

Enjoy
Sandy