Bring One Child But Not The Other?

[anitatina]

We have an upcoming trip scheduled for late September with 2 vaccinated adults and 2 unvaccinated children (2 y.o. and 4 y.o.). My 4 y.o. has no trouble keeping a mask on and is relatively good at following directions. However, I know my 2 y.o. will not be able to wear a mask for the 5 or so hours we will need to be in the airport/airplane. My 4 y.o. has been to WDW twice already when she was 18 months and for her 3rd birthday (both pre-pandemic). My 2 y.o. was not on either of these trips so hasn't felt the magic of WDW yet.

I feel bad for keeping my 2 y.o. at home and missing WDW again, but I don't want to risk potential issues on the plane and health consequences for her either. Would you cancel the trip altogether (we would have to try to rent out our DVC reservation for Animal Kingdom Lodge--use it or lose it situation), just bring the older child, or go on a couple's trip (possibly ask a friend or two to join)?

 

[TwoMisfits]

If it's late September, going into the Oct 1 absolute crush of folks in MK...I'd cancel all together. I'd find somewhere you can go at a driveable distance as a 4-some, and put Disney World back on the schedule after the anniversary crush is over and the virus and its needed precautions are further down the "solved" path...

 

[sponica]

Ugh all the options stink. But given that you're not confident in her ability to stay masked and your reservation is use it or lose it, I'd either take an adults trip or leave the 2 year old at home. I know I wouldn't enjoy a trip if I was worried about a kid's ability to stay masked, but that's just me.

 

[Tri-Delta4Life]

We're going in mid-October, with our 4 and 1.99 year old. Part of the timing for the trip was to get it in before the younger one turns 2 and is subject to (1) plane ticket (2) mask.

 

[anitatina]

If it's late September, going into the Oct 1 absolute crush of folks in MK...I'd cancel all together. I'd find somewhere you can go at a driveable distance as a 4-some, and put Disney World back on the schedule after the anniversary crush is over and the virus and its needed precautions are further down the "solved" path...

We'll be leaving a few days before October 1st, but I am still a little worried about crowd levels. I assume it'll be better than it was a couple of weeks ago before school started.

 

[anitatina]

Ugh all the options stink. But given that you're not confident in her ability to stay masked and your reservation is use it or lose it, I'd either take an adults trip or leave the 2 year old at home. I know I wouldn't enjoy a trip if I was worried about a kid's ability to stay masked, but that's just me.

I'm leaning towards just taking my 4 y.o., but there's definitely mom guilt for leaving her at home when I know she would have enjoyed the trip...

 

[Rory607]

Normally I’m not a fan of leaving little ones out of family vacations, but these are not normal times. I would either leave the 2 year old at home or do an adults-only trip. It just seems really stressful to have to worry about the mask the whole time. Sorry, that’s not a fun decision to have to make.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

I would feel bad taking 1 kid and not the other, so I would say couples trip, if your kids can handle you being away (my kids can't, so no couples trips for us yet). Does the 4 year old know you have a trip planned? Is driving instead of flying an option?

 

[Karin1984]

Leave both at home. At 4 a kid probably doesn't have the self control to not go on and on about how wonderful it all was when she returns, which her sister will hear. And even at 2 years old, is it worth risking what she remembers of feels about you and her sister. Years from now this can turn into a 'mom loved my sister more than me'. True or not, it starts with these sort of things.

With every magical moment your 4 year old experiences, every picture you take of the two of you, you will feel guilty. And that doesnt have to stop after the trip, your guilt might continue with each time you see the pictures.

Go for a couples trip or cancel.

 

[Lori Duck]

If the four year old does not know about the trip, I'd leave her at home along with the baby. For me, the risk is too high with the variant. I might leave her home even if she does know as you can make up a story about where you need to be, and promise to take her to the Disney Store near your home for a present. She's four. She'll be easily distracted. (Said the mother of three, all over age 16)
My husband and I went for my birthday in June before driving south to Ft Lauderdale, and we had an absolute BLAST in an OKW 1bdrm villa on our own!! Nobody to please with scheduling but ourselves....I even went to MK for a couple of hours before he joined me after he slept in!
We do these short "couples trips" to WDW every few years, and it's truly always a happy, special trip! I say go for it. Enjoy yourself. Stay safe.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Oh heckenspeck, I’m still hearing my kids yammer on about who went to Disney and who didn’t, twenty plus years later . When it gets too whiney /loud I suggest a psychiatrist’s couch on their own dime to work out the horror of their childhood. Reflection begins and quiet reigns….

My vote is for an adults only trip or just rent out the space; I’m sure someone will snap it up in record time.
Sorry you have to make this decision but these are unusual times.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We have a trip coming up in October, 2 adults and 16 year old. All vaccinated. Even with us being vaccinated. However, I am concerned with the up tick in Covid cases and especially that Florida (right now) seems to be an epicenter. If I had young ones, not vaccinated, I would not go. We're also DVC.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I would not feel bad. No offense but the 2 year old will probably not long term remember it.

Just take the two year old for a day out just for them doing something they like or rent a bounce house for a day maybe when you are gone.

 

[anitatina]

I would feel bad taking 1 kid and not the other, so I would say couples trip, if your kids can handle you being away (my kids can't, so no couples trips for us yet). Does the 4 year old know you have a trip planned? Is driving instead of flying an option?

My 4 y.o. has been asking to go to WDW ever since last year. We told her about the upcoming September trip, and she was very excited. She already had her little suitcase packed with books and stuffed animals to take with her to Disney World. We told her we might not go anymore because people are "getting sick again", and she seems to understand.

Driving would take us 2-3 days each way, so not really an option unless we plan to take a 2-week trip which isn't in the books right now due to my work.

 

[anitatina]

Leave both at home. At 4 a kid probably doesn't have the self control to not go on and on about wonderful it all was when she return, which her sister will hear. And even at 2 years old, is it worth risking what she remembers of feels about you and her sister. Years from now this can turn into a 'mom loved my sister more than me'. True or not, it starts with these sort of things.

Just curious, did these feelings of resentment happen to your children or yourself? I definitely would want to prevent any type of jealously between the siblings.

 

[anitatina]

If the four year old does not know about the trip, I'd leave her at home along with the baby. For me, the risk is too high with the variant. I might leave her home even if she does know as you can make up a story about where you need to be, and promise to take her to the Disney Store near your home for a present. She's four. She'll be easily distracted. (Said the mother of three, all over age 16)
My husband and I went for my birthday in June before driving south to Ft Lauderdale, and we had an absolute BLAST in an OKW 1bdrm villa on our own!! Nobody to please with scheduling but ourselves....I even went to MK for a couple of hours before he joined me after he slept in!
We do these short "couples trips" to WDW every few years, and it's truly always a happy, special trip! I say go for it. Enjoy yourself. Stay safe.

After talking to my husband, we're thinking of cancelling the trip and trying to rent out our reservation. If things were "normal" at WDW, I think we'd be more inclined to take a couple's trip. But with no Fastpass and the fact we're not comfortable eating indoors right now, I don't think the trip would be the same. Half the fun for me is eating at the table service restaurants.

How was your trip in June? Did you feel a lot was missing from the typical WDW experience?

 

[rlk]

Just curious, did these feelings of resentment happen to your children or yourself? I definitely would want to prevent any type of jealously between the siblings.

I am not the poster you are directly asking this question but I tell you my experience. My family went on vacation and for whatever reason decided to leave my brother, who was 2.5 years old at the time, home with grandparents. He is still bitter about it at age 53! I don't know if he actually remembers being left or remembers from hearing the story about it.

 

[anitatina]

We have a trip coming up in October, 2 adults and 16 year old. All vaccinated. Even with us being vaccinated. However, I am concerned with the up tick in Covid cases and especially that Florida (right now) seems to be an epicenter. If I had young ones, not vaccinated, I would not go. We're also DVC.

Yes, I'm moderately worried about getting Covid even if the trip was just my husband and me. If we do end up going and the Covid cases are the same as now or worse, we'll do double surgical masks anytime we're indoors for sure. As a small business owner that opened my business last July in the middle of the pandemic, it would be difficult to close my doors for 2 weeks to quarantine. It wouldn't shut me down because we do have a little bit of savings left, but the situation would be stressful.

Do you have experience with renting out a reservation? I've only rented points through DVC Rental Store before and have never tried renting out on my own. Do you know if it's as simple as changing the names on the reservation?

 

[anitatina]

I am not the poster you are directly asking this question but I tell you my experience. My family went on vacation and for whatever reason decided to leave my brother, who was 2.5 years old at the time, home with grandparents. He is still bitter about it at age 53! I don't know if he actually remembers being left or remembers from hearing the story about it.

Oh wow! I'm an only child so have no idea about these sibling dynamics. My husband who does have a sister is not a jealous person at all and wouldn't be bothered by this sort of thing. Of course, it's difficult to determine what type of personality my 2 y.o. would have right now, but I think it's better safe than sorry and to just leave both girls at home or cancel the trip altogether.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have no problem leaving little ones home and taking older kids, did that several times, but I don’t think I’d take any unvaccinated kids to WDW right now with kids getting sick.