DH may not be able to go, Oh, No!!!

[RACHELSMOM1]

Here's the deal, we have cancelled three trips to WDW since last fall. I am seriously in withdrawal!! My hubby and I purchased a new business and he doesn't yet feel comfortable leaving it in capable hands for a week so we can go to The World. This October we have our planned trip ready to go, did the bounceback last fall, so I have been planning since then. I have the money to pay off the trip. He says he can't go now. Well, I have never left him at home while I take the princesses to WDW. We have always gone together. I am considering leaving him here while we go. I would be driving the 6 hours to get there, and I know I could do it. I have 3 girls, ages 10, 8, and 5 yrs old. I need advice from those moms who have left dad at home to take the kiddos to Disney World. Not quite sure how I would ever get over the guilt feelings, but I don't want to cancel yet another trip. Gotta have my Disney fix!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I did it last Sept. I kept seeing great deals on airfare and was really craving a getaway. Our kids had off a Tues & Wed for Jewish holidays and teacher's inservice. I felt like I was crazy not to go.
While I was planning dh kept saying he was getting 'parked out' meaning any parks/rides, etc for a vacation. (He needs more variety than I do.) He was also running low on vacation time which he needed to save for a Nov. cruise. (I get 2 weeks more vac. time than he does.) I asked if he minded if we went w/o him and he said to go and have fun.
I did really feel bad when around 2 weeks before our trip, he decided he wanted to come. I checked and he really didn't have enough vac. time to come with us and do the cruise. I felt so bad. He seemed ok with it but not much I could do since our plans were set and paid for.
We had fun but the first few rides I really missed him. He's a lot of fun and it made me realize how much I enjoy his company. I even got a little teary on Spaceship Earth; we usually snuggle/hold hands. I think I called him at least twice per day just to say hi.
Would I do it again? I don't know. Many people do it often but I'm not sure I could. I thought I'd love not have him bug us to get up early & go commando but too many other things I missed about not having him.
I don't think it would hurt to try at least. Maybe if I had another adult (mom/sis/friend) I'd not have spent so much time missing him.

I think in your situation, it could really take a while til your dh is able to come so I would vote yes, go.

 

[natenapril]

This happened to us for our May 2008 trip to DL , Due to work my DH could not go. It would have been me, my 10DD, 5DD and 2DS. And a 7 hour car ride one way I ended up buying my Dad a plane ticket out to my house and he came along to help. Worked out great for us. But walking into DL without DH was pretty sad at first but I knew he wanted us to have fun

 

[Colleen27]

I take the kids without DH, but I have my mom to come along and help out. I don't know if I'd take all 3 by myself because of the age range (mine are 11, 7, and almost-1). The big kids probably wouldn't enjoy a trip where they were limited to only the rides the baby could go on, but they aren't old enough yet to go on the biggies without me.

That said, I've never felt a moment of guilt over leaving DH at home. He comes with us on our big winter trip and a few weekends here and there, because that's as much as we can all get away at the same time (he owns his own business as well and summer time is his busy season, so the best time for a lot of travel is the time he's least able to get away), but our big summer trips are almost always without him. He's on the same page as me about it, though, so I see no reason to feel guilty - we both want the kids to be able to travel, and he doesn't want to limit that to only when it fits his schedule.

 

[bgirl29]

Would your husband be able to get away for part of the time? Maybe he could fly down and meet you half way through your week? If you really do not want to be there at all without him could he miss a few days and you could just make a shorter trip.

 

[Kim1964]

I'm taking the DDs for the first time without DH this year (they are 13 and 7). After last year's trip DH said he was "Disney-ed out" for a while, so I wasn't even planning a trip for this year. Then a friend moved to Florida AND the 4/3 deal came out AND I was able to find reasonable airfare and I just couldn't pass it up. DH started a new job this year so he doesn't have any vacation time so even if he wanted to, he couldn't go with us.

I don't feel at all guilty, though it will be a little odd to be away from him for so long (total length of our trip is 11 days WDW/7 days Ft. Lauderdale). We'll be with family for part of the trip, but I very specifically booked a couple of days for just the kids and me to be together....I want them to have a "Mom/Daughter" memory that doesn't involve anyone else. I'm very excited about it. We've been to the World so many times that I am very comfortable being there on my own with them.

Our 2010 trip is already booked, and DH is joining us for that one.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I thought the same thing was going to happen to us, but we moved our vacation up a week and we are all going. For a moment though, I was thinking about doing it without him and I also had mixed emotions about it, mainly guilt for still wanting to go. I think though, if it cane down to it, I would have gone anyway because I have been looking forward to this for two years. I'm sure he would have wanted us to also.