Disney trip without the youngest?

[dvc one day]

I am looking for people with personal experience going to Disney while leaving their youngest child at home (3yrs old and younger?). What was it like? I am asking this for someone and I am not going to give my opinion to avoid leading the conversation from the first post. Also, b/c I am looking for experiences, not opinions (if that's possible )

 

[Ginny Favers]

I am looking for people with personal experience going to Disney while leaving their youngest child at home (3yrs old and younger?). What was it like? I am asking this for someone and I am not going to give my opinion to avoid leading the conversation from the first post. Also, b/c I am looking for experiences, not opinions (if that's possible )

We left my 3-month old with my mother-in-law for a week when we took our DD3 a few years ago. We'd been wanting to take our oldest since she was born and got a great deal, and we realized that it would be very difficult to go with a newborn (it would have totally changed the trip for us, and she would not have gotten much enjoyment out of it). I have never felt bad about leaving my child in capable, trusted care of a family member, since I had to travel for business and became quite used to it with my first child. However, I would have a hard time leaving my almost-3 year old at home while I went to Disney! I don't think I could do that!

 

[powellrj]

I'll be honest and say we have done it before. My kids are really spread out age wise, and it was just easier to leave the baby at home.

The first time was when DS #2 was born. DS#1 was 8 and we took him to WDW world and left DS#2 home with grandma. He was 3 months old.

The 2nd time was when DD was born. DS#1 was 13 and DS#2 was 5 and we left DD with grandma, she was 4 months old.

The last time we did it was the only time I felt bad about it. DS# 1 was in the army, so he couldn't go and DD was in middle school and we hated to take her out of school. DS#2 went to WDW with his Show Choir to compete and DH and I went with them. I do feel bad about not taking her that time because she was old enough to know what she was missing, but I knew she would miss too many days of school.

We are taking all of them this summer on a trip, so I am excited about that!

 

[Funfire240]

I personally don't think I could leave my youngest. Last year everyone told me I was crazy for taking DS (16 months) and that I should've just focused on DD since the trip was for her anyways. I think I would've been lost and so would DD. They are only 2 years apart and as young as they are, they are very close. DD doesn't like to do anything without DS - even going to the store she always asks why he can't come. In my situation I think she would've been preoccupied without him there. Of course, for me I'm the type that if I'm not working I'm with my kids so I'm lost when one of them isn't with me.
On the other hand, I had a cousin who took their DD who was 5 and left their DS home who had just turned one a week earlier. She said it was nice to focus on DD but she felt the whole time something was missing with her DS not being there.

 

[cvjw]

We took our boys to Disney the first time at ages 4 and 1. It was a nightmare having younger DS along on the first trip. Younger DS wasn't happy, and it really impacted older DS's ability to enjoy everything Disney had to offer. The next year, we left younger DS with grandma, and only took older DS to Disney for a week. It was heavenly! It was one of our very best Disney trips, and younger DS was happy as a clam with his grandparents. The next year, when younger DS was 3, we included him once again in our Disney trip. He did much, much better when he was a little older, and the whole family had an enjoyable vacation.

I will add, that we are lucky enough to visit Disney alot, so I would have a different opinion if this were my family's only time to visit Disney.

 

[dalyes]

My kids are 10 months and 2.5 years old and we're heading to WDW and we're checking into the hotel on Monday. My parents, who are snowbirds and have a home an hour North of DW, will be going with us for a night. We'll do DTD and have some pool time and on Tuesday heading to MK. My parents, after spending a day with us there, will head back to their home and take my 10 month old with them. So, he'll only be with us for half of our stay.

I'm going to miss him like crazy and I will feel so weird not having him there but we think it's best since he's so young and won't get much out of the experience. I am very fortunate that my parents are so close and willing to spend some time with us at DW and then can head home with him.

 

[stashbin]

For our very first trip, we took our 5 year old and left our 2 year old with my mother in law. It was fine. My youngest had a great time with her grandparents and we had a great time with our oldest. When we got back, she was just fine.
Now that both girls are older, she looks at the pictures and doesn't remember a thing.

 

[leblanat]

Our first trip to Disney was when our youngest was 9 months old. We took our 4 and 6 year old and left the baby with the in-laws. I was so glad once we were there and saw so many people lugging babies and even infants, spending a lot of their time waiting in the heat for partners who were on rides. They looked tired. I am sure many people do it with flying colours but I didn't want to even try...especially our first time with a steep learning curve. We knew we'd be back one day and having to take our youngest was the perfect excuse to go back. Now, saying all that, maybe those with babies do it differently, take their time, etc. We were full out and only took one day off and even then we went to the park that evening. I wouldn't feel bad at all if I were you.

 

[Chelley00]

We took our first trip when our youngest was 16 months old. My ILs tried and tried to get us to leave him with them and just take the older 3, and I'm so glad we didn't. Youngest DS made the trip. His reactions to the characters made us laugh, he danced at parades and that made his older siblings get up and join in too.

Sure, we had to go slower, let him nap (usually in a stroller thank goodness) change diapers, I had to sit out rides while everyone else rode because he was too small, but I can't imagine looking at the pictures of the other kids with the characters and him not being there.

 

[AshleeH]

I was the 3 year old left at home and I'm a tad bit bitter about it. I know why my parents did it (my sisters were 15 and 9) and I only found out recently that that's where they went. I stayed with their best friends and started calling them Mommy and Daddy, before my parents came home, so I've heard that story all my life, but a few months ago, I asked them where they went and they told me WDW - I asked them why they would leave me - from all stories I've heard, I was an easy child and we took my kids when my youngest was 4 and it was a breeze. I mentioned how easy it was, but Dad told me that it was a lot easier without the three year old lol!

Personally, I would never do it, but we did leave my oldest at home several years in a row when we went on vacation (we were young parents and traveling with a baby/toddler made us very nervous when we had two stable grandparents houses to send him to instead), but now that I'm older, I wouldn't have an issue with taking any age to Disney. I can completely understand why people choose to leave a young one at home - I'm all for making the vacation as perfect and easy as possible. For us, that means including the kids .

 

[ktlm]

I can't imagine not taking a 3 year old to WDW. It is the perfect age for all the magic. My favorite trip was when DD was 2 years and 10 months old and everything was magical and new and exciting for her. She actually was better behaved on our trips when she was 2 and 3, than the was at home. She was harder at ages 4 and 5 than she was at 2 or 3.

DH and I did leave her at home when we went to Disneyland when she was 2 years 4 months. It was because I was out in the area for a Monday business meeting. DH went with me for the weekend before and we decided to spend a day at DL. We had a great time, but I felt so guilty being at DL without DD, that within a week of getting back we had booked her first trip to WDW. I can definitely see leaving a kid under 2 home, but not a 3 year old.

 

[ktlm]

Also, my cousin's parents left her at home when they went on a WDW trip. I think she was 3 or 4 at the time. She is 50 now, and she still hasn't gotten over it. It is still a sore spot with her and it always has been.

 

[Random Ninja]

We live about 3 hours from WDW but the family has a tradition of not taking kids until after their third birthday. However, my grandmother is still convinced that Disney World is just the Magic Kingdom so we could technically get around the "rule" if we wanted to. Unfortunately my niece was terrified of rides as a toddler so there wasn't much point in bringing her if she was going to cry every time we went on a ride, even if she wasn't going on it. She thought the "bad noise" would get us and we wouldn't come back. We have a much better time now that's she's four then we did when she was under three but I can't imagine how we'd have told her she couldn't go.

 

[DisneyGal24]

In February 2011, DH and I took DD4 to WDW and left DS at home with the in-laws. DS was a month shy of being two and we felt he wouldn't really enjoy himself or the 8-10 hour drive! I missed DS like crazy but we got to do so much in the short time we were there. We arrived on a Monday afternoon and left early Saturday morning. DD had a blast and DS enjoyed his time with the grandparents. We did the same thing when DD was 2. We went to NYC for a wedding and vacation for 5 days.

We are headed back in June with DD and DS!

 

[Disneyforus]

Our first trip we took our then 18 month old, 3 yr old, 5 yr old and 7 yr old....it was the best trip...so much magic and the 18 month old was just happy to be with us...he loved to be in the stroller taking in all the sights and he went on most all the rides that the rest of the group was interested in...on the few rides he couldn't, we did the baby swap and a the older sibs made out being able to ride twice!
The family pics we have from that trip our some of my favorite pictures, can't imagine not having all my kiddos be a part of that.

 

[wish_upon_a_star35]

We took back to back trips to DW for two years in a row as a family in 2009 and 2010.

Last year I took my oldest (almost 15 at the time) to Universal for a mommy and me trip. We left behind my (then 4 and 6 year old)

Shortly after that trip we added twin baby boys to our family (through fostercare).

This year I am taking my youngest daughter only to DW for a mommy and me trip. The twins are 1.5 and my son is 5.

I am a single mother of five and there is no way, I would feel comfortable taking all five on my own. It just doesn't seem like a good idea. I was going to take my son to DW for his mommy and me trip either next year or the year after but he informed me that he wants to go to the beach instead....I am definitely hoping he will change his mind

So, I would not feel bad. Especially if the family goes to DW often!

 

[dvc one day]

It looks like they will be taking the little one. I thought that might be their decision, but it was not mine to make so I gave no opinion. They decided that this might be the last trip for a while and that everyone needed to go. All the personal experiences given with this were great. Thanks

 

[Mama Who]

I am looking for people with personal experience going to Disney while leaving their youngest child at home (3yrs old and younger?). What was it like? I am asking this for someone and I am not going to give my opinion to avoid leading the conversation from the first post. Also, b/c I am looking for experiences, not opinions (if that's possible )

We took both kids to DL for the baby's first birthday. Her older brother was 13. It was a great trip but we missed some of the things we like and the whole trip pretty much revolved around the baby and her needs- rider swaps, nursing, early evenings, a stroller...

So... we went back for a few days with just DS. Aside from me missing the baby (it was the first time we'd been apart overnight) it was terrific! DS (now 14) got some undivided attention from his parents, we were able to do our faster paced touring style and not worry about the little one.

We've done adults only trips in the past and enjoy them too. We love the time with the kids but we also like the time alone as a couple and I think in a few years there will be a girls-only trip too. If Disney isn't "once in a lifetime" I think it is a lot of fun to enjoy it in different combinations.

 

[TJDisneymama]

i'm taking my ODS next week and leaving YDD behind with DH. i've wanted to do a mother/son trip for a long while, plus it will be so much fun being able to go on all the rides with him, stay out late, etc. and not have all the limitations I have when YDD is with us - tired, needs a nap, cranky, doesn't want to go on the bigger rides, etc.
Next year I will take just her for a Girls Only trip.

 

[TwistGrl101]

We took our 17 month old and he loved every minute of it. Disney is the perfect place for young children!