DL without the kids!

[rangermom]

I'm so excited! When I went online this morning to bank my DVC points for the year I realized that I had points that had to be used by the end of August.

So.... I booked 3 nights at the Villas at Grand Californian in July for our 14th anniversary. We have never been to Disney without the kids. We will have a 1 bedroom villa.

Any suggestions on what to do?

I was thinking of booking a meal at Napa Rose and possibly the Fantastic Dessert (do they still do this?).

Now I just got to wait until July

 

[PinkBudgie]

You will have so much fun! DH and I went alone two years ago for our 20th anniversary. We went for a week and had the best time! We had our anniversary dinner at Steakhouse 55 and loved it! Yes, the still do the F! dessert but we've never done it. We talked about doing that trip but didn't end up doing that.

 

[clairabell29]

I went with just my DH a few years ago for our anniversary. It was so much fun! I didn't have to worry about what the kids wanted to do, or where they were! (didn't have to ride the Astroblasters 50 times!! )We didn't have to push a stroller and could just wonder where we wanted when we wanted. We looked through the shops on mainstreet, which we wouldn't brave with a toddler! We bought an anniversary christmas ornament. We ate dessert at BB and got a water side table. We road all of the "thrill" rides TOGETHER, which never happens. We ate all the treats we wanted, without sharing We watched the shows that we never got to sit through. And I think the best thing of all was the great conversations we had, just waiting in line, holding hands. They were uninterupted, and not full of answering "why"

 

[lapdwife]

I'm so excited! When I went online this morning to bank my DVC points for the year I realized that I had points that had to be used by the end of August.

So.... I booked 3 nights at the Villas at Grand Californian in July for our 14th anniversary. We have never been to Disney without the kids. We will have a 1 bedroom villa.

Any suggestions on what to do?

I was thinking of booking a meal at Napa Rose and possibly the Fantastic Dessert (do they still do this?).

Now I just got to wait until July

We'll be at the Villas this weekend for our 15th. We have ressie's for Chef's Counter at Napa Rose thanks to suggestions I got here. I can't wait!

 

[rangermom]

There are so many rides that we have never ridden together. We have never done Disney without a stroller.

Now the hard part. How do we tell the kids we are going without them? We are thinking about seeing if a grandparent can come stay with them and that would make it special. We live in a different state than all of our family. so any visit would be fun. those of you that have traveled without their kids how did they handle it.

It is not like they are deprived. We will be at WDW over Thanksgiving for a week before our first DCL cruise. So they will definitely get their Disney fix for the year.

 

[clairabell29]

Personally, I just told them that mommy and daddy were taking a trip for their anniversary and that they got to stay with Grandma! Grandma had lots of fun things planned with them that they never missed us. We only told them after we got back because we couldn't quit talking about all the fun we had.

I'm taking a trip in March with my DN16 without anyone else and I'm not telling them about the trip at all. I'm just telling them I'm going to visit their cousin for her 16th birthday. When I come back, I'll tell them where I was, and that they get to go this summer.

 

[sonnyjane]

Personally, I just told them that mommy and daddy were taking a trip for their anniversary and that they got to stay with Grandma!

That's what I would say. No need to say where you're going.

 

[rangermom]

That's what DH said to say. The less the better. I just can't believe we are going on a trip by ourselves. We have not gone on any type of trip by ourselves or even had a entire night by ourselves since 2005

 

[nunzia]

You will have a blast! Yes..they are still doing the Fantasmic dessert..had it just 5 nights ago

 

[PinkBudgie]

I went with just my DH a few years ago for our anniversary. It was so much fun! I didn't have to worry about what the kids wanted to do, or where they were! (didn't have to ride the Astroblasters 50 times!! )

That's funny! When DH and I went, we did go on that ride about 50 times! Probably because I kept beating his score! What we didn't have to go on a zillion times was the Matterhorn.

Our boys were about 15 years old when we went and the grandparents took them to Canada so they had a good time too.

 

[mystic_path]

How fun!!! Ive done Disneyland with kids and Disneyland without, and lemme tell you, as wonderful as the park is with children, it is a completely different ball park without them. In most ways its incredible. I love bringing children, its a total delight to see such happiness, but I really do enjoy adult vacations more. Maybe because they are such rare occasions. You are able to stay in the park as late as you want, eat what you want, ride what you want, and even go for some drinks later on.

I am going to suggest for something adult and fun, definitely Napa Rose. How about the WOC dining package? Its just the two of you so not a whole family to pay for. And buy yourself some fun hats, and be a big kid. Run around and pretend your both 10 years old again, accept with a margarita in hand from the pier in DCA!

 

[DizNee Luver]

2 years ago, my hubby & I were going to go to DL to celebrate our 25th Anniversary without kids......we were staying at the DLH....since this was something I've wanted to do my entire life, we had dinner by the water at Blue Bayou, Fantasmic Dessert Seating & the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour. By the time the trip came we had 4 of our kids in tow. Luckily 2 of our kids were young men & able to keep the little ones with them so we could still do the special things we had planned. It was so special getting to spend couple time in the parks, jumping on rides without worrying about height restrictions, whether the kid liked the ride, etc. We got to go & do what we wanted!! We wore our Anniversary buttons the entire week & took advantage of them!! We told the pilot on the Mark Twain riverboat that it was our anniversary & we were allowed to ride in the wheelhouse.....really awesome view!! We also did this with the monorail & got to ride up front.

Disneyland is definately a very special place for families & kids & watching them as they experience new things & see favorite characters is something I will cherish for the rest of my life......but it was that couple time that truly made that trip special.

This March I'm going on the Girl's Only Trip with the Dis Divas & my hubby is coming down to spend a couple days with me after that ends. We will be celebrating 27 yrs by staying at the PPH, eating at the Chef's Counter at Napa Rose, dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen & having no other plans other than just spending quality time together! I'm very excited!!

 

[rangermom]

I didn't know there was a WOC dining! I'll have to look into that. We have not been there since WOC opened. We did get to see it being tested during construction from out PPH DCA view room last March.

Since it will only be two of us and not five is why I was thinking of the Fantasmic dessert. Not as expensive as it normally would be.

I have my own minnie ears I wear every trip (actually I have an entire luggage that we always take on all DL and WDW trips, so not sure how secretive I will be when that comes out). I think I'll get the bride ears since it is our anniversary and I was a bride 14 years ago

There are so many rides that we have never ridden on together it's going to be weird to ride with him.

I know we will definitely go to BB. It is my favorite and we go every trip.

Anyone that has gone without their kids have you felt any type of remorse or regret when there? DH and I went to NYC by ourselves in 2005 when we had only 2 kids and we kept thinking DS would love that or DD must see this. It was kinda of sad, but we still had a great time.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Anyone that has gone without their kids have you felt any type of remorse or regret when there? DH and I went to NYC by ourselves in 2005 when we had only 2 kids and we kept thinking DS would love that or DD must see this. It was kinda of sad, but we still had a great time.

I don't think we'd be good mom's if we didn't have a little guilt or remorse when leaving our kids behind. But think of it this way......this is your chance to recharge your system, take some much needed couple time & when you return, you, your spouse & your kids will all appreciate each other even more!!! Go, have a great time, make memories with your hubby & have no regrets!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Oh, don't forget to get your free anniversary badges! We got ours at City Hall but they probably have them at guest services too, I would imagine. Steakhouse 55 gave us a free anniversary dessert (I told them when I made the PS that it was our anniversary and we also had our pins on).

We going to try to go to WDW for our 25th anniversary. I just the other day realized our boys will be 21 then! By that time they should be in college so it would just be us.

 

[Yukonjack]

My wife and I are going without the kids for the first time in February. Honestly, it is more my trip than hers (is that wierd?), as I am more into Disney than she is. My primary motiviation is not just to go on a "recharge" trip with my wife, but when we were at DL last as a family, we never got to ride any rides together. I just felt like I was missing out on some important time with my wife. I loved taking our kids and seeing their excitement, but it is a lot of work tending to smaller kids on trips like these. On this trip we won't have to ride rides that are for little kids (except the tea cups which my wife wants to ride), we can go at our own pace, and we can do what we want, when we want to.

As a side note, we are NOT telling the kids where we are going because it would devastate them. We are only telling them that we are going to California for a short getaway, and they get slumber party time with both sets of grandparents.

 

[Yukonjack]

Oh, and by the way, I do feel a little twang of guilt at not taking the kids. Especially because I cannot tell them until they are young adults (like college age) for fear that they will hunt me down and end me!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Oh, and by the way, I do feel a little twang of guilt at not taking the kids. Especially because I cannot tell them until they are young adults (like college age) for fear that they will hunt me down and end me!

We told our 5 & 9 yr old but explained that sometimes parents need a vacation too. I couldn't hide a Disney trip from them......I have Disney everywhere when planning (ok, more when planning.....Disney everywhere all the time....lol)

 

[ArchOwl]

Hubby and I don't have any kids and while we love being the awesome aunt and uncle and taking our nieces and nephews to Disney, we also love going by ourselves. We enjoy long dinners at Napa Rose and also doing a spa treatment at Mandara Spa in the Grand Californian Hotel. That really recharges you for more Disney fun! The best part is just spending time with my best friend! Have fun!

 

[gabriellyn]

Anyone that has gone without their kids have you felt any type of remorse or regret when there? DH and I went to NYC by ourselves in 2005 when we had only 2 kids and we kept thinking DS would love that or DD must see this. It was kinda of sad, but we still had a great time.

We went by ourselves last February. Heck yeah, I felt guilty - even cried when we were checking in at the GCH. The cast member even started crying too! She upgraded us to a theme park view to compensate. And it was hard a few times when we saw other families with children about the same age. But it was totally and absolutely worth the alone time. PURE MAGIC! Some pp's have already mentioned the fab things you get to do without kiddos in tow. DH had such an incredible time. In fact, we enjoyed our trip so much we are doing it again next week!

The kids are totally fine with it since we have a WDW trip planned for later in the year. As you say, they'll be getting their Disney fix too, so it's all good.