Do you still go to the parks without kids once they have grown up?

[Mome Rath]

We have been to Orlando 14 times since 2005 when our son was 5. Had the most fantastic times as you can imagine. He will be 18 this year and going off to University. He doesn't want to come with us as wants to go on holiday with friends. (We will still have a holiday with him to Majorca in June). Our friends always go in December (no children) and would love us to go with them. We'd love to go but both feeling like it may feel a little sad without our son. Part of me can't imagine going without him. Would definitely never go without him if he wanted to go. So wondered if anyone had similar situation and what it was like. Would love to be there for the Christmas season again, have missed that. My husband thinks he can handle the main parks but says he'd definitely be too sad to go to typhoon lagoon. The waves there have been a favourite of there's since the beginning. Lost count of the number of times I'd be sat waiting for them to come back.

I can offer the other perspective; I was the kid who grew up with my fam going to WDW and then at those years of late high school, college and marriage did not want to go and did not enjoy myself if I went. I had zero problem with my fam going as long as they did not guilt trip me. When I turned... oh, 23 or so, I started going again, and I'm almost 40 now and can't get enough I now travel there with family, or friends, or even alone. It's fun going all different ways with a bunch of different people, so definitely go and enjoy. You can always offer to take him, but if he doesn't want to, my advice is to be ok with that.

 

[disneyseniors]

My husband and I always went with our kids, then with them and the grandkids. It was a magical time for all of us.
One time, we stayed a few days beyond our kids, and we LOVED it! It's a whole new world without the kids/grandkids.
We could go at our own pace, actually look at things and wander around, eat where we wanted, etc.
Don't get me wrong, we love going with the family, but we enjoy our "alone" time more.
I get nostalgic when I see something our kids/grandkids loved, but it makes me smile now when remembering.
If I need to see a child be happy at Disney, all I have to do is look around at the faces of the little ones at Disney to remember how much children love Disney, too.
So, for us, we absolutely love going to wdw alone.
Don't fret, I think once you do it you will love it too.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We just went with our son for the marathon in January. He's 24 and has been going with us for twenty years. He lives in Miami and we live in SW Florida, so not too far away. If he can get away from work and school when we are planning to go, we welcome him with open arms. If not, we just have a trip for the two of us. We've done it a time or two so far and it's been nice. We have three shorter trips planned for the rest of the year and we haven't discussed them with him.

 

[friedela]

We have two sets of friends with adult kids and they go back to Disneyworld/land once a year just the two of them.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We've been twice without our son. And possibly our next trip with be just the two of us.

We have different trips without him. But they are just as enjoyable.

 

[Crystal824]

I'm definitely not an empty nester. My kids are 7, 3, and 8 months. However, DH and I went to the parks together before they were born and had a blast. I hope we continue to go after they no longer want to go with us. Honestly, the trips with just the two of us before they were born were so much fun. I love seeing everything through my kids' eyes too. It is a different kind of trip and a lot more work. While the trips with just the two of us were more carefree.

 

[ajwolfe]

My DH and I look forward to our years of traveling to WDW without the kids both with some sadness and happiness. We've been taking kids since the oldest was 2.5 yrs old and know when the day comes they don't want to go anymore we are going to miss them like crazy. But we also realize that it could be a totally new, awesome experience to go and do it at our own pace and not in "parent mode".
Hope you have fun!

 

[Mom2Stitch]

We sent DS off to college and 2 weeks later were off on our first trip to WDW without him. It was so much fun and so much different. No one rushing us through the shops or WS. It was also a little bittersweet and many times we would say "oh if Stitch were here he'd really love this,". Since then we've been to WDW again, 2 cruises, and Universal without him. We have really enjoyed our trips without him, we miss him, and that's ok too.

He graduates from college in May and we will be taking him to celebrate, can't wait.

 

[DduzDis]

We took it a step further and did an adults only trip and left our kids (4 and 1.5) with Grandma. We go often and explained that mommy and daddy need time too. The kids were great about it. We got to do F&W and MNSSHP all on our own terms with some great friends. We will do an adults only trip every so often to do the things we can't do when we are in 'parent mode' at least until the kids are older and we are no longer cool enough to hang out with us all the time. Lol

 

[lovin'fl]

We took our little kids for the first time in 2003. We bought DVC in 2006 and have been about 20 times. In Oct 2013 DH and I went to Food and Wine wothout the kids. We only went for 3 nights while the grands stayed with the kids who were all in high school. We had such a great time we made it an annual thing. We have now been to F&W every fall since 2013...twice with twin DDs but 3 times without any kids. Last year we upped it to 7 nights but only doing 5 this fall. Kids are all in college now so we likely will continue our sans kids F&W trips.

Three of the 5 F&W trips we had other adults there too. It was a lot of fun and a whole different perspective. We can dine where we like (no picky kids turning noses at our fave places...like Sanaa). We can leave the room when we like...like 9am without teens griping about having to get up "soooo early". Can meander the parks and get drinks at kiosks or lounges. No kids whining and griping. It is not boring and I didn't find it sad without kiddos either.