Have You Done WDW Without The Kids?

[Kimbra]

My husband and I are thinking about going to WDW May '04 to see the Flower and Garden show in Epoct. Our boys are 9 and 12 and have always gone with us. I guess in a way I feel guilty, but on the other hand it would be nice to eat where we like and have 5 days to spend doing our thing. My kids always have enjoyed the All-Star Sports, but if it's DH and I go we could stay at the Yacht Club. As you can tell we don't go to many places without our kids.

If you've been there minus the offspring tell me all about the fun and special times you had!

Thanks!
Kimbra

 

[TreeOfLife]

I did, and the most fun I had was to see all these parents sweating in the middle of their kids' screaming tantrums while I remained cool as a cuccumber...


Funny, but I really do not recall any other moment making me feel better

 

[disney queen]

all i can say is WOOHOO!! we have gone many times w/out our children. however, i must say our boys are older than your children. you are right: eating where you all would like, doing behind the scene tours that have an age limit(16+) are great, staying out late, going to the movies(or PI if you like that fun), couples massage at one of the spas.....i could go on, but i think you get it!! LOL. your children have been to wdw so it is not like you are going and they never have. go have a great time. you could make it an anniversary celebration. our anniversary is in may, but we celebrated our 25th in december that year(5 yrs ago) at wdw. left the boys at home!

 

[gonga]

We do not have any kids so I cannot comment on the guilt part. What I can tell you is how much my DH and I love WDW, we go every year. We did travel with family one year small neice & nephew. I realized at that time when you go to WDW the trip is really for them! I never experienced that kind of vacation before!
I think you will have a wonderful time, only each other whims to give into. There are so many romantic and grown - up things to do: Dinner at California Grill - timed with fireworks
Sleeping late
taking a fireworks cruise with champagne

I could go on and on, but you get the picture, it will be great. Go for it! Go for the concierge level and really splurge!

 

[nativetxn]

I only have one child and he will be 28 on his next birthday. I have made many trips to WDW without him. Not only that but I have made many trips solo.

It's really nice to be able to walk through the parks hand in hand with my husband and not have to have my radar operational at all times watching my child. It's impossible for a mother, I think, to go to WDW and not be constantly on the look out for her child or children. That is really fun for me, it's just a little more relaxing.

I love kids and I love to take them to WDW but I also love visiting WDW as a child free (even temporarily) adult.

Lots of people do this. In fact, we have a forum dedicated to adults traveling without kids or traveling solo. You will find that forum <b>HERE</b>.

I think you will find a trip to WDW without your children is very different from your trips as a family. Not better and not worse, just different.

Enjoy planning your trip!

Katholyn

 

[Dopey Sharon]

We went for the first time without out kids in 2001. It was nice being able to do whatever we wanted and not have anyone whining about not wanting to do that! But, my kids are older too (22 & 20 now). We always did family vacations until that year. TreeoLife...how true!!! I don't know how many times we passed a kid having a meltdown and thinking..."I'm sooooo glad my kids are older"!

 

[TexasAggie]

My DW and I have done it many times and we always have a wonderful time. Yes, we do call them once a day and remember events with them at the World, but we still have a great time.
We bought in to DVC five years ago and look forward to many trips with just the two of us.
Go for it and you will not be sorry.

 

[MiJo]

and have now made 4 trips without them (they are all in their 20's now). In 1999, we stayed at DxL (now POR); in 2000 at CSR; in 2003 at AKL; and, just recently, at POFQ. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we had at WDW with our children but we have enjoyed our solo trips just as much, if not more. Of course, since our kids are grown, we don't feel guilty about going without them. An adults only trip offers you a lot of flexibility and you don't necessarily get locked into doing things at certain times. You can come and go as you please, eat where you like and relax in the spa at the end of the day without worrying about the kids. One adults only thing we did really enjoy was the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in the MK last year. I don't know if we will be returning in the near future, and we are looking forward to someday returning with grandkids, but we will always look back on all of our WDW vacations with fond memories.

 

[lab01]

We are heading down to the World for our "2nd honeymoon" this May and leaving our three children (ages 6,6, and 2) with our loving parents. We have been three times with them (our youngest was only 6 weeks old her first trip and 1.5 on her second) so we don't feel too guilty not including them this time.

We are celebrating my husband's graduation (finally) from medical school, and the end to a really crazy year during which our baby was diagnosed with autism. Plus, we have been married 13 wonderfully happy years and our marriage is going even stronger since the diagnosis which has pulled us all together as a family.

We are splitting our time between the BCV on rented points and the SWAN. We've never been to either property.

As a surprise I have booked the ice cream social at EPOT and am going to include the re-hitching ceremony! We have other great evenings planned such as first night kick-off dinner at California Grill, a couples massage at the GF and a night dancing at PI.

After 6 years of raising twins and the challenges we face with our baby - we are two people that are really going to fully take advantage of the priviledge of being able to take time off for a little while. I wish that every set of parents could do this too - just looking forward to the freedom of a week on our own gives me energy to be a good mom today.

BTW - do you think it would be unkind to make matching shirts for my DH and I that on the back read "If you wish you left your kids at home too, give us a high five!" I can only imagine the reaction we would get at the parks!!!

Yikes - I'm going on and on - I'm just so excited!

Lee Anne

 

[tjmw2727]

My girls are young (6 and 8) and dh and I have gone 3 times without them. It helps that we have family nearby and can take the girls 1-2 times a year. We love our alone trips and make it a point to go away for a weekend at least once a year. To tell the truth from the kids point of view it dosen't really matter if we are down the street or at WDW, they are with auntie and life is good LOL. We have so much fun, its truly a different trip alone. We prefer the epcot resorts on our solo trips and the mk resorts with kiddos. I love both the alone and family trips - each have their own specialties.

I also did a "moms weekend" last may with 3 girlfriends and we had a blast. We even went to a waterpark and that was great fun. Only one of the children was upset that mom was at WDW and that turned out to be a kind of misunderstanding - all worked out great in the end.

The only thing my girls have said about our alone trips was when my 8yo said "Mom be sure and do all the boring stuff I don't like so I don't have to do it when we go back" Glad to oblidge!

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

Lee Anne
- thanks for the LOL - you go girl and definately get the t-shirts!

TJ

 

[The Duchess]

We honeymooned on the Honeymoon Grand Plan in 1997. We had a blast because we were able to stay out late, eat without worrying about temper tantrums and go out drinking at Pleasure Island. That said, we have now been twice with DS (now 4 1/2) and I don't think I would be able to go without him! He LOVES WDW, keeps asking when we're going again. Today he wanted to play with my antique washboard and play Hoop-Dee-Doo.
But...maybe a long weekend at BWInn and DS can stay with grandparents...hmmm.....

 

[DancingBear]

Nice dinners--Artist Point, CA Grill, Flying Fish (still on my list of to do--Victoria and Alberts and Jiko)

Golf (DW doesn't play, but have played three courses with my parents)

Visit to Celebration. Stop at visitor center, see buildings by world-famous architects, stroll around the shops, eat at Columbia Restaurant.

Pleasure Island. Comedy Warehouse, Adventurer's Club, Jazz club, and a little dancing.

Rent a canopy boat at PO and travel down the canals to Downtown Disney and back.

 

[grinningghost]

When our DD was 1, DH and I went alone. We had a great time. I didn't think it would be very enjoyable with a baby and only 2 of us. We would have done alot of baby swapping, so we left her with my mom. She was probably happier anyway.

 

[Eileen226]

The first time (it sounds decadent, doesn't it) I admit, we lied and told them we had to go for business. We had a BLAST. We literarally OPENED CSR with only 14 days of people ahead of us. After that we did Radisson Parkway resort and the Wyndham Palace Resort in DD (by then the kids (now 17 and 13 , then 10 and 6) had done Disney many times First Class (husband used to work for TWA and American, Disney World could be a "weekend" for them. To this day (after many trips to Jamaica and Puerto Rico and Boston, and Rhode Island for anniversary's, BD's ect) we still find the MOST romantic to be Disney World!!! I agree the BEST is when families are fighting and you're without kids! Also, the California Grill during MK fireworks sharing a flatbread pizza and fine wine while the fireworks go off! or DD when you don't care if you're having a drink in front of your teen! Or walking around Epcot, just taking in the ambiance or that of the boardwalk, or mainstreet when the parks close and you have no rush to put little ones to bed or the late show of Fantasmic after a dinner at Brown Derby the list goes on. We vote WDW as THE most romantic getaways. !!!! Have fun!

 

[anne60]

My husband and I are celebrating 20 years by going alone, also to the Swan, the beginning of May. We are very much looking forward to spending time as a couple. Lab01, congratulations on getting your husband through Medical School, and good luck on Match day (6 more days!!!). I have worked in Higher Education for 20 years, and can say that Med Students are far and away the nicest, smartest, most appreciative students I have ever worked with.

 

[goofymom23]

OK I am the bad person here but I have to say We would not go to Disney without our kids, while they are still kids. There will be plenty of time to see and do things without them when they are on there own, but vacations are about family and they are family. We had the kids of our own free will, they did not ask to be born, we asked for them, planned for them, and were overjoyed when they were born. They are a part of us and deserve the same things we get. Kids need vacation time also, they need to be alone away from home with their parents to be able to enjoy that. Life goes so fast and the kids grow up so fast every minute should be enjoyed. I just do not understand how parents can leave their kids and enjoy vacations. When they grow up and our gone you can enjoy any vacation you want, until then enjoy it with them.

 

[eeyore0062]

Yes, we have gone twice without our DD and are getting ready for a 3rd trip in 9 days.

The trip has a whole other emphasis when the kids aren't along. More adult oriented. We still do all of the rides, go to EE mornings, etc... but it is more relaxed and laid back. We tend to try restaurants we normally wouldn't with DD along, too. We have rented paddle boats at PO-R, had long leisurely dinners at Narcoosee's, went to Boardwalk and Pleasure Island, sat in the swings on the beach at the Poly and watched the boats with the MK in the background, drank around the world, did the monorail crawl.

The 1st time we went with DD, she was 4 and wanted to ride EVERYTHING. Problem was, she was nowhere NEAR tall enough (being very petite), so she stayed at the beach house with my parents, and was happy with that. We stayed at PO-R in the Bayou Section.

The 2nd time we went down it began as a scouting expedition for moving down, but when we decided to put off the move for a year, it just became an adult vacation. We stayed at the Contemporary, waterview north wing.

This time, we are going down to take care of things for our upcoming move, and knew if we stayed on site, it would be too distracting, so we are staying at Howard Johnson's Maingate East. DD is getting ready for state testing at school, so we didn't want to take her out for a week, and then bore her with all of the errands we will have to run while there. We will be going into the parks parts of days, but not whole days (AP's are great for that!)

Our DD has been to WDW with us 4 times in the past 2 years, so she is definitely not Disney or family vacation deprived. She knows that Mommy and Daddy need adult time, too... and she is fine with it--- when she goes we concentrate on what she wants to do, and going on our own gives us the opportunity to do and see things that she wouldn't appreciate or enjoy. We think it is very healthy.

 

[CamColt]

Last year we went to WDW for a day and a 3 night Disney Cruise without our kids. It was wonderful! My kids are not Disney deprived in the least and I knew they were in good hands so I wasnt guilty at all. I think all couples, even those with children need time together. You never know what tomorrow may bring, so enjoy today.

 

[fklhou]

My DW and I have gone to WDW a couple of times without the kids and had a great time.