How does your stay change?

[DVC Grandpa]

For those who travel to WDW without your kids, I have a question.
How does your stay change?

We started vacationing in 1983 with four kids and now have seven grand kids. Each time we visit WDW we have at least one, two or all come for some period of our stay. This next visit we will be going alone and I can’t fathom not going to Tomarrowland, Toontown Fair and Fantasyland without sitting around waiting for everyone to come back from the rides or taking pictures of them as they are enjoying themselves.

We will have more time to explore although we have taken many of the tours’, saw most of the shows and have eaten at most of the parks and resorts restraints over the years. Will it be a long five weeks or will things move along as they always have?

How do you spend your time when you go without the kids?

 

[spiceycat]

you get to do what you WANT to do....

if that means reading all day - do it...

if that means riding one ride over and over that the kids hate do it!!!

Orlando is much more than just WDW.... go rent a car and experience all that Orlando/Kissimmee has to offer....

if you only want to stay at WDW - the do something you haven't done - mini-golf, minature golf, horsebacking riding, boating, fishing, etc...

there is a ton of stuff to do...

yes the first few days you will probably miss your kids and grandkids - but believe me - it will pass - probably quicker than you think possible...

you will have time to enjoy relaxation....

for more ideas come visit Adult/Solo board and Orlando hotels/attractions...

there is a ton of stuff to do...

 

[RobDoc]

While we cherish the time spent at WDW with some/all or our 5 grandkids - we also totally enjoy the trips when it is just to two of us.

We have APs and do go into the parks each day- sometimes just for a meal. We have one basic rule- if there's a line, we don't get in it. We tend to explore the parks and enjoy all of the minor attractions we don't take time for when with family. We make a point of going to several of the Voices of Liberty performances at the American Adventure at Epcot. We make a point of catching the Dapper Dans on Main Street. We go to the preshow for Beauty and the Beast (the preshow is usually done by Four for a Dollar- a wonderful a capella group) and sometimes even stay for the main show. We take time to talk with many CMs, as they can be a great resource for all sorts of things (even if they are often wrong).

We primarily use WDW transportation and will visit resorts other than where we are staying. We enjoy walking from OKW to DD and SSR early in the morning or just take a long walk around the resort in the evening.

I'm sure you'll find as much - or more - to fill your days. Grab a schedule of events at each park and plan to take in as many special events/performances as possible. The Flower Power concerts at Epcot during the Flower/Garden Fesitval are wonderful as are the gardening lectures, the Food and Wine programs are great and the storytelling during the Holidays are well worth the time.

Have a great stay. We look forward to the time we can spend 5 weeks at WDW (with or without other family members). Please report back how you liked it and what you found to fill your time.

Enjoy!

 

[DVC Grandpa]

We do have a number of months before we actually go to WDW (January) so in the mean time we are looking at the various restraurants we have passed by and now will take a second look at. Crew’s Cup Lounge, Whispering Canyon Café and Sleepy Hollow are just a start. Over the years we have seen most of the shows around EPCOT although another look might be in the offering.
I am sure that if we review what is said on these threads, many additional ideas will be presented in one way or another.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We tour very much like Doc does when it is just the 2 of us. We do go to the parks every day, but we go to the things WE want to. We have our special favorites that we often do numerous times a trip, like WWTBAMPI, Kilamanjaro Safari, the Flights of Wonder, Festival of the Lion King, Soarin, Test Track, etc, etc, etc. Somedays, we just go to a park and see all the little acts that happen. At Epcot, that is all the things like the Jammitors and Kristos etc. We also like to do the behind the scenes tours. Of course, there is always our favorite restaurants too!

 

[StormTigger]

5 WEEKS??!!!



I can only dream... that would surely be ...

I know you have plenty of time before you go... but when you do, eat, enjoy, and see lots and lots of fireworks!

(now where is the smiley that turns green w/ envy?)

 

[eporter66]

Our situation is just the opposite. My wife and I made a few trips to Disney before our first Daughter Cameron. We took our time, relaxed, and enjoyed the parks so much we kept wanting to go back.

Our stay at Wilderness Lodge got us talking about DVC because we knew we wanted to bring our children (at the time - hoping we would have kids) to Disney.

We bought into DVC - and treated ourselves with a stay at SSR during its first few weeks (maybe even the first) of operation. We golfed a few times at LBV golf course (loved it), hung out at the pool. We spent a few evenings at DTD and thought SSR was a great location.

Now this October will be our first trip with our daughter. Since we have been to WDW a number of times, this trip will be all about her. But, one of the great things about being a member of DVC is that we know we will be returning to WDW often. So - we will not be dragging her through the parks while she is miserable just to get everything in. We hope to still enjoy a relaxed pace, and go at her speed.

Also - this will also allow us to do a few individual trips. My wife went down with her sister to run the half marathon this January. I am hoping to go sometime this fall or over the winter with my best friend to celebrate our 40th birthdays.

So - our way of vacationing may have changed, but DVC seems pretty flexible for us. We love it

Eric

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Eric, you have the right frame of mind. WDW is for the kids and there are things to go and do for us empty nesters. With all the fond memories of past visits with kids and grandkids tucked away, I realizes it’s time to shift down to a lower gear and enjoy what WDW has to offer beyond the rides and entertainment. We will have our opportunity to start come January but it will be different.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I think one of the biggest differences I've noticed is the flexibility to make last minute changes ourselves. I don't know if it was just our kids, but if we decided in the morning "We'll do- until this time, then do-", we'd darn well better do it! That is, of course, unless the kids wanted to do something different, then they'd whine constantly about wanting to do-. Now that the kids are grown, we've gotten to the bus stop, planning to go-, then the bus to-comes along and that sounds pretty good, so we go there instead.

 

[eporter66]

Eric, you have the right frame of mind. WDW is for the kids and there are things to go and do for us empty nesters. With all the fond memories of past visits with kids and grandkids tucked away, I realizes it’s time to shift down to a lower gear and enjoy what WDW has to offer beyond the rides and entertainment. We will have our opportunity to start come January but it will be different.

I am sure you will love being able to have a vacation to yourselves. You have spent all those past visits making your family happy, and now you can do exactly what you want!

It always amazes me, when we didnt have kids, people asked us why we were going to Disney again? As great as the parks are, there is so much more. We love everything, the food, restaurants, golf, but most of all the atmosphere. I cant explain it, I guess there is some magic about the place. I think we would have bought into DVC even if we were not going to have kids - that is how much we love the place!

I am sure you will love having your own vacation. Plus - when you dont have kids you can go down at the less busy times of the year. At some point, I am sure we will miss that a lot.

Eric