How to manage my HIGH expectations?

[nat8199]

I am really, really, really looking forward to our Disney trip in Sept. Like, really looking forward to it. I have been looking forward to it since I started saving the week we came back from our last one in Oct 2013. This is our do-over trip.

My husband, daughter, and in-laws loved the last trip, the other family members were neutral, and the twins and I were relatively miserable (except in AK, because the twins loved it.) My twins were about to turn three and EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE was difficult with them. Why I thought Disney would be different, I don't know. All they liked in MK (where we spent 3 days) was the carousel. Dealing with their naps was torturous and involved walking the parks with them in the strollers because they would not nap in the resort. I never relaxed because I was always worried about everyone else having a good time, getting fed, napped, etc.

This trip I have learned from the last one, planned better, and the kids are much, much, much easier in every way possible. I am in a better place mentally, and I really just want to have a magical time.

Reading the thread about regretting trips, though, has me very nervous. I will just be so, so sad if we do not enjoy ourselves this time after two years of planning.

I am going in expecting rain every day, it being way too hot, the kids wanting to do nothing but swim in SAB, but I am still really looking forward to it and think it will be magical.

Are my expectations too high? I just picture us wandering around (with a plan in place, but able to be discarded), having fun and relaxing. Could it happen?

 

[DisneyFive]

I am going in expecting rain every day, it being way too hot, the kids wanting to do nothing but swim in SAB, but I am still really looking forward to it and think it will be magical.

Well, going in with those expectations, you can't help but have a great time!!!

Dan

 

[Kathryn777]

It sounds like your first trip you were bogged down expecting it to be different from your every day, or other vacations. I find it will be basically the same. If you're overwhelmed day to day or on vacation (even day trips), than your trip to Disney will be similar. The best way to manage your expectations is to expect it to be similar to anywhere else you go with your family but with more fun stuff to do and extra stimulation. My kids behave the same in Disney restaurants as they do in the ones around town (so we don't do a lot of sit down meals). They act similarly (as do I ) at our local theme park, so we follow a similar schedule

 

[ejdmomma]

Reading the thread about regretting trips, though, has me very nervous.

^^I really think that the person who posted that thread mostly had regrets based on what they spent on the trip - just my opinion.

Are my expectations too high? I just picture us wandering around (with a plan in place, but able to be discarded), having fun and relaxing. Could it happen?

I think you can go in with high expectations but be flexible if you have to deviate from your plan and still have an amazing time! Sounds like you learned from what went wrong with your last trip and have made adjustments. Plus most of your family had a great time last trip, with your twins being older, hopefully this trip everyone will have a great time. I would say relax and enjoy your trip. And honestly - you will be at Disney, how bad can it be??

 

[Lynzer4]

I think you will have a great and magical time. You're planned and have an idea of what you want to do and have expectations based on September weather (rain).

Your twins are 2 years older which is what will change the whole trip around. 3 year olds are much hard to take out of their element and adjust but at 5 they will do a lot better and hopefully want to meet characters and ride.

If your r not YouTube rides that might be a good idea so they know what the rides will be like... If they are still ride shy!

 

[Micca]

I think you're going to have a pretty good trip! I don't know if you can reason with kids that age, but maybe explain to them ahead of time that while they will get to swim, you'd like to have them try some other things they can't do at home. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[nat8199]

Of course, I was reading this and feeling good and now one of the twins is throwing a fit.

 

[mickeymom629]

Have a plan, but don't over plan and don't expect your plan to be followed exactly. Don't make too many reservations. Keep those expectations low and remember that half the fun is in the planning!!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Lower your expectations. Many things you can't control. Like weather, and how other people feel and behave.

Keep some spare time in the schedule to do things you end up enjoying and didn't expect to.

Don't spend too much money on pre-paid stuff.

 

[tlmadden73]

I went to Disney with a 2 year old with low expectations and my son did better than expected (we didn't try and push it and only went to the parks 2 days)
We are going again in a few weeks (soon to be 3) .. and I am worried as he is a much different person than he was 10 months ago. So I worry about the same things .. will he just throw a fit if he has to get off a certain ride or has to wait too long .. or just not want to sit still at dinner. Again we are taking a low key approach and only doing two parks days because of his age and basically keeping the afternoons WIDE open to see how he does. Especially since it will be a lot hotter than October (thus more chance of tired, cranky kids).

But as parents we have to remember our children .. so I know that I need to make sure my son isn't overtired and fed .. otherwise the fits will come on strong as the day goes on. Same with you .. you know your child's limitations so all you can do is try and avoid or minimize situations where you know they will not like.

I think your twins will do much better at 5 .. a lot more to grab their interest. And there is a lot to distract them from things they may not like.

My main thought. The trip is for them (in theory), right? So, let your children dictate some of the touring plan of the trip. Let the twins decide some rides to go on and what characters to meet. If they want to ride the carousel a lot .. let them!

 

[mom2rtk]

You will only get to experience WDW with your 5 year old twins once. Relax and enjoy the magic. It will be fine.

 

[nat8199]

I went to Disney with a 2 year old with low expectations and my son did better than expected (we didn't try and push it and only went to the parks 2 days)
We are going again in a few weeks (soon to be 3) .. and I am worried as he is a much different person than he was 10 months ago. So I worry about the same things .. will he just throw a fit if he has to get off a certain ride or has to wait too long .. or just not want to sit still at dinner. Again we are taking a low key approach and only doing two parks days because of his age and basically keeping the afternoons WIDE open to see how he does. Especially since it will be a lot hotter than October (thus more chance of tired, cranky kids).

But as parents we have to remember our children .. so I know that I need to make sure my son isn't overtired and fed .. otherwise the fits will come on strong as the day goes on. Same with you .. you know your child's limitations so all you can do is try and avoid or minimize situations where you know they will not like.

I think your twins will do much better at 5 .. a lot more to grab their interest. And there is a lot to distract them from things they may not like.

My main thought. The trip is for them (in theory), right? So, let your children dictate some of the touring plan of the trip. Let the twins decide some rides to go on and what characters to meet. If they want to ride the carousel a lot .. let them!

Yes. I think that as long as week can keep them well fed, then the trip will go fine. Most of their tantrums/issues these days are when they haven't eaten enough. I am planning ample meals and snacks accordingly. They also LOVE restaurants and do super well in them (because food), so ADRs were the least problematic times last trip.

 

[loves to dive]

Sounds like you have the right attitude, the only thing you can plan for is that your plan is not going to go as planned. I've been taking my DS since he was 3, we've been through all the stages and even though there were some bumps on some trips (o.k. just about every trip) we still enjoyed ourselves. Just realize there are going to be bumps, kids have bad days and as much as we would love to tell them they are going to enjoy themselves no matter what, we can't (well, actually I can and have, but DS did have other ideas and didn't always agree with me).

 

[LaurenT]

Spend a few days in a six flags park. Then you'll definitely love WDW

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

It will rain, and it will be hot, but you WILL have a magical time! Don't sweat the small stuff. A hot or wet day in Disney is better than any day at home!

(Also, it couldn't hurt to book a nice massage or another break for mommy about mid trip!)

 

[jne7043]

Snacks! Lots of snacks! Don't forget that you can bring your own food into the parks. Get lots of single serve items (Goldfish, granola bars, lollipops, etc). Pass them out while waiting in line to help with the time. When our boys were still in strollers we also brought mini coloring books, stickers, etc.

 

[soniam]

If things aren't working, do something else. Your trip is exactly that, yours, as in your family. There are a lot of things that are out of your control, but how you respond to them, maybe not immediately, is under your control. Some of our most memorable parts of vacations have been the parts with adversity, like the Tube strike in London where we almost missed our train to Paris or being in Rome when the Pope died.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't think your expectations are too high. I think your expectations about the weather are in line...and that's good, since that will be one of the things that you can't control and that can be kind of crazy in September. Have a great trip!

 

[nat8199]

Thank you all! This is making me feel better. I really think that all my kids are going to enjoy themselves this time around, which means that I will also enjoy myself. We also have a smaller group and I am not going to worry as much about my in-laws, since I already know they will love it!

 

[alvernon90]

I agree with the advice to relax and try to enjoy it as much as you can, but don't do so based on empty assurances of a "magical" time. Your trip will be a mixed bag of good moments and bad moments because that's how life is, and trips to WDW are just a part of life.