I feel bad about our trip....

[cgbsilver@hotmail.co]

It is our tenth anniversary in april and DW and myself are planning to go to WDW for three nights without DD7 and DD3. I was real excited planning it, but as the day approaches I feel really bad about going to WDW without the girls.

Has anyone done this?

What are the pros and cons of it?

Do you feel like a bad parent later?

Let me know as I am about to cancel it.

Regards all and happy new year.

Christian

UPDATE

I HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE THE TRIP, THANKS A LOT EVERYONE....

Here it is:

We are staying at AKL savannah View for three nights starting on April 17th.

Arriving at 8:25 AM

Breakfast at BOMA APRIL 17th
Lunch at PRIME TIME
DINNER at VICTORIA & ALBERTS

Breakfast at Crystal Palace April 18th
TOUR at MK with lunch at Columbia Harbour House I Think
Dinner at CRT

Breakfast at Donalds Breakfastosourus
EXPEDITION EVEREST OVERLOAD
LUNCH -Undecided-Suggestions???
DINNER JIKO or Fulton's - Suggestions???
LA NOUBA Show Time: 9:00 PM

APRIL 20th resting and going back home.

So what do you think???

What am I missing???

 

[DutchsMommy]

Dh and I went without DS in Sept '05. The pros were - tons of time to do what YOU want to do....eat at nice restaurants SLOWLY with a bottle of wine, nice conversation etc., go swimming at 11pm with little fanfare, go to PI (Adventurers Club) and have a BLAST, take your time around WS, ride ToT multiple times together - just ride any of the 'big' rides together instead of having to switch off, go to DD and browse through the 'expensive' shops without worrying about the sound of broken glass and the words "don't touch that!" never passin your lips....all in all a great opportunity to do what you want to do, playing WWTBAM and really being able to play, sleeping in.

Cons - definately times where you are really wishing your kids were there to see '_______' (fill in the blank), looking at other little ones interacting with the characters and getting misty-eyed.

Bottom line - we are extremely glad we went just the two of us, it gave us the opportunity to do exactly what we wanted to do, but it also made us realize that in the future we will be going as a family. I would encourage you to go, we had a blast - in fact you may just have to plan another 'make-up' trip just so you can bring the kids - always good to have another excuse to visit!

 

[JenDaveBrendan]

DH and I went for a week by ourselves when DS was 3. He didn't really care (but didn't realize we were going to Disney) and had a great time spending the week with Grandma and Grandpa. I felt really bad about leaving him home too, but it was our honeymoon! Go and enjoy yourselves.. there are always other trips you can take with the kids. Does the 7 year old know where you are going?? If not, you could always just say "Florida", and she won't even realize you are going to Disneyworld.
Good luck! And don't cancel!!!

Jen

 

[magicmommy]

Don't cancel. Let me give you some advice that I took too long to take. Simply based on your guilt I would say that you are a great Mom who feels bad about leaving your kids especially for a trip to WDW. DH and I took our first ever trip without our boys in September of 2004 after 18 years of marriage. We had not even done more than an overnight when they were with my parents and they were almost 14 and 12. My sister on the other hand does at least a weekend away a year and her son is now 6. The advice I give you that I finally get is that you need YOU time and time with your husband to renew and refresh your relationship....It will make you an even better Mommy.........

 

[maxiesmom]

I would definately go! You can always use it as an excuse to book another family trip later!

 

[Robo]

It is our tenth anniversary in april and DW and myself are planning to go to WDW for three nights without DD7 and DD3. I was real excited planning it, but as the day approaches I feel really bad about going to WDW without the girls.

We go with kids and without kids, intermixed.

Instead of canceling THIS trip, you should plan ANOTHER trip WITH the kids.

WDW for just the two of you can be a wonderful experience.

ENJOY it knowing that, coming up, you will be experiencing it all again in a different way with the whole family!

 

[curlz2tite]

DH & I went last January for 4 nights alone & I felt so bad about our DD15 not coming with us.( slight difference from you is she DID NOT want to come) Once we got there I was cured , must have been pixie dust or something. We had a great time!
There were times I knew she would love what we were doing & seeing, but It was nice to just do what we wanted, eat when we wanted ect...
This year we are going for 9 nights & she still won't come with us.
I am sure your DD's will be staying with someone they love & will have a great time too. Go enjoy, be excited, It is your 10th anniversary. Celebrate!!

 

[nicolemarie]

For me, Disney is a place that makes me want to be with my kids. DH and I love to take trips without the kids - there is no way to put a value on couple time. But on our way to one of our trips a couple of years ago, we spent the night at Disney. I was missing the kids so much seeing other families having a great time and knowing how much fun we have together at Disney. Once I was at our destination, I had a great time and didn't think about it. Although there is SO MUCH to do without kids at WDW, it just makes me too nostalgic to not have my kids. I like to take couple trips to other places the kids do not appreciate. Just an opinion - I probably wouldn't cancel an already booked trip, though. Have fun either way and be thankful that you take time in your marriage for "couple time".

 

[nluvwithmickey]

and we will also be taking our alone trip to WDW.

DD13 really gets that we need to be alone, besides she doesn't want to miss any school. DD9, is starting to tell me she is gonna miss us.....I can feel the guilt building up, but I am trying to reason myself (and her) that there will definitely be another trip to WDW and that she will be part of it.....

So go and have a good time, bring back lots of souvies and start planning another trip as soon as you get back.

 

[carone0318]

We did this last Feb for our 10th anniversary. We left dd (8) and ds (4) home with my in-laws and they went about their daily routines including school. We left on a Wednesday morning after we got the kids off to school and then we came home early Sunday morning around 10am. We called the kids every night and they knew where we were. The first night dd asked us what rides we went on and I said we went on 1 ride, she thought we were crazy. We had a great time, we barely went on any rides, but we visited about every shop that exists and we ate and some fancy restaurants. We also did the Segway tour which we could never do before because of the kids. It was a great trip. I will not lie to you, we did miss the kids, but we all managed through and I would do it again, maybe for our 20 yr anniversary. I will say though that not having the kids with us sure did make a short trip seem much longer than it really was. Go have fun!

 

[lookingforward]

GO! It is important to spend alone time with your husband and if you truly love WDW then that is a great place. YOu will be surprised how different it feels on an adult only trip...it is different and much more relaxing.

 

[Densgirl]

DON'T CANCEL! I have gone a ton of times with my son and twice now without him. There will be moments you will miss them but I would still do it. My DH and I went in 2003 for our engagement and my DS was 13 at the time. We told him and he was great about it. Then this past September my brother and I went for a week. It was fabulous. We rode everything we wanted to and like some other posters have said we had awesome leisurely meals that did not involve characters or buffet lines. Your marriage will be there long after your kids are grown and a little grown up time is great. There is so much to do at Disney that our kids don't seem to want to do. Plus, I know how horrible this is going to sound but everytime I saw a kid having a meltdown I was secretly glad for a meltdown-free trip. I am president of the bad mothers club

 

[mydisneykids]

Just came back from a December trip without the kids(second time doing it) and would not change a thing. We spent half our our time talking about when we were there with the kids, or who would love what, but you need that time to refuel without them. And you can't belive how many couples you will see there without children.
Take your time and enjoy every second. My 5, 9, and 12 year olds are no worse for wear for us going to wdw without them, and we are already planning our next trip with the kids doing things my dh and I learned on this trip.
Enjoy!!!!!!

 

[luvmy2sams]

DON'T CANCEL THIS TRIP!!

DH and I spent our 10th anniversary in WDW over NYE2004 (DD was 5 and DS was 18 months). We had a wonderful time and made so many memories that can never be replaced. We left the kids with their grandparents (almost like going to Disney from the spoiling viewpoint) and were gone for 5 days. I would do it again in a heartbeat...and plan to someday! It was nice to experience the world strictly for ourselves. No lugging diaper bags and strollers all over the place!

Of course there are times when you'll be on a ride and think about your kids' first experiences there, but it doesn't have to put a damper on the experience. If it makes you feel better, do as we did and as other posters have suggested, plan a family trip. We had taken the kids down the previous October, so there we didn't experience the guilt of going to Disney without the kids.

GO! I guarantee that you'll have a fabulous time!

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

Plus, I know how horrible this is going to sound but everytime I saw a kid having a meltdown I was secretly glad for a meltdown-free trip. I am president of the bad mothers club

Well, Densgirl, if you are President right now, I am going to challenge you in the next election!

I totally agree with PPs who said it's a whole different experience without the kids. For me, time spent with just DH in the "no-meltdown" zone is PRICELESS. Go and look around for what you can do together on your next family trip. Hold hands instead of pushing the stroller (if you've ever pushed a stroller through the crowd after a parade or fireworks, this is a special blessing!). IGNORE the children's menu! Sleep in. Stay late. Buy some Mickey Mouse lingerie. It's only three days!

Who said giving your children and your marriage a break from togetherness makes you a bad parent? THEY WERE WRONG!

Just my two cents.

 

[chevitz5]

My DH and I celebrated our 10 year Ann. last June at WDW without our kids (who were 4, 6, and 8 at the time) and had a wonderful, magical time! Did we miss the kids? Yes, sometimes. Did they miss us? Not too often!! They got to stay with their favorite Aunt and loved every second of being away from us. There was one day I called them and my youngest was having such a good time (they were making tie-dyed shirts) that she didn't even want to talk to me! It ended up being very healthy for all of us to have some time apart.

As for enjoying WDW with just my DH - that was wonderful!! We took the backstage tour at AK (fantastic!!), did many romantic dinners, had many afternoon breaks back at the resort , and took everything at a very slow pace. There were only two times I felt "bad" for not having the kids along...the first was when we saw Mickey's Philharmagic - the kids had not seen it and I knew the second it began that they would have just loved it. Then the same thing happened as we watched Wishes for the first time. My heartstrings got tugged quite hard knowing they hadn't seen this yet either. But those moments were brief and it just made it that more special for my DH and I to experience it alone.

I did make a little basket up for each of the kids before we left. Each of the kids got a basket with a card and small little gift for each day we were gone. I picked out cute cards and wrote a little saying inside them. The little gifts were jars of bubbles, sucker, disposable camera, coloring book, etc. Just enough to remind them that we are thinking about them. Plus we called them every morning and then right before bed time. So I guess that is why they hardly knew we were gone!!

Enjoy the time with your DH - WDW is a whole new experience without the kids and just as wonderful!

 

[BrerRabbit28]

...Cons - definately times where you are really wishing your kids were there to see '_______' (fill in the blank), looking at other little ones interacting with the characters and getting misty-eyed...

You can only watch your own kids interact with the characters for a limited time. I would say take your kids with you and if you want to go out alone at night get a baby sitter which are availible at most hotels

 

[gshanny]

We are leaving in less than 3 weeks for our first ever trip alone. We are also calling it our belated honeymoon and this month we celebrate 17 years.
We finally told 9yo DS last night. We told 14 yo DD a month ago. We figured we would get a lot of static out of them and they would give us an extreme guilt trip. Neither did. DS's first question was who was going to stay with him.
I told the kids we would do all the stuff they didn't care to do like shows. I made sure to tell DS all the rides that weren't going to be operating so he wouldn't think we would have too much fun. We already had a trip planned for Jan 07 and they knew that so that helped I am sure.
Go and enjoy. I may think of the kids while I am there, but I refuse to feel bad. We need this trip.

 

[bopper]

The best gift you can give your kids is a intact marriage. Spend the time together.
Enjoy each other. Do all the things you couldn't/wouldn't do if the kids were there.

 

[jrbarnes]

DONT CANCEL, I agree.

A few years back wife and I did the 10 year anniv in Disney without the kids (we have 4). It was an experience that I tell all my friends that they must do.

PROS: Too many to list, but the bottom line... YOU GET TO BE THE KID!! Do whatever you want, whenever you want. Eat a nice dinner, go swimming, go to Pleasure Island.. whatever it is you guys want to do, you can do.

CONS: Of course you guys are going to miss the kids... but the spent with just the two of you is priceless... enjoy it!

As others have said, make a trip for the family the next time around!

Enjoy!