Marrieds choosing not to have kids

[maddhatir]

Just a little vent...well...not really a vent, but more of an "eye-roller." We are leaving Friday for a long weekend at WDW so I was checking out some dining reviews over on the dining boards. A mom could only post pictures of about half the places they ate because she was "settling down" her three year old "dealing with" her three year old or her three year old was "wound up" so she was unable to physically take pictures. She kept reiterating "three year old" like that's something normal and to be expected as his age. Ummmm #1 what is Dad doing this whole time #2 if your child is so ill-behaved what were you thinking taking him to WDW in the first place!!

She took a picture of him asleep in his stoller and said "Yay, he fell asleep so we can enjoy a child-free meal!!" Then no pics of dessert b/c the kid woke up.

To boot, she is pregnant again.

I just know someone is going to creep over here and flame me for this, but that whole scenairo just takes the cake for me. WTH??

Don't worry about "them" We got your back!

You know what I love- when you mention that you just want to sit down to a nice "adult" meal and you get jumped on.

But seriously- It really is getting harder and harder to find an "adult" type restaurant in Disney- we are being over-run by character buffets anymore- and I am sure there are more to come!

How about the Tusker House

 

[Liisa]

Maddhatir,

I'm with you - completely disappointed about Tusker House. I really enjoyed eating there. On our last trip, we had luck with a quiet adult dinner at Bistro de Paris and the Yachtsmen Steakhouse wasn't bad.

As for houses... our house is also pretty kid friendly (because of the dogs). But we did spend a college tuition on our backyard project (still in process)! No way would we have been able to do that if we had to save for Junior's future!!!

Luckily, the dogs have no plans for higher education.

Liisa

 

[maddhatir]

As for houses... our house is also pretty kid friendly (because of the dogs). But we did spend a college tuition on our backyard project (still in process)! No way would we have been able to do that if we had to save for Junior's future!!!

Luckily, the dogs have no plans for higher education.

Liisa

Well you better explain to Khabo that his college education money is being used to foot your backyard project and there will be no more pulling up azaleas!

 

[plgrn]

Well you better explain to Khabo that his college education money is being used to foot your backyard project and there will be no more pulling up azaleas!

 

[plgrn]

How about the Tusker House

Except it's Donald themed for breakfast!

Mom and I like character meals, but the kiddies sometimes make it not worth it. This trip we are dining at The Garden Grille which is a great setup because you can't even see the people sitting around you if you get an outside booth (which we always have). It's like the characters are there just for you with no kiddos hanging on their tails.

 

[Liisa]

Well, after the azalea episode, I figured Khabo was more "hands on" and trade schools are typically cheaper than 4 year colleges.

He's such a stinker!

 

[Hixski]

Here are a couple of the non-kid friendly things in my house.

Open stairwell.

Curio cabinet.

 

[HockeyKat]

We have many non-kid-friendly things in our house... hot tub, kegerator, wine rack, full bar, open staircase, many wires, a white sofa and two white chaise lounges...

I love my kid-free lifestyle. Especially after a trip to WDW, watching world-class-hissy-fits from 9 yr olds and weary parents pushing a stroller w/ a 2 yr old and dragging 5 yr old while carrying an infant in a papoose and 7 mos pregnant. Oh and I forgot, running me over with said stroller.

 

[plgrn]

Oh and I forgot, running me over with said stroller.

Yes. You will let them plow you down with their stroller and you will LIKE it. Disney is a place for FAMILIES.

 

[maddhatir]

Yes. You will let them plow you down with their stroller and you will LIKE it. Disney is a place for FAMILIES.

You forgot to add---- And if you don't like it-- stay the heck HOME!!!!

WHY would you go to Disney KNOWING darn well that families will be there plowing you down.

 

[Princess Bella Luna]

We have four kids (three birth and one adopted), and we are blessed to have two actual uncles and several honorary aunts and uncles (college roommates, etc.) who for one reason or another haven't had kids. They provide so much support for us, and they love spending time with our kids. And then they happily give them back to us!

It's maddening when people make judgements, but some folks seem compelled to do so. Shoot, we've even had people criticize us for adopting internationally rather than domestically (we had good reasons for doing so, thank you very much). So you see, no one is immune!

Thanks for letting me put my 2 cents in!

Yeow - We're all Darned if you do and Darned if ya don't.

 

[HockeyKat]

However, does anyone here really feel that WDW sort of discriminates against you because you are childfree? I feel sometimes like the fat white couple (us) gets strange looks.

 

[Princess Bella Luna]

However, does anyone here really feel that WDW sort of discriminates against you because you are childfree? I feel sometimes like the fat white couple (us) gets strange looks.

Seriously? I've seen may couples go to Disney without any problem, no one seems to mind they went child-free.

In some aspects though, a good deal of all goes to "families" ... and the definition of family is "sets of people with children under 13."

I have seen people, adults alone, get yelled at by mommies and daddies for wanting pictures with characters. A even saw a teen about age 15 or so get sneered at by a mom who said, "The one who's too old for pictures with Mickey Mouse?!" When a CM directed her to the back of the line.

 

[maddhatir]

Seriously? I've seen may couples go to Disney without any problem, no one seems to mind they went child-free.

In some aspects though, a good deal of all goes to "families" ... and the definition of family is "sets of people with children under 13."

I have seen people, adults alone, get yelled at by mommies and daddies for wanting pictures with characters. A even saw a teen about age 15 or so get sneered at by a mom who said, "The one who's too old for pictures with Mickey Mouse?!" When a CM directed her to the back of the line.

I have never noticed people actually IN Disney doing anything like that- But- here on the boards if you make a comment about wanting an "adult dinner" you get jumped on. You have watch what you say or some of the nazi moms will rip you a new one.-

Well, actually it is not only the nazi moms- even if you make a comment about how you do not like how Disney is changing to too many character buffets and what about us adults- you have to get a lecture....about *use your best gruff know-it-all voice* "wellllllll...now, the demographics are pointing to families being the primary visitors to the parks and if this continues to happen, you will see an increase in these buffets popping up more and more......blaaaaaaah, blaaaaaah, blaaaah"


Give me a break!

Sorry- that was just a bit of a rant there.

 

[HockeyKat]

Maybe we are just overly sensitive...

We got in an outright altercation with someone on this trip that tried to use her child as an excuse for her boorish behavior, so maybe that is why I am asking. Btw, her child (~5) was behaving very nicely and was not the issue at all, it was the mom and her mouth.

I am not really a character-type person so we haven't done the meet-n-greets or char buffets, so I haven't really seen that aspect.

I was alone once to ride Soarin' (DH was at a conference) and the "family" behind me kept a 3 pace distance and I was getting that green-head-'n-horns stare.

I definitely, definitely get it from friends and coworkers though... *you're* going to WDW? But it is for *families*.

 

[julm26]

I'm not trying to flame anyone. But my DH and I where once child-free and now we have a two yr old. We went to Disney five times before she was born. Now we are taking her in Sept. for the first time. It will be a totally different experience but one I am looking forward to. I am so surprised that so many of you would be so unforgiving of people with children. You made your choices not to have kids and we made our choices to have them. Disney is for children - the child in all of us. Those of us with children just now see it through different eyes. We would love to have an "adult" dinner. But I so cannot wait to see my daughter's eyes when she meets Mickey for the first time!!

So I warn you now - watch out for my crazy 2yr old and her mother pushing that stroller - I may just run you over....

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Yes. You will let them plow you down with their stroller and you will LIKE it. Disney is a place for FAMILIES.

LOL!

I also liked a thread where a woman said a parent should be able to stand in line for a ride or characters and then bring her hubby and their 5 or 6 kids into the line in front of her when they got to the end, so the kids wouldn't have to wait and "isn't it all for the children?" Of course, I'll just wait in line for 2 hours until all the kids are done, and then we can get our picture taken or go on the ride. If there's time, and all the kids are done of course. It is all for them.

And I would love an adult only restaurant. Palo on DCL is super successful and my dream is an upscale adult restaurant at the Poly - lots of fresh seafood, perhaps a celeb chef like Sam Choy, great food, an outdoor tiki bar, view of the lagoon, fireworks and castle and a high-up treehouse like feel with tons of windows, so it's almost like one of those tropical huts in Tahiti that sit above the water on stilts. No yelling, no crayons, no strollers, just adults enjoying a relaxing meal.

 

[HockeyKat]

Lulu an adult-only restaurant would be great! I think that Bistro de Paris and Vic&Albert's both discourage kids, but they are super-$$.

I despise the line-holding thing about more than anything else that I have seen in WDW. If you need to do something else, then do it, and have your entire party stand in line. About the only forgiveness I have on that front is one person in the party with an issue... bathroom need, needs to step out to throw out a drink cup, etc.

Also, any sentence that begins "I don't mean to... but..." should just leave out the first part of the sentence and say what they actually mean, which is, evil kid-free folk should LOVE kids and WANT kids and oh isn't my 2-yr old CUTE.

Regardless, my issue is almost never with the kid, it is with the self-entitled parent who uses the child as an excuse to behave badly and abuse others, which include child-free couples, singles, other families, elders, etc.

Edited to add that I agree w/ a later poster... child-free is the conscious decision to never have children.

 

[WDWguru]

julm26 - two things

1. You were never childfree. The very definition of the word is "don't have children, don't want them, ever" - it doesn't apply to those who haven't had them yet, whose kids have left the nest, etc. Nitpicky, yes, but an important distinction in attitudes.

You made your choices not to have kids and we made our choices to have them.

2. The difference is that my choice doesn't impact society - yours does. My choice isn't inflicted on the general population - yours is. I personally (and I think most here would agree) don't have any problem with good parents who raise their children to be polite, respectful members of society. Unfortunately, there are all too many people who do not - hence my previous use of the word "inflict".

Not trying to stir the pot, just hoping to clarify. (And I'll watch out for your stroller!)

 

[LoveStitch626]

You made your choices not to have kids and we made our choices to have them. Disney is for children - the child in all of us. Those of us with children just now see it through different eyes. We would love to have an "adult" dinner. But I so cannot wait to see my daughter's eyes when she meets Mickey for the first time!!

So I warn you now - watch out for my crazy 2yr old and her mother pushing that stroller - I may just run you over....

You're kidding me right?


So basically, because parents are seeing it through different eyes we're supposed to scoot aside? Sorry doll, but not everyone is enamoured by kids and don't feel the same way. We pay just as much as the parents and we've got every right to take our turn in whatever we choose to do whether it be stand in line to meet a princess or visit at a character meal. You'd think parents would want to set an example for their little dahlins and teach them how to take turns and be respectful of others. It all goes down the tubes (if they do try) at WDW. The people with false senses of entitlement are the ones running down people with their strollers because they think "Kid = Right to run wild at WDW FOR THE CHILDREN naturally".