Really depressed after getting back from Disneyland.

[nunzia]

They are just super strict here for some reason. I guess so the test scores are good for our school to make the school look good. If kids miss the scores can go down. Whatever..they are 5 and 8 so I do not see what the big deal is them missing a couple days of school. I could see maybe as they get older but elementary school??

That is ridiculous..we took our kids out for a whole week when they were young for WDW and took their work with us. However, just call them in sick for a few days and go when it's less crowded. We always took our kids out for trips and it was very worth it. (and they have all even managed to graduate and go to college and get good jobs even after missing some school for Disney . My gripe here is that our school system rarely has a complete week..I'm not kidding..there is always something so the kids get off a day a week..and the test scores show it in NM but that is a different subject)

 

[fairykin]

i'm a firm believer in picking a few special things you realllly want to do each day out and then going with the flow.

i just don't get the drill instructor mentality that is sometimes promoted.. for one.. it's a small park with lots of people... a great majority children and another large percentage elderly...what is with the running?

we know when we go.. there will be lines... there will be unexpected breaks in the day.. blisters.. or stomach aches or head aches or just needing a rest from the hustle and bustle of the park.

i think people make this mistake alot... of getting caught up in you have to do everything.

i would much rather go on a laid back trip and have each person in the group make a list of several things they want to do on the trip. Then organize a trip agenda, always leaving room that if it doesn't work out that day.. then tomorrow.. if not tomorrow.. then yeahhhh we have another trip to plan for.

I understand the challenges of traveling with multigenerations. I just think it is so much better to go back to the hotel a little earlier in the evening and have relaxing baths.. quiet time..and talk about what we did today... than go back to the room late and exhausted.

As always, it's whatever works best for your family. And it's a good thing that you learned alot on this trip of what you will do diffferent next time.

i also live in texas and it's so hard to get the kids out of school for trips. try looking at december..it's a beautiful time.. just be sure and plan to laid back on this trip. it's better to have a few memories of super great experiences.. than one great big ol' experience of stress and strife.

*hugs* from one texas girL to another

 

[fairykin]

also... when you plan what you will do that day... plan the one or two snacks you will have.. because loading up on lots of sugar they are not used to in their daily diets often makes them hyper, fussy, and causes tummy trouble.

So like say.... heyyyyyyyy wake up wake up... today we get to go to toon town and see mickey! and then ride the train and have a mickey ice cream.

one year when our children were little.. we planned a trip to the grand floridian.. and i worked so hard on it..wanting everything to be perfect... welllllllllllllllll... both of our kids came down with CHICKEN POX on the first day of the trip...UGH...

nunzia... laws have changed in respect to days allowed for absences from school. the schools need the kids there each day to get government funding for that child for that day. the school districts are already working on a shoe string budget.

 

[Teki]

We are in Texas.
I want to go back but it just seems like the crowds are so high when my kids are out of school.
Then I thought maybe my DH and I could just go by ourselves like early Nov. but then I would feel guilty being there without my kids. So I am deciding against that. And no they are strict here with taking kids out of school so we cannot just take them out (man I wish!).
So I would have to wait and plan when they are out of school. Decisions decisions. We also want to do WDW at some point but that just seems like a HUGE undertaking b/c my parents and my DH parents both plan to go and that thought just stresses me out. I like to do my own plan and having all those extra people there oh my...so I thought about going back to DL just not sure when...

I went during Christmas break once, we went 3 days Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The only day we encountered any crowd problems was Saturday. Im sure if you went only on week days it wouldn't be as crowded. It bites that your little one got sick, but now you've had this experience and you can learn from it. Next time, you wont waste your money on lego land, and youll plan more days at DLR. Im hope shes feeling better now and I hope you feel better soon too!

 

[cjfaldalen]

I totally understand about being depressed when the trip did not go according to plan. I'm a big planner too, and sometimes that sets me up for disappoinment, because I just want everone to have fun and for the trip to be perfect (which is, unfortunately, impossible!)

My advice would be to start planning another vacation, even if its a ways away! Then, do what you can to minimize planning every detail, and just have a list of rides and/or restaurants that you're excited about. Decide that you will be sure to hit those at some point in your trip, but that its more about enjoying the sights and sounds and excitement of Disney. Try to only make reservations for those restaurants/experiences that are a MUST for the whole family (and spread the reservations out). Then do your best to hit each ride as you come to it. Don't rush from ride to ride and land to land trying to hit all the best rides in one day, just walk along and enjoy each land as you come to it. I found out that I'd missed out on a lot of exciting details on my first trip just trying to cover as much ground as I could. The next time, I took it slower and went land by land. If there's a big line, utilize the Fastpass system or decide if you want to come back later and stand in line. Also, using the rider switch option with little kids can be helpful. If possible, next time try to give your family an extra day in the parks. Having that cushion helps a lot with catching up on rides you may have missed out on in the first part of your trip.

Make sure to have snacks on hand so the kids don't get hungry and cranky, and try to stay as close as possible to the parks and/or utilize the ART so you can take a break in the middle of the day and come back in the evenings. Of course, even using all these tips doesn't guarantee that nothing will go wrong, but its important to remember the FUN parts.

Maybe make a scrapbook or a photo collage of the GOOD parts of your trip, it will help the tantrums and disappointments fade into the background. Our last trip was far from perfect, with my 3 year old complaining daily that he "wanted to go home" (after I'd spent the entire year planning for a FUN family time!) But the few pics I have of him smiling with Donald and having fun on Monster's Inc. help me remember that the WHOLE trip wasn't a bust!

Also, I would seriously consider going back for a short trip without the kids if that's something you could do or want to do. It's nice to be able to take your time and go to some of the attractions that aren't as kid-friendly. And watching the fireworks together in front of the castle is pretty magical!

I guarantee that when the kids are older, they will remember the fun parts of the trip. And if you can take them back later when they can appreciate it more, and you know better what to expect (busy times & rides) and what to avoid (Legoland) - then you can have a much better trip next time!

One more big tip - try to hit the parks in early to mid-May for less crowds and beautiful weather. You might run into a few rehabs and less attraction options, but the short lines are well worth it!

Well, I guess that's about all the advice I have. I'm sorry your daughter was sick (that's one of those nasty unavoidable downfalls!) and I hope you can go back to DL again and appreciate all the fun it has to offer. Some of the best memories I have of our vacations have very little to do with activities I'd "planned". Seeing my son's face when he really recognized characters from movies he'd been watching, and hearing my daughter make a wish while tossing a penny in the water at It's a Small World are those little things that you notice (and remember later) when you're not overly stressed about sticking to a schedule, and you can just relax and take in the Happiest Place on Earth! Best wishes!

 

[nunzia]

also... when you plan what you will do that day... plan the one or two snacks you will have.. because loading up on lots of sugar they are not used to in their daily diets often makes them hyper, fussy, and causes tummy trouble.

So like say.... heyyyyyyyy wake up wake up... today we get to go to toon town and see mickey! and then ride the train and have a mickey ice cream.

one year when our children were little.. we planned a trip to the grand floridian.. and i worked so hard on it..wanting everything to be perfect... welllllllllllllllll... both of our kids came down with CHICKEN POX on the first day of the trip...UGH...

nunzia... laws have changed in respect to days allowed for absences from school. the schools need the kids there each day to get government funding for that child for that day. the school districts are already working on a shoe string budget.

so..the 10 days off per school year kids are allowed off has changed?

 

[Disney Dreams]

I am so sorry to hear your daughter got sick on vacation. That's just awful.

As for a few other things you mentioned...
I DO believe that over-hyped expectations can almost ruin a vacation. It is hard to do, but I think it is really important when people plan their trips to remember very few things in life meet up with what we can build them to be mentally.

I honestly believe that many people over plan on Disneyland visits. When we went to WDW, we knew which park we wanted to be in on what day, we planned our ADRs (not such a big deal at DL), and we planned show times. Other than that, everything was wide open. Did we see everything? Nope. Did we freak over being "over schedule"? Nope, because there was no schedule. I see soooo many people try to plan every minute and I have never known of a vacation where everything goes as planned, leading to disappointment.

I am not targeting this directly towards you. Certainly, a sick child on a vacation is awful and changes everything, but just so overall vacation tips that I think pop out in your tale.

I would like to make a suggestion for you.
Start another post outlining all the great parts of your Disney visit. What things went great? What fun memories do you have? What things did your kids just love? Tell us about those moments from your trip! We'd love to hear them!

- Dreams

 

[MathomAndStuff]

I'm sorry that your vacation wasn't all you had hoped for... but I thank you for posting this because I think I've been on the verge of "over-planning". I'm a bit over anxious because of the fact that it'll be a crowded week (the one after Easter) and I hate the thought of wall to wall people... but regardless, I need to remember not to let it effect me in a way that will make me cranky or feel that it ruins things for us. I'll do what I can, but the rest... come what may.
A timely reminder indeed...