Spin-off: After Kids/ Before Grandkids

[HookdonWDW]

After reading the post about traveling before and after having kids, I'm starting to feel slightly old, lol.

We started going to WDW on our honeymoon, and experienced all the World had to offer pre-kids (fantastic memories!). Our kids grew up with great family vacations at WDW thanks to DVC, and now our youngest will be leaving for college in another year.

Now, I know that we will still probably have the kids with us from time to time, but with the number of points we have, we will also be "forced" to travel without them. So for those of you who have moved on to the empty nest phase, what's changed about your DVC usage?

 

[CarolMN]

Here's just a few things to think about -

1. Go at whatever time of the year works for the two of you. No more school schedules, sports schedules, summer camps, etc. to plan around.

2. Explore all the activities that the festivals & special times of the year have to offer. No more concentrating on just the rides or water parks (unless you enjoy them). Listen to the concerts & shows, sign up for a seminar, admire the topiaries, go on tours the kids would have found boring, etc.

3. Enjoy leisurely sit-down meals, especially at the signature restaurants.

4. Be a kid again yourself with no worries about embarrassing your teenager. Trick or Treat at MNSSHP. Get your picture taken with your favorite character.

5. Meet up with other like-minded people you've met on the DIS.

Tons of things to do and see and enjoy. WDW is for all kinds of fmailies!

 

[GEB@okw]

Here's just a few things to think about -

1. Go at whatever time of the year works for the two of you. No more school schedules, sports schedules, summer camps, etc. to plan around.

2. Explore all the activities that the festivals & special times of the year have to offer. No more concentrating on just the rides or water parks (unless you enjoy them). Listen to the concerts & shows, sign up for a seminar, admire the topiaries, go on tours the kids would have found boring, etc.

3. Enjoy leisurely sit-down meals, especially at the signature restaurants.

4. Be a kid again yourself with no worries about embarrassing your teenager. Trick or Treat at MNSSHP. Get your picture taken with your favorite character.



5. Meet up with other like-minded people you've met on the DIS.

Tons of things to do and see and enjoy. WDW is for all kinds of fmailies!

You said it all, great times with the kids and great times with out the kids, and now three super trips with the grandkids. When our four year old GD found out Grandpa/Grandma were going by ourselves in June to see the summer concerts she says "I want to go to Disney too"

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We aren't empty nesters yet as our kids are teenagers....

But we are already behaving that way sometimes at WDW. We regularly take two trips each year. One is with kids and one is without. There is a whole different world (WDW of course) out there for those travelling without kids and it can be whatever you decide...full of activities, relaxing at the pool, or running through the parks just like you do with the kids....because of the more relaxed pace, we have met many new DVC friends that are also without kids, making each new vacation something special.

Knowing that we will go without them makes our teenagers that much more excited when we still take them along. Which is another point...experiencing WDW with your children as young adults is also enjoyable.

 

[Disneydrmr]

I was excited to see a thread on this subject because my husband and I just joined DVC now that we are empty nesters. We have been going to WDW ever since our honeymoon 25 years ago and our kids grew up on Disney, vacationing at WDW throughout their lives, even though we live in Ohio. I'm a little bit nervous about the whole timeshare idea and how to manage my points (based on what I have been reading on these DIS boards) but am looking forward to what the future holds for us, our kids, and eventually our grandkids (no hurry though)!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I was excited to see a thread on this subject because my husband and I just joined DVC now that we are empty nesters. We have been going to WDW ever since our honeymoon 25 years ago and our kids grew up on Disney, vacationing at WDW throughout their lives, even though we live in Ohio. I'm a little bit nervous about the whole timeshare idea and how to manage my points (based on what I have been reading on these DIS boards) but am looking forward to what the future holds for us, our kids, and eventually our grandkids (no hurry though)!

Welcome Home ! We bought as empty nesters in 2003, but about 3 years into ownership, we were able to have a 4 generation gathering with DMom, ourselves, our DSs/DDiL and our 3 DGC! who were 1, 2 and 3 at the time.

Neither of us are retired, but I'm a adjunct professor so I have more time off and I get to use DVC more than DH. Our DGC's family recently moved to FL, so they'll be joining us for more long weekends at WDW while DH and I spend most of those weeks there. The other DS and his DW are not interested in DVC, and one vacation with us to VB was enough for them to have a "been there, done that" attitude. Right now, they are roughing it by vacationing in Nicaragua and we're taking care of our DGranddogs!

I'll be using DVC to spend January in Florida and I've invited a friend to join me for each week. I hope you're as happy with your membership as we've been!

Bobbi

 

[allforpooh]

We will be empty nesters as of this Fall when our youngest daughter goes to college. Last fall was our first ever trip to Disney without the Kids. We decided to go to the Food and Wine Festival for 5 days and had a blast. It was different, but so much fun I am now planning our next Food and Wine trip.

Denise

 

[palhockeymomof2]

So far the only thing that has changed since we purchased 10 years ago when our kids were 10 & 13....is the timing and length of our trips...we made annual weekly trips with them up until about 3 years ago when my oldest transfered colleges....he wound up in fort myers, fl....so we started taking 4 day long weekend trips and he would drive over with his girlfriend while my youngest would fly down with us.....we are taking another 5 day trip this year for my daughters 21st birthday.....in addition to our immediate family only trips we have done a few trips with friends and also had 20+ people for my parents 50th anniversary...we do love our DVC

 

[mac_tlc]

After reading the post about traveling before and after having kids, I'm starting to feel slightly old, lol.

We started going to WDW on our honeymoon, and experienced all the World had to offer pre-kids (fantastic memories!). Our kids grew up with great family vacations at WDW thanks to DVC, and now our youngest will be leaving for college in another year.

Now, I know that we will still probably have the kids with us from time to time, but with the number of points we have, we will also be "forced" to travel without them. So for those of you who have moved on to the empty nest phase, what's changed about your DVC usage?

This sounds familiar. We are in CT, went to WDW on our hunnymoon, have taken our kids there for 24 years -- probably over 30 times -- and our youngest graduates from HS next year.

For the past 3 or 4 years, we have taken one or two adults only trips -- usually to look at houses in the Orlando area. The kids hate it when we go without them !!! They will still probably be with us most times, but we do enjoy the trips by ourselves. In fact, I think I'll try to squeeze in another one in the Fall!!

mac_tlc

 

[schoen]

My in-laws are empty-nesters with lots of vacation points. Now that they don't have kids in the house and everyone has crazy and different schedules they have been enjoying vacationing in other places. That has been great for me and their son, who have put their points to great use!

As a result of their extreme generosity my husband and I have been enjoying two trips a year. My brother-in-law has two kids now, so we assume that very soon we will not be able to enjoy these perks, but we are enjoying it for now, and MIL and FIL are enjoying their trips to Hawaii and the Grand Cayman Islands!

 

[eva]

Here's just a few things to think about -

1. Go at whatever time of the year works for the two of you. No more school schedules, sports schedules, summer camps, etc. to plan around.

2. Explore all the activities that the festivals & special times of the year have to offer. No more concentrating on just the rides or water parks (unless you enjoy them). Listen to the concerts & shows, sign up for a seminar, admire the topiaries, go on tours the kids would have found boring, etc.

3. Enjoy leisurely sit-down meals, especially at the signature restaurants.

4. Be a kid again yourself with no worries about embarrassing your teenager. Trick or Treat at MNSSHP. Get your picture taken with your favorite character.

5. Meet up with other like-minded people you've met on the DIS.

Tons of things to do and see and enjoy. WDW is for all kinds of fmailies!

You hit the nail on the head!

You said it all, great times with the kids and great times with out the kids, and now three super trips with the grandkids. When our four year old GD found out Grandpa/Grandma were going by ourselves in June to see the summer concerts she says "I want to go to Disney too"

This is so cute. We had the same thing happen. We took DGD (5) two years in a row with the whole extended family. This year we went just the two of us. She just couldn't believe that Grandma and Grandpa would ever go without her. We went during the flower show at EPCOT and Grandma got to see Davy Jones in concert.

 

[lampy]

Thanks for posting this thread.

This is a perfectly timed question for our family too. We have nearly 30 family vacations to WDW, thanks to DVC. We have one teenager left at home and still continue to go "home". As you all know, as your family ages, each trip you can experience something new. When kids are young, they like the characters, then the rides, then the tours, etc. as they grow older.

Now as adults, we plan adult only activities, such as the F&W and Flower Festivals.

One thing that is still difficult is reminiscing about all the wonderful unique memories, like that time a bird ate our turkey leg or we got so wet when caught in a downpour, etc.

 

[JoEllen]

We are in the same boat with a DD that is a senior in college this year. We had two BWV contracts and sold the 60 point contract and kept the 250 contract. That is just enough for us to occasionally use for HH or other Disney type experiences. Last year we traded to RCI for a Kauai vacation but were disappointed with the accomadations. II we miss you!
We have a 2nd home in AZ now and use that for our winter vacations. But, I want to hold on to our last contract in hopes I can use it someday for my grandchildren!

 

[Pakey]

We bought when the kids were teenagers but they are now grown/gone and we even have 2 young grandchildren now.

Since we have 500 points, we still take the entire family every other year. The rest of the points we use for ourselves. When just my husband and I go, he does a lot of golfing, I go to the spa. We spend the mornings on our balcony with books and mugs of coffee. We do cocktail hour in the evening on the balcony before heading out for a relaxing dinner. Often we never even get into a park.

I've also used the points to do an all-girlfriend vacation that was probably the most fun WDW trip ever. We've also taken 2 WDW trips where we have invited another couple; we are planning a 3rd next year.

 

[HookdonWDW]

Sounds like my kind of vacation planning, and just about the same point structure!

 

[Coloradomom]

Agree with others who have posted here. We bought DVC three years before our youngest went to college. Now we have one in college and one in grad school. We've gone by ourselves on longer trips every fall (Food and Wine) , we take things slow, do the Dining Plan to try new restaurants-and revisit old faves. We remember the times with the kids but make new memories as well.
The last 3 years we've taken a trip in May with one or both kids (right after schools let out but before their summer activities-jobs, clinicals, research) begin. It's a much more tiring trip as they still want to do heavy duty park days, but fun in it's own way.

We just need more points now as DD wants to start going on her own and taking friends!!

 

[Dancind]

Our major family trips slowed down about the time DD started HS. DH and I have been making our annual trek to F&W, though sometimes I went solo. And I took DD in January during college break, we had to go see Harry too.

We are probably making our last F&W trip for a while this fall. We also have 500 points! But we will be using them for a while. We want to go to DL, Hawaii, maybe a couple of RCI trades here and there. And a big trip sometime in the future with stepson and his family. We are waiting until the baby is older, she is only 1!

So don't know what I will do with next year's points. But wherever we stay, we will be staying in 1 BRs and up with the best views!

 

[Rest&Relax]

Here's just a few things to think about -

1. Go at whatever time of the year works for the two of you. No more school schedules, sports schedules, summer camps, etc. to plan around.

2. Explore all the activities that the festivals & special times of the year have to offer. No more concentrating on just the rides or water parks (unless you enjoy them). Listen to the concerts & shows, sign up for a seminar, admire the topiaries, go on tours the kids would have found boring, etc.

3. Enjoy leisurely sit-down meals, especially at the signature restaurants.

4. Be a kid again yourself with no worries about embarrassing your teenager. Trick or Treat at MNSSHP. Get your picture taken with your favorite character.

5. Meet up with other like-minded people you've met on the DIS.

Tons of things to do and see and enjoy. WDW is for all kinds of fmailies!

Couldn't have said it any better, but we still do at least one character breakfast every trip. Some of us just never grow up!

We have been members since 93 and the kids grew up at Disney. For the past 4 years we have been emptynesters and enjoyed going more than ever. We had to add more points so we can go more often, because taking 2 people is cheaper than 4.

 

[HookdonWDW]

DH and I are thinking that we will probably still use at least a 1 br for most of our trips instead of a studio. Do most of you use 1 BR's or studios when you do couple only trips?

 

[bobbiwoz]

DH and I are thinking that we will probably still use at least a 1 br for most of our trips instead of a studio. Do most of you use 1 BR's or studios when you do couple only trips?

My DH doesn't want me to book anything but studios for just the two of us. If we have laundry to do, he's quite willing to do it and if I want some alone time, the balcony, or patio works for me.

We've not stayed more than a week in any specific accomodation. Once we are both able to go for the month of January, then I think we'd get a one bedroom.