Vacation thoughts for recent widow, advice please

[skylizard]

So long story short, my dear friend lost her husband unexpectedly last September after we had already booked a big Disney trip together with them. It was gonna be her, her four year old and her husband, along with my husband, myself and my four year old. Our four year olds are best friends and her and her husband were like family, and still are.
So at this point the vacation is still gonna happen. This will be her little girls first time at Disney! We‘ll be staying on-site at Saratoga and are getting four day park passes.
So my question is, has anyone been through a loss right before going to Disney? What can I do to help them have the most magical time while there? i Know things are more limited with COVID precautions but any thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated!!

 

[Rm4OneMore]

I'm so sorry for your friend and her little one's loss. We went in 2018 before all this mess. Our kids were three and six at the time. Let me tell you a few things they enjoyed besides the rides. Character meals & meet/greets were a hit, especially Chef Mickey's which was a great start to our vacation after a long morning of travel. I'd also recommend special events, if they are available when you go. We were able to attend Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party and let the kids get dressed in their costumes at the bibbidi bobbidi boutique and pirates league respectively before hand. Those are all additional costs soif you're looking for something a bit cheaper, hit the pool. I know, go all the way to WDW to swim? But it provides nice breaks during a hectic trip around the parks. IGood luck with your trip. I hope all of you have a fantastic time.

 

[Lumpy1106]

You are already doing it.

I just lost my Dad to liver Cancer. My Mom is going through unimaginable loneliness. Being there is the greatest gift you can offer.

 

[WEDWDW]

I FORCED myself to go to WDW 3 weeks after a major Family loss and it was SO "Therapeutic"!

You don't have to do anything extra-being there will be enough!

 

[Upatnoon]

The real magic isn't coming from Disney, it's from the time you will all spend together.

With a big trip and group I would do some normal planning, but in the end, just go and have fun!

 

[KellyKane]

My sisters' husband passed away from cancer Thanksgiving week of 2017. He was 52 years old, my sister was 42, they had no children. I was her main support through the last week of his life and stayed with them in Washington DC during that time. My husband and I are from Ohio and we had a Disney trip planned for the first week in December. We invited her to come with us after my brother in laws memorial. She accepted and spent a week with us, my brother, sil, and their 2 year old from Tampa at Copper Creek. We were all so glad she came, and she herself says what a help it was in the immediate days after my bil passed, honestly it was good for me too. She needed the distraction, it was Christmas at Disney, and we were all together. Thats it. Enjoy your vacation, you are giving her and her daughter just what they need imo.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Great advice . I can only add : This is exactly what this father would have hoped for : Great friends and memories . My husbands death was very unexpected 3 years ago... I often find ways to keep him in my thoughts just by thinking (sometimes out loud to myself) oh he would have loved this ! It’s really odd too because strange things will occur That say I am right beside you...

 

[jccarney]

My husband passed away very unexpectedly in 2016. About 3 months after his death me and the kids went to WDW and US. It was difficult traveling by myself with 3 kids, but it sounds like your friend will have additional adults there to help. We have been returning to WDW around the anniversary of his passing as I wanot to make new memories with my kids. I would let her set the pace as to how much time she wants to spend in the parks. I would sometimes become upset seeing all these other ”perfect“ families when a part of mine was gone forever. Hopefully the trip will be relaxing and create new memories for her and her daughter.

 

[antmaril]

My husband died of cancer in July of 2008. i decided to take my son (then 21) and his girlfriend to Disney and Universal about a month later. We just needed to do something that didn’t involve sickness and death. It was very therapeutic. Sometimes, I would just tell them to go and have fun and I would hang around the resort. Other times, I would join them in the parks. Of course, your friend has a four year old, so it will be different. Just let her lead. If she needs time alone, maybe you take her four year old for a while. She is going to have her moments and that’s okay. It’s normal. Her life has changed forever.

I really think your friend will benefit from the trip. I hope all goes well. It is very nice of you to go as planned.

 

[MomOTwins]

I went to Disney a few weeks after my grandmother died. I did have a couple of moments where I just needed to stop somewhere and have a cry, but it was a "good cry" because I was remembering good times with her. It's nice that she has you there so that she doesn't have to always be "on duty" as a solo mom and maybe you can offer watch her little one for a bit while she has some time to herself.

 

[pwdebbie]

I don't think you need to try to do anything special. But, as MomOTwins said, perhaps she'd like some time alone. I know I would. (For perspective, my dh is not well. Don't know how much longer he has. But I have said that when he passes, I plan a solo trip to WDW just to be "in the bubble" for a bit and forget about all the other stuff.)

 

[skylizard]

Thank you all! I’ll just keep focusing on planning the trip and being her support system