Why we chose DCL

[Willowwind]

I'm a work at home mom, who's been remarried. We have two older (8 & 9) children who are from my first marriage, and a younger daughter (3). I'm always with my kids, even when DH and I dated the kids were with us. We've never had any time alone other than a couple days stolen here or there before our youngest daughter was born. Since then, I've never had a day without her clinging to my side. We live in a relativly small apartment, and have one car, so we get a LOT of family togther time. If we want it or not.

We're going on the Disney Cruise so that we can have a vacation... from each other. I keep reading about the kids having fits because they're forced to leave the kids club, and all I can say is that I only pray my kids don't want to see me for the entire cruise!! I feel like my reasons for picking Disney are *so* different from everyone else's. We're doing DCL because we can all get a break and do our own thing. I probably won't see the kids other than for Breakfast, and that's just fine with me.

When I told my mother months ago why we decided to go on the Disney Cruise, she about had a heart attack. "That's not a family vacation!" she screamed at me. My husband has nightmares about the overly organized "family vacations" of his childhood where everything was done the way his parents wanted it done. I can remember more than one time having *HUGE* fights with my mother in the middle of the Poly's parking lot where she would declare vacation over, and the trip would be cut short.

It seems to me that DCL is going to be perfect, My little trip to Paradise. Kids off having a great time doing their thing in the clubs. Hubby and I just being alone. Everyone happy in their own way... now *that's* a vacation.

 

[wovenwonder]

Don't forget to squeeze this little 'activity' in to your week -
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-dave-surial.htm

 

[MelissaE1]

Originally posted by Willowwind
I feel like my reasons for picking Disney are *so* different from everyone else's. We're doing DCL because we can all get a break and do our own thing

Doesn't sound so different from me! I am a SAHM of two kids, ds 8 and dd 4. DH and I had planned to cruise alone for our 10th anniversary (this last July). We had never left the kids overnight, and found we couldn't do it for 8 or 9 days without worrying, so we decided to take a Disney cruise for the same reasons... kids will be accessible, but hopefully not too much! Of course we love our kids. We are soccer coach and mom, scout leader, school volunteers. But we are really looking forward to some time without them, too. We take them to WDW every year and that is a kid-driven vacation, which is fine. But there's nothing wrong with wanting a little parent alone time! If there are days when we see the kids for breakfast and then not again until dinner, hooray!

I am sure that this feature of Disney cruising is very attractive to lots of us parents out there who sometimes need a break. To me a family vacation is one where everyone enjoys themselves. Disney cruises seem to be set up for just that -- whether you want to spend every minute together or as few as possible.

 

[Dancind]

Willowind, I hope all three of your kids love the clubs! The only problem might be your 3 yo, if she is accustomed to having you close by at all times. You may find you need to go with her for a while, and help her acclimate. I see both sides, having homeschooled my DD last year and then spending the whole summer with her. We even did a Mom & daughter trip to WDW. But now she is going to midschool and I kind of miss her! The evenings are always for homework, weekends are hectic. We'll be having dinners together on our October cruise, but I'm hoping she likes the clubs well enough for us to do Palo and some dancing at night! Diana

 

[GracieB]

Just curious, but how much more "FAMILY" can you get than a Disney cruise?

 

[BeanoC]

Willowwind - Just remember to consider whether or not to give your kids sign-out priveleges from the clubs. Obviously the 3 yr. old cannot, but the older ones, maybe.

If you let them sign themselves out, they won't have to bug you everytime they want to leave. On our first DCL cruise, DW and I were just about getting to dessert at Palo's, when off goes the pager! We had to go get our kids so our nice, peaceful, romantic dinner got cut short... and that sucked.

On the other hand, if they can sign themselves out, then they can show up at your stateroom at anytime, and possibly interrupt, um, other romantic times...

Just sumthin' to think about!




'Beano'

 

[Fawn]

Willowwind

Since we are taking five, out of 9, of our children on our honeymoon, obviously we are thinking the same thing as you!

When I took my girls two years ago on the cruise, I never saw them. I was actually lonely! Instead of trying to go away and worry about our kids, my sweetie suggested this was a great way to start our new blended family, and also get our special alone time. With older children willing to watch younger ones, we are even going to have our own cabin...on another deck!

Dinners, shows and the islands will be mostly family time, I'm sure. But for those other unscheduled times, I pray that they all find something to keep themselves happily occupied....I know I will!