Would you let your kids go to wdw 1st time with someone else?

[Beauty & the Best]

It is a dream of mine to visit wdw with my two nieces.

Their parents have been unable to take them to wdw themselves (financial reasons) and I would like to take them for a trip of about 5 or so. It would be their 1st time to the world and by the time the trip is here they will be 9 and 7 years old.

My brother & sil want to take them someday but I fear that it will never happen & the older of my nieces is very precocious so I'm afraid the magic will be gone for her before too long...the age of not-believing and all that.

I'm planning to pose the question to my brother & sil in June and I hope they will agree to let me visit w/ their little ones in wdw. I should also mention that I've spent time alone w/ my nieces but they have never come to visit me in FL.

I know that there are lots of parents on this board, so if it was you, would you let your children go to wdw with someone else for the 1st time??

Also, if you would, what is the best way to pose the question to the parents?

 

[Minniemama350]

It is very kind of you to want to provide this for your nieces, but I have to say, I wouldn't have wanted my kids to go the 1st time without me. They will never be as excited as they are the 1st time. The fact that the parents want to take them makes me think they might feel that way too. What if you proposed a timeline for you all to go together and volunteered paying for the girls? Maybe they could go sooner that way and you would still get to see the girl's excitement?

 

[kathy884]

I would.

It wasn't his first time, but my son had been several times without us but with his grandparents and with my brother and his family. My parents just said I know you guys have limited vacation time and Paul's not that crazy about Disney, any problem with our taking Ethan down to Disney from MM-DD-YY - MM-DD-YY. I personally think it's terriffic for my son to form close relationships with and travel with my wonderful extended family.

 

[BiancaBernard&Penny]

I wouldn't... but that's because Disney is so special to "bernard" and I. At just shy of age 3, we never gave anyone else a chance to take her anywhere. If someone would be to invite her someplace wonderful that I hope she sees someday but haven't taken her to yet, say, the Grand Canyon with a relative or Smithsonian with a friend, I'd let her go.

We're taking a child with us this year. At 13 she's old enough to know it's a Fantasy world but young enough to be in awe (OK, so that's anyone under 134?) We just took her parents aside and explained that we wanted to invite her. We were very specific about financial details upfront- what offer we had gotten, what we would pay for, what she might want money for. We also explained expectations (in our case that she was invited as a guest, not a "nanny" for our "Penny")

Do you not have children? Explain that you want to take another trip to Disney but that you want to take the children with you so you can enjoy it from a new perspective. You know your family and the best way to appeal to their best side.

 

[shellybaxter]

My Dh and I took my niece on her first trip to both Disneyland and Disneyworld. Her mother would NEVER have been able to take her. We did take both she and her mother with we one time. But Disney is really our thing with our niece and my sister doesn't really mind.

 

[lllGurulll]

Sure I would if I was in a situation where I couldn't afford it myself.

 

[nytimez]

I wouldn't want it -- but I would certainly accept it if that's the only way my child could enjoy a trip to WDW (assuming, as in this case, it's with someone I trust). It's not ideal, but in the end I would rather her go than not.

 

[ancestry]

If I couldn't afford it myself and someone else who I trusted was willing to take them I would most definitely let them go.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Sure I would if I was in a situation where I couldn't afford it myself.

That is certainly the situation. As I said, I'm not sure if my family members will ever be able to plan ahead and save for a trip like this. I truly hope they can someday.

Do you not have children?

No I do not have any children. This trip would be more about spending time w/ my nieces than me seeing wdw through thier perspective - I hadn't really thought of it that way so that would be neat too. I would like to do this for them and of course I get the bonus of spending some great time w/ those girls.

What if you proposed a timeline for you all to go together and volunteered paying for the girls? Maybe they could go sooner that way and you would still get to see the girl's excitement?

If it ever comes up that they are going to visit, I would offer to do an AP for the girls. But I do not think that their parents will be taking them anytime in the near future.

-----
Thanks so much for the answers, it looks like we're 50/50 so far.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

If I could not afford to take my child to Disney I would like to believe that I would allow her to go with a trusted family member who offered to take her. I would not want her to miss out even if I had to

 

[mom2rtk]

Nope.

But there's no way for someone else to know what is right for your situation. Maybe the parents are the type who would be thrilled to mark "gone to Disney" off the parental "to-do" list and not have to fight the crowds and heat themselves.

Or maybe the mom is the type who would melt into tears every time she sees the photo of her child with Cinderella, just reiterating the fact that she wasn't there and couldn't provide that experience herself..........

 

[Twincess]

I guess it really depends on the parents. Disney is so special to me so for me if they were my kids there is no way i would miss their first trip. I think what you want to do is very generous. Disney is probably very special to you too and it seems you would really like to share that with ur neices.
Some people aren't like you & I tho with the whole Disney thing, its not as big of deal to some people. So if that's your brother and sil then maybe they wont mind you taking their daughters. However I do have to say if they really do want to take them and taking their own kids is a big deal and dream of theirs, then i wouldnt take that away from them. Rather, maybe you can all figure an affordable way 2 go 2gether (go during value season, stay at a value resorts, take advantage of promotions...). My boyfriend & I will be joining my sister, her husband and daughter this November for my nieces 1st trip. We're all very close so she asked us and the grandparents to come along b/c we all love Disney so much and we all love my niece so much, she knew we wouldn't miss her 1st trip for the world!
But if Disney isn't really ur brothers thing or its likely for whatever reason that they wont be making a trip 2 Disney for a LOOOOOONG time if ever, then i'm sure that they will greatly appreciate ur generosity and gladly let you bring ur nieces. Hope it all turns out well!

 

[disney1990]

Absolutely, if I couldn't afford to take them myself.

The family up the street from us, the grandparents take each child to Disney the year that they turn 9. Both of the kids up the street (10 & 17) have now been to Disney, one time and one time only. However, their parents have never been. Their parents don't really know much about Disney. The parents would love to go, but they can't afford to go.

I am so glad that their kids got to experience it at least once.

 

[Tara922c]

It would depend. If I knew it was a once in a life time opportunity, and that I could never afford to take my children, then yes, I would let them go. If we were planning a trip to go within the next two years, I would decline the offer. I would ask the parents before even bringing it up to your nieces.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Although not Disney, my aunt took my cousin for a 2 week trip to Europe when she was 5 years old (the child in question is now 37, so maybe this example is not all the relevant though! ). My aunt had no children at the time, loved to travel and had a real love of my cousin. She is also her Godmother. Her parents could never afford to take her on a trip like that. On a side note, that aunt in also my godmother, but her son was born when I was 4 so I didn't get any of the perks!

 

[Liltx]

It would depend. If I knew it was a once in a life time opportunity, and that I could never afford to take my children, then yes, I would let them go. If we were planning a trip to go within the next two years, I would decline the offer. I would ask the parents before even bringing it up to your nieces.

I completely agree with this. If I couldn't afford to take my kiddos I would most certainly allow them to go with their auntie. Keeping them from it because I would feel sad would just be selfish. To me putting your child's feelings ahead of your own is part of parenting.
But if I could take them and planned to within a couple of years I would decline the offer.
You sound like a wonderful aunt and even if they say no to disney they would probably have a great time just hanging out with you and going to the beach etc.

Monica

 

[imthatgirl]

No I wouldn't. In fact I highly doubt I would ever let them go without me, 1st trip or 20th trip.

 

[mjkacmom]

Of course! I would never deprive any of my children great experiences just because I wasn't there to experience it with them.

 

[Planogirl]

Of course! I would never deprive any of my children great experiences just because I wasn't there to experience it with them.

ITA. I wanted to spend most of the good times with DS but I didn't have to be there for every one of them.

 

[MyGirlLovesTink]

The first two times I went to WDW was without my parents. My aunt took me when I was 11 years old, and when I was 16 I went with a friend and her mother. Your brother and SIL should be grateful, that is a very generous gift you are offering them.

I just traveled to WDW last week with my daughter and my parents came with us. This was my third time, but my parent's first time. They got to live the Disney experience through my daughter's eyes.