Disney Cruise on DVC Points

[oldshovelhead]

My DW and I booked a 5 night cruise to the Bahamas on the Disney Wonder. Wooohooo!!! I used our points to do it. It simply cost me the $95.00 transfer fee...:king:

She sets sail 5/30/10...since this will be our first cruise ever on any cruise line, and since we're new empty nesters, the one question I have is, will we be able to fully enjoy our time without our kids? I know that nobody can truly answer this question for me, but I just thought I'd throw it out there for discussion. I may be knocking at 50's door (in fact I'll turn 50 while we're under way and we'll be sailing on our 30th wedding aniversary), but I'm still a big kid at heart! Here’s what keeps going through my head…My best memories of our family vacations were of my DW and me enjoying WDW together through our kid’s eyes as they were growing up. Don't get me wrong...My DW and I are loving our time alone together lately...it's just that I think I'll miss our kids...

We will have two separate days to lounge on the beach at Castaway Cay, one day on the way to Nassau and one day on the way back, plus a day at sea. Yes, we'll enjoy the adult’s only areas on board and on shore, but I still think I'll really miss the kids anyway...they just probably won't be missing us...

Here’s a plus from what I see:

We’ll do 2 nights at our home resort SSR so we can spend the Saturday before we sail at EPCOT. The least favorite park for our kids was always EPCOT, while it’s always been our favorite. At least this gives us a good day to enjoy it without feeling like we need to hit one of the other parks for them.

Believe it or not…I can’t wait for this vacation!:sohappy:

 

[luvlifeinfl]

First off congrats on the booking of the trip. I am sure no matter what you do there will always be a place in your heart that will be bring back memories of when your whole family was vacationing together.

I see that you & and your wife are celebrating your anniversary, also a Bday. I would plan somethign special for you 2, so you can have that special memory for you 2.

I am going to be starting the empty nest process here, my oldest daughter is going to be 20 and is now in college. We have a vacation booked to go to WDW in Nov and she has said that she does not think she will be going w/us. My DH took this news harder than I did.

My whole thought process on this is that this is just for a period in life and hopefully within the next 10 yrs I will have grandkids that I can live the memories through.

One last thought, you sound like a good person to want to think of your kids and not be one of those parents that says, I'm glad my kids are gone so we can now live our lives. Also just know when they leave home it is for a period of time, when they come back they bring their family with them, so enjoy the trip and just know you are a human being and will miss your kids no matter what.

 

[oldshovelhead]

Thanks!

First off congrats on the booking of the trip. I am sure no matter what you do there will always be a place in your heart that will be bring back memories of when your whole family was vacationing together.

I see that you & and your wife are celebrating your anniversary, also a Bday. I would plan somethign special for you 2, so you can have that special memory for you 2.

I am going to be starting the empty nest process here, my oldest daughter is going to be 20 and is now in college. We have a vacation booked to go to WDW in Nov and she has said that she does not think she will be going w/us. My DH took this news harder than I did.

My whole thought process on this is that this is just for a period in life and hopefully within the next 10 yrs I will have grandkids that I can live the memories through.

One last thought, you sound like a good person to want to think of your kids and not be one of those parents that says, I'm glad my kids are gone so we can now live our lives. Also just know when they leave home it is for a period of time, when they come back they bring their family with them, so enjoy the trip and just know you are a human being and will miss your kids no matter what.

Thank you for your response! Not that I'm ready to be called Grand pop just yet...but our 22 year old DD just got married on our anniversary 5/30 of this year. We gave them WDW for their honeymoon just like my DW and I did 29 ½ years ago, they say they had a blast. He proposed to her on the beach one night 2 years ago at the WL. He was doing an internship at Artist Point that year and we were there on vacation. They’ve known each other since 5th grade. I guess this means that I’ve instilled (hopefully) at least a partial appreciation for the mouse, and that someday I get to do it all over again with grandkids. Our DS is 19 and entering his junior year at Penn State. I’m not sure what goes through his brain these days but I think it will take him longer to realize that he’ll want to join the rest of our future extended family on vacations over holidays in a villa at WDW. My DW likes Thanksgiving so she doesn’t have to cook.

I guess for now I’ll just kick back and enjoy the ocean view. This will be a shocker to my system since I’m always the one dragging everyone else out of bed so we can take advantage of the EMHs. Just sitting with my DW on a beach…hmmm…I guess I’ll adapt. I’ll see if I can pick up a good book on good old Uncle Walt.:wave:

 

[MaxsDad]

This past May, our 2 kids (21 and 19) said they didn't want to go back to WDW with us again so soon (after having gone twice already that year). I had booked the vacation with DVC points 11 months in advance based on when they got out of school. When they said they would rather not go, I took it hard at first. But by the time it came to go, I was really excited that it was just the wife and me, and once we got there, we had a blast down there too.

We have decided that we are going to start leaving them at home at least one vacation a year now.

Whatever ..... ??uncertainty?? .... you may be feeling, focus on your DW and the splendor that lies ahead. Who, by worrying, has ever added even an hour to his life?

 

[oldshovelhead]

Thanks

This past May, our 2 kids (21 and 19) said they didn't want to go back to WDW with us again so soon (after having gone twice already that year). I had booked the vacation with DVC points 11 months in advance based on when they got out of school. When they said they would rather not go, I took it hard at first. But by the time it came to go, I was really excited that it was just the wife and me, and once we got there, we had a blast down there too.

We have decided that we are going to start leaving them at home at least one vacation a year now.

Whatever ..... ??uncertainty?? .... you may be feeling, focus on your DW and the splendor that lies ahead. Who, by worrying, has ever added even an hour to his life?

Thanks for the response...Now I don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I'm sure my DW and I will have a blast...we are looking forward to the food...:slurp:

 

[luvlifeinfl]

You are not alone.

The op mentioned that they booked their vaction on the kids and them being out of school.

I basically did the same thing. I booked a 2bdrm villa for the week of Thanskgiving. I even planned the my DD -( will be 20) when we go, that her BF would join us, well I was just so frustrated that I was planning my vacation around my childern. I finally got to the point of her telling me that she just was not feeling Disney any more. I have even down graded or room to a 1 bdrm a few of the days.

Now let me say I have a younger daughter that will be 10. So we still have one child to enjoy it with, but I do at some point look forward to enjoy w/ no kids. Since they do not like to ride everything and my DH & I do.

So look forward to hearing that you had a wonderful trip.

 

[Phonedave]

I have sort of the same situation - but with a different cause

I have two young daughters (currently 10 and 8). Before I was divorced, WDW was something we did as a family. I even paid to bring my (now ex) in-laws along once.

After I was divorced there was of course trips without my ex. That was not so bad, as I had the kids with me. However, I also have occassion to be in Florida for work at times, and since I have an AP and DVC, I can just "pop over" to WDW. I was wondering how it would be without my kids. It was differnent. Not better, not worse, but different.

I have also since gone with a bunch of friends my age (no kids) and again it was not better or worse, but different.

I guess it's up to each person and their outlook. Mine is, life changes and either you change with it and make the best of what you have in the present, or you can lament over what once was.

Annnnnd.... My kids and I are going to be in WDW for 7 days, then cruising for 4 nights, and then another day in WDW after the cruise. 8 days away and counting How can you not get excited over that?

-dave