Feeling guilty about "just us" trip

[David]

We have always carried our son on our Disney trips. In May, as part of his high school graduation, we carried his girlfriend along with us to Disneyland. Now DW and I are considering a trip with just the two of us and I admit, I feel a little guilty about it. He has said before he would have no problem with us going (probably would welcome the break), and since he is attending college could not go anyway.

So for those of you with past experiences like this, how was your first non-kid trip?

 

[mickeysshoes]

We have always carried our son on our Disney trips. In May, as part of his high school graduation, we carried his girlfriend along with us to Disneyland. Now DW and I are considering a trip with just the two of us and I admit, I feel a little guilty about it. He has said before he would have no problem with us going (probably would welcome the break), and since he is attending college could not go anyway.

So for those of you with past experiences like this, how was your first non-kid trip?

I have also thought about doing this. Half of me is ok with and half of me says how dare I. We still have one in high school...last year thank god so this time next year she will also be gone. But at some we all have to cut the purse strings. The other way I look at it is we need save some now while we can so once the kids give us grandkids we can afford to take all of them and see the world again thru little ones eyes!!! GO have a great time..just the 2 of you!!!! Do something special you have not done before!!

 

[trr1]

my wife and I did this for our honeymoon and would like to do it again without the children ages (14) and(10) to connect back with each other

 

[rsoxguy]

While I do not have past experience, I do have present similarities. My daughter left for her freshman year at college yesterday, and she is an only child. We have always done everything together, and now it is just my wife and I. We miss her dearly, and I keep thinking about routines that are suddenly different. I always thought that I would be far less sentimental, but the truth is that a very important, even vital part of my life is now missing in presence. I truly miss her more than words can say. Nonetheless, my wife and I realize that life at home must go on, and we will enjoy our time together as a couple. Life is for living, regardless of the circumstances that we are dealt. I say go to WDW, enjoy the past memories, and make some new ones.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Our next trip is in Sept of next year with my SIL and her family. We'll be there for about 9 days together. However, our girls will be going back with my SIL to stay for a couple weeks; so me and the wife will be staying at the World for an extra couple days. We did this on purpose.:sohappy:

We wanted to be by ourselves like we were on our honeymoon. Don't feel bad about going by yourselves, you already have the approval of your son and Im sure he'll be going by himself or with his friends in the future.

Enjoy the time you'll have to spend with each other at the World.

 

[Master Yoda]

My wife and I try to do 1 kidless trip a year. We found that we miss the kids right until we see the first child having a meltdown, then not so much. We love our alone trips. They are not better but they are different. There is a little less stress, a bit more freedom and a welcomed change from the norm.

 

[devoy1701]

Everyone needs a break!

 

[David]

While I do not have past experience, I do have present similarities. My daughter left for her freshman year at college yesterday, and she is an only child. We have always done everything together, and now it is just my wife and I. We miss her dearly, and I keep thinking about routines that are suddenly different. I always thought that I would be far less sentimental, but the truth is that a very important, even vital part of my life is now missing in presence. I truly miss her more than words can say. Nonetheless, my wife and I realize that life at home must go on, and we will enjoy our time together as a couple. Life is for living, regardless of the circumstances that we are dealt. I say go to WDW, enjoy the past memories, and make some new ones.

I appreciate your situation since we're going through this together. A couple of old softie dads!

 

[pixiesteno]

We have experienced this already and I love going with just "us". Our DS actually just graduated college, in Winter Park :sohappy:, so we had several opportunities to go to WDW with just the two of us. We did see him while we were there and one of the trips he was actually able to drive over a spend a couple of days with us. We have had a great time - no guilt. Yes, there will be a day that I plan on being at WDW with our first DS and family, however, the grandchildren are 7,6,3,3, and 2 right now. There is no way that they are in anyway, shape, or form ready for WDW; neither is Gramma ready to be there with them at this age! I really want them a little older so that everyone has a good time. It can be so, so overwhelming to all ages. It will also help our oldest DS if they kids are having a good time. He has been to DL but not to WDW and he has been to Iraq twice since first going to DL. For him, things like the middle of the day fireworks at the MK without warning would be an issue, as I am sure that many of our veterans would attest too.
Sorry - got way, way off track. An adults only trip can be so much fun.
Go enjoy, they really won't be traumatized.

 

[andejoe1]

Being someone who's parents went to Disney without them when I went off to college I think he'll be OK. Your independence shows him that it's OK for him to be independent. Plus, I'm sure he'll return the favor and visit Disneyland Paris while on a semester abroad, like I was able to do.:ROFLOL: And now at 32 years I really look forward to my time spent with my parents, we both have our lives but also each other.

 

[baymenxpac]

i'll chip in from the kid side, too. go and enjoy your trip! my parents starting taking some different trips by themselves when i was in college (and i went to a school near home, so i still lived with my parents at the time) and i was 100% fine with it. my parents and i had gone to disney together twice a year since i was nine, so i didn't mind that they started doing some trips on their own. they did the cruise line for the first time in 2005 and they did a few food and wine trips. it was great for them! and it will be for you guys, too!

 

[Blueskyze]

I've been feeling the same guilt...we just returned from our first family trip with our 5-year old, and we had such an amazing time that we plan to start doing an annual family trip with him. However, we are also talking about taking an anniversary trip at the beginning of next year that would be just the 2 of us. We were planning to take a trip somewhere to celebrate, anyway, and we both agree we can't wait to go back to WDW and would love the chance to experience some tours, rides, and restaurants that we weren't able to do with our son. I've been torn between being excited about the adults-only experience and feeling guilty and thinking how much I'll miss having him there.

 

[Mukta]

While I do not have past experience, I do have present similarities. My daughter left for her freshman year at college yesterday, and she is an only child. We have always done everything together, and now it is just my wife and I. We miss her dearly, and I keep thinking about routines that are suddenly different. I always thought that I would be far less sentimental, but the truth is that a very important, even vital part of my life is now missing in presence. I truly miss her more than words can say. Nonetheless, my wife and I realize that life at home must go on, and we will enjoy our time together as a couple. Life is for living, regardless of the circumstances that we are dealt. I say go to WDW, enjoy the past memories, and make some new ones.

I am the only child and your words touched me deeply.
The fact that she was such a part of your routine and thoughts really expresses how much she means to you. When she reached the level of maturity to really appreciate how much our parents have loved and sacrificed for us, I am sure she will realize how lucky she is to have you. I know I did.

 

[John]

I have had this experience myself, We were in your position. We decided to go. Never regretted it for a second. Both of us being huge WDW fans we had a trip of a life time. You have rasied your children. You deserve a break. Some go to Vegas....All of us choose to go to WDW...Go have fun. You will regret it more if you dont go.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Funny you say this, in 2009 my wife and I went alone by ourselves (we weren't parents yet). In March of 2010 my parents and sister and brother in law were going there anyway but we still went on our own in 2009. I wanted a trip with just my wife and I, it was "sort of" understood by them. But she loved it so much I needed very little convincing to tag along with my folks in 2010. So we've done a trip alone, and one with my family.

As far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with this. Husbands and wifes need their alone time. The marriages that break up are often the ones where the couple forgets why they even fell in love with each other. To me, that's not a selfish thing to do an "alone" trip - time and time again. So long as you combine it with a healthy dose of family then why not enjoy things for yourself once in a while?

Anyway, I really hope to go to Disneyland in April. Our son will be almost 1 year old then and this is going to be a trip on our own. And why not right? Why can't we enjoy it? A one year old will only hold you back on a trip to California. I know he can't understand either way, but if you have willing parents to help you look after him while you go on a vacation why not use it right? To the OP, you sound like a good, caring parent. Your girl is at an age where she might still love hanging around you but she also can understand the "alone time" thing.

 

[LeeSeeBabe]

Another "Kids" perspective:

My parents went to Disney for their honeymoon back in '77. We frequented Disney 3-4 times a year while I was growing up, "Short Trips" compared to most of the stays I read about here on the boards (all of us still live in the same city about 3.5 hours from WDW). They tried to take anniversary trips every year just the 2 of them. As a child I remember it being tough because they were going to DISNEY! But, it was their anniversary. As I got into high school and college they would take trips just the two of them often (although, it may not have bothered me because we had the opportunity to go so often). As an adult, I now feel bad when Mom and Dad aren't able to make an anniversary trip!

My husband and I went to Disney for our honeymoon last year and are leaving tomorrow for our 1st anniversary trip. While we know we will not be able to take our "Just Us" trips EVERY year when we have children, we definitely hope to get such trips every now and then.

 

[David]

I discussed the trip with our son yesterday and he never hesitated with his approval of us going. It was almost TOO quick! Wonder if he wants us out of town....hmmm.........

Anyway, looks like we will book a trip for the end of October, first week of november. Might even take in MNSSHP even though we've done that several times and crowd levels look low enough that we should still be able to get everything done during the days.

I'm usually booking 10 months out so being this close will be a little different as well. ADR's may not be possible, but I want to get a couple of nice spots. DW will have just celebrated her birthday so we could call it a birthday trip, I suppose.

We've got enought points to pay for airfare, park tickets, and hotel in full, so it's like a free trip.

That ole Disney magic is working.

I'm getting excited.

58 days to go!!!!!!

 

[mickeysshoes]

I discussed the trip with our son yesterday and he never hesitated with his approval of us going. It was almost TOO quick! Wonder if he wants us out of town....hmmm.........

Anyway, looks like we will book a trip for the end of October, first week of november. Might even take in MNSSHP even though we've done that several times and crowd levels look low enough that we should still be able to get everything done during the days.

I'm usually booking 10 months out so being this close will be a little different as well. ADR's may not be possible, but I want to get a couple of nice spots. DW will have just celebrated her birthday so we could call it a birthday trip, I suppose.

We've got enought points to pay for airfare, park tickets, and hotel in full, so it's like a free trip.

That ole Disney magic is working.

I'm getting excited.

58 days to go!!!!!!

As Crush would say...TOTALY AWESOME DUDE!!!!!