Weening frrom teen children

[SweetP]

Hi everyone,

My son is graduation High School next year and I am sure if I goto WDW he will want to come. But I also know that the day will come when, unless I am paying, he won't want to go as a family and will want to experience WDW w/his friends. NOTE: None of his friends have ever gone to WDW most none to Disneyland and we live in N. California.

A couple of thoughts that I am having....I love seeing WDW through the kids eyes. Although we all have input on what to do it is pretty much based on them. I would like to know how/if other parents went through this, experiencing WDW after years of going with their children? How did you feel and was it hard?

I am almost sure my son will always only truly enjoy WDW with us but like I said, if I am paying

 

[helenk]

I went by myself for the first time last year, my daughter was 16 and my son 21. I've always enjoyed going with them, but my daughter really is not into Disney (where did I go wrong) and my son, who would go to WDW at the drop of a hat, had just started a new job and had no vacation. I had gotten a post card for $79 a night for the moderates and found have decent airfare and decided to go for it.
I felt bad for about a minute, went and had a great time. You get so use to arranging your schedule around other people that it is actually very nice to go on your own and do what you want to do, at your pace. I really enjoyed my vacation.
I'm going alone again this December, my son is disappointed, but we all went in June, and we took his fiancee along as well, so he can not complain. I told him he was more than welcome, but since he is 22 he would have to pay for himself. But he is saving money to get married in a year and a half, so spending money on a second trip in a year seems a bit foolish.
Any way, after rambling on and on, you will find that going without the children really is a new and great experience. You might feel guilty, but I can assure you, you will get over that!

 

[SweetP]

Thanks Helenk,

I am so jealous, I am now having withdraw right now and need a WDW fix so I am trying to rally the troops and the money to try and take a quick trip in December during winter break.

But thank you so much for you input and I am trrying to prepare myself and my son for when the time comes when he is on his own


Happy Planning!!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've gone "'round the circle" on that. Our sons went on several WDW trips with us when they were young, but stopped about age 16. Then it was job, school, whatever reason that they didn't go with us. Now they're both over age 21, and as my timer indicates, one of my sons asked to go with me in January. And the older one is going with us again next year-and he's helping pay! I've had the disappointment of knowing they wouldn't go with us any longer, but I'm learning now that in the great scheme of life, it's just a temporary thing! About 5-8 years later, and they want to go back-and they're independent enough to pay their own way. I can't wait until January!

 

[SweetP]

I keep trying to find friends that want to go but none of them are very enthused about it. Most of them have never gone to Disneyland.

When my family went 2 years ago, there were about 3 other families we knew that were there also. As soon as it started raining they went running back to their rooms. The lightening got to them and it was just too wet for them to enjoy the park. So I will definately have to find other friends that are willing to go. Especially since I like going for 7-10 days.


Happy Planning!!!

 

[MdmMim]

Ten years ago, my DH, DS, and DD went on our last "family trip" to WDW. DS was 17, and I knew that would be the end of our trips. DD and I continued to visit Disney until she started going there with her friends. It was sad, but that was the beginning of my DH and I going there alone. It's such a different feeling--it's really fun to be a kid again with no responsiblities. This was also the start of many solo trips for me, which are awesome!

By the way, DS had tickets for Daytona last Feb. Since I'm a nice Mom (with DVC points), I booked him a room at the BWV. He told me he was not going to the parks--within an hour of his arrival, he and his friends had 5-day hoppers in their hands. And they were hooked!! Guess where THEY'RE spending Thanksgiving this year? OKW!! His first Thanskgiving away from us! (I'm beginning to think he's worse than I am regarding WDW!!)

Next year, we're planning a family reunion--and the four of us (and others) will be together in WDW! I never though we'd have another family vacation--I'm going to savor every second of our time together!

 

[BCVOwner2002]

For the past several years, we have let DS (now a Freshman in college) take friends with him to WDW. He is an only child and taking a friend allowed him to "take off" and do things with kids rather than be stuck with adults. We planned a graduation trip with several of his friends this past May. We own DVC so we paid for the room.

In June, we will be taking our god child and family to WDW with us and DS will be coming along. The ages of the "kids" will be 9 to 24! We have agreed to pay for the following for DS: airfare, park pass, transportation to/from airport. We will fill the fridge with breakfast, lunch and snacks but other than that he will be on his own for anything else.

In November, DH and I will be going away (just the two of us) to AKL for 3 nights. We are looking forward to being along together. This will be the first time (since we were married over 19 years ago) we will be alone on vacation. We can't wait. We are also trying to plan a cruise vacation for the fall 2005 spring 2006. Annmarie

 

[YorkieMom]

DS was 13 (13 years ago) when he last came with us. DH and I have been to WDW three times alone since then. The first time alone, I felt like I was forgetting something at home, I was !!!
Now, guess what, in 20 days, DS and new DDIL are tagging along !!! This will be DDIL's first time to see the Mouse !!! It will be like old times again and I am more excited about this trip than almost any other one.

Let's dance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[webray]

Our first trip without the kids...they were stuck..work/school and couldn't take vacation. They were not thrilled..lol. For my hubby it was easy...for me...I kept thinking..this is so wierd. No one to worry about. Took me more than one trip to get used to it being just hubby and I at disney..lol.

Now..we go all the time without them..as they are grown and have lives of their own. Our youngest called (Air Force/22) this past weekend on my cell. She said..where are you..lol. I said the Grand Floridian at Disney..she said..ugh...and the phone was silent. She still hates not being able to go with us..lol. We, however are enjoying our empty nest more than you could possible imagine.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

This post is making me sad. I'm almsot 28 and I would love to take another trip to WDW with my parents. They are relatively young and in good health but I know they won't always be and I'd love to have a mother/daughter trip with just me and my mom before it's too late. But she doesn't want to go.

 

[minniecarousel]

SweetP - DH & I have taken 2 trips w/o our grown kids. (Our "last hurrah" with them was last year when the oldest graduated from college and the younger son turned 21.) We have found that we really like going there w/o them! In fact, that "empty nest" anxiety has finally abated for me! I thought it would never pass. It looks like our older son is going this December solo for his birthday - I think he'll have a blast!

 

[SweetP]

Hi EsmeraldaX, I love your post and I need to remember this, to enjoy one another. I go with my mom and the kids go too and we love it!!! But I do want my son to remember that he should enjoy these moments because a day may come when he can't enjoy us in such relaxed settings while we're healthy.

Thanks for the reminder to enjoy our parents at whatever age they are!!!

Happy Planning!!

 

[VAN]

Our kids are currently 18 and 19 and we've taken them to Ft.Wilderness at WDW many times through the years.

Well, last year my son was in college (but living at home) and my DD was in her last year of HS. Their spring breaks were 3 weeks apart. My DH and I drove down (with the camper) and spent the first 6 days on our own before my DD and her friend flew down. They drove back with us. [We bought a phone card and my DH was calling home 2x a day!!!]

Well, this year both my kids are in college. My DD is at Michigan State and my DS at Western Michigan -- their spring breaks are in back-to-back weeks, so my DH and I are going to drive down for two weeks and fly the kids down during their breaks. We just purchased a 1-way ticket for my DD out of East Lansing (she'll ride back with us), but my DS says that he is too old for Disney. I have tried to bribe him with trips to Daytona, Kennedy Space Center, Airboat rides, etc but he still says that he's not interested!!!!

Well, maybe he'll change his mind once the snow comes!!!

Anyway, last year was really weird without the kids. It's like what another poster said in that something was missing. The drive down was fine because the kids have never taken turns driving ... but it was kind of weird not having them with us.

We saved the park days for when the girls got there so that left almost an entire week on our own. What we ended up doing was sleeping in, having a leisurely morning with a newspaper and coffee ... then off to the pool for 2-3 hours. After that, shower and lunch at the campsite. THEN we went off to visit the lounges of WDW -- riding the ferries, monorail, etc. -- watching NCAA basketball with a beer at various resort lounges.

One day my DH went golfing so I had him drop me off at the CBR which I'd never seen, and I went for a nice long stroll around the lake before riding the bus back to Ft. Wilderness.

It is more fun with the kids, but I must say that WDW is for everyone ... you just have to look beneath the surface a little.