Ashamed to go to Disney without kids

[PolyTigger]

So if you go to Aruba its beach, eat and repeat! Everyday is different at Disneyworld.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So if you go to Aruba its beach, eat and repeat! Everyday is different at Disneyworld.

Not that I don't know what you're meaning (because I totally do) but even that's an assumption on what people do on vacation just like people have of WDW.

We love beach vacations but what we did in St. Lucia, what we did in Hawaii, what we did in Jamaica and what we did in Cape Cod is not just beach, eat and repeat.

St. Lucia we got to experience the other Sandals resorts and go on a private excursion to the Piton Mountains and visit a resort that Matt Damon had just been at the week before to renew his vows, drive through a volcano, drive in and around the island seeing all sorts of local things (like homes and how they are built, schools, children) including eating at a local place on the side of the mountain where your chicken was umm taken from the back of the property, etc.

Hawaii we got to experience Pearl Harbor, Battleship Missouri, and the U.S.S. Bowfin, drive around the beautiful island with such pretty lookout points, go on a catamaran sunset boat ride, visit Aulani (having lunch there and explore a bit of the resort), etc

Jamaica we got to go to YS Falls which was so fun having someone walk us through parts, taking photos for us, then off to the Appleton Rum estate where they are not stingy with their samplings lol, learned about what goes into the production of rum in order to call it Jamaica Rum, how much work goes into blending the different rums ages together, how prestigious it is to be the Master Blender, etc. We went to the cliffs area and my husband got to jump off into the water multiple times into such beautiful blue water. Actually one of our favorite memories was eating dinner at this resort in the cliffs area watching a thunder and lightning storm off in the ocean surrounded by strings of light and amazing food (though yes that was eating lol).

Cape Cod while not necessarily the same kind of beach vacation we got to explore many cute little coastal towns on our way to P-Town, we went to Martha's Vineyard and visited my step-father-in-law's family. There were actually some days where my mother-in-law got up too late and we did just go to the beach and eat and then go back to the room but unfortunately that wasn't within our control. Another trip out to Cape Cod we stayed in Plymouth and went to the Plymouth Plantation, went to Harvard to do a tour, went again through some little coastal towns on our way to P-Town, etc.

If we go to Grand Cayman or Turks & Caicos this coming year we'll find things we want to do and explore as well combined with low-key days

Even then if all you do is just beach, eat, repeat that can be just the thing you want to do. Won't take away from the memories you get while doing those.

Roundabout way of saying though that said someone could say the same with a WDW trip: get up, eat, go to the parks ride rides, eat, watch shows, see fireworks, go back to resort and do it all over again. BUT I know none of us would describe our WDW (or DLR) trips that way because we know it's so much more than just that

 

[Farro]

DH and I don't have children, with no plans for any in the foreseeable future. And the couple times we've gone in extended groups with kids, I admit, I prefer traveling with adults. That being said, on our recent visits, I can't help but feel immense guilt for going without any children in tow. It feels selfish in a way, or maybe just immature? To clarify, I do NOT judge other adults visiting and enjoying their vacation, these feelings are all pointed inward and I don't know how to deal with them. Disney is our happy place and is a huge part of our lives, I don't want to stop going. We still take other 'adult' vacations, so it's not like it's because the parks are getting stale.

Does anyone else here battle with this conflict of emotions? It's difficult when I don't like to do the sorts of things most other adults at the parks seem to love like drinking or the scarier rides, and instead I'm waiting in line to meet Princess Elena with a crowd of toddlers.

I don't know how to get past this and it makes me so sad. I've talked to DH about it, but like I said, we don't want to stop going so we still go and I just deal with feeling stupid and guilty the whole time.

We are a 46 year old couple with no children by choice.

Not once have I felt guilty about doing ANYTHING I've wanted to do because we don't have children.

And you shouldn't either. I promise, no one worth anything is judging you.

 

[DrunkJam]

Now, I love my children, I really do, and I DO feel bad for them that they cannot come on this trip. I wish we could do another family trip, but that can never happen now. (If you see a small chubby middle aged woman in AP in June crying, come say hi, it'll be me, if I can get a reservation now it's all snow white-ed, feeling sad that a) this was where I had my wedding dinner, and now he can't ever go there and b) Snow white is his favourite and he would LOVE to have seen the new iteration - maybe I should put it on the reservation so I don't scare any staff)

But, the more research I do, and the more I build my plan, the more I realise that I can ...
Choose ANY restaurant *I* like
Eat at any time I like
Get up when I choose
Stay up late!
See the Fireworks (They were always too late or too loud for the children)
Actually look at things in shops instead of wrangling children
Seek out that snack I want to try that no one else likes the sound of
Cocktails on my Free Dining plan? (OK I get it's absorbed in the cost of the holiday but..) Yes please!
Actually, also, Free Dining? Yes please. Cos I no longer have to go in peak, school holiday time.
Forgot something in a shop? In the Room? No problem! No children will care if you are late for something because you need to do something else.
Hear that screaming child? Someone Else's problem. (unless they need actual emergency assistance, obviously)
And so on....

 

[DrunkJam]

Now, I love my children, I really do, and I DO feel bad for them that they cannot come on this trip. I wish we could do another family trip, but that can never happen now. (If you see a small chubby middle aged woman in AP in June crying, come say hi, it'll be me, if I can get a reservation now it's all snow white-ed, feeling sad that a) this was where I had my wedding dinner, and now he can't ever go there and b) Snow white is his favourite and he would LOVE to have seen the new iteration - maybe I should put it on the reservation so I don't scare any staff)

But, the more research I do, and the more I build my plan, the more I realise that I can ...
Choose ANY restaurant *I* like
Eat at any time I like
Get up when I choose
Stay up late!
See the Fireworks (They were always too late or too loud for the children)
Actually look at things in shops instead of wrangling children
Seek out that snack I want to try that no one else likes the sound of
Cocktails on my Free Dining plan? (OK I get it's absorbed in the cost of the holiday but..) Yes please!
Actually, also, Free Dining? Yes please. Cos I no longer have to go in peak, school holiday time.
Forgot something in a shop? In the Room? No problem! No children will care if you are late for something because you need to do something else.
Hear that screaming child? Someone Else's problem. (unless they need actual emergency assistance, obviously)
And so on....

Oh AND I can do it all without carrying half a tonne of someone else stuff!

 

[kiford]

Does anyone else here battle with this conflict of emotions?

Nope. Not in the least. We have no children and have been to WDW many times, to DL, and to Aulani. We've gone with other friends (also no children) and just the two of us. We just got annual passes to WDW and plan to continue to renew them. We love going and personally feel that going with children would just slow things down. I honestly don't know what you're feeling guilty about. If you enjoy doing something, why wouldn't you do it?

 

[drwadadli]

My wife and I are CFBC (Child Free By Choice) and at the same age as @Farro. We have going to WDW as a couple for the past 19 years and have NEVER had a guilt or regret for going without kids. We do as many adult events as we do kids events.

"Adult" things we like to do (to list a few):
Go to Victoria & Albert's for a celebration
Enjoy a drink at one of the lounges before dinner
and as @DrunkJam put it: Choose ANY restaurant we like, Eat at any time we like, Get up when we choose, and Stay up late!

"Kids" things we like to do:
Go Trick-or-Treat at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Take photos with our favorite characters
Attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party to have cocoa and see Santa in the parade
Ride any and all the rides

 

[minnie4ever]

OK, so I just got back from my ABD Backstage Magic tour with Ralph and Dean. When we got our early morning entry into the Magic Kingdom, me and another scooter rider raced down Main Street from Railroad station to the statue....why you ask?
because we could!!! That was the coolest (this was an "adult" tour too!) Take that you Disney naysayers!!!

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

Yes I think adults without children shouldn't be allowed in parks unless they are working there. But the good thing is that cast members refuse adults without children on slow motion rides like small world and mad hatters tea party.

 

[Meglen]

Yes I think adults without children shouldn't be allowed in parks unless they are working there. But the good thing is that cast members refuse adults without children on slow motion rides like small world and mad hatters tea party.

 

[Lilsia]

Yes I think adults without children shouldn't be allowed in parks unless they are working there. But the good thing is that cast members refuse adults without children on slow motion rides like small world and mad hatters tea party.

Umm, what? Your a troll, right?

 

[Meglen]

Umm, what? Your a troll, right?

Words are to good to reply to that poster just use gifs lol

 

[FireflyJar]

We have kids (by choice, LOL) and literally think nothing of adults enjoying the park without children in tow. Ride Dumbo, get popcorn, get that Millennial pretzel, meet princesses, whatever you like. Go for it. Enjoy what you enjoy, and if that's a Disney park then great! I have many friends who are child-free, and they visit with and without our kids often.
As far as Small World goes, the only adults I've ever seen be "banned" were my husband and brother, who rode with our then little kids. They had their own boat and emerged from the show building all rowing like galley slaves, warning others about "Taking on water!" and "Fear the Kraken!". Weirdos! The cast members and those in line were doubled over laughing, and playfully forbid them from returning...for five minutes.
My kids are teenagers, and are well-behaved, so we are ditching them SO HARD during our trip later this year! We made it past the strollers and naps phase, and we are looking forward to touring by ourselves while our kids ditch their dorky parents.

 

[kanerf]

Whatcha talking about? I the Kid. I am 61 and I am the kid.

 

[ScubaCat]

Umm, what? Your a troll, right?

Oh, no, he was a genuine, bonefide disboards member a SOLID 9 MINUTES before resuscitating a 1.5 year old thread for that. Definitely legit and in no way a troll.

 

[drwadadli]

Yes I think adults without children shouldn't be allowed in parks unless they are working there. But the good thing is that cast members refuse adults without children on slow motion rides like small world and mad hatters tea party.

Cast member DO NOT "refuse adults without children on slow motion rides". I don't know what you consider "slow motion rides." My wife and I went for WDW this past April and rode almost all the ride ("it's a small world", The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan's Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Kilimanjaro Safari, Na'vi River Journey, Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, Frozen Ever After, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Spaceship Earth, to make a few) and not a single cast member asked us not to ride because there were no kids with us.

We were vacationing in California 8 years ago and went to Disneyland Resort. It was the first time we ever rode Toy Story Mania. We ever asked if this ride was for all ages, and the cast member told "Yes, this ride for kids of all ages and those kids-at-heart."

Kevin O'Brien...you obviously don't understand what Walt Disney dreamed about when building the parks...."You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." or "That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up." or "If you act in an adult when you're a kid you can afford to act like a kid the rest of your life."

 

[Meglen]

Cast member DO NOT "refuse adults without children on slow motion rides". I don't know what you consider "slow motion rides." My wife and I went for WDW this past April and rode almost all the ride ("it's a small world", The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan's Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Kilimanjaro Safari, Na'vi River Journey, Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, Frozen Ever After, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Spaceship Earth, to make a few) and not a single cast member asked us not to ride because there were no kids with us.

We were vacationing in California 8 years ago and went to Disneyland Resort. It was the first time we ever rode Toy Story Mania. We ever asked if this ride was for all ages, and the cast member told "Yes, this ride for kids of all ages and those kids-at-heart."

Kevin O'Brien...you obviously don't understand what Walt Disney dreamed about when building the parks...."You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." or "That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up." or "If you act in an adult when you're a kid you can afford to act like a kid the rest of your life."

He legit made the account to post that to troll and start a debate.

 

[drwadadli]

He legit made the account to post that to troll and start a debate.

He has two other posts that seem legit.

 

[Brob2132]

I loved going when I was a kid, and I assumed it was in the past. We then went for a team-building get away through work a few years ago and I discovered how awesome it was as an adult. I’ve continued to go, and have had a great time since. The customer experience is unparalleled regardless of age.

 

[StageTek]

I thought Kevin's post was funny.