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There is truly magic to be found on a family vacation to Disney World or Disneyland. Some of my greatest joys in parenting have involved our trips to Disney. I recently left my kids at home though and went on an adult-only trip with my friend. It was pretty fantastic (don’t tell my kids).
When I first considered an adult-only trip, I felt guilty. My family loves Disney, and I hated the thought of leaving them at home. I also knew my husband would likely lose his mind being a solo dad for an entire week (although he wanted me to go and did not resent me for a second. Props to him.). But I knew I needed to go. I wanted to go. I wanted to experience Disney from a new perspective. So I did it. Let’s count down some of my reasons why indulging in a no-kids-allowed trip should be not only totally acceptable but also guilt-free.
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8. Less prep time ahead, during, and after the trip. When we go to Disney as a family I spend months coordinating outfits for each day we are there, and we have suitcases being filled weeks in advance. I gather a list of food and drinks we want delivered to the resort and then place our order. When we get to the resort I meticulously unpack all of our clothes and then end up doing laundry halfway through our stay, and when we get home I spend days (weeks?) catching up on laundry and putting things away. Not so with an adult-only trip! The day before my trip I packed a backpack and that was it. No PrimeNow order to place. No laundry to do at the resort. When I got home I threw my clothes in the wash and was done.
7. Bonding with your loved ones or friends. My friend and I do not live in the same state and do not get to see each other often. This time away was a great chance for us to reconnect and just be friends, enjoying our time together at our favorite place! I know many married couples love to vacation to Disney together, and I can’t wait for an adult-only trip with my husband.
6. No kid items to lug around the parks. Imagine with me if you will: strolling into Magic Kingdom without having to open 4 bags in the security line…no strollers to park only to find it in a completely different spot when you come back for it…not having to worry about diapers or wipes or applesauce pouches. When I went on my adult-only trip I only carried one hip pack (I guess that’s what the cool kids call fanny packs now). It was so nice only having to worry about myself and my tiny bag that only contained items only for myself.
5. Leaving the kids at home saves money. I have a pretty large family; there are 6 of us. We either have to stay in a suite or put two rooms on our reservation. Not to mention the park tickets, airline tickets, food, and oh for the love all.the.souvenirs add up quickly. Like quicker than you can say free dining or mickey pretzels. By sharing the cost of the room with another adult and only have to pay for one of everything I was able to go for just a tiny fraction of the cost my family had spent just a few months prior on our family trip.
4. You will likely get better dining reservations, Fastpass+ selections, and spots to view shows. My friend and I finalized our dates for our trip about 3-4 months before we went. However, we were still able to get all the dining reservations we wanted, including a pre-park opening breakfast at Be Our Guest. Fastpass+ selections were a breeze and we were able to get some really great ones for popular rides that occurred early in our trip. These are all things that may not happen when you have 4 more people to include in your plans. Also, my friend and I were able to secure a really great spot for the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom just a few minutes before the start time because we didn’t have to maneuver strollers or worry about there being enough room for everyone.
3. Not having to worry about height restrictions, rider swap, and attraction preferences of your family members. When you use rider swap you are spending double the amount of time on an attraction instead of moving on to the next. On an adult-only trip, you don’t have to spend extra time at an attraction or consider who is tall enough to ride, who has to sit this one out (and who is sitting with that child), and if a ride is too scary/thrilling for a young one. Thankfully my friend and I were on the same page with what we wanted to accomplish and were able to hop around the parks efficiently.
2. So much more time. More time in the morning to get ready. More time in the evening to unwind. More time in the parks not worrying about naptimes or the kids getting cranky. More time doing things you have always wanted to do at Disney but never did because they were not kid-friendly. More time wandering around the World Showcase with my alcoholic beverages. I cannot stress this enough. It. was. amazing.
And the #1 reason…
1. The magic is still there. Oh, yes, it is. I still met all the characters. I still squealed with delight watching the fireworks show. I still threw my arms up in the air for all the roller coasters. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore watching my children at Disney. There are fewer things that bring me more joy than seeing their reactions and having experiences with them. However, I also absolutely adore Disney myself. The magic of Disney is there for everyone to enjoy, not just kids. I promise you it can be found in an adult-only trip!
Have you ever left the kids at home and taken an adult-only trip?
-Monica S.
Share the love!
Rose
Sunday 27th of October 2019
I agree, those kinds of trips are great. Been on several with my husband & one with my sister. Granted we've been to the parks in FL & CA with the kids (3 of them) & it was fun, too. But you have to put up with cranky, tired kids, arguing about what to do next, where to eat, when to leave & on & on. When it's just 2 adults it seems to go a lot more smoothly & you don't spend a king's ransom on souvenirs that are soon forgotten.
Melissa
Saturday 26th of October 2019
I have only been without children. My husband and I went 6 times as a couple prior to having children. Our son is now 2 and we are gearing up for our first trip with a child. I feel such a sense of relief that we can just do whatever our son can tolerate. We do not live in a humid climate so we anticipate it will be tough on him and that’s okay. We can go for a midday nap every day. We can focus on the characters and rides that interest him. We don’t have to try and navigate things the first time with a screaming toddler - we understand how to navigate the parks and the transportation system.
I always recommend people to go *prior to* having kids instead of trying to later force a “trip of a lifetime” where you save for ages, go all out, and then lose your mind when something tiny goes wrong.
vandyfan10
Saturday 26th of October 2019
I have done plenty of adult trips before kids but not since I've been taking mine. They are lots of fun!! But I have to say my trips I've done with just my son were AMAZING!!! I think there's just something to having only 2 people. We did whatever we wanted, ate when we wanted. If someone had to go to the bathroom you weren't looking at 3 others asking if hey have to pee. You are SO correct on the ease of getting a FP or ADR with only 2!! It was great!! I highly suggest to mom's to take one kid at a time & then schedule that tripnwithbl your girlfriend in there too!! You'll have such a better trip overall and you get to go more! Ha!