I’d send the kids with their grandparents and go on a couple trip with DH. Win win!
Let grandma take them on the cruise! They can send the kids to the kids club and then hang out by the pool. Walla!
Also, I really dislike cruising, but the Disney cruise is the only one I’d go on again, if I had to. My son fucking loved it.
Yeah if my mom is dead-set, I won't absolutely say no to this one based on some others I know who have said the same. But I'm really hoping there's an out here, lol.
If walking/being on your feet is an issue then a cruise is a horrible idea. Cruise ships are massive and everything is so spread out. Unless he’d want a wheelchair for the trip like half your day is walking from one end to the other unless you never leave your room. My parents were getting like 20k steps a day without trying.
The classic ships are much smaller than usual ships (2400 people). It's fairly clean, by comparison. They make you wash hands before meals, and are always cleaning.
We all liked the cruise because the kids could play in the kids club and the adults could do adult things, and you didn't have to worry, because everyone was on the ship.
There was plenty to do for all ages, and we were shocked to have had such a great time. Disney cruises are $$$$, but are heads and shoulders above other cruise lines! So, if you can't find an AI to fit, you may be surprised by how much you enjoy a DCL cruise.
I haven't done any AI trips so I can't help with that, but I did just get passports for my kids this fall. They were really fast. We had our appointment at the post office on 10/6, and we had passports in hand in November, no expediting or rush fees. It was probably 5-6 weeks, about half the published estimate at the time. Both kids' were first time passports.
Oh marvelous! Thx.
Yeah I’ll second that. You def don’t need a year for a passport. We got my daughters last year when she was 3 months old and I think it took 5 weeks. I promptly lost it when we got back in the country this fall after a trip :/ I got her second one in November and it was back in 4 weeks.
I haven't been but was just coming in to echo another poster's idea of the Disney resort in Hawaii - I think it's called Aulani. It's frequently praised highly in the parent's travel facebook group I'm in, though it does look spendy. So, maybe the perfect option for a grandparent who's looking for a generous vacation. Bonus - no passports needed!
PS: Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic at work so that's actually the reason I opened this thread. I was wondering what a kid-friendly chap gpt would look like LOL.
Lots of “bruh,” “gyat,” and nonstop Minecraft talk, I think.
Our friends have a Disney timeshare membership at Aulani and they love it! They’ve taken their extended family a few times and it seems to have worked well for everyone.
We went for the 2nd time in November to the set of Iberostar resorts in Riviera Maya. 1st time kids were 4.5 and 1.5, this time they were 14 and 11. 1st time included both sets of parents and SIL too, this time it was us and SIL. There are three resorts together, I’m only remembering names of 2: Paraiso Lindo, Paraiso Maya
Multiple pools, waterslides, restaurants, nice beach, games and activities for kids (including a kids club if you want to go that route), shopping I think,too. Plus it’s nice for the grownups too with lots of bars, coffee shop and nice restaurant and a few events.
Post by gretchenindisguise on Feb 8, 2024 22:36:21 GMT -5
We went to Aulani and I fully went in skeptical. We loved it. Kids were able to be on their own, we allowed them charging privileges and we didn’t see them for hours. We got chairs on the beach and ordered way too many drinks it was marvelous.
I love Hawaii. I've visited Aulani and though I love lots of Disney vacation things, I feel Hawaii has so much more to offer than staying at Mickey's hotel for days.
We took a Disney cruise with my parents and brother in November. The kids were close in age to yours. The kids and my mom LOVED it. Because they loved it so much, the rest of us enjoyed it also. My dad walks super slow these days. He would find out ahead of time where he needed to be and take his time getting to that spot. It would have decreased his walking if we had gotten rooms closer to the middle of the ship. We booked so last minute, we had to take whatever was available which was way on the opposite side of the main buffet restaurant. I thought DD would have had motion sickness but she only had a little the first day.
I've heard mixed reviews from my friends about Beaches. My friends who like variety and spice in their food said it was awful. Others rave about it. I don't love AI resorts so I can't see us going to one to find out for myself.
sent the food at Beaches T&C was definitely mediocre at best. I hear the mixed reviews too and it’s so subjective. I see people rave about Disney food and I thought it was abominable (and I put a TON of research into finding good spots). However, my kids loved it bc of the Mac n cheese truck, the milkshake truck, and the made to order pizza and mocktails they could order to their hearts content.
Our situation is a little different since we have a 15y/o, but we're doing a week at Hyatt Ziva in Mexico this July. I haven't been to an AI since 2006 and someone on here recommended a Facebook group dedicated to this exact hotel. There's over 35K members and a ton of info, every possible question I have has been answered, along with pictures/experiences/advice. So, my advice is to join a Facebook group for your chosen AI hotel and get info there because I'm guessing all of the large resorts have groups now.
We’ve done Iberostar on the Riveria Maya side and Pacific side of Mexico and other AIs and the kids loved them. However we took them on their first cruise last year and they loved that too. Honestly AIs are a lot like cruises in a lot of ways since you’re “stuck” at the same resort with other tourists and waiting in line for dinner, buffets, events, and can have the same crowded pools, lounge chairs, etc. You can leave both for excursions but the idea is the same.
sent the food at Beaches T&C was definitely mediocre at best. I hear the mixed reviews too and it’s so subjective. I see people rave about Disney food and I thought it was abominable (and I put a TON of research into finding good spots). However, my kids loved it bc of the Mac n cheese truck, the milkshake truck, and the made to order pizza and mocktails they could order to their hearts content.
Disney World food is mostly middle of the road. Stuff people rave about, I can't quite comprehend.
Disney Cruise food had some highlights.
I'm sure my kids would love visiting those kinds of food trucks at a hotel. If they had their hearts set on a place, I'd indulge them. Like I did with the Disney Cruise. Disney runs all the right ads during their kids shows that roped my 5 year old right into asking mom if we could go