Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to only take DS1 To Florida ?

152 replies

spornersunited · 30/07/2016 18:41

DS1 is 14 and due to Building works, his school will be closed for an extra week at the end of the summer break.
I have found an amazing deal for 7 nights in Florida (less than £500 each) departing from our local airport.

DS isn't that bothered about doing all the parks he just wants to go to America,do some shopping,and visit universal studios !

AIBU to leave DS2 age 6 at home with DP ? - DP cannot take anymore annual leave and I really don't think that taking a six year old all that way for only 7 nights is a great idea plus the fact he'd be missing school and to be honest we cannot afford for more than two of us to go anyway

I will add that we have just come back from a 2 week family holiday abroad so its not like DS2 has missed out on a holiday and we are planning to do a California road trip the year after next so would do the Disney thing then.

If it was anywhere else I'd be fine with not taking DS2 but I'm not sure if its right to take one child to Disney and leave the other behind ?

OP posts:
rookiemere · 30/07/2016 20:12

Totally fine to take the older child away and have a trip for the two of you. Not totally fine to go to Florida and leave a 6 year old at home.

It does read to me that you're the one keen to go to that particular destination not your DS. Besides the jet lag scarcely seems worth it for a week. Surely a teen would be keener to go somewhere like say New York, or a European destination.

ExtraHotLatteToGo · 30/07/2016 20:16

What part of NOT GOING TO DISNEYLAND do some of you not get?

She's chosen FLORIDA because it's a good deal.

Yes, I'd take a 14 year old on holiday without a 6 year old. The 6 year old will have years of holidays without the older one. It's a week, they're not bloody moving there!

Bearbehind · 30/07/2016 20:18

Which part of but I'm not sure if its right to take one child to Disney and leave the other behind did you miss in the OP euphemia, molyholy and lilcalily

Shemozzle · 30/07/2016 20:20

I'm on the fence. I think it's unfair on the other DS definitely. What about taking older one to Paris for a couple of days and putting the money saved towards a Disney weekend at Paris with the smaller one another time? I think the only way to do it and it be reasonable to DS2 is to promise he gets his own holiday of equal value too. Possibly when he's 14.

voddiekeepsmesane · 30/07/2016 20:22

but I'm not sure if its right to take one child to Disney and leave the other behind not to mention universal studios what part of NOT going to theme parks does this imply

bigTillyMint · 30/07/2016 20:22

ExtraHotLatte Grin

Perhaps those of us with teens have a different viewpoint from those with younger children?

voddiekeepsmesane · 30/07/2016 20:23

If you do promise a like for like holiday just make sure you bloody do as opposed to my previous post please

molyholy · 30/07/2016 20:27

What bear the op says she is going to Universal studios. I may have said disneyworld in my response to extrahot who seems to be getting very extrahot under the collar. I was making the point in a bad way that a 6yo does understand the concept that Florida isnt some random place. And kids that age know that disney IS in Florida. What a 6 yo wouldn't understand, is why mum is taking older dc to Florida and not them.

voddiekeepsmesane · 30/07/2016 20:27

No just perhaps some of us actually can have empathy for a younger sibling not getting ( what they perceive to be) the ultimate holiday just because they happen to be at school, a great way to make sure younger child sees school as a burden

Bearbehind · 30/07/2016 20:33

I would pretty much guarantee you could find a week for 2 in New York for less than this week in Florida.

The fact you even mentioned Disney when you said your son isn't fussed about it makes it look like its you who actually wants to go there OP.

OhFuds · 30/07/2016 20:38

It might be a cheap deal to get there but the costs soon add up when you are there if you plan on shopping, Universal, eating out, carhire/taxi's etc.

I think it's pointless going all that way for a week.

surreygoldfish · 30/07/2016 20:44

I don't think it's mean - if both parents were going and leaving one child behind that would be mean but it's only an option for DS1 to go. I don't think my DD now 9 would have known what Disney was at 6 until we went. I'd go for a week - don't think its too far.

Floralnomad · 30/07/2016 20:45

I wouldn't do it , not with DC at those ages , my eldest is 7 yrs older than the younger one and he went to Florida twice without her ( with DH and my sister) once when I was pregnant and again when she was about 2 , we all went when dd was 5 - then I gave up long haul flights so we've never been again . We have been on lots of separate holidays since but I wouldn't do a major trip like the USA with just one of them without at least asking the other to see if they minded .

Hulababy · 30/07/2016 20:45

There's bit much in Orlando other than the theme parks. It's over an hour to the coast and there isn't the same museums etc as you'd get in places like Boston, New York or Washington.

Orlando is geared up for theme parks - Disney and Universal are the biggest ones obviously.

We've done Florida for a week a couple of times and going again next February. It's perfectly doable. Dd was a little older when she went for a week. We went for a fortnight the first few times.

When we go for a week we do non stop parks - 6 full days so 4 Disney Parks and 2 Universal parks.

The Universal parks now had plenty for younger children. And several rides don't have really high height limits. And the water okay areas there are great - Curious George and Dr Seuss.

The California parks are quite different. Good but smaller on the whole. We are on our last day on holiday - fly in a few hours. As part of our trip we have spent a day at Universal and 3 nights at Disneyland. Fab time but no where near the Orlando scale.

For the poster who claimed a 6y wouldn't know. Would you keep it a secret and not have any photographs, not let the older child speak about it? Because how else can you make sure the 6y wouldn't know? Most have heard of Disney at the very least and many Harry Potter, etc.

Would I take one child to Orlando - the home of theme parks - and not the other? No sorry I wouldn't.

mishmash1979 · 30/07/2016 20:49

I think I would. My 15 yr old will soon be an adult and will no longer come on family holidays I imagine. When he wS younger we couldn't afford holidays do his 2 little brother (6&7) already get a better deal. As I see it they will go on better and more amazing holidays long after my oldest has stopped I I g with us. Go and enjoy the quality time with your son, I probably wouldn't mention it was Disney though just Florida!!!!

Fintress · 30/07/2016 20:50

I wouldn't dream of going to Florida for a week, by the time you factor in travelling time etc it is hardly worth it. And it may be a cheap deal but by the time you factor in spending money for food, Universal and sundries it won't be cheap in the end.

mishmash1979 · 30/07/2016 20:51

Bearbehind; have u been to New York? £500 won't get u a flight in September let alone a weeks decent accommodation!!!!

FlaviaAnsell · 30/07/2016 20:53

a younger sibling not getting ( what they perceive to be) the ultimate holiday

Do all children really think Disney is the ultimate holiday? Thinking back to when I was a child, I wouldn't have been that bothered - it probably wouldn't have been my first choice of holiday. One of my siblings would have loved it, the other would have hated it.

Hulababy · 30/07/2016 20:53

We've been to New York three times and always in school holidays. Flights were always a lot cheaper than Orlando. However we usually book a little further ahead than July - September.

Waltermittythesequel · 30/07/2016 20:57

What an unnecessarily horrible way to treat your youngest.

That sort of favouritism will really help their relationship, too.

LittleReindeerwithcloggson · 30/07/2016 20:59

We went to New York for 5 nights in February (hotel and flight) for £479 each. I personally would do something like that. Florida seems very unfair to leave a 6 year old behind

Bearbehind · 30/07/2016 21:01

Yes, I've been to New York several times and I don't believe it's cheaper to go to Florida than there.

Bearbehind · 30/07/2016 21:04

Should have added I've been to Florida 6 or 7 times too so I am comparing like with like.

voddiekeepsmesane · 30/07/2016 21:45

FlaviaAnsell no maybe not all children but I would hazard a guess that it would be a majority of 6 year olds

Original poster
spornersunited · 30/07/2016 21:49

*What an unnecessarily horrible way to treat your youngest.

That sort of favouritism will really help their relationship, too.*

Whilst I really appreciate every ones views (I'm truly undecided about going) I do feel the above is somewhat harsh and to be fair DS2 has an expensive hobby which actually costs a lot more per year than the proposed cost of this trip, maybe this trip is a way to even things up a bit ?

The whole Disney theme park thing has never been an ultimate must do thing for us ,Florida is just another Holiday destination which happens to have good deals after the schools go back in September and TBH DS2 wants to go back to Butlins more than anywhere else !!

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread