Special holiday... with 3 children
Discussion
To cut a long story short, in 2021 my wife received a decent inheritance following the death of her grandparents during Covid. She decided early on she wanted to use a chunk of it to take the family away to do something/go somewhere special - potentially channeling her grandmothers favorite places...
...issue is now deciding where with such a sum of money at stake.
Children are (or will be) 13,13 and 9.
Current ideas (with pros and cons) are:
1. St Lucia - wife's grandparents went here many years ago and it was their favorite trip of their lives. Personally, I would love to go to the Caribbean but is it really a holiday for children? Options seem to be hire a villa and make your own fun on an island, or pay a fortune to stay in one of the major hotels to benefit from kids clubs etc.
2. Africa Safari - potential to be an incredible experience...but children also potentially too young for the effort involved? Friends have done it and reported tales of either a) not seeing as much as they hoped; b) seeing lots but children being a bit "seen one lion, seen them all"...
Which brings me to the final of the current crop of ideas which I know my wife would really really love to do, but the idea makes me feel ill...
3. Florida Theme Parks - firstly, my children have no interest in Disney but the wife tells me it's much more than just Disney. I then point out that as a family, we don't really like big rides etc. I can't wrap my head around the idea of spending a five-figure sum to spend every day stressing about queues, having to be in the right place at the right time etc. Only real option is Easter due to the climate, which I understand is the busiest time to go...
Equally, I can imagine if it goes well the children would love it in the whole.
Any thoughts on the above? Should I just stop being grumpy and embrace the idea of Florida? Anyone taken their young family somewhere special and loved every minute?
...issue is now deciding where with such a sum of money at stake.
Children are (or will be) 13,13 and 9.
Current ideas (with pros and cons) are:
1. St Lucia - wife's grandparents went here many years ago and it was their favorite trip of their lives. Personally, I would love to go to the Caribbean but is it really a holiday for children? Options seem to be hire a villa and make your own fun on an island, or pay a fortune to stay in one of the major hotels to benefit from kids clubs etc.
2. Africa Safari - potential to be an incredible experience...but children also potentially too young for the effort involved? Friends have done it and reported tales of either a) not seeing as much as they hoped; b) seeing lots but children being a bit "seen one lion, seen them all"...
Which brings me to the final of the current crop of ideas which I know my wife would really really love to do, but the idea makes me feel ill...
3. Florida Theme Parks - firstly, my children have no interest in Disney but the wife tells me it's much more than just Disney. I then point out that as a family, we don't really like big rides etc. I can't wrap my head around the idea of spending a five-figure sum to spend every day stressing about queues, having to be in the right place at the right time etc. Only real option is Easter due to the climate, which I understand is the busiest time to go...
Equally, I can imagine if it goes well the children would love it in the whole.
Any thoughts on the above? Should I just stop being grumpy and embrace the idea of Florida? Anyone taken their young family somewhere special and loved every minute?
Edited by Legend83 on Tuesday 2nd July 19:15
Haha sorry absolute fail on the digits! I meant 5 figures of course...I wish we had 6 figures to even consider lol!
Thanks so much for all the comments so far, perhaps I am being too dismissive of Florida...would people recommend Easter? I have heard July/August can be unbearably hot?
Do you even need to do Disneyland?
Thanks so much for all the comments so far, perhaps I am being too dismissive of Florida...would people recommend Easter? I have heard July/August can be unbearably hot?
Do you even need to do Disneyland?
Edited by Legend83 on Tuesday 2nd July 19:15
miniman said:
Wildcard: cruise.
Budget will get you a couple of balcony cabins, our favourites so far have been Alaska and Norwegian Fjords, both amazing.
Photos from Alaska in this thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... (page 9 on 40 posts per page setting / page 18 on 20 per page)
Pictures look amazing, but having never been on a cruise before I think I'd rather try it at some point in the future on a smaller scale rather than dumping the full budget on a complete unknown type of holiday - if I find I hate Disney, at least on land I can just drive away Budget will get you a couple of balcony cabins, our favourites so far have been Alaska and Norwegian Fjords, both amazing.
Photos from Alaska in this thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... (page 9 on 40 posts per page setting / page 18 on 20 per page)
.Thanks for all the comments. I did a fair bit of extra research last night and have to say I am now quite excited by the Florida idea - particularly liking the concept of a week in/near Orlando to do parks of choice (mostly Universal and animal-based parks), followed by a week of beach. So almost Florida and St Lucia rolled in to one 
.
I'll start a new Florida-specific thread as I have absolutely no idea where to start!
.I'll start a new Florida-specific thread as I have absolutely no idea where to start!
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff