Our first visit for 9 years tinged with sadness

[rebeccarobbins]

Originally Posted by Ilivehereorland

Sorry for your loss, but please, please don't release a balloon, they kill thousands of creatures every year. Go to their favorite restaurant, light candles, blow bubbles anything but release a balloon.

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I had never thought of it this way (like many others I think). Balloons have been released perfectly innocently but of course they have to land somewhere and as an animal lover, yes, I will definitely re-think.

[JACKIE153]

Originally Posted by Shazzabelle

We will be visiting WDW in July/Aug this year. The trip was originally booked back in April 2016 for 4 - me, DH, DD(16) and DS(12). Sadly my DH passed away in December, so now it's just the 3 of us. Calling Disney and removing his name from the booking was one of the hardest things I have ever done

When we go, I am obvioulsy going to try and make some memories which include my husband as much as possible, i.e. his favourite rides, shows, eateries etc. Every year we have been previously we have had breakfast at Chef Mickeys and purchased the photo package, inlcuding the fridge magnets which have pride of place. My children are insistent we visit this trip and buy the photos, but I'm not so sure.

I wondered how any other Dibbers had handled that 'first' visit without a loved one... the other 'firsts' since his death have been hard.

Sxx

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I feel your pain and anxiety, I am in the exact same position as you, my husband sadly passed away very suddenly in September last year and my 14 year old Son and myself decided that although it might be hard at times we wanted to return to our favourite place on earth as our family holidays there were always special.

TBH I think for the first time I'm not really going to make a plan as we won't know how we really feel about things until we are there.

I'm looking forward to it but I am really nervous at the same time. I know I'll be in floods of tears at times but we are both determined to make some new memories and enjoy our trip.

[rebeccarobbins]

I agree the thought of going there without them is daunting (for me it's also the driving over there as DH always used to do that, my Dad is coming this year so hopefully he will be able to do some of the driving but I want to have a go myself).

I'm sure our loved ones will be looking down on us.

It's so hard and impossible for anyone who has not been in this position to understand isn't it?

My DS (just turned 10) is still looking forward to going back but realises of course it will be very different. Much like we are having to adjust to a 'new normal' in general.

[JackyH]

I wish you all the best as you move forward on your new path. Life has a habit of throwing you a curved ball and things just don't go the way we think they will. I lost my partner quite a few years ago now but I will never forget how hard it was. Your family will help and you will pull together as you start to make new memories. I really hope you manage to find some peace there and find comfort in the places you both knew and loved.

[Talland 2016]

Hi
My DH died Jan 2016 very suddenly due to septic shock
Kids are 31 and 27 so not little as they had been several times before there wasn't the pressure to do everything
Richard and I were DVC members so kids and I had the discussion as to if to continue it which we decided to do
We went to Disney September 2016 with the attitude of suck it and see
We also all agreed that it was Ok for us to have an off day and that everyone didn't have to do everything which took a lot of pressure off us all
Had chill out days at waterparks
Son and I travelled to Gatwick by train and daughter also got train from Lancaster and we stayed in Premier Inn at the airport which was a different start to usual holiday
Richard would always drive but none of us felt like doing it from the airport this time
We stayed at Kidani Village used Magical express from the airport with the thought we could hire a car there for a few days if needed
Used Disney transport to the parks
I did a Garden Grocer food order to the resort for our arrival day
We booked a few ADR and fast passes with the agreement to cancel if we wanted to
Outside the shop in Kidani there was a little tree with animal patterned Mickey ear shaped tags that you could write a message on which we did
We registered for Uber and used that to get to Universal Studios and Premium Outlets
We ate at some of our usual places and also tried some different ones
It was a very different holiday but it felt lovely in the Disney bubble
Lots of reminiscing and amazingly lots of laughs
I thought Wishes would set me off but it didn't,just great memories of watching it together and feeling so so lucky for the holidays we had had
It was a different holiday but it was nice as he was included so much in the conversations
Hope you go and have a nice time
Carol xxxxx

[ghints]

Like others, really feeling for you and didn't want to read and run.

We had booked for 5 of us a few years back but lost our DS when he was a baby. Like you, calling the airline and taking his name off of the booking was incredibly hard and we contemplated cancelling all together.

You will have realised by now that this will be the "year of firsts... " Everything you do will be "the first time since... " I am not going to pretend that it will be easy and the holiday is always going to be a hard one.

The only comfort you should take is that you couldn't be going to a better place. There will be a balance between great memories and the ability to make new ones, new family traditions. The kids will be able to forget things, even if is just for just a few minutes at a time and you will have the chance to see them having genuine fun in what must be an incredibly dark time for you all.

I noted the posts about the balloon and I understand the point about animal welfare, I really do. But if you feel that is something that you need to do, I am sure that the human race will permit you this one small gesture (you could always balance it by doing something else a little more eco-friendly in his memory too).

Best wishes

[Shazzabelle]

Thank you all so much for your lovely words. I've not been able to re-visit my post for a few days, (another first on Valentines day), and am now a little overwhelmed if I'm honest. I have booked Chef Mickey's and intend to go. We have also booked Crystal Palace, my husbands favourite and will be going on The Tower of Terror several times during our trip in his honour.

Thank you all again, it means a lot xx

[Hidden mickey]

I have no experience of what you are going through, however my heart goes out to you xxx

[Guest]

We took some of my daughters ashes and threw them from the boat going to Disney and various places within Disney

[Gusgusmummy]

Originally Posted by ghints

Like others, really feeling for you and didn't want to read and run.

We had booked for 5 of us a few years back but lost our DS when he was a baby. Like you, calling the airline and taking his name off of the booking was incredibly hard and we contemplated cancelling all together.

You will have realised by now that this will be the "year of firsts... " Everything you do will be "the first time since... " I am not going to pretend that it will be easy and the holiday is always going to be a hard one.

The only comfort you should take is that you couldn't be going to a better place. There will be a balance between great memories and the ability to make new ones, new family traditions. The kids will be able to forget things, even if is just for just a few minutes at a time and you will have the chance to see them having genuine fun in what must be an incredibly dark time for you all.

I noted the posts about the balloon and I understand the point about animal welfare, I really do. But if you feel that is something that you need to do, I am sure that the human race will permit you this one small gesture (you could always balance it by doing something else a little more eco-friendly in his memory too).

Best wishes

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This must have been so difficult I'm so sorry to read this. Xx