Feeling guilt about the prospect of going

ookitarepanda

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 26, 2020
Been struggling with my emotions the last couple days as the parks reopen, felt that you guys would understand best. Wondering if you have any input.

Joined DVC in February after a tour at WDW. Booked a Welcome Home stay for me (33) and my wife (30) at RIV for 10/16-10/20, and managed to get 2 nights at BLT for 10/14-10/16 so we can try out staying there before a possible add-on.

There are several reasons we wanted to make this trip:
-2nd wedding anniversary, and we wanted to try out California Grill
-Use up the 2019 banked points that we have (August UY)
-I'm a teacher and schools in MN have a fall recess every year on this weekend in October and so it's a good time for me to take off work
-Food & Wine (and to a lesser extent, MNSSHP which is canceled)
-The other time we'd be able to go is my spring break in early March, but that's when my wife's work is busiest and needs her on board

Right now there's a lot of discussion about what school is going to look like this year. I feel like if we are in session, then it would be irresponsible of me to take a luxury trip to FL and come back to a full classroom.

But even if we are doing distance learning and I'm not with huge groups of kids - my HS classes are usually 34-38 students - I still feel this guilt like I would be shamed or judged by family, friends, coworkers for going. Maybe I'm just projecting or being paranoid, but I worry about being looked down on for wanting to go.

Not sure what I want to hear. For the time being, I'm just waiting for more information and developments: what the plan is for school, if I'd be able to reserve certain dinners, if WDW is going to close up again like HK, what FL cases will look like in 3 months...
 
I am planning my August trip and definitely have a few who think I am crazy..

But, right now, I do believe things can be done as safely as possible, and my DD and her BF are comfortable as well..

So, I think one has to weigh all the pros and cons and decide for themselves.

And, I just retired from teaching a year ago and gotta say god bless to all that have to in this environment,,,you will be the hero no matter how it unfolds for sure!
 
I totally understand the guilt. That's really all I can offer. We were supposed to go in August to Vero Beach DVC resort - and ended up cancelling but when we were talking about it, I was thinking that I wouldnt want to take pictures and put them on FB - i would feel weird about sharing that I was there because of judgement etc.
My son would have 13 days between the trip and school starting - and that was making me EXTREMELY nervous because I didn't want him to be bringing anything back to anyone just because we went to FL.

This is rough - I want everyone to go on their trips - I also want everyone to be safe.

You just have to do whatever you think is best and understand that you may have to cancel last minute.
 


Just returned from VBR and a resort only stay at OKW. I felt safe while we there given the requirements to wear masks while on Disney property and in Orange County. The only place went that masks were not required was the Vero Beach/Sebastian area. We still wore masks. Of course, only you can make the decision for you and your family. If you’re going to go anywhere, WDW, in my opinion, is going to be your best bet.
 
Whats additionally worrisome is that people are now finding that though they got thru Covid ......additional health concerns, many heart related (like hardening arteries) are a by product. So scary!
I just think that the RISK far outweighs the potential joy of a vacation now or in the near future ( and by that I mean after spring 21. And to knowingly go back to a classroom of kids....without at least a 14 day quarantine to insure you/spouse Not sick... Id forgo. Sorry, just my opinion.AP here , waiting on my cancellation.
Stay Safe All.
 


I hear you on the guilt. I am also a teacher and have a trip planned in mid-August. It does not give me 14 days prior to returning for professional development days.

Also, while the Covid risk while traveling is my primary concern, there's also the optics issue to consider as an educator. We are in Phase 1 in my county still, and non-essential travel is not supposed to be allowed until Phase 3. We're not even close to meeting the metrics for Phase 2 here. Because of our status, school is quite likely to be virtual in the fall. I think it is a bad look to be doing cross-country travel while supporting the idea of virtual school for safety reasons, especially considering I'm paid with tax dollars and virtual school puts many families in a really challenging situation.
 
Totally understand the feeling guilty thing - we elected to travel out of state over the weekend and I didn't tell anyone where we were going because I just didn't want to hear their unsolicited opinions. We had a very enjoyable short trip and are now hunkered down in our 14-day quarantine, and taking it very seriously (absolutely no leaving the house for 14 days. We bought groceries etc. before we left to be prepared).

We have a planned WDW trip in Sept and intend to take it knowing that every precaution is in place from the airport to the resort. It's a higher and unnecessary risk but if you wear your mask, wash your hands, and stay distanced then you go knowing your risks, taking your precautions, planning to quarantine when you get home and that's completely your choice.
 
I read your post as seeking the approval of strangers to assuage the justified guilt and concerns you have about taking this trip. Sorry - I can't and won't do that for you.

All I can tell you is congratulations on almost reaching your second anniversary. On that day, stay home. Make your spouse a special dinner (or support a local restaurant and order take-out). Enjoy each other's company. Don't do anything stupid - like travelling unnecessarily in the middle of a pandemic - which might result in you or your spouse not making it to your third anniversary.

I appreciate that life is short, but it's gotten a whole lot shorter for 130,000 Americans over the past few months and a whole lot worse for an unknown multiple of that number who had 'mild' symptoms and are still struggling to recover weeks and months later. I promise you that Disney and California Grill will still be there - and will be happy to take your money - a year from now.
 
Three months is a lot of time for things to change. Depending on how things go, your decision could be made for you if FL or WDW shuts down. Or things could turn around and be looking much better by then. I would just keep monitoring the situation before starting to worry too much about it. It will drive you crazy thinking about it since everything is so fluid.

If you have concerns about possibly bringing COVID into your school, would you be able to get tested when you get back? I'm not sure how easy it would be to get tested, especially if you didn't have any symptoms.
 
Since a couple people were referencing it, I'll make it clear: If we are in session in any capacity where I'm working with other people, I won't go on this trip. The point of my post was that even if we aren't in-person, I still feel guilty at the thought of going, just because of my obligation to society at large surrounding luxury things like travel during the pandemic.

And I see the tugging from different sides even from people responding to this thread, and all of it is part of my internal monologue. As I said above, I don't know what it is that I want to hear... just wanted to share that the feeling kinda sucks, and see if others are feeling the same way.
 
Since a couple people were referencing it, I'll make it clear: If we are in session in any capacity where I'm working with other people, I won't go on this trip. The point of my post was that even if we aren't in-person, I still feel guilty at the thought of going, just because of my obligation to society at large surrounding luxury things like travel during the pandemic.

And I see the tugging from different sides even from people responding to this thread, and all of it is part of my internal monologue. As I said above, I don't know what it is that I want to hear... just wanted to share that the feeling kinda sucks, and see if others are feeling the same way.
Unfortunately, when you post on a forum you're going to get a lot of negative comments. I don't think it's worth the time to feel guilty over wanting to go on a vacation, especially an important one like yours. We get joy out of planning. There probably are people who feel guilty taking luxury vacations when others go hungry, but we still vacation. You were clear that you won't vacation if Covid is too much of a problem then. If I were you, I think I would cancel the trip and put if off till later. This way your stress will end, you won't have to think about what anyone else has to say, and your restaurants and everything else will be more normal. How can you really enjoy your anniversary when you're worried? I couldn't.
 
I just returned yesterday from 5 days at WDW. We did not venture off of Disney property and felt very safe (also flew SWA to get there and back). I am probably more exposed at our local grocery store in my opinion. People can judge me all they want to. I had a trip with my daughter at our favorite place that I will never forget. The only permission and approval I needed was my wife's. She was comfortable with the risks so my daughter and I made the trip. You know what risks you are willing to take. Calculate those and see what answer you come up with.
 
We have 5 trips planned in the next 10 months and I'm eyeing a sixth. Not concerned about anyone else's need to try and guilt us into not living our lives. We will wear our masks, wash our hands, and if we have any symptoms quarantine until we can get tested.
 

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