Who do you usually vacation with?

[imgoingtodisney]

My husband, son and I took my MIL with us to Wilderness Lodge for 9 nights 3 weeks ago. Who do you usually vacation with? Im not sure if Id ever invite my own mother or my husbands brothers/sister but my MIL is welcome whenever we can fit her.

[MaryAnnDVC]

Originally posted by imgoingtodisney
my MIL is welcome whenever we can fit her. Wow! I'm impressed! :eek:

Right now I can't imagine ever taking someone else on vacation with us. My DH works a lot, and I really value this time that the 5 of us have together. We go once a year, for 10 days (3 Universal/7 Disney). I wouldn't mind going with a bunch of women sometime, but when it's my DH and kids...that's it.

[Pluto4President]

I'd take anyone willing to come. I love sharing the magic :)

[SueOKW]

We ALWAYS take my brother - Andy. (43 usually acts like 10.) We find it's better to have an equal adult to kid ratio. My sister and her family have an open invitation! They never impose, complain or ask us to re-arrange our plans.

Now the typical response - - anyone from DHs family is usually not invited!!! They would be WAY too hard to deal with. I'm confident they would impose, complain and ask us to re-arrange our plans. In fact, most of the people in his family don't even know we own DVC at all.

I am also impressed about your always willing to have your mother-in-law with you.

GO TRIBE - there's always next year!

[loribell]

This summer it will be me, my DH, our 4 kids, 2 of their friends, my mother, my neice, her husband and their new baby. Other trips almost always include my mother. Some included my sister.

We have also had trips with my MIL & FIL but never to Disney. They won't come with us for some reason. Oh well, it's their loss not mine.

[Disnydad]

In addition to our 2 children:

On our January 1997 trip to the Wilderness Lodge, we took my wifes mother and SiL along with us. Adjoining room.

On our January 1998 trip to the Contemporary, we took my Dad and Stepmother. Adjoining room.

This coming January stay at OKW we have invited my Aunt & Uncle from Largo, Florida and my sister from NH to join us. Two bedroom.

[Aurora2000]

Typically when we vacation ( WDW or not) it is DH and DSs and I. This past June my Mom accompanied us for a 10 night/11 day trip we drove from NJ .... We went to Savannah, HH and WDW. WE all had a blast! Obviously my Mom was a help with my darling sons but I made sure we never relied on her soley... I mean it was her vaction too!

It was the absolute BEST vacation we have taken since our Honey Moon! Our older son loved having Nanny all to himself and my mom was a pleasure to travel with! She loved WDW loved the VWL and hasnt been there since she took my sister and I in like the early 70's. I kept saying I had a DH who was 2 a DH who was 9 and a DM ( darling mom) who was 10!!!!!!!! She did everything! Even my husband admits it was as easy as pie!

In '02 we go back but my Mom will not be traveling with us : (
BUT my Mom and dad may meet us down there!!!! YEAH! : )

[KNWVIKING]

Last time our two DS's joined us they each brought a friend but now they are both in college and really aren't interested WDW. DW and I are 42 and are now "empty nester"- we started early. Virtually all of our friends and familiy that we'd ever want to vacation with have young children. We tend to be nite owls and most people with youngsters tend to be early to bed,early to rise types. We have talked about taking some nieces and nephews with us in the future, but right now we're into spoiling ourselves.

[KimOhio]

we usually take alot of friends they go there way we go ours meet for dinner and breakfast sometimes a swim or jacuzzi and a cocktail ok usually alot of cocktails LOL

[wdwnut]

hi: i guess i'm with Pluto; we take anyone and everyone. some people we've taken with us in the past will be conspicuously absent from future trips! our sons have taken friends with them on all but one trip. in may of 2000, i had a group of 14 at wdw-tons of fun. it was my 48 yo sil's first trip; yes she was a big 3yo the whole time. she couldn't understand why her kids liked going with us in the past; now she's a definite convert. if i ever hit the lottery, i would take all 32 from my dh's side of the family, the 13 from my side, and my dil's 3 family members. if it was the big lottery, i'd pop for my dil's whole family as well. that would be so great to get all those people together (although we'd probably get into so much trouble). talk about wishful thinking!

[maddiemom]

Since we singed on with DVC in conjunction with my sister and her family, I guess I would have to say that they are the ones we vacation with. More often than not my WHOLE family vacations together (mom, dad, 2 sisters, their husbands and all the kids).

Just a few weeks ago 10 of us went to WDW. The group included our mom, sisters MIL and my MIL. We had alot of grandmas with us.

[Beth]

Living so close, we use our membership differently than most. We bought in 4/1997, and have literally booked over 50 reservations since then - on average 1-2 nights at a time.

My husband and I have no childer, so we really enjoy taking friends and family so we may see that "first-timer's" expression you guys describe with your kids!

We have used our memberships as great birthday/anniversary presents for our immediate families. We booked a Grand Villa in 1999 for my nephew's graduation from high school, and let him bring 7 of his friends - then sent them all golfing that afternoon.

This year, we got a 2BR at VWL for my niece's 16th birthday, and she brought a few girlfriends.

For a milestone birthday for "me," we brought my DH's and mine's immediately family - 12 of us in all - and got a 2BR and 3BR at OKW - then did the Illuminnations cruise for everyone.

I have brought girls over from work for a night for the last 2 holiday seasons - to tour around the resorts.

We've booked a studio a few times over at OKW so my husband and his best friend could go over when there was a band they really liked playing over at House of Blues. Beats driving home after the show lets out at 1:30!

With staying only one or two nights - you don't run into that situation where people end up on each others nerves. The only problem we have is that we can't really go into the parks when we have guests with us, as they normally don't have passes, and we don't want to ask them to fork out $40+ for a single-day pass. But there's plenty of other things to do -- sometimes just dinner and a movie at the West Side.

Sorry so long but, in a nutshell, we've taken over just about everyone we know! :) - and we LOVE it!!!

[poppop]

This May will be our first trip home. We are taking my DM,DF, DB, SIL, and our nephew. We will be staying at OKW in a GV.

In December 2002 we will be staying at our home resort, VWL. We will just be taking myMIL and FIL and we will be staying in a 1BDRM.

[MdmMim]

I usually vacation for an extended period, 3-4 weeks at a time. I'll arrive, then a day or so later, a friend of mine will visit. Then she'll leave, leaving me with some solo time. My DH will fly down and spend a week, then I'm left with more solo time. I love having time to myself, so I'm careful when I plan my trip. DH's visit has priority, of course, then I'll invite a friend around his schedule. (Most of our friends are not interested in WDW; our kids either go on their own or are no longer interested; and other family members? I'll pass, thanks.) ;)

[Lhargus]

In one years time we have already visited with or plan to visit with:
European Friends
Next door neighbors
Family members (Siblings and their spouses, Children and grandchildren)
Golf buddies

Our first trip home alone won't be for over a year from now.:cool:

[Luvmyfam3]

We have always gone with just our kids. Oh, we did go a couple of times for my husband's business conventions (nice!). Once, we went with my SIL and her boyfriend before either of us had kids (never again!).

This January, my parents finally agreed to come along. I am excited and nervous at the same time. My mom has been once, about 13 years ago, but my dad has never been. It's hard for me to say what they will think of it all. We (including my kids) are kind of "experts" of the whole thing and have ideas of how we like to do things. When I ask my mom what they have in mind, or what they would want to do, she just says, "We just want to do whatever the kids want to do." Which is great, but it puts alot of pressure on me. I just want them to see why we enjoy it so much! We're staying in a 2BR at OKW. I think that will work out well for all of us!

Kim :smooth:

[kel3420]

My mother joins our family for a vacation every several years but besides that, we do Disney every other year and with every trip we bring one of my neices/nephews who otherwise would never be able to go. The mimimum age we have set is five. These kids look so forward to "their time to go". The three neices and nephews are around our own children's age, so it is a nice trip for everyone. My nephew's turn is next year for the first time and he is already talking about it constantly :) Every time he comes over we have to pull out pictures and videos of previous trips. My own kids have been there many times, but when they witness the excitement thru another child's eyes who has never been there, it makes it that much more fun.

One of my dream trips is to be able to get 2 two bedrooms at Disney for a week and gifting one to my sister so that her whole family could go at the same time, with them only having to buy park passes, which is still a huge endeavor.

[rbuzzotta]

We took my MIL to WL when my now 10 year old DD was just under 3. It was very mixed. One day she was fine, the next not so. She didn't care for the heat, walking and the hustle and bustle. She really didn't care too much for shopping either!!

Another time, my DD's friend and parents asked if they minded if they came down the same week as us. We said no. Well, big mistake. We stayed at WL and they complained the entire time. It was awfu!! My DD and friend haven't gotten along since!! (6/00).

Since then we now travel with just the 5 of us. Me, DH and 3 princesses!! I am sure we will be asked soon if a friend can join us and we will decide when the time comes. My sister, BIL and nephew just cancelled their Oct. trip due to the events of 9-11 and may join us for half of our 2 week stay at OKW in August!!

Bless you imgoingtodisney. I wish I could say my MIL would be invited any time!!

[dianeschlicht]

Besides on or both of our grown children, we have had several sets of friends with us. The trip in Jaunary will include two different sets of friends, one couple for the first week, and adifferent couple for the second week. We once took a whole extended family of one of our friends; grandparents, parents, and kids all in a GV with us. GREAT FUN!

WE love sharing the magic!

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I vacation with my s/o, my kids and occasionally with friends.

[alsipd]

The question here should be "Who can I take and get to pay for my transportation and food".
After all I am providing the "Magic":) :) :)

[baileybrad]

wife, bailey, and bradley.

[sueg]

I've looked at this question several times, while debating if I would respond. Our family of 4 (DH, 2DSs & myself) always goes alone and we luv it. But lately, as my parents grow "older before my eyes", I feel bad that we never vacation w/ them. They are wonderful people, but we just don't vacation in the same way. I see other families travelling at WDW in large groups & I look for the type of tension that surrounds periods of togetherness for us. I wish we could all go together, but I know that we cannot. Therepy session over...thanks.

[Halle]

On our first trip as DVC owners (93) our 4 children went to Community Hall and came back and said that they had met two really neat kids from about an hour away from where we live in NY State. The following year as we drove to OKW from the airport our oldest son told us that these two kids would be there when we got there. As soon as we got there they were off to Community Hall and sure enough they were there!!!! My DH and I thought...we better go to CH to check these kids out....LOL their parents thought the same thing!!!! They have become close friends and I am happy to say that they are the primary ones we vacation with!!! Other friends have opted to come at the same time ( non DVC members who stay elsewhere), we always have a blast!!!!!! Sorry this is so long but... one last story... I promise... this past year we went to a convention and while staying at the BWV my son (who is now 20) spotted his favorite teacher from HS going into Big River Grilling..he ran down and we ended up spending the night with him....this is why we love DVC!!!!!!!!

[dvc_bwv]

Usually just DH and I, but once prior to DVc we brought my 20 something niece along. She had nevr been to WDW and I think we tried to do and show her too much in a week. Stressful. It was ok, but I'm not sure I'd do this again without having a 4th person too. That way they could go their own way if they wanted and DH and I would be able to relax a bit more.

In 17 days for our first trip HOME, we are bringing my 32 yr old son. He has been to MK, but ever to any of the other parks. We are looking forward to this trip. It should be great fun.

I'm also trying to get my brother and SIL to go with us sometime, but my brother is a hard sell. His loss I guess. Also looking forward to taking my grandkids when they get a little older.