ok, this may not make you smile but all I thought when I saw this was Battlestar Galactica. Frack is a another word for....
For once, I was being naughty, and didn't even know it!!!!
Oh
wow. You poor thing! Major life changes all around and a huge group trip on top of it. I'm totally new to your TR and gosh, I want to give you a hug!
Well, thank you, my dear! A little compassion makes the world go round, and I certainly appreciate it. I'm feeling not at all myself today, and your big hug makes me smile.
You sound like my sister if she was planning a trip that my mom would be on. She completely stresses about it and feels my mom reacts much the same way to her. Even though it "is" your trip, it doesn't make it any easier. One thing we did on our huge trip 4 years ago (20 of us, 2 rental houses and my super planning mom) was lay it all out for her very very early on. We told her that there were just too many of us, too many agenda's to try to be together all the time. We picked 1 or 2 nights to plan eating dinner together and other than that, just did the best we could to hook up as much as possible. We had a couple of days that were planned to be together at certain parks, and others that were open. This really helped us do what we wanted without feeling bad but still see her enough. In that situation, Ohana, if she doesn't have an idea she likes better I'd just do it and kindly explain that you'd love to eat with her but need to book something and if she wants to come up with something else or do her own thing, that's ok too. It is impossible to please everyone and sometimes you just have to make a choice and move on.
Wow. 20! I thought I had problems with 6-7. That's a lot of people. It's so hard in these situations. I know I should just say, this is what we're doing. If you'd like to join us, you can. But it's hard! I want everyone to like what we're doing. What's wrong with me?
We have a blended family of 6. Someone is always less than thrilled. I try to pick the lesser of evils and that's really all I can do. So when it came to our ADR's everyone got one they loved and everyone got one they probably could have skipped. At the end of the day, it worked out.
You know what, good for you. I need to take a tip from you and just go with it.
It is ok to "agree to disagree"
Am I allowed to print that out and hand it to people at will?
ADR Thoughts
[*]We had a bad experience at the CS here but I'd be willing to try it, it would be a really fun group place and for 7 you definitely want ressies. Trust me as a group of 6 or more (always), you will want them. I've been in WDW as a big group without them, no fun. Funny part is, as a big group, you might have an easier time at some places!
I'm sorry, hon, what do you mean by CS?
[*]ITA! An "planned" lazy day is key
I think that's the whole point of CS
I am all about the planned lazy day. I am seriously leaning towards this now.
[*]your birthday, pick what you want, enough said
Never mind that I'm turning thirty and appear to be going through my mid life crisis way early.
[*]I just heard a HORROR story about CP so I don't think I will go there anytime soon. Due to kitchen "issues" they were closed and didn't call ANYONE to tell them. So everyone with an ADR was just out of luck. Ruined a certain 10 year olds birthday. CP offered no placement elsewhere, no compensation, just "we're sorry". They ended up at CS at Pecos. Aack! I'd do Tusker lol.
Wow! I didn't hear about that, but that's horrible. We didn't have the best experience there the last time we at there, but it was a grumpy child and nothing to do with food or service.
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Listen to Mustn'ts, child,
Listen to the Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me.
Anything can happen, child, Anything can be.
-Shel Silverstein
That's a great quote.
PM me if you'd like to borrow mine. I only really use it on vacations, so it just sits there otherwise. I won't need it until December.
Even if you just would like to check one out without having to go through the rigamarole of having to order and send things back.
Oh, sheesh! You don't have to do that, but thank you! I will let you know if I change my mind. Right now, I went ahead an ordered a Vera. After DH, insisted, how could I resist?
Completely understandable. Just think about how much fun he's going to have, and how much he'll enjoy telling you all about it.
He's been very into the whole process. Picking what blanket and lovey he wants to take for nap time, knowing I have to label some of his clothes now, telling me what he wants for lunch. It just...he's growing up. You know?
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope you find something. They definitely don't make it easy for working adults.
What's killing me right now is the lack of options, and the pricetag. If I could just find a state university with a good program, they're significantly less.
Your a libra, it's unavoidable. I always feel the same way. I make myself a wreck trying to keep everyone happy and content.
I know. It's an endearing and horrifying quality, all in one.
I don't mean anything personal by this, but it's sounding like she's just being difficult. All you can really do is listen to her concerns, and try to incorporate a few of the things that preferably she's most concerned about. But on a group trip it can't be all about her and what she wants. You have to go with what's best for everyone.
No, that's the thing. I know she is. And she's having a hard time right now personally as well. Having had my son for three days a week, now that he's going to a new school, she's down to one. So I think there's some, I understand what you're doing is best for him, but I resent you for taking him away from me going on right now. Having family watch your children can be unbelievably complicated.
Halloween costumes are such a small insignificant part of the vacation overall, it's not worth making yourself miserable over. Go with what makes DS happy, because he is the child and who's most important, and your mom should want him to be happy on this trip. I'm sure she'll be fine once your there and she sees him having a great time.
You know what the thing is? I'm not really jazzed about being Wendy. I like the idea of how comfortable the costume is, but it's not something I would pick on my own unless we were doing this whole group thing. And I'm having a devil of a time finding Captain Hook accessories (the coat, etc) to add to DH's pirate clothes from his Jack Sparrow costume. Part of me really really wants to hang it all and let everyone go as who they want. I even thought of how we could use Nana's bonnet and have her be one of the women who chases the pirates if we went that route (with DH as Jack and myself as Elizabeth again). I thought it was funny, my mom didn't.
I think a ressie for the first night is a good idea. Everyone should be at their happiest at this point, and it makes a nice start to the trip. Nine Dragons is a great choice.
Exactly. And it'll be a nice break from the World Showcase.
I don't think you could go wrong with either of these choices. Chef Mickeys would provide a greater variety of foods for you mom though, and the picture opportunities would be fantastic. (And getting to bypass some of the meet and greet lines would be a great bonus).
I think a free morning is a great idea, and an even better argument for Chef Mickey's the day before. A free morning is great for some decompression from too much family togetherness.
I'm really leaning towards this. I also keep forgetting that we have park hoppers (and Mom and Nana have annual passes), so anyone could really do whatever they wanted on the free morning, you know? And I really wanted to try Ohana's, but Mom's displeasure with it has really put a damper on it for me. At least I know for a fact that she likes Chef Mickey's, we eat there every trip.
I'm thinking of doing this one this trip too, just because I've never been there and want to check it out. It will be a nice break for your family.
I just found out on another thread that they have yummy alcoholic beverages too. Ask me how much more excited I am now?
Brown Derby sounds like a great choice! It's one of my favorites.
You can't go wrong with the Derby.
Are you planning on doing a park your last morning? If you are, and you really want to do a character breakfast I'd pick one near the park I want to go to. If your not planning on going to AK, it's a bit of a hike to get over there just to eat. There is always the ones at the resorts - Lilo and Stitch at Ohanas, Alice at the Grand Flo, and the one over at Cape May.
You make a good point. I also thought of a possible princess breakfast in Norway. I'd love to do that, but given that my son has a bit of stranger anxiety (only with adults, not usually kids), I don't know how he'd react to that.
Hang in there! Just remember it's just a vacation, and no matter what you do, or how much planning goes into it things will change, and not everything is going to work out perfectly. Do your best, and leave some room to enjoy being there with everyone you love most! And give everyone who starts to drive you nuts and remind them that the important part is to enjoy being together.
Thank you for your kind words. I really needed a good reminder of why we take these trips in the first place.
To enjoy ourselves.
And it is a vacation. From your lips to God's ears.