September/October 2013 check in

[Melbourne5]

We have now done 4 USA trips with our 3 boys. Always ensure inflight entertainment is available on your flight, iPads or pods have a new movie, game or two extra they don't know about alon with all the ones they have and buy some snacks for the trip over/ back. It also helps if the airplane ha a snack bar ( qantas and virgin do) to let them grab water/chips etc) and make them sleep/rest based on USA time from take off time. This will minimise stress not eliminate it!

[5ofus]

Originally Posted by Melbourne5

We have now done 4 USA trips with our 3 boys. Always ensure inflight entertainment is available on your flight, iPads or pods have a new movie, game or two extra they don't know about alon with all the ones they have and buy some snacks for the trip over/ back. It also helps if the airplane ha a snack bar ( qantas and virgin do) to let them grab water/chips etc) and make them sleep/rest based on USA time from take off time. This will minimise stress not eliminate it!

Thanks for the tips Melb5! DS3 will only be 2 next year - he's the one I worry about. He also can't sit still for ten seconds at a time. Or stop babbling away. I once saw a definition of a boy as being 'noise with dirt on it'. That's DS3 to a tee.

[becpee]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

I agree, but being patient isn't always easy.

Perhaps plan a smaller trip closer to home for next year so everyone still has something to look forward to and then plan an extra special Disney holiday for 2014.

We were booked to go away this coming Jan for a 2 week cruise around Sth East Asia. Even though I was really excited about this cruise, I just couldn't shake the nagging feeling that if I just waited until late 2013 I could do the cruise I really had my heart set on - one on the Fantasy. So back near the start of this year I cancelled it, even though that meant waiting almost 2 years instead of 1 for my cruise. Two years seemed a LONG way away, so I compromised by booking a one week driving tour around the Sth Island to give me something to look forward to. We travelled on a budget, staying in holiday parks and backpackers and cooking our own meals. But the trip was awesome and I have no regrets.

We've actually never been to New Zealand, and it's pretty close to us down here
New Zealand or anywhere I guess would be great

Originally Posted by 5ofus

I can see where you're coming from. Airfares are SO expensive that you feel like you have to make the most of it while you are over there. I've told DH that w are definitely doing a Fantasy cruise on our 2015 trip. That ship looks amazing.

And it would take a lot of pressure off but...

So hard to wait!

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by becpee

We've actually never been to New Zealand, and it's pretty close to us down here
New Zealand or anywhere I guess would be great

Definitely keep a Sth Island NZ trip in mind. The great thing is that most of the highlights/scenery are free to enjoy. So it's quite easy to have a fun holiday, but an affordable one. :-)

[BecBennett]

Originally Posted by 5ofus

I once saw a definition of a boy as being 'noise with dirt on it'. That's DS3 to a tee.

I've seen that too... Where did that come from..?

[Travel Mum]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

Definitely keep a Sth Island NZ trip in mind. The great thing is that most of the highlights/scenery are free to enjoy. So it's quite easy to have a fun holiday, but an affordable one. :-)

But, unless you want to ski, only come in summer!

[5ofus]

We have dates!!!!!

September 9th for the wedding, which means we'll probably fly out on the 6th - cheap airfares permitting!!! Woot! Looking at five or six nights in Las Vegas and then 8 nights in Anaheim.

Okay, now where is the best place to get a discount at HoJos? Since we're now going early-mid September, we want that mini water park!

WE HAVE DATES!!!!

[alicia1506]

yay to 5ofus -- and depending on our dates, we may be there at approx the same time...

so last night i tell my sis that carlo's brother is in town this weekend and we should get together for a trip planning session. but she's busy and working and so it'll have to be a teleconference. ok. sure. so carlo's stipulations for the trip are thus:

- have fun. no early morning/red eye/late night flights. time to relax and enjoy. less running around and more staying in one place.

easy peasy.

trina's stipulations are:

no wdw (?!?!?!?! - after she talked me out of dlr and into wdw, she now wants to change back to dlr only), an eastern caribbean cruise to occur first, more time to relax etc... oh. and no shopping (?!? this is a deal breaker!!!)

so now i'm like... what?!?!?!?! my itinerary was wdw + western caribbean + ioa + shopping. now it's dlr + eastern caribbean + ioa + no shopping?

i don't think so... i can and will happily compromise and do DLR and an eastern caribbean + IOA etc. but i will have my shopping!!!!

god. the ups and downs of trip planning.

[5ofus]

Originally Posted by alicia1506

yay to 5ofus -- and depending on our dates, we may be there at approx the same time...

so last night i tell my sis that carlo's brother is in town this weekend and we should get together for a trip planning session. but she's busy and working and so it'll have to be a teleconference. ok. sure. so carlo's stipulations for the trip are thus:

- have fun. no early morning/red eye/late night flights. time to relax and enjoy. less running around and more staying in one place.

easy peasy.

trina's stipulations are:

no wdw (?!?!?!?! - after she talked me out of dlr and into wdw, she now wants to change back to dlr only), an eastern caribbean cruise to occur first, more time to relax etc... oh. and no shopping (?!? this is a deal breaker!!!)

so now i'm like... what?!?!?!?! my itinerary was wdw + western caribbean + ioa + shopping. now it's dlr + eastern caribbean + ioa + no shopping?

i don't think so... i can and will happily compromise and do DLR and an eastern caribbean + IOA etc. but i will have my shopping!!!!

god. the ups and downs of trip planning.

Woweee, she sure is asking a lot. Ave you traveled with he before (as adults) Alicia? There are Bly about five other adults in the world that I can travel for a long amount of time with.

[becpee]

Originally Posted by alicia1506

yay to 5ofus -- and depending on our dates, we may be there at approx the same time...

so last night i tell my sis that carlo's brother is in town this weekend and we should get together for a trip planning session. but she's busy and working and so it'll have to be a teleconference. ok. sure. so carlo's stipulations for the trip are thus:

- have fun. no early morning/red eye/late night flights. time to relax and enjoy. less running around and more staying in one place.

easy peasy.

trina's stipulations are:

no wdw (?!?!?!?! - after she talked me out of dlr and into wdw, she now wants to change back to dlr only), an eastern caribbean cruise to occur first, more time to relax etc... oh. and no shopping (?!? this is a deal breaker!!!)

so now i'm like... what?!?!?!?! my itinerary was wdw + western caribbean + ioa + shopping. now it's dlr + eastern caribbean + ioa + no shopping?

i don't think so... i can and will happily compromise and do DLR and an eastern caribbean + IOA etc. but i will have my shopping!!!!

god. the ups and downs of trip planning.

So, go all the way to Orlando and not do WDW?

SIF!

I wouldn't be going all that way and cutting that bit out...

[Caroline NZ]

Your trip planning sure is hard work Alicia. I am glad I get to do all our organising and DH & kids just get to turn up on the day

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by becpee

So, go all the way to Orlando and not do WDW?

SIF!

I wouldn't be going all that way and cutting that bit out...

I would feel the same way. It's so timely and costly to get to Florida that I'd want to maximise my time there.
Could you do the cruise and IOA with her and then go your separate ways?
I think there are only 2 other adults in this world that I could travel with for long periods of time without frustration setting in. One being my husband, and the other surprisingly being my MIL. I think the reason we all travel so well together is because they accept that I'm a bit of an obsessive planner and they are just happy to go with the flow. Throw someone else in the mix who is also a planner and has their own firm ideas of what makes a good holiday (e.g they want to sleep in everyday while we like to get going early or they don't like wasting money on restaurants, while we are real foodies etc) then I find myself returning to the hotel room each night and chewing my DH's ears off with how irritated I'm becoming. As the holiday progresses this become worse. LOL. - perhaps I need some lessons in the art of compromise :-)

[KiwiMouseGirl]

Nothing much to report on out trip planning at the moment. Just pottering along playing round with ADR's and such. Waiting until February to book as that's when our travel agent says some good deals will come out that we can use

[alicia1506]

Oh my sis is not a planner. Neither is carlo or his brother. But they all have very distinct ideas about what makes a trip fun. none of them want to plan or organise etc. But they want me to incorporate all of their disparate views/wants etc into account.

Yes my sister travelled with me last year as did carlo. Last year she just wanted to do wwohp and gave me free reign for the rest of it. Wishing it was like that this year

[5ofus]

Originally Posted by alicia1506

yay to 5ofus -- and depending on our dates, we may be there at approx the same time...

We'll be easy to spot. Just look for a family with mum dad and a 6 and 4 year old boy chasing after a 2yo At least we'll get fit!