I'm stunned - I should have listened UPDATED. Again - could use some prayers!

[Mtnman44]

Making plans with freeloaders, er...family, is a risky endeavour it seems.... If i ever do it, I think I may request a refundable deposit from them.

 

[rascalmom]

Now that is priceless!

I am sorry this has happened to you but I hope you don't let it put a damper on what can be a truly wonderful time (real easy for a stranger to say, huh?). Your dad's "guilt" over leaving his parents may have caused him to react impulsively and he may actually regret the decision all on his own, even without your mom's help.

Regardless of whether they join you or not, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

Thank you - I know we will have fun no matter what happens. I am actually keeping this to myself ( well, I did share with my 60,000 Dis friends ); my dh may take this all as good news & I don't want to disappoint him if they still end up coming.

Thanks for all of the thoughts & good wishes everyone! Merry Christmas!!!

 

[LoveToDisney]

My mom is a pretty tough cookie. She was at the store when he "informed" me this morning. She called me later & didn't say a word - I don't think he has "informed" her yet.

Any chance that your mom will still go and leave dad to enjoy the seniors at their assisted living center?

We always get a 2BR when our teens traveled with us...love the extra bathroom and privacy...so definitely enjoy the extra space if your parents choose not to go.

Enjoy WDW at Christmas!!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

No, I think it is just the opposite. I would bet most trips with family/friends go off without a hitch. Like anything, you always hear more about negative experiences than postive ones. I feel bad for the OP who had their trip turned upside down. You can never predict medical issues, but it does sound like the grandparent issue was the main culprit. I just don't understand how family can sometimes be so inconsiderate.

You may be right, but there sure seems to be a real common thread about inviting family members. Hope you are right.

 

[TAKitty]

The downside here is that my girls are going to be spoiled by each having their own bed. We had them convinced that the sofa bed was just fine for them to share.

I love this! We are staying at a two bedroom for the first time in Jan and the boys have been used to the sofa bed. However, we are bringing Grandma with us. We had planned to go in Oct. but my father in law had to go to a conference and they didn't want to leave the dog alone! . My dh is still mad that his mother chose the dog over the grandkids. To make it worse, she later told us that she looked at the calendar wrong and that she could have gone the dates we had planned. . Family...

 

[Starr W.]

Geez, and I thought my sister was a pill. No problem with ADR's changing(found that out at Thanksgiving).

My sister flew down with us and returned home the next day because after 2 weeks she didn't think her cold was better, thought her ears were infected(they were but she still waited 4 more days before going to the Dr.), DH told her she would have to pick up her pace or she would get lost in the parks(this was at DTD), didn't lock the bathroom door and my DS 10 confused by all the doors opened it instead of our bedroom. Didn't like the sofa bed, offered to put her in one of the "real" beds, DS 5 wouldn't mind, but NO! I am going home.

She loves XMAS lights, told her she missed the really nice display at MGM.


I feel for you Rascalmom, how did your Mom "really" feel about missing the trip?

 

[castleri]

Any chance that your mom will still go and leave dad to enjoy the seniors at their assisted living center?


Enjoy WDW at Christmas!!

I had been thinking the same thing - make certain your Mom knows she can go and and that it will really make you daughter's Christmas. I originally had hopes for 9-10 people for our trip so booked a studio and a 2BR - am now down to 4 for the first five days (kept the 2BR in case someone changed their minds at the last minute) and 2 for the last five- managed to downgrade to a studio the last two nights but still have a 2BR and my name on the waitlist for a smaller unit for NYE. We are off site for 2 days on the weekend so that didn't matter. We are planning on having a ball and hope you do too.

 

[crisi]

I'm assuming the grandparents are your Dad's parents.

Maybe your Dad's surgery has made him realize that his own parents are 89 and 90 and he won't have too many Christmases left with them. While it would be nice if he'd realized this much earlier, I could understand that and might even make the same choice...

(well, probably not, my only living grandparent is one where every year we say 'maybe this will be our last year with grandma' but there is a little more hope in that statement than is probably proper to fess up to).

 

[Lexxiefern]

wow, sorry this happened to you. My mom is bugging me to do a girls trip and so my sister (who also owns) and I are going to book a 2 bedroom next december for my mom, my 16 year old sister, my older sis and her two girls and me and my two girls. I figure if my mom and little sis back out, me and my other sis and our 4 children can still go and use all the room in the 2 bedroom.

I have been having trouble getting my mom to commit to a date - we shall see how it turns out.

Have a wonderful trip and I hope your dad changes his mind!

 

[rocketriter]

If you post it on the theme park board, I bet someone will buy your extra MVMCP tickets from you.

Actually, I think it's up to the relative who backed out to pay for those tickets. You shouldn't go to the trouble and risk of trying to sell them to strangers. Tell him that you love him but you made the consequences of mind-changing clear from the beginning, so he needs to make good for the money he wasted.

 

[Mississippian]

Today, 3 weeks after the surgery. Dad is doing well & progressing with his surgery. BUT!!!!!! He has decided he feels guilty leaving my grandparents alone for the holiday & wants to cancel. AAAAAaaaaauuuugggghhhh!!!

Now I don't know what to do. We are past the 31 day mark & already have airline & MVMCP tickets purchased. Did I say AAAAaaauuurrrghhhh!!!

Thanks for letting me vent.

People who are trying to help third world countries have found that if they have a product that will help these people, they must SELL it to them, not give it to them. People simply do not respect that which is simply given.

 

[lizziepooh]

If the grandparents were fine with it, is there a chance that your Dad is backing out for other reasons? Maybe he is afraid of flying or something?
I would tell Mom that you hope she decides to go anyway with or without Dad. I would remind her that this may be the last trip with your daughter who is graduating. Dad may decide to come along if Mom is going anyway.
You might remind your Dad that Christmas can be celebrated with the grandparents on a day other than just the 25th. It sounds like they are content to stay in their own familiar assisted living facility with friends, so it isn't like they would be all alone.
Good luck. I hope it all works out for you.

 

[DVCLiz]

Oh - don't worry, I was NOT casual with my dad. I made it VERY clear. They will be reimbursing me for the MVMCP tickets, the room is a wash - if the original plan had been for just the 4 of us (but at Christmas), we would have done a 2 bedroom anyway.

They made their own flight arrangements, so that is theirs to worry about. I just didn't think all of the DIS needed a blow-by-blow description of the entire conversation.

You are exactly right though - DVC'rs need to not just LET our guests walk all over us. It was very clearly spelled out for them during the planning & I reiterated this when I spoke with my dad today. Of course, what I said will be nothing compared to what my dm does to him!

Oh, good, I feel better for you now, a little!!!! But I still hope your dad will change his mind, or have it changed for him!!

 

[fishermouse]

Any chance that your mom will still go and leave dad to enjoy the seniors at their assisted living center?

We always get a 2BR when our teens traveled with us...love the extra bathroom and privacy...so definitely enjoy the extra space if your parents choose not to go.

Enjoy WDW at Christmas!!

That was my thought also. If it were me my DW would get me a couple TV dinners and wish me a Merry Christmas on her way to the airport. Of course I would never turn down WDW unless my parents were ill and we needed to be there. Obviously not the case here.
Wife and I would gladly join you and be surrogate parents since you already have everything booked. Just a thought!!

 

[dwelty]

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be letting your dad off this easily. I'd say, "Dad, I understand your feelings, but we've had this trip booked for a year now, and you've had ample opportunities to cancel without costing me anything. Now we've spent money on extra room, airline tickets, and MVMCP tickets, and you've let me know too late to refund any of those costs. I'm really disappointed that you'd treat this so lightly, and especially in light of the fact hat the grandparents want to spend time with their friends in their senior center. I understand you might feel torn, but our family time was something we were are looking forward to as well."

I just think being this casual about it is not something I could do.

DVCLiz hit it on the head!

People do bad things because others let them get away with it!

 

[jodifla]

So sorry this hapend to you.

Maybe others will learn a lesson from this. We never book more than we want, regardless of who is coming.

I've booked a Beach Cottage at VB for four of us. I then invited a few people, who in the end decided not to come. I didn't care, it was there loss. We enjoyed the space and had a blast. There was also no hard feelings about it on my end either.

We always book a two bedroom for our family of three. From time to time we'll invite a couple of people. If they come, great, if not we had the room size we wanted anyway.

Booking extra rooms or larger rooms than you want to include family is a recipe for disaster. I'm glad you have handled this so well and in such good spirits.

Our rule of thumb is to only book what we want and then add up to the occupancy limits of said room with guests. That way when they bail we are never upset. Others might want to try this.

Enjoy your trip and I'll bet you'll be booking a few more 2 bedrooms from now on.

We're the same way. I've never had people bail on us but my dad, but I always count on them bailing on us.

If them come, GREAT! IF not, DS takes the second bedroom and DH and I have tons of privacy.

I look at it as win-win all the way.

 

[rascalmom]

That was my thought also. If it were me my DW would get me a couple TV dinners and wish me a Merry Christmas on her way to the airport. Of course I would never turn down WDW unless my parents were ill and we needed to be there. Obviously not the case here.
Wife and I would gladly join you and be surrogate parents since you already have everything booked. Just a thought!!

Thanks for the adoption offer - I will keep that in mind for the future (dh would be especially happy since it looks like you love fishing.

My dear mom obviously "worked" on my dad last night. I got a very sheepish apology this morning & they ARE planning on going. According to my mom, this has as much to do with my dad not wanting to leave their little dog as my grandparents. My dad is VERY attached to his furbaby!

I spoke with my grandmother - she is still fine with us not being there on Christmas Day. Their center is having a party on the 18th & we will go down for that - it made her day to know we were coming. She loves it when we come to their "events" - I think there is a little competition among the oldsters there to show off the families.

So, for now anyway, crisis averted. WDW here we come!

 

[bobbiwoz]

That's wonderful news!

We have 2 dogs, and I ALWAYS have second thoughts about leaving them. I see that you're not too hard on your dad, he's lucky. My DH isn't so understanding with me.

Have wonderful times both at your grandparents' party, and then at WDW.

Bobbi

 

[CarolA]

She loves it when we come to their "events" - I think there is a little competition among the oldsters there to show off the families.

So, for now anyway, crisis averted. WDW here we come!

Glad it worked out.

And I KNOW there is competitition to show off the families. When I visit my Dad I am paraded around like a peacock! LOL!

 

[daisy2000]

I'm so happy that it is working out for you and your Dad saw the light. You are very lucky to have both parents still around, and grandparents too! That's wonderful.

I learned my lesson long before we bought DVC on a trip we took to WDW w/ about 14 family members and we stayed at PO Riverside. Also, group trips to the shore, cottage rentals, etc. so I feel your pain! Most people I know also have negative experiences when traveling with extended family. I can't risk my DVC points on group vacations. I found the best group vacation we ever arranged was on the Disney cruise. I booked for my immediate family, gave all of the info to the extended family and the rest was up to them. No stress!

Good luck and have a beautiful holiday at WDW!!