Sorry, I have to get my posts in early, before I start working. Or running errands.
Stacey and Amanda, you need to STOP telling your relatives about your trips. When you're gone, just have someone make up a story if they answer the phone. Sorry, laryngitis.
I can sort of identify. My brother owns two businesses plus some real estate and does very well. Better than us, I'm sure. Every year, they take a trailer and go to Corpus Christi for 1-2 weeks. My brother and nephew love it there. My niece (12), however, has been wanting to go to WDW for as long as we've been going (almost 7 years). I have invited them almost every year to share a room at DVC. This year they said yes, to make the niece happy. We got a 2 bedroom at BWV, it was free for them. They paid for two nights at AKL that I got an AP rate for.
It didn't go that well, and I have no idea why. About day 4 on, it seemed like everyone except my nephew was in a bad mood. I thought maybe I said something. But I actually suspect that it was a money thing. I used the DDE card for all our table service meals, and always added the 20% back in for a tip. Put it on the room key, and they paid me back later. My SIL commented a few times that she doesn't tip that much, if at all. They didn't like the prices of the food, and they didn't like the fact that I tipped with "their" money. At least, that's all I can figure now. They have since told me that they enjoyed it, even my niece who seemed pretty miserable for most of the trip.
Well, we've been there, done that, and don't need to do it again. We always have great fun with our little family and our DIS friends, so there you go! Our future trips will be unannounced, I think.
