Animal Kingdom Help Please

[jodim]

Also I agree your kids should feel grateful for going there are soooo many people in this world heck in this country alone that for some reason or another just never get to experience WDW and yet they are fortunate enough to be able to do so, so yea I think you are completely in the right to think they should be a tad more thankful that they get to go and stop whining. Wont hurt them to do something that they may not love for a day.

Thank you!

Pokemon Go? My DS10 can't wait to find Pokemon on our next trip. I heard that AK has lots of rares. We went to AK in May and I think it closed at 5 or 6pm. We didn't do EE or Primevil Whirl or Boneyard and we didn't have time for the train/Rafiki- and we had a really tough time getting thru it in a day. The trails took longer than we had planned and wilderness explorers is great but also takes time. Our wait times were really low too due to a good touring plan and FP+. We walked on Safari twice and snagged 2 fastpasses for kali when the wait was 90 minutes that afternoon. I agree with PP about Finding Nemo show - little ones will like it but the older ones probably won't. Be a good time for them to do EE - it's also in the same area. I would definitely have a plan for that day.

Oh my gosh I can't believe I didn't think about that. My guy and most of my kids are all into pokemon go.. that's a fantastic idea! Thank you.
Yes we are definitely going to have a game plan for AK

 

[jcemom]

The Pokemon Go suggestion is great! I can't think of anything better!

Personally, I love AK, but I seem to be the only one. My kids don't like it. I planned first-time trips for my SIL and her family, my other SIL and her family, and a friend's family (who took my DD with them) over the past few years, and NONE of them liked AK except for my one BIL. None of the other adults or any of the kids ranging in age from 7-16 liked AK. Sigh.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Exposing kids to new experiences is a good thing. There's nothing wrong with expecting younger members of the family on an all expenses paid vacation to compromise and allow other people to also enjoy their trip. It's our responsibility to model, even to older kiddos, gratitude for things they didn't know they might like. Teaching self discipline is a gift.

I whole heartedly agree, compromise is the key to a great vacation. That's exactly the point I was trying to make.

Giving everyone a voice is the path to a happy vacation.

Many threads on the DIS attest to this. Many parents confess on the DIS that forcing their children onto rides (against their will) didn't end well.


It isn't really fair though to say the 12 year old is getting an all expenses paid vacation. Does she have another option? Should she be paying her own way? Vacations should be fun for every family member, regardless of their age or their ability to pay for the trip.

I think we've all witnessed family meltdowns in the park where a parent SCREAMS about how much money they spent and calls their child a spoiled brat or worse. That is never a good situation.

I hope OP finds a way to compromise with her family. It is painful to see family meltdowns in a fun place like WDW.