BIL is clueless ****VENT****

[dizluvah]

Had a message this morning from BIL saying that he got wrapped up in a spur of the moment idea on the phone with his best friend today and wanted to call to make sure he wasn't in too much trouble.

In 5 days we leave for a 5 day vacation in Orlando at Vistana timeshare. The timeshare belongs to sister and bil and they invited us along to use second bedroom at no cost to us for lodging. He informed me today that his buddy and buddy's wife are coming down Sunday am and leaving Monday pm. He said wanted to have someone to golf with. Hope my poor DH doesnt' feel left out...anyway....

I do not care for his buddy's wife and I'm certain the feeling is mutual. My sister doesn't even really get along with buddy's wife. BIL knows how we feel about this woman but he said he figures everyone can play nice for 1 day.

I agree I can play nice for one day but it does negatively impact my vacation. Of course it is his timeshare and he can invite anyone he wants but I think it is in poor taste to spring another couple on us a few days before the trip. My biggest concern is that we all arrive Saturday pm, so Sunday was our planned day together at Epcot and BIL is getting us military companion passes at SOG, $99 for the 5 day...anyway if his friend's arrival postones our getting the passes - we won't have time to use all 5 days as we leave on Thursday night.

I know this long and confusing - I am pretty annoyed and don't know if I am being unfair and overacting to this situation. I wish I could just go with the flow but it is not really my nature

 

[horseshowmom]

I don't blame you for being annoyed (and I would feel the very same way ), but I don't think you have any other choice other than to suck it up and deal with it. Basically, you're at his mercy since he's providing the lodging and access to the tickets. I would see if he couldn't go ahead and get the tickets though, so you could go on without him that day. Just make sure you're gone most of the time that they're there, and it won't be such a pain. (Remember, you didn't invite them, so it's not up to you to entertain the wife.)

 

[zumbergc]

Just say ok, great were added 2 people to the day on sunday. Thanks for letting us know ahead of time. However, we still need your help to get our theme park tickets sunday. Wwe need to get the tickets to play in epcot on sunday while your having a golf outing in the afternoon.

I personally think it was rude. Play nice, roll with it. But, i would kind of let them know that he needs to work in his am schedule getting the park tickets. Maybe he can get the tickets on saturday. Would that work. He pays and then you write a check to him on sunday. I don't know how financial safety, if you pre-pay him the money for the tickets would be safe, since he sprang an extra guest on you. Some money situations don't work well for families.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well you are getting to stay for FREE, so you get what you pay for. That is just the reality of the situation. When you put your vacation in the hands of someone else there is usually a "catch".

I would just look on the bright side and be happy it is for 1 day.

If you want to go to Epcot and he has not gotten the passes just buy a ticket for the day.

If you are going to vacation with people you have to be more flexible and go with the flow. Nothing is worse on vacation than someone sitting there grudging on people.

Yes it does stink, but it is possible to work it out.

 

[powellrj]

Since you are arriving on Saturday, can he get the tickets then and you go to Epcot without him? If not, I would just do a beach day or a DTD/shopping day.

 

[dizluvah]

thank you all for the replies so far. Just a note I wanted to add: we four have vacationed together multiple times in the past eight years at various destinations and always had a lovely time.

 

[dalt01]

Well you are getting to stay for FREE, so you get what you pay for. That is just the reality of the situation. When you put your vacation in the hands of someone else there is usually a "catch".

amen brotha, was in same boat with BIL and family on the freeby thing once, i used to drink a little beer and they stared at me from the time i popped each top till i tossed the empty, each one, all week. i said never again and never did. got him back though, it was off site, marriott time share, we walked down to the lobby for park tickets and hear this, pssst, pssst and theres this guy waving us over. turns out he was on a company paid trip and they had bought the familys tickets for him. they had only used 2 days on 5 day tickets. and there was five of them. so before my BIL had absorbed the importance of the info, he is a little slow, i had the tickets in my hand and offered the guy 200 bucks which he accepted. 15 admissions for 200 dollars. drink up my man, drink up.

 

[Pumbaa_]

If you are so miffed imagine how his wife is going to be!

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

That would annoy me too, but short of not gong, theres really nothing you can do. Once, friends of ours invited us to her parents hunting cabin (not to hunt!!!) about 4 hours away for the weekend. They told us we would get our own room, yada yada yada. We shouw up at their house to follow them there, and they mention to us, "Oh, by the way, the whole family will be there. It will be really great. By the way, you loose your room, and now have to sleep on the couch - we will have a great time!!" Yeah, I'm not a sleep on the couch kind of girl! Especially in a house where I don't know more than half the people - not to mention the fact that I didn't bring anything appropriate to sleep in - hey, I thought we had our own room!!! Long story short, we went up there, but left that night around 11.30pm when they were STILL using our "bedroom" to play poker.
Anyway, we didn't really care about burning bridges with these people since, personally, I couldn't stand them to begin with. But this is your family, so maybe you should just go with the flow for this one time, and know for next time to just get your own place!! Have a great time!!

 

[robinb]

Just say ok, great were added 2 people to the day on sunday. Thanks for letting us know ahead of time. However, we still need your help to get our theme park tickets sunday. Wwe need to get the tickets to play in epcot on sunday while your having a golf outing in the afternoon.

I personally think it was rude. Play nice, roll with it. But, i would kind of let them know that he needs to work in his am schedule getting the park tickets. Maybe he can get the tickets on saturday. Would that work. He pays and then you write a check to him on sunday. I don't know how financial safety, if you pre-pay him the money for the tickets would be safe, since he sprang an extra guest on you. Some money situations don't work well for families.

ITA with this post. Call your BIL and arrange to get the tickets in advance of the arrival of his friend. That way you can be sure to get into Epcot on Sunday. I guess I would follow your sister/SIL's lead at dealing with the friend's wife. It probably wouldn't be fair to leave her to deal with the wife when they are providing your accommodations for free and getting you such a good deal on your passes. Speaking of which ... consider yourself lucky that you are there on Saturday night and can settle into the extra room! I would unpack even if you usually don't . Oh, and if you don't have a car rented for yourself you may want to consider that so you're not attached at the hip with everyone.

 

[manning]

amen brotha, was in same boat with BIL and family on the freeby thing once, i used to drink a little beer and they stared at me from the time i popped each top till i tossed the empty, each one, all week. i said never again and never did. got him back though, it was off site, marriott time share, we walked down to the lobby for park tickets and hear this, pssst, pssst and theres this guy waving us over. turns out he was on a company paid trip and they had bought the familys tickets for him. they had only used 2 days on 5 day tickets. and there was five of them. so before my BIL had absorbed the importance of the info, he is a little slow, i had the tickets in my hand and offered the guy 200 bucks which he accepted. 15 admissions for 200 dollars. drink up my man, drink up.

Consider yourself lucky!!

 

[saratogadreamin09]

Since you are getting rooming in Orlando for free I would just be quite and try to tough it out

 

[minkydog]

That would annoy me too, but short of not gong, theres really nothing you can do. Once, friends of ours invited us to her parents hunting cabin (not to hunt!!!) about 4 hours away for the weekend. They told us we would get our own room, yada yada yada. We shouw up at their house to follow them there, and they mention to us, "Oh, by the way, the whole family will be there. It will be really great. By the way, you loose your room, and now have to sleep on the couch - we will have a great time!!" Yeah, I'm not a sleep on the couch kind of girl! Especially in a house where I don't know more than half the people - not to mention the fact that I didn't bring anything appropriate to sleep in - hey, I thought we had our own room!!! Long story short, we went up there, but left that night around 11.30pm when they were STILL using our "bedroom" to play poker.
Anyway, we didn't really care about burning bridges with these people since, personally, I couldn't stand them to begin with. But this is your family, so maybe you should just go with the flow for this one time, and know for next time to just get your own place!! Have a great time!!

We had something similar happen to us one time. SIL and her husband used to live right on the beach in Florida. Every summer they would open their home to us so we could have a beach vacation, something we could have never afforded. They had a pool, too, and we spent all day in the pool or at the beach with the kids so we wouldn't be under foot. I always helped cook, cleaned bathrooms, and kept the bedrooms neat.

And then there was the time that SIL invited us,but didn't put it on the calendar, so BIL invited another couple to come the same time. We found out the day before we were to leave. Ugh. Long story short, we did end up going because DH wanted to have his beach vacation. Bad idea.
This couple has no children, liked to drink day and night with SIL & BIL, didn't want to be bothered by the kids early in the morning. We lost our bedroom and were relegated to the bottom floor, sleeping on blow-up beds all packed into the same small room. All the bathrooms were up stairs via a spiral staircase( our kids were about 3 & 9. I held my breath every time they traversed those stairs.) No privacy for changing clothes. Oh, and the room adjoined to pool. Everyone who wanted to use the pool had to traipse through our room. With their wet suits. Puddle puddle puddle.

I won't go into detail about all the other disaster vacations with SIL, including the time her new husband literally walked around behind us sweeping the carpet so it wouldn't have footprints and wiping the counter if we so much as leaned on it. When we left, I turned to DH and said,"I hope you enjoyed that because it's my last trip to your sister's house."

Now we stay at a local campground. I would rather deal with palmetto bugs, mosquitos, and communal bathouses that have to jump through all their OCD hoops. We can go over to their house for lunch, they can come visit our campfire for dinner and we all go our separate ways at the end of the day.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

So you've been on vacation with these folks before and had a good time? They invited you to stay for free at their vacation villa, AND are going to get you 99$ five day passes to the parks.

One day with friends of his, and you really are complaining? Stay home.

 

[robinb]

So you've been on vacation with these folks before and had a good time? They invited you to stay for free at their vacation villa, AND are going to get you 99$ five day passes to the parks.

One day with friends of his, and you really are complaining? Stay home.

Ah ... I think that the OP is allowed to vent a bit since this is a last-minute kind of surprise. Even if she get along with the buddy and his wife she should be allowed to vent. I hope that she got something out of this thread to make things easier for her ... even if she's only paying $198 for her WDW vacation.

 

[MoniqueU]

I am not good at hiding my feelings so I would have alot of trouble still staying with them. Only you know what you can put up with.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd have BIL get the tickets before his yucky friends got there, and then if necessary, you can ditch them for most of the time they are there, cuz you'll have your tickets!

As far as leaving your DSis to deal with them...it was HER husband that invited people he knew she didn't care for, so that's her issue to "discuss" with him. If you choose to stay with her to be supportive, then don't complain when you have a lousy day.

 

[Sleepy]

This is why I won't go on vacation with someone else.....especially if I am at their mercy. I don't have a problem going on vacation at the same time as others, but everyone has their own room (paid by those staying in the room) and own transportation. It is also understood it is impossible to vacation together joined at the hip if you intend to keep everyone happy.

 

[hentob]

Why not get your own hotel room?

 

[ckay87]

Just make yourself scarce for that one time period that the other couple is there. There is plenty to do in Orlando from first thing in the morning til late at night. Spend the rest of the time relaxing, but spend that one period of time running away!