Bringing Along Family...

[RobOnDisney]

So this October we are doing our first major trip where we are bringing family along on our DVC trip. We're getting a two-bedroom at AKV-Kidani and then flipping over to a MK view at BLT. The five of us plus my Aunt/Uncle and Sister/Fiancae.

Are we crazy for doing this? Do you all have any experience using DVC to bring others along on trips they normally couldn't do?

 

[Deb & Bill]

It sounds like you might be breaking the first rule of DVC ownership - the member gets the master bedroom. Is that true?

 

[supersuperwendy]

We need to stop doing it! My husband asked me today when we will take a trip with just the 6 of us!

Just don't expect your guests to do what you want to do. That's the biggest lesson I learned. Everyone vacations differently. Some people like to go-go-go, others like to chill and take it slow. So far so good for us. We have a christmas trip planned this December with my MIL and BIL. Next summer, we are brining my parents and we've gone with them twice before. It's been great. Last year we brought my best friend and her kids. We had a short visit with my brother and his girlfriend too. I'm very upfront with MY plans. I let them know that they can go along with us...or are welcomed to do their own thing. Super simple and tons of fun!!

 

[supersuperwendy]

It sounds like you might be breaking the first rule of DVC ownership - the member gets the master bedroom. Is that true?

According to my husband - YES!! The member ALWAYS gets the master bedroom. I feel bad for putting my parents in a studio with a gang of kids! He said too bad...he's not giving up his master bedroom!

 

[ToddyLu]

Hi! DH and I take his Mom (2 DVC trips with us so far) and my parents ( first DVC trip with them this Oct). We love providing that for them. We get a studio (no children) and get them their own studio. MIL like sher privacy and my Mom and Dad will love theirs. I think a 2 bedroom will be fun. I give everyone an ADR/park plan for what DH and I think we will be doing--then we meet up for meals--you are free to come with us or not. Cell phones are great. The singles may need alone time and aunt/ uncle some rest. My father is 72 and will turn 73 in WDW this year. and he has slowed down over the years. I knew what ADRs he and my Mom would enjoy from our trip to Pop in 2008. So I focused on those and added a couple of new things. I explained to my Dad that this trip would be different from Pop in that I thought he would definitely get the value out of the deluxe resort, including the Community Hall, animal viewing and simply put --the flat screen TV. So as my parents and MIL age, commando isn't practical anymore and with DVC we can do what ever we miss on the next trip.

After our trip by ourselves in May--DH stated that was his most fav trip thus far--he is talking aobut adding on to stay in a 1 bdrm, getting the guests a studio. Of course a lock off 2 bedroom would be good too.

 

[disneynutz]

So this October we are doing our first major trip where we are bringing family along on our DVC trip. We're getting a two-bedroom at AKV-Kidani and then flipping over to a MK view at BLT. The five of us plus my Aunt/Uncle and Sister/Fiancae.

Are we crazy for doing this? Do you all have any experience using DVC to bring others along on trips they normally couldn't do?

I guess it depends on your family. We have brought people a couple of times and have decided never again. We expect people to be like us and like the things that we like and that isn't reality. Hurt feelings and disagreements doesn't make for an enjoyable Disney vacation.

Bill

 

[RobOnDisney]

It sounds like you might be breaking the first rule of DVC ownership - the member gets the master bedroom. Is that true?

DW made it VERY clear to me that we will get the master and she will be soaking in her tub.

We've only made on ADR for family. While we have 8 in our room there will be almost 20 of us down at that time. I will not try and plan stuff for everyone-- they're welcome to tag along, but we will not try and please everyone. Luckily of everyone coming those in our room are the least high maintenance.

Next we're pondering DW's friends... I like the option DVC gives us to bring folks along, but I do get nervous.

 

[wehavesix]

We nearly always have family with us. We stay together some and go our own way some. We do make TS dining reservations together most of the time but at least one meal is adults only. If everyone can be honest up front about what is really important to them and everyone can be flexible, it works out fine. Oh, and being a teacher, I have no problem assigning housekeeping chores to keep things in order at the villa.

 

[jekjones1558]

Our third big family trip is coming up in October. We will have 21 in a GV, a 2 bedroom and 2 - 1 bedrooms. We have enjoyed our trips because we do not keep everyone together all the time. We will all go to Sea World one day, but even there we will probably split up. We will all do MNSSHP but won't try to stay together while there. We only have 1 group ADR at Chef Mickeys. We find it works better to let subgroups do their own thing.
We usually bring friends or family on our trips but also try to schedule a trip here or there without bringing anyone. It is nice sometimes to not be worrying about anyone else's needs while on vacation.

 

[dvc4life]

We have been lucky with having family/friends come along. You have gotten some good advice from other posters, so you have to do what works for you. I don't think it is good or bad bringing folks along on a trip. Just so you get your own family trip in sometime too, besides this one.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would have booked a studio, to spread the group around a bit more, but that's me. Enjoy your trip. When we've done family get togethers of up to 14people, we book no more than 1 common activity a day, and it's worked very very well for us.

We're DGPs and I don't consider going wtih the DGC as having a large family group. With them, we often do a few things together in a day, but we definitely don't stick together all day. They would wear me out!

 

[chalee94]

I like the option DVC gives us to bring folks along, but I do get nervous.

yep, some friends and family don't understand the timeshare thing and will decide at the last minute - "tickets and meals look pretty expensive, so we changed our minds about going..." others might get there and want to rope drop while you sleep in (or vice-versa) or stay at the pool while you hit the parks. then afterwards you might risk the nonsubtle hints "when are "we" going back to disney?"

but if you can roll with things, it can be fun...

 

[msp2mco]

We have had family or friends on about half our trips to WDW. We learned, like many other posters, to do your own thing and let other people come along if they want. I usually made ADRs for the entire group, so we would meet up at least once. We have also arranged for some of the group members to have a night out on their own while the adults go somewhere else. Everyone seems to like that too.

 

[cvjw]

Are the Aunt/Uncle and Sister/Fiance sharing a bedroom in the 2 bedroom villa? That seems very awkward to me. I would get separate accommodations for one of the parties involved if that were my family. We just had 7 people in a 2 bedroom lock-off at KV. It felt crowded at times, especially when all 4 of the kids were in the den at the same time. We chose a lock-off so that the other family of 3 that were traveling with us would have their own door and small kitchen area. Since my boys slept in the den on the pullouts, we tried to minimize the need for the family in the studio to walk thru the den and wake my boys up.

 

[Sandisw]

We have not taken family to Disney--doing so in August--but just came back from a family trip at the beach.

We have already discussed things and have decided that we are going together but apart. When making dining reservations, we did a few together, the ones everyone wanted, and then the others opted for a different place or not to do a sit down that day.

This will be the first time my cousin's daughter who is 6 is going to WDW so I outlined for them what I think she would like and what she would not. I shared with them our tentative itinerary and told them that I would help them plan theirs if they didn't want to do things exactly like us.

So, I think you will be okay as long as the ground rules are set in advance and that no one should be offended or have hurt feelings.

We are looking forward to it but we will see. If it doesn't work, then next year, we will go back to getting our 1 bedroom and getting a studio for the others we ask!

 

[RumpleMom]

I pick the park based on research and plan one ADR per day for the whole group.

I hand out a written itinerary, so the group can split up and easily get back together for the next meal.

Make sure everyone has exchanged cell phone numbers.

Every family should buy their own park tickets, so if a family is a sleep in type, they are wasting their own money and not yours, if you are a commando type.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

We love brining along family, now totaling 17. We did have everyone come over Thanksgiving in 03, 05 and 07. This year we invited everyone again. As time gets closer, some are rethinking there decision based on the cost of those days at Disney, with food, tickets and souvenirs’…not to mention the cost of driving those 1,200. We are now starting to feel squeezes, we got the rooms and now are running into a banking deadline (September). We want all the family to go therefore we are giving them all the time to decide but September is creeping up.
This is our fear when inviting guest, the last minute cancellation and subsequent consequence it presents.

 

[photobob]

We love brining along family, now totaling 17. We did have everyone come over Thanksgiving in 03, 05 and 07. This year we invited everyone again. As time gets closer, some are rethinking there decision based on the cost of those days at Disney, with food, tickets and souvenirs’…not to mention the cost of driving those 1,200. We are now starting to feel squeezes, we got the rooms and now are running into a banking deadline (September). We want all the family to go therefore we are giving them all the time to decide but September is creeping up.
This is our fear when inviting guest, the last minute cancellation and subsequent consequence it presents.

Time to tell them that you must have a solid yes or no!

 

[RobOnDisney]

Are the Aunt/Uncle and Sister/Fiance sharing a bedroom in the 2 bedroom villa? That seems very awkward to me. I would get separate accommodations for one of the parties involved if that were my family. We just had 7 people in a 2 bedroom lock-off at KV. It felt crowded at times, especially when all 4 of the kids were in the den at the same time. We chose a lock-off so that the other family of 3 that were traveling with us would have their own door and small kitchen area. Since my boys slept in the den on the pullouts, we tried to minimize the need for the family in the studio to walk thru the den and wake my boys up.

Sister/Fiancae get the pull out sofa and two of our kids will be on the floor in the living room with them. Not most private for a young couple, but its free deluxe accommodations at Disney World... They can suck it up! they had the option of a Studio on their own then or a studio after we all get back from their wedding cruise for their honeymoon-- they chose the latter for their wedding present.

We went with AKV/BLT split because (1) there will be three bathrooms so we will be able to accommodate everyone easier and (2) we booked MK view at BLT for two nights, which we never plan on doing again due to points cost.

For only having 200 points we didn't do too bad to accommodate so many family members on our dime.

 

[twinklebug]

Sister/Fiancae get the pull out sofa and two of our kids will be on the floor in the living room with them. Not most private for a young couple, but its free deluxe accommodations at Disney World.

Not disagreeing with you, but my bet will be that with that many people in one unit it will not feel like deluxe accommodations, but more like a trailer, complete with a giant bathroom and jacuzzi. Kudos to you for trying it! I know I wouldn't be as brave.