Can I vent here please?

[Toby'sFriend]

Originally Posted by Christine
Either that or each parent will sleep with a child.
Like I said......2 miserable teens.

and one really cranky deprived husband.

and the issue here is NOT just the teens and the parents who want to get it on. There is also a 2 year old in a crib, who is going to be demanding a dark and quite room at around 8pm.

Sorry kids. You all need to turn off the tv and sit on your beds in the dark and listen to iPODS now so the baby will get to sleep.

Been there, done that -- it is not a fun "vacation."

 

[Christine]

Or take a blowup mattress.

Boy, now THAT sounds like a relaxing vacation.

Let's face it, I said it earlier, people are different. I am quite the princess, if I do say so myself. I require good quality sleep. I really didn't do well with five to a room last year. I wanted to go to bed at 10:00 p.m., my kids still wanted to be in the pool. I was dead tired and needed my sleep. Cramped in a room with people watching TV all night and giggling isn't my idea of a relaxing vacation.

And as another poster smartly pointed out, the vacation expense isn't *just* the room. It is vacation time, airfare (for me), and food. So, yeah, I want to make the most of it and I wouldn't be thrilled with five to a room, although I would do it. I would also try to "better" it if I could. I would assume that I could comfortable ask my own sister for this type of help. It would be different if it was my boss or someone like that who I wasn't close to.

But I also realize that there are people who would be totally happy on a blow up mattress.

 

[noodleknitter]

Oh, I wouldn't be happy/comfortable on one now!!!!! That is why we get a bed for everyone! I was merely pointing out that there was a way, and that having a teen be slightly uncomfortable is not akin to abuse!

I think that the OP should cut the sister loose, and that the sis should rent what she wants! I said that ages ago!

 

[drgnfly30]

Would I look a gift horse in the mouth... absolutely not! But that being said, there is no way I'd be in that close quarters with my DH, DS16 & DS11 and that's only four of us not five. (thus why I'll only be booking vacation homes from here on out on Family trips)

If I were the OP I'd tell sis that those are the accomodations that are being made available & if those aren't suitable, she is free to book something else, on her own....

 

[Lynn CC]

I hope your Disney "family vacation" goes better than ours did.
My DH invited his parents, his grandmother, two sisters and their families(one has 4 children, the other has 2).

There was 16 of us driving down from Cape Cod, MA to stay at Fort Wilderness for 14 nights. We were paying for dinners, including some special ones such as Hoop-Dee-Doo and Chef Mickeys.

They couldn't get along from the time they got into the "luxury vans" until they got back home.
We tried it again with a trip to Bush Gardens Virginia and the surrounding Historical area, and stopped at Hershey on the way home. That is when DH's Grandmother declared she didn't want to travel with all of them anymore...what a disaster. Talk about making a scene, everywhere they went argue, argue, argue about the silliest things. I had to LOL which got them I can't help it if I find them comical, I'm a happy person!

 

[va32h]

For those who could not do a studio with teenagers, would you turn down a FREE studio, or would you accept the offer, and make do?

I would decline the offer.

Just because you think they should be comfortable in a studio doesn't make it so, and you telling them just to be comfortable isn't going to change that situation one bit.

Given the attitude you showed in your last post about this trip, I don't see how any of your "guests" are possibly going to be able to please you on this trip.

 

[CEDmom]

Vent away! What's that saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?". Good grief. You're supposed to learn that early in life.

Very rude to say they don't like spending that much time with family. IMO, it's one thing to think it, insulting to say it the way she did.

The sister meant she didn't want to be spending day and night including sleeping with her kids. She wasn't talking about not wanting to be with the rest of the family.

 

[CEDmom]

I love my family and most of them are going to be here in November staying at my house (think about 18 people staying in my house

I'll say a prayer . You're made of stronger stuff than me.

 

[Martha7]

OP, I think you're being far more generous than I'd be in the same circumstances. Another observation though, is that the ages of your sister's children are kind of rough ones. 12 , 15 and 2 are some of the worst ages as far as being able to vacation selflessly and go with the flow, so to speak. The 12 and 15 year olds are most likely disagreeable at times, and the 2 year old may be in the "terrible two's." It could be that your sister is anticipating bad behavior on her kids' parts, which is really uncomfortable when the rest of the family is scrutinizing your parenting abilities. I guess what I'm suggesting is that her reasons for not wanting to stay in the studio could go beyond the simple issue of comfort. Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Last year, we brought my brother, his wife and their two young kids, (6 and 8) to stay with us for a week in Ann Arbor. I had planned a trip to the Henry Ford museum as an outing for us. My Sister-in-law kind of shocked me when she took it upon herself to call the museum, ask if there was anything for kids to do, and then cancelled our trip! As it turns out, there are coloring stations scattered all around the museum, and it would have been fine. I could understand her thinking though. She was afraid that she'd be stuck with two cranky kids, who'd be bored and acting up. I didn't let it get to me, since I saw it from her perspective. I hope it all works out. I've never invited my in-laws on one of our Disney trips, since it's too precious to me to risk them ruining it!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Just because you think they should be comfortable in a studio doesn't make it so, and you telling them just to be comfortable isn't going to change that situation one bit.

Right...

I wanted to add my dd's are 10 & 15 and we try and book suites no matter where we go.
We will also try for ajoining rooms if the price is right.
If we have to stick it out with 2 queens, we hate it. It is not fun for us. My DH needs his space from estrogen when on vacation.

We NEED 2 bathrooms!!!!

Throw a 2yo on top of all this...no way.

 

[inaminute]

For those who could not do a studio with teenagers, would you turn down a FREE studio, or would you accept the offer, and make do?

I'd turn it down. If it were a trip I were interested in, I'd get two rooms at my expense. That way I can stay where I want, my kids are comfortable, I'm comfortable, and I owe nothing to a family member. And, let's face it, in situations like this, there are certain "expectations" of some form of future payback. The old "I gave you a free room, you owe me..." line of thinking.

I don't blame your sister one bit. I wouldn't be surprised if she does cancel. The studios are nice, but they aren't that big. It was difficult enough when we took our two boys when they were teens and we stayed in a one bedroom!

 

[katerkat]

and the issue here is NOT just the teens and the parents who want to get it on. There is also a 2 year old in a crib, who is going to be demanding a dark and quite room at around 8pm.

Sorry kids. You all need to turn off the tv and sit on your beds in the dark and listen to iPODS now so the baby will get to sleep.

Heck, when we go, my sister is getting a room to herself, hopefully connecting, so we can leave Russ in the dark quiet of one room and hang out in the other. I should tell my sister she's being selfish and should stay in our room so we can all go to bed when he does. After all, we're nice enough to book the rooms at Shades of Green, so she should do whatever we want, right?

Tell her how to upgrade. Why lie when it doesn't cost you anything?

 

[clutter]

Well, I'm a single mom and I work way too much. Although I get 4 weeks of vacation a year, by the time I cover snow days and school holidays and home repairs, etc I generally only take one or two full weeks of vacation a year.

Those times are extremely precious to both me and my dd.

That said, I'd love the thought of someone offering me a free studio for a week, but I'd probably turn it down even though the accomodations would more than suit our needs. Although I miss spending time with my parents and sisters, it just doesn't work for me and my dd. We're at different points in our lives than my siblings are. There's no way I'd waste my vacation time trying to bridge the gap.

I agree that the sister is at a tough place, with teens and a two. There's no way that would be a vacation, keeping teens, a two and extended family happy, then staying in small quarters. I can see how staying on a boat would work better for them than Disney with 30 or so of your closest relatives. Of course, that doesn't excuse your sister's comment about the cancellation.

I think it's really cool that the OP offered all this to her family. And that's it's a really generous offer. But if it doesn't work for you, you can't say 'thanks, but I can't' without being an ingrate or a party pooper. So yeah, why not try to work it into something that works better for you.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'll say a prayer . You're made of stronger stuff than me.

If I wasn't crazy before, I'll be crazy after. But we'll have fun and the whole crew won't be here for too many days. People will trickle in, starting early in the week, more by Wednesday, and by Friday everyone will be here. Some will start to leave by Sunday, but a couple (my mom and sister, who haven't spoken to each other in years...) will be here for 3 weeks. OMG, did I just say 3 weeks?

 

[disykat]

. She asked me that if someone did cancel, rather than lose the points, like I would, could I just book a room for her two older kids?

OMG! I saw red. I kept my calm, and just told her no. I had decided that if anyone cancels, I will use the points to extend my stay. .

I still don't get why it was rude to ask if she could use the points she was told would GO TO WASTE. She had been told they would be wasted - how was she to know the OP could use them, when she had clearly been told otherwise? It's like watching someone throw something you could use in the trash can.

 

[CEDmom]

If I wasn't crazy before, I'll be crazy after. But we'll have fun and the whole crew won't be here for too many days. People will trickle in, starting early in the week, more by Wednesday, and by Friday everyone will be here. Some will start to leave by Sunday, but a couple (my mom and sister, who haven't spoken to each other in years...) will be here for 3 weeks. OMG, did I just say 3 weeks?

There's a lovely private psychiatric hospital not far from us if you'd like me to book you a room . I think at minimum you'll need a day at the spa once everyone leave. Big reunions like that are fun but exhausting. Hope all goes well. If not at least you'll have some good stories to share .

 

[MELSMICE]

I think I'm missing the "lose the points" thing. If you are booking this for next summer (was it August) & you are also using all of your 2008 points, how would you be losing them if you cancelled the ressie?

Won't they go back into your account? I don't have my DVC things in front of me & I'm too lazy to get them right now, but isn't it 90, 60 & 30 days or less with different penalites?

Could someone correct me if I'm wrong or post the right info if they have it at their disposal.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

There's a lovely private psychiatric hospital not far from us if you'd like me to book you a room . I think at minimum you'll need a day at the spa once everyone leave. Big reunions like that are fun but exhausting. Hope all goes well. If not at least you'll have some good stories to share .

Yes, a day at the spa sounds great, however, what I said possibly wasn't all. I'm probably going to go back to Oregon with my elderly mom since it's hard for her to travel. I'd spend a week there with her...she leaves her tv on every waking minute, whic drives me up the wall. I really am pushing myself, aren't I? Just seeing where that breaking point is.

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

I'd take the free room and upgrade it myself. Or get another studio.

I think that is very generous of you to offer to spend YOUR points on your family, but if they spend the whole time miserable, well, that's not really what you want either. I applaud your sisters honesty with you regarding her familys needs.

And, isn't it a queen bed and a queen sleeper sofa? Correct me if I'm wrong, and I know someone will. But who wants to sleep on a sleeper sofa?

 

[MushyMushy]

I still don't get why it was rude to ask if she could use the points she was told would GO TO WASTE. She had been told they would be wasted - how was she to know the OP could use them, when she had clearly been told otherwise? It's like watching someone throw something you could use in the trash can.

IMO, it's just impolite to ask, especially when there are so many other family members going.