Considering bringing along some extra kiddos.

[jessg]

So myself and my family hubby 34 DD 13 and Ds 9 are planning our visit for 08/21-09/03. We are staying in an airbnb that is for 8 people we got it so everyone could have their own room. We will be visiting WDW, US, AND SW. We are also planning on doing the Halloween party at MK one night if we are able to get tickets. And possibly USHHN. Here is the kicker. My and my hubby are now discussing possibly inviting his cousins (F16, F13, M11) on this trip we practically helped raise these kids when they were younger they lived 2 houses down and we were not only very close with their parents but the kids grew up together pur daughters who are the same age were even in the same class for a few yrs growing. We moved 1 hr away 5 yrs ago and they also suffered through their parents separating and the kids tend to spend some of their vacations from school with us so me and hubby were talking about just talking and discussing possibly seeing if they would be allowed to come with us. We would be shouldering the expenses associated obviously since we would be bringing it up. We are thinking about renting a car and driving since we would be renting while there anyways. And flights are currently so expensive even for the 4 of us and instead we are thinking of driving if they were to come unless we could get flights super cheap. This trip would most likely be a once In a child hood trip as it's unlikely their mother would be able to afford to take them in the next few years and their father barrly assist them as is so we would like to and even possibly invite the mom and us pay for the kids fully and her pay her park tickets only. So my question is does this seen rude to you or would you be offended by this if it was you? If not any suggestions on how to better utilize this trip? Things we should bring if we do drive? Thing for the car trip there and back?

 

[salgatt]

I think this is a great idea! Obviously, you know the situation best and how to pitch it but I still think it's a good idea. Regarding the car ride, devices like iPad, phones and such are always a good idea. Our car had a built in DVD player so we sometimes dust off the DVD and let the kids choose what to watch or hit Redbox along our trip path.

 

[sponica]

How long would the drive be? With that many people would you + luggage all fit with the extra kids (and mom if she comes along)?

There's never anything wrong with asking if you can bring the kids along all expenses paid, but I think you need buy in from the 16 year old. (16 year old girls can be an interesting animal, speaking as someone who was once a 16 year old girl)

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We’ve taken friends of our kids once before (they otherwise would’ve never been able to go) and it was nice for our kids to have friends to hang with and we felt good for helping them experience Disney, so if you’re financially able I’d do it. We are a family of 7 without any extra people and fair warning: it’s super expensive lol. A character meal is like almost $500 after tip (which is automatic added for big groups), even the “cheaper” restaurants are well over $200 per meal. Just getting everyone each one drink is like $30. So be ready for that. We drive down (13 hr drive, from DC area) in our minivan which holds us and all our stuff but it’s crammed. Flights would be A LOT for 7 people. Everyone has a phone so they usually just spend their time on there but we also have Disney dvds playing on overhead player. I also bring little games and activities (car bingo, puzzle books, etc) and when littlest ones get antsy I’ll break one out, and I bring a few candy bars to hand out to the winners of the games. It still sucks lol but makes it a little more bearable. Have fun!

 

[unrequited23]

I think it is amazing that you are considering bringing your nieces & nephew. I would try to keep the conversation between the adults right now, so no one gets disappointed if it falls through. Also, you might want to check the school schedule for your nieces & nephew--they may go back earlier than your kids. The 16 yr old might not want to miss high school due to the amount of make up work. Our district goes back mid-August and my nephews don't go back until after Labor Day--they live one county over.

I would not be offended if you asked me to pay for my park tickets. If I was a busy mom, I would appreciate knowing the ticket total for those dates (saves me the time researching), when you needed the decision and when you would need the money. Money is hard to talk about but if you are honest and direct it seems to take away some of the awkwardness.

Other things to consider: You could have an odd number of riders--will this cause issues? You will need two standard hotel rooms or an airbnb if you are not driving straight through. Is everyone equally adventerous? HHN would be a hard pass for me and my kids, though DH would love it. Some minivans say they seat 7, but really that back bench seat is only comfortable for kids for trips over an hour.

 

[jessg]

I think this is a great idea! Obviously, you know the situation best and how to pitch it but I still think it's a good idea. Regarding the car ride, devices like iPad, phones and such are always a good idea. Our car had a built in DVD player so we sometimes dust off the DVD and let the kids choose what to watch or hit Redbox along our trip path.

I would definitely be bringing lots of electronic devices everyone already has their own tablets and phones I would find fun games for the car and plan some fun stuff for the the car.

 

[jessg]

How long would the drive be? With that many people would you + luggage all fit with the extra kids (and mom if she comes along)?

There's never anything wrong with asking if you can bring the kids along all expenses paid, but I think you need buy in from the 16 year old. (16 year old girls can be an interesting animal, speaking as someone who was once a 16 year old girl)

I would first ask mom and get her opinion before bringing kids into the convo and once mom says ok then I would ask the kids including the 16 yr old. The car trip is about 17 hrs straight through but probably 20ish with a few stops for leg stretching and gas/food but we would probably leave around 4 am drive thru till 5 pm then rest for the evening and do the last few hours the next day. As for the car it would be a 8 seater so we would all fit may not be the most comfortable ride but we would make do. Luggage wise there is room in the car for luggage and we will also have a washer and dryer since bringing 2 weeks of clothes would be a bit much.

 

[jessg]

We’ve taken friends of our kids once before (they otherwise would’ve never been able to go) and it was nice for our kids to have friends to hang with and we felt good for helping them experience Disney, so if you’re financially able I’d do it. We are a family of 7 without any extra people and fair warning: it’s super expensive lol. A character meal is like almost $500 after tip (which is automatic added for big groups), even the “cheaper” restaurants are well over $200 per meal. Just getting everyone each one drink is like $30. So be ready for that. We drive down (13 hr drive, from DC area) in our minivan which holds us and all our stuff but it’s crammed. Flights would be A LOT for 7 people. Everyone has a phone so they usually just spend their time on there but we also have Disney dvds playing on overhead player. I also bring little games and activities (car bingo, puzzle books, etc) and when littlest ones get antsy I’ll break one out, and I bring a few candy bars to hand out to the winners of the games. It still sucks lol but makes it a little more bearable. Have fun!

I may invest in a portable DVD player with 2 screens that way they can do that to get in the disney mood.

 

[jessg]

I think it is amazing that you are considering bringing your nieces & nephew. I would try to keep the conversation between the adults right now, so no one gets disappointed if it falls through. Also, you might want to check the school schedule for your nieces & nephew--they may go back earlier than your kids. The 16 yr old might not want to miss high school due to the amount of make up work. Our district goes back mid-August and my nephews don't go back until after Labor Day--they live one county over.

I would not be offended if you asked me to pay for my park tickets. If I was a busy mom, I would appreciate knowing the ticket total for those dates (saves me the time researching), when you needed the decision and when you would need the money. Money is hard to talk about but if you are honest and direct it seems to take away some of the awkwardness.

Other things to consider: You could have an odd number of riders--will this cause issues? You will need two standard hotel rooms or an airbnb if you are not driving straight through. Is everyone equally adventerous? HHN would be a hard pass for me and my kids, though DH would love it. Some minivans say they seat 7, but really that back bench seat is only comfortable for kids for trips over an hour.

We are In NY and both schools go back labor day week here so school isn't an issue and both my daughter and the other 13 yr old start high school this yr also so that is also taken into consideration. I would have a price for mom to go also when I bring it up to her. We will be staying in a 3 bedroom air bnb. We would stop overnight on the way to and fro and get 2 connecting hotel rooms and keep doors open if their mom isn't going so that it would be as if we are all in 1 big room. As for rides if there are a odd number of riders for what ever rides me or hubby would sit alone as needed not too big of a deal. All the kids are pretty adventurous. Our car would be an 8 seater. Yea I know it won't be the most comfortable but with frequent stop for a few mins at a time to stretch I'm sure it will be doable.

 

[jessg]

We’ve taken friends of our kids once before (they otherwise would’ve never been able to go) and it was nice for our kids to have friends to hang with and we felt good for helping them experience Disney, so if you’re financially able I’d do it. We are a family of 7 without any extra people and fair warning: it’s super expensive lol. A character meal is like almost $500 after tip (which is automatic added for big groups), even the “cheaper” restaurants are well over $200 per meal. Just getting everyone each one drink is like $30. So be ready for that. We drive down (13 hr drive, from DC area) in our minivan which holds us and all our stuff but it’s crammed. Flights would be A LOT for 7 people. Everyone has a phone so they usually just spend their time on there but we also have Disney dvds playing on overhead player. I also bring little games and activities (car bingo, puzzle books, etc) and when littlest ones get antsy I’ll break one out, and I bring a few candy bars to hand out to the winners of the games. It still sucks lol but makes it a little more bearable. Have fun!

I may invest in a portable DVD player with 2 screens that way they can do that to get in the disney mood.

I think it is amazing that you are considering bringing your nieces & nephew. I would try to keep the conversation between the adults right now, so no one gets disappointed if it falls through. Also, you might want to check the school schedule for your nieces & nephew--they may go back earlier than your kids. The 16 yr old might not want to miss high school due to the amount of make up work. Our district goes back mid-August and my nephews don't go back until after Labor Day--they live one county over.

I would not be offended if you asked me to pay for my park tickets. If I was a busy mom, I would appreciate knowing the ticket total for those dates (saves me the time researching), when you needed the decision and when you would need the money. Money is hard to talk about but if you are honest and direct it seems to take away some of the awkwardness.

Other things to consider: You could have an odd number of riders--will this cause issues? You will need two standard hotel rooms or an airbnb if you are not driving straight through. Is everyone equally adventerous? HHN would be a hard pass for me and my kids, though DH would love it. Some minivans say they seat 7, but really that back bench seat is only comfortable for kids for trips over an hour.

Also as for HHN it's not a for sure thing because some of the kids might not feel up to it and my husband's a bit scary too so it may just be an extra last park day

 

[Bjkandma]

If you have every one coming only the 9 year old is considered a child at Disney. Anyone age 10+ is considered an adult. If you can handle the expense, then yes. Make sure you are clear about expenses and what you would like the children's mother to contribute to. One table service meal would be well north of $200. A simple Mickey ice cream bar is $6 - so even a snack each would be $50. I would suggest you search price of park tickets, etc.

 

[Rory607]

I think it’s a wonderful and very generous offer. I agree that the conversation should be between the adults first. Do the kids want to go to Disney and do they get along well with your kids? It will be a lot of togetherness!

Park tickets will obviously be expensive, but feeding everyone will also be a large expense. Since you plan on doing an AirBnB you can get groceries to help with the cost of the food bill. But I would be clear about how you are going to eat with everyone. Will you do any meals in the park or bring food in? Will the kids be allowed to buy snacks? If mom comes, will she be expected to buy her kids’ meals and/or pitch in for groceries? Will you be purchasing any souvenirs? I would just want everyone on the same page so there are no hurt feelings or anyone surprised by expenses.

 

[salgatt]

I may invest in a portable DVD player with 2 screens that way they can do that to get in the disney mood.

We also put together a Disney playlist too and the wife and I sing along like idiots with every song

 

[mjkacmom]

What vehicle are you renting? We are a family of 7, both my husband and I drive minivans. The only vacation we drive to together with luggage are cruises, we live 20 minutes from 2 cruise ports. Anything longer we take 2 vans.

 

[jessg]

If you have every one coming only the 9 year old is considered a child at Disney. Anyone age 10+ is considered an adult. If you can handle the expense, then yes. Make sure you are clear about expenses and what you would like the children's mother to contribute to. One table service meal would be well north of $200. A simple Mickey ice cream bar is $6 - so even a snack each would be $50. I would suggest you search price of park tickets, etc.

I Def have all the expenses down lol I figured everything out before even bringing it up with my husband since it's not cheap.

 

[jessg]

I think it’s a wonderful and very generous offer. I agree that the conversation should be between the adults first. Do the kids want to go to Disney and do they get along well with your kids? It will be a lot of togetherness!

Park tickets will obviously be expensive, but feeding everyone will also be a large expense. Since you plan on doing an AirBnB you can get groceries to help with the cost of the food bill. But I would be clear about how you are going to eat with everyone. Will you do any meals in the park or bring food in? Will the kids be allowed to buy snacks? If mom comes, will she be expected to buy her kids’ meals and/or pitch in for groceries? Will you be purchasing any souvenirs? I would just want everyone on the same page so there are no hurt feelings or anyone surprised by expenses.

Yes they all get along very well the kids spend at least a week or 2 at my home during the summer and are currently here now for spring break and they all talk on the phone almost daily. They get along very very well. I will be treating her kids as I treat my kids. If I buy my kids snacks (which I will absolutely be doing) I will be buying them snacks as well I would NEVER EVER treat them differently. Since I am inviting the kids I would be paying every expense associated with the trip for the kids. If mom goes she can pay for her park tickets me and hubby already discussed this, this is all we will be asking for her to cover if she goes with us we will cover food drinks stay ect. Yes it is a large expense but it is something we are comfortable doing. If mom offers to pay something that cool but it isn't something we will be expecting her to do. We know her econonic situation and feel like this is something we can do comfortably.

 

[jessg]

What vehicle are you renting? We are a family of 7, both my husband and I drive minivans. The only vacation we drive to together with luggage are cruises, we live 20 minutes from 2 cruise ports. Anything longer we take 2 vans.

We will be renting a 8 passenger mini van if just kids go along but if mom goes we will rent a passenger van.

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

I would be thrilled if someone offered this to me! Last year my parents offered to take us on vacation to Colorado and shoulder most of the costs, and my husband and I were thrilled. My parents paid for a large condo, rental car, transportation to/from airport, and all meals for me, my husband, my 2 kids, and my brother. My husband, brother, and I are all in our 30s but wouldn't have been able to afford the trip, so we were so excited they offered. We all had a great time, and my parents offered to do it again next year, only this time they also decided to pay for everyone's plane tickets. So I think you should definitely ask your cousins and their mom.

 

[jessg]

I would be thrilled if someone offered this to me! Last year my parents offered to take us on vacation to Colorado and shoulder most of the costs, and my husband and I were thrilled. My parents paid for a large condo, rental car, transportation to/from airport, and all meals for me, my husband, my 2 kids, and my brother. My husband, brother, and I are all in our 30s but wouldn't have been able to afford the trip, so we were so excited they offered. We all had a great time, and my parents offered to do it again next year, only this time they also decided to pay for everyone's plane tickets. So I think you should definitely ask your cousins and their mom.

We asked! And mom said she too would like to go so we are all going!

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

We have done something similar with cousins in the past and it worked out great. Similar situation where we were already getting an AirBNB for us (family of 7) and it wasn't a very big increase to get a house big enough for more. Our next trip is similar too - my best friend's family is meeting us there. We are covering the lodging, they bought their own tickets, and we are covering a couple of meals and they are covering a couple of meals. Souvenirs are our own individual budgets. It has worked out really well for planning, and I am so excited to experience it together.

There can be some extra stress while planning, but ultimately it is so rewarding to watch the kids have fun.

One note on your drive down: We drive a passenger van as a primary vehicle - the one thing to be aware of is that often the seats are much less comfortable than in a normal mini-van, and harder to sleep in. Make sure everyone has some kind of pillow/neck pillow and a way to get cozy in the car for the drive, and don't be afraid to take several stops along the way. It can be much more tiring to drive a passenger van than a minivan unless you are very used to it. We had done long road trips before in a minivan, but our first trip in the passenger van took some getting used to and was a different experience.