Disappointed & Beyond Excited...

[Buckeye Fan]

Well, I'm not quite sure if I've lost my mind or not, but DS is 13. He has a good friend, and we've known the family for years. So, DS asked if he could take DF with us on vacation this summer (a week at the beach and a week at WDW).

Okay...this is the part where you say...are you LOSING your mind? I said, "Sure! Let's talk to his mom and dad!" About 20 minutes later, I was booking his flight, and got a great deal through Airtran.

Now...the disappointment, and the excitement! We had reservations at BCV for this summer. We obviously need more room, so I cancelled my 1-BR (hope this made someone on a wait list's day!). But, one of my very favs (OKW), had a 2-BR available. So, I booked the 2-BR.

Here's the best part...DF has NEVER been to WDW. I can't even decide what all I want to do. If I told you all of the luck I've had with this change (DVC availability, dining reservation changes, and an empty Cirque seat right next to ours that I booked a few months ago ), you would think it was meant to be! I just hope I feel that way when I come home! Just teasing. He's a great kid, he and DS get along very well, and DS is just so excited.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

Good for you - I'm sure your sone will have a great time with his friend. Isn't it great when things work out?

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Sounds like it was meant to be. It can be really special to take someone along who has never been to WDW. Our kids are 16 and 14. We took our DS16's girlfriend along this March and it was wonderful. She had been when younger but is a really Disney fan and it was great to see her have a good time. Our young nieces (4 and 7) also came for their first trip and I had a ball watching them enjoy themselves!

Sounds like you are a real planner. That is really key when adding a new person to the mix. As well, you can't beat those OKW two-bedrooms !

Have a great vacation !

 

[bobbiwoz]

It's great how things are working out for you. It should be a fantastic trip!

Bobbi

 

[oakmanner]

It seems it worked out well. Good luck with your trip!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Make sure you get a copy of his parent's insurance card and a letter allowing you to have him treated for medical care in an emergency.

Your son is going to have a blast.

We are a family of three (one son now 15) and I always hoped he would want to take a friend along. We've had cousins join us and that was fun.

In May 2011, our son graduates from HS and he wants to bring a friend - actually five friends. We're getting a two bedroom at OKW and Bill and I get the master. The kids will get the other bedroom and the living room.

 

[SamSam]

Sounds like everything was meant to be.
In the past we've taken kids friends, special cousins, etc. with us and have never regretted it.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Make sure you get a copy of his parent's insurance card and a letter allowing you to have him treated for medical care in an emergency.

Okay, I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I work for an insurance company and didn't think of this! Thank you so much for posting that.

Your son is going to have a blast.

We are a family of three (one son now 15) and I always hoped he would want to take a friend along. We've had cousins join us and that was fun.

In May 2011, our son graduates from HS and he wants to bring a friend - actually five friends. We're getting a two bedroom at OKW and Bill and I get the master. The kids will get the other bedroom and the living room.

How exciting! Don't they grow up so fast? And, yes, I need a king size bed, too! DH is 6'2" and the two of us and a queen size bed just don't get along. At 18, I would have slept out on the floor of the balcony if that's what it took!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

I appreciate all of the words of encouragement. While I adore this kid and don't mind taking him, you all know what it's like to have the responsibility of someone else's child.

 

[cj9200]

Great that it worked out for you. Last year I took DD (15) and her BF for a few days at POFQ. Her BF had not been to Disney for years and DD had fun showing her the sites. The three of us are going back in June. Just make sure you bring some duct tape along, it can come in handy. Have a great time.

 

[inky dinky doo]

Congrats from another Buckeye, 80 miles south of you. Your son is in for a trip he'll never forget, and his friend must be beyond thrilled.

 

[Anal Annie]

First trip to the World will be most special for DF... After becoming an empty nester several years ago my MIL adopted a 4 yr old boy who just turned 18 last month. His HS band went down in March for a band competition and it was his first trip ever! He is into a Junior Nascar Racing program and loves to drive fast but does not like RIDES so he rode very few things!! But he was just so-o excited to show us his character pics & autographs that he got while he was there!! He was perfectly happy to wait in line alone with the 3 & 4 yr olds to get his autographs & picture taken!! As excited as he was when he got back I can only imagine how he'd have been at a younger age! Make sure you document the trip for him with lots of pics and have fun!!

 

[stopher1]

That's so very cool! I hope your son (and you all) have a terrific time having his DF along. Awesome stuff IMO.

We are planning and hoping to be able to take our nephews along with us sometime in the near future, maybe in 2010 - they've never been to WDW, and are nearly identical in age to our sons (the 13 yo's are just 10 wks apart & the 10 yo's are just 5 wks apart) and our boys are dying to share WDW with them. Naturally my DW wants to take her sis and husband along too, but it's more likely we'll get the boys only instead of the entire clan. I LOVE being the cool theme park uncle (I've taken those boys to theme parks all their lives - mom and dad hardly ever do). We're definitely taking them to DL next year when we go out and stay at VGC - but I'm hoping to get to take them to WDW too.

 

[kristenrice]

Don't ya' love it when a plan comes together?

Have a great trip! (Oh, and thanks again for those 1BR value pictures!)

 

[Niagara2]

We just did this the first time for Easter. DS and friend are 14. They had a great time and I was excited to show someone Disney for the first time as our kids have been going since they were 2 years old. They enjoyed being the tour guides.
There was many good points having a friend for DS to hang with. It sure came in handy for them to get up together at 6am to make 7am rope drop when MK was in that three day stage 4 closings! It also meant that DH and I got to sleep in!!!! It was fun to watch friend getting excited about some things. I know he was thrilled but sometimes tried to put on that teenage face. You should of seen that teenage face when he was given a horse on a stick and galloped through Wispering Canyon restaurant.
We enjoyed having him with us. Now teens can eat you out of house and home and this one was no exception. Had to make two grocery runs this trip.
DF was a bit surprised that our kids had to pick up their clothes, make their beds (DVC), help take out garbage, and didnt have unlimited cash given to them each day for snacks and trinkets. He didn;t feel comfortable holding all his own cash so when he asked for some I gave him some. I think he knew he would spend it all on the first day if he had it himself. A few times he wasted it and his Mom told me to do what I would do with my own kids and that was to say that is it for the day and no more cash. I didn;t feel comfortable doing that with someone elses money but it all worked out. He actually went home with money and I think his fammily was shocked. He spent 10 times what my kids did but they have the trinkets at home from all the old trips and know we bring water with us to the parks.
We then went to the beach for a week. Not as much activity but all was good. The only thing that irked me was all the texting. We spent much time taking him places to see things he had never expereinced before and I would look back and see him texting instead of looking. Got to the point we stopped going out of our way to show new things as he was not looking up.
He was a very polite young man and funny. Can come again!
We had the insurance papers and thank goodness didn't need them. I had my iphone with me and took pictures everyday and sent them home to his family so they could see how much fun he was having.
Pretty soon I guess I will be getting girlfriends going too but that is OK - I am tired of being the only female in the groupl
Invite the friend and enjoy. Sounds like it was meant to be.

 

[dgaston]

We used the add-a-friend a few times for our youngest DS, now 20. (He's five years younger than the older kids, and ended up being an only teen in the family) He and his best friend still talk about Christmas 2007, and all the fun they had at WDW. I think they ate at Pizza Planet every chance they got!

We also took the same friend and one other teenager to Hilton Head for an April school vacation. The 3 boys had a great time riding bikes everywhere.

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Ok, I have goosebumps after reading that. I love it when things fall into place like that! Should be a fabulous trip!

D4D

 

[SLM]

It certainly looks like it was meant to be! Our daughter is an only child and we always enjoyed having one of her friends along for trips.

 

[Teachckg]

Isn't it fun to share Disney with others!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Great that it worked out for you. Last year I took DD (15) and her BF for a few days at POFQ. Her BF had not been to Disney for years and DD had fun showing her the sites. The three of us are going back in June. Just make sure you bring some duct tape along, it can come in handy. Have a great time.

I must admit, though, girls need duct tape much more than boys do. I love my 6 year-old DD to pieces, but the child doesn't shut up. I remember the first year my husband was home with her all summer (he's a teacher), he called me at work and said, "Bridgett, she talks all day. You'd think she'd get tired!" I laughed and told him, "That's your bonus gift for being off for the next 90 days while I'm at work!!!" He's such a good sport about it, though!

Congrats from another Buckeye, 80 miles south of you. Your son is in for a trip he'll never forget, and his friend must be beyond thrilled.

We're actually from southern OH (around Ironton, Huntington, WV/Ashland, KY area). As for DS, I hope so. They are only little once, so why not, right?

First trip to the World will be most special for DF... After becoming an empty nester several years ago my MIL adopted a 4 yr old boy who just turned 18 last month. His HS band went down in March for a band competition and it was his first trip ever! He is into a Junior Nascar Racing program and loves to drive fast but does not like RIDES so he rode very few things!! But he was just so-o excited to show us his character pics & autographs that he got while he was there!! He was perfectly happy to wait in line alone with the 3 & 4 yr olds to get his autographs & picture taken!! As excited as he was when he got back I can only imagine how he'd have been at a younger age! Make sure you document the trip for him with lots of pics and have fun!!

Okay...seriously. That's one of the sweetest stories I've read on the boards. Thank you so much for sharing, as it really made my day. I can just see him standing in those lines, and how wonderful for your MIL to adopt. I wished I could talk DH into adoption. DS is 13, DD is 6 (be 7 on 5/21), so wouldn't a little 3 year old be a great addition? Too bad DH deals with 30 kids all day long, and thinks 2 is plenty at his ripe old age of 41!

Don't ya' love it when a plan comes together?


Have a great trip! (Oh, and thanks again for those 1BR value pictures!)

If you guys only knew. I was on the phone with MS over an hour making changes. I laughed and told the CM before I even started that she would hate me by the end of the call, and would wish that my call had gone in someone else's queue. She really was great, though. I'm going to write member satisfaction about her. There was only a slight mistake with my points that was easily corrected by MS, but I caught when I reviewed things online.

So as a friendly reminder to everyone, WATCH your points carefully!!!

As for the pictures, sure thing! That was a great thread, and I so enjoyed everyone's enthusiasm. Made posting fun. People were cracking me up with their comments, though, when I went MIA! That was just hilarious!

Ok, I have goosebumps after reading that. I love it when things fall into place like that! Should be a fabulous trip!

D4D

Thanks for the kind words. I'm just really glad we can do it, and like I said, I'm just SO excited. It's almost like my first trip, because I want to do it all!

It certainly looks like it was meant to be! Our daughter is an only child and we always enjoyed having one of her friends along for trips.

I'm an only child, too, and when I got older, my mom and dad let me take a friend on vacation. It was so much fun, and while moms and dads are great, going with them alone is just not the same!