Do you visit with people when you visit DL?

[quest4dl]

Dilemma here. I initially booked the DL trip as a quick getaway for my kids and me (dh can't make it) when school ends. My mother and brother are joining us but now my mother feels that we should try to contact some relatives who live in the LA area. The relative is my cousin (mothers' first cousin's son) and his wife. We are not close with them (mainly because of distance) but my mother is close with his mother hence her guilt about not meeting up with him. Of course, I have a packed schedule already planned for us and we start our trip on Friday (she just e-mailed me that we should try to meet them). She wants to meet them Friday evening, which generally does not conflict with any plans but due to the time difference, I wanted to get to bed early to hit MM Saturday morning. I am already feeling stressed out since I have to take care of all the trip details - I just don't know how I should handle this!

 

[Brenna&Noah's Mom]

Do you think she would mind if you guys went and came home early?What I mean is come back at about 9 or 10.

 

[toocherie]

Is it possible for the relatives to come and meet you in Downtown Disney for dinner? That way you're not running all over the place and they get to come someplace fun!

 

[Brenna&Noah's Mom]

Is it possible for the relatives to come and meet you in Downtown Disney for dinner? That way you're not running all over the place and they get to come someplace fun!

Yeah, maybe the have AP's so they could meet you there.

 

[daisy_77]

Well, we do have lots of relatives in Anaheim, Long Beach, Corona and Riverside....I am from the area originally. We just visited them in August and went on a trip to DL with almost the whole fam. It was not a good experience. We are heading to DL in a few days and no one knows we are going to be there. I am hoping that none of my relatives decides to go to DL when we are there. I would feel really embarrassed.

I know, I am bad.

 

[silence]

my brother and his family live in Oceanside. my mom bought them SoCal AP's for christmas, so they "visit" us at the parks when we drive down.

best of both worlds. we don't have to drive any further and my mom gets to spend time with all her grandbabies at her favorite place on earth.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My own personal opinion.

It would be a nice gesture on your part to try & accommodate your mother for her sake and your aunt's sake. Since your relatives are local, maybe they could meet up with you at Downtown Disney, as suggested earlier.

We have relatives come often from out of town, and some of them stay with us, some of them will stay at a hotel and we'll meet for dinner, and with some I'll join them at the parks and play.

It's just one evening, and you might even find yourself enjoying seeing them again.

 

[gaucho2000]

We do but that's because my dad lives in Anaheim and we usually stay with him!

 

[lisadoll93]

All of friends and family just meet us there and hang out with us for the day.

 

[staley7580]

We do. My sis lives about an hour away from DL, and we see them on every trip. BUT.. She is my sister, and we are really close... So we add that day into our travel plans.

 

[Sienna]

I know it's hard when everybody has an agenda. BUT, you probably should try to please your mom - one meal isn't *that* big of a deal, especially if they can meet you close to DL. And it IS family...

Okay, okay, that's what I feel like I should say.

I guess just cross your fingers and hope the cousin's busy.

 

[BecBennett]

I'm adding my vote to the "Get them to come to you" option. You don't need tickets to get into DTD, and that way you wont feel bitter that these people, who you're not close with, are taking time away from your Disney trip.

There's lots of great places in DTD for dinner and the like.

Also that way if you are tired and worried about being able to ge up for MM you can just head back to your hotel, so long as it's not too far away...

 

[quest4dl]

I initially thought that Friday dinner sounded fine BUT I am arriving with the kids at the hotel around 7-7:30. Original plan was to feed kids dinner on plane (two hour time difference) and then have dessert with mom and bro who are flying in a bit earlier and then right to bed. It's the last day of school and we are literally heading to the airport from school. So, long day for the kids, they will be tired etc. My mother e-mailed back and has reconsidered the plan. I was thinking a better plan would be for them to join us at DL but weekends I think are now blocked out if they have passes and if they don't have passes it's an expensive way for them to meet us. I know I'm sounding aggressive about our plans but I haven't been to DL since '81 and we aren't likely to return anytime in the foreseeable future. We are, however, likely to do another Southern California trip in the next few years and that is when I would fit in the relatives. I am feeling guilting and selfish all at the same time!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Based on what you are saying, I think Friday would not be a good night, but they can always meet you for lunch or dinner at Downtown Disney or Storyteller Cafe (Grand Californian Hotel) during the weekend. They don't have to go in the parks. Your mom can stay and visit with them longer if she'd like (Grand Californian has a great lobby & lounges for that) while you go back to the parks. Disneyland & California Adventure are open extended hours.

However, this is really your decision. Good luck.

 

[NWPrincess]

I second MaryJo. We have lots of family in CA and though we are devoting our first and last weekend to staying with them/visiting them, we met them last time at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner, then we went back to the parks. It wasn't that big of a deal and everyone had a good time.

Maybe if not the first night, then a weekday when the parks close early? Or just a meal in between the parks--maybe even do a lunch with them during the weekend when it gets crowded.

 

[DisneyPirates]

Your trip was revolved around the kids and going to Disneyland. I think if she wants to meet up with Family especially if they are local to where you guys are going to be, it shouldn't be a problem for them to meet you guys up somewhere near Disney, or in DownTown Disney. Would be a great outing for everyone

 

[quest4dl]

Some of the the schedule is go with flow based on how the kids are doing so hard to predict our meal breaks except for our two PS for BB and Goofy's Kitchen. We have Goofy's Kitchen on the weekend - do you think it would be hard to add two more people this late?

 

[mmmears]

BB & GK -- it may be hard, it may not, you'll have to call to find out. We're going the same time and it's been easy to get all the ADRs we've wanted. Keep in mind that they would need a park pass to eat at the BB.

There are lots of good restaurants in DTD and it's easy to get ADRs (except mostly same day ones).

When we go to DL, we call our friends and let them know when we're having dinner outside the parks and invite them to join us. Driving around LA makes me nervous!

 

[tortugaverde]

It is family.... I say meet them, even if it is an inconvenience. Just pick a meal to eat outside the park, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Meet them, eat.. and your mom can stick around to visit more if she likes Set up a spot to meet up with her later! You have to eat sometime anyway... might as well eat with your extended fam

 

[Hound 109]

Based on what you are saying, I think Friday would not be a good night, but they can always meet you for lunch or dinner at Downtown Disney or Storyteller Cafe (Grand Californian Hotel) during the weekend. They don't have to go in the parks. Your mom can stay and visit with them longer if she'd like (Grand Californian has a great lobby & lounges for that) while you go back to the parks. Disneyland & California Adventure are open extended hours.

However, this is really your decision. Good luck.

I agree with this. & especially would suggest that the best time to "meet" for a meal would be on the weekend in the early afternoon (when the parks are jammed anyway & you're on your "break").

The weekend is also easiest for them to "get around". If they don't want to meet for a meal (or in the park)....then it wasn't to be....no worries.

& are SoCal APs blacked out on Sundays? (i have an out of state pass & most Sundays are NOT blacked out.....just Saturdays.)