Does anyone else stress about date details and travel companions that don't get it?!

[Dean]

I really depends on the people you are inviting or givin a free vacation.

DW and I gave a 1 week stay in NYC at Hilton to some of our friends, they were so grateful. Even though they are good friends we didn't know that going to NYC had been a life long dream of theirs.

So when we asked if they wanted go, they were so happy - they accepted and had the best time ever.

IMO if I give a free vacation to anyone I expect some sort of gratefulness - I also ask people to take a real hard look in their calenders to see if they are actually able to go or not. Dont accept if you don't know if you can go or not.

I you give a vacation away then it should be free to the receiver, but if you plan a vacation with someone else I think its more than fair to split the cost of the dues or whatever the price of the vacation is - you just need to mention it on beforehand so everyone ones. Let them pay their half on the time of the booking - as others mentioned its a commitment.

I haven't been "burned" yet, should it ever happen I might revise my thinking.

I haven't travelled with friends...yet, But should it happen I would have a talk about expectations and so. I would hate for a vacation to be ruined because of this. I find it more than fair if the owner gets the master bedroom - afterall being an owner does come with some upfront costs.

We do a family trip 30-40 people most years and we've been very lucky but then I'm up front about the exceptions. I pay for it and I really don't expect even a thank you though it feels good when people do so because they realize the work and cost that goes into it. I've just seen too many horror stories here and elsewhere. I'd say that if there is anyone in the group who one already knows is unreliable, flaky or brings drama; expect them to be themselves on steroids for Disney. Expecting them to be on their best behavior when they usually aren't is simply asking for trouble and one would have no one to blame but themselves if they were their usual self.

 

[bumbershoot]

I really want my one non Disney nephew to enjoy Disney before he's too old for the magic

Not sure what you define that magic to be, but by the time we hit WDW when DS was 6.5 he still wanted to visit characters despite having noticed their zippers LONG before (and I'm not into characters so we never did the "Mickey is real" sort of myth with him). He still had a ton of fun without that "magic" involved.

So even if he doesn't go at 6, going later isn't a horrible thing.

 

[disneynutz]

Our adult children have talked about Disney memories and visits prior to 9 years of age don't have any details. They remember going prior to 9 but they didn't retain specifics, what rides, parks, where we stayed. My son insists that for our PBS trip in the 80's we stayed at WL when we really stayed at Buena Visita Palace.

Bill

 

[Judique]

Our adult children have talked about Disney memories and visits prior to 9 years of age don't have any details. They remember going prior to 9 but they didn't retain specifics, what rides, parks, where we stayed. My son insists that for our PBS trip in the 80's we stayed at WL when we really stayed at Buena Visita Palace.

Bill

Lol, just tell him that the Wilderness Lodge didn't even open until 1994!

But as for memories - my thoughts are that these are MY memories, not necessarily the child's memory.

I am so ready to take my grandchild who just turned one on New Years Eve. I want those memories!

And her parents can show her all the pictures of her with Grandma and Mickey when I may no longer be around to share those memories. She may remember it better when she is older but I'm sure as heck not getting any younger!

 

[kristenrice]

I have the opposite problem...I have my sister and my dad who are already texting me about their dining plans for our next DVC trip together....in 2019! Talk about long-term planning. It was going to be me and my sister and our four girls (my two and her two...ages 16, 14, 11 and 8 at time of travel) and we were planning on a 2BR at Kidani for 6 nights (Sat-Fri) in a standard view. Then, my dad expressed an interest in joining us. Knowing that we can easily fit the 8 of us in a 2BR, and since we needed a 2BR for the 6 of us anyways, I told him that they are more than welcome to join us. I know that mom's health is always a risk factor, but knowing that we would not be booking anything extra, I am comfortable planning for them to join us. Now, dad wants to pay me for my points. I told him absolutely not! I am MORE than happy using the points for the whole family instead of trying to use them up for just myself. He was so insistent, so we came up with a plan. He opened a SWA Visa card and he is planning to use the points to pay for the airfare for me and my girls. That way it's a "points for points" trade. A win-win for me since I will have no cash outlay for lodging or airfare. Between my sister and my dad, I get an "update" on their plans at least twice a week.

 

[com_op_2000]

...Anyone else frustrated with family or friends who "don't get it?"

They are your points:
Go when and where you want to stay and since you are inviting them, tell them:
Whoever pays the piper calls the music.

 

[ktate82]

I feel your pain. My brother isn't bad, but my mom is flighty. My brother gets his vacation in October and our kids are on break, so we have taken to just giving those dates to our mom and if her and our step dad make it, then they make it. This last year, my parents just got their own room so if something happened, it wasn't a big deal (plus my mom sees "free dining" as a must so they got the dining plan too).