Terri
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- May 5, 2005
- Messages
- 53
Hi All!
I’m a long time DIS board member and a long time lurker that is finally committing to writing my first PTR and TR. This board has helped me plan many WDW trips over the years, so maybe it’s time to share my experiences. This is a trip of firsts for me.
When – March 1 – March 5 – First time during F & G
Actually it’s my first spring trip ever!
Where: Wyndham Bonnet Creek – 3 bedroom Condos. First time not staying on property
Who: First adult trip without my husband. Instead there will be me (I’m the one wearing sunglasses)
my daughters Libby (Alice) and Katie (Belle), alas the Queen is back in her kingdom of Hearts (aka Indonesia)
A (our official driver and first trip since the 80s), his wife J (first trip), their friend N (back up driver and first trip) and 10 high school exchange students representing China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Switzerland, and Thailand.
Exchange students? Why am I going with 10 exchange students? Well, 35 years ago I was a high school exchange student to Japan.
The organization is primarily volunteer run (approximately 150 staff member vs 5000+ volunteers in the USA) so in my early thirties we started hosting and I began accepting leadership roles at the state and regional level. The program is family/school/community based and not a travel program, but of course there are a few key destinations the students would like to go to during their year. We try to accommodate this interest by organizing a few optional trips usually to NYC and Washington DC. During a fall planning meeting an item of new business was that we had lost our NYC trip leader and who would take on this project.
Finally, the silence was too much, “I won’t plan a trip to NYC but I could plan a trip to Disney World!”
Jaws dropped.
Even though WDW is an equally requested destination this is the first time we are offering at as an optional trip. I always assumed this was because WDW is a family trip. Apparently, I was wrong. The real reason we have never offered one because the general consensus was a) it would be too difficult to plan as a group trip and b) it would be too difficult to find chaperones.
Really?
I mean I love going to NYC, but for me the thought of chaperoning a group of teens in NYC is hive inducing. In comparison, WDW seems much more manageable. Yes it is large, but it is contained, has a certain level of structure, and at least, feels safe. As for difficult, I’ve planned multiple WDW trips for family, extended family, and friends. How difficult could it be to plan a group trip, a budget group trip, a budget group trip for teens?
Before Jiminy Cricket could whisper, I was asked how soon I could provide pricing and send out a flyer to students and host families.
I’m a long time DIS board member and a long time lurker that is finally committing to writing my first PTR and TR. This board has helped me plan many WDW trips over the years, so maybe it’s time to share my experiences. This is a trip of firsts for me.
When – March 1 – March 5 – First time during F & G
Actually it’s my first spring trip ever!Where: Wyndham Bonnet Creek – 3 bedroom Condos. First time not staying on property
Who: First adult trip without my husband. Instead there will be me (I’m the one wearing sunglasses)
my daughters Libby (Alice) and Katie (Belle), alas the Queen is back in her kingdom of Hearts (aka Indonesia)
A (our official driver and first trip since the 80s), his wife J (first trip), their friend N (back up driver and first trip) and 10 high school exchange students representing China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Switzerland, and Thailand.
Exchange students? Why am I going with 10 exchange students? Well, 35 years ago I was a high school exchange student to Japan.
The organization is primarily volunteer run (approximately 150 staff member vs 5000+ volunteers in the USA) so in my early thirties we started hosting and I began accepting leadership roles at the state and regional level. The program is family/school/community based and not a travel program, but of course there are a few key destinations the students would like to go to during their year. We try to accommodate this interest by organizing a few optional trips usually to NYC and Washington DC. During a fall planning meeting an item of new business was that we had lost our NYC trip leader and who would take on this project.
Finally, the silence was too much, “I won’t plan a trip to NYC but I could plan a trip to Disney World!”
Jaws dropped.
Even though WDW is an equally requested destination this is the first time we are offering at as an optional trip. I always assumed this was because WDW is a family trip. Apparently, I was wrong. The real reason we have never offered one because the general consensus was a) it would be too difficult to plan as a group trip and b) it would be too difficult to find chaperones.
Really?
I mean I love going to NYC, but for me the thought of chaperoning a group of teens in NYC is hive inducing. In comparison, WDW seems much more manageable. Yes it is large, but it is contained, has a certain level of structure, and at least, feels safe. As for difficult, I’ve planned multiple WDW trips for family, extended family, and friends. How difficult could it be to plan a group trip, a budget group trip, a budget group trip for teens?
Before Jiminy Cricket could whisper, I was asked how soon I could provide pricing and send out a flyer to students and host families.
