DVC Trip Planning Nightmare

[mickey mouse lover]

I feel your pain.

 

[Crew-JTA]

Another lesson in planning for non-members.... Our family of 4 (me, DH, DS6, and DS<1) planned to get a 2BR with friends of ours (family of 6) for Oct 7 - 12. MS allowed 2BR due to number of kids vs adults and infant didn't count. Anyway, friends had money issues come up (I don't know what they were thinking; they weren't saving anything for the trip) . Does a family of 4 need a 2BR?

But wait, there's more. Then, I find out that DH (term used loosely) hasn't exactly been honest . As of 1 month ago, DH no longer lives at home and is, therefore, not invited on our "family" vacation. Now we're down to me, DS6, and the baby who is as cute as a button but spits up 24/7 . Can't downsize - there's nothing available.

Solution: found some wonderful friends to come along (without their husbands) who already booked their flights (yea!). Will leave sweet baby with kicked-out daddy (loving dad, makes poor choices, is in counseling). Will call Dining to change ADRs from party of 10 to party of 6. Isn't life funny? Get me out of here!

Tamara
(I haven't quite figured out how to add all the cool stuff in my signature yet)

 

[JimMIA]

Definitely keep them at 9 and just tell them it's 7 when you get there.

Agree -- keep the ADRs you have. That happens all the time and won't be a problem.

Trying to re-do ADRs at this late date probably WILL be a problem.

 

[holcomb-mania]

Well tonight SIL sent me a message and said they weren't going. So now, a month away and I have to cancel the other room and waitlist...

Be completely prepared for yet ANOTHER "change of heart" (ie, her other plans fell thru when one of her friends bailed on her) a week before your trip. "Can we go?????"

Lesson learned.... brother and SIL won't be invited for future trips unless they make their own plans that don't involve me doing anything for them.

I fully endorse your move. However, be prepared to be labeled as a bad guy. Maybe you can get a Photopass photog to snap you in front of Villians in Vogue!

Rant concluded... just watch out for the "troublesome" family members!

How do you know my MIL?!?

 

[MichelleB]

We planned a family trip to HH in 2001. We started out planning for 27 people and ended up with 13 that went. We were supposed to be 12. My DH's brother wasn't going to go. Asked him SEVERAL times, are you sure? No, can't go. We drive from Cincy to Atlanta the night before check-in to all meet up and drive together to HH. Getting ready to leave from ATL at 9 a.m. to find out that DB changed his mind and is now going. We had (2) 2 bdrms. booked so frustrated but not a big deal. We get there and tell 1/2 the group which room is theirs and DH's other DB comes out and tells me we have the wrong room. No, we got what we're supposed to have. DB then points out that other DB has no bed. Gee, sorry....didn't know he was coming so he's on the couch. I was the wicked person in the family, but life is rough. I've since learned there's no amount of money in the world that would entice me to plan a big family gathering again. I applaud all of you that do and make it work. With our family, it's just a nightmare.

 

[surfer_ed]

This thread is confirming my fears about planning for a group. I am under some pressure from my mom to plan a trip for her that includes my family and my brother's family next year. She wants it as a retirement trip with all her grandchildren. As a child we visited WDW many times but she has not been back in about 20 years.

Issue is my brother and his wife (to make matters more complicated is my wife's sister) most likely can't afford it AND always cancel at last mintue.

We want to take our niece and newphew but most likely brother and sister-in-law won't send them on their own with us, even if we paid...which I would do for the kids not the adults.

Also, never really disclosed that we have DVC since there seems to be some resentment on the $$ issues between the 2 families.

What can I say it is a tangled web...

 

[JodyTG]

I didn't realize that I have so many brothers and sisters and that they ALL post here. What a small world...

We've also been burned by family completely gung-ho about going and then a few months later back out. The latest were my husbands parents.

We've said it once...no twice...but now we REALLY mean it...
NO MORE GUESTS IN OUR DVC!!!

Sorry for yelling, but I had to get it out there...

 

[vascubaguy]

Be completely prepared for yet ANOTHER "change of heart" (ie, her other plans fell thru when one of her friends bailed on her) a week before your trip. "Can we go?????"




I fully endorse your move. However, be prepared to be labeled as a bad guy. Maybe you can get a Photopass photog to snap you in front of Villians in Vogue!




How do you know my MIL?!?

Haha, I've already told them there is no more mind-changing (at least not that will impact me). If they decide to go, they'll have to get their own rooms and pay cash for them, and they'll have to order their own tickets.

And I don't mind being the villain, I look good in black.

 

[TDC Nala]

The ADR's that require deposits will forfeit the deposit if the diners do not show up. You should call Dining and change those at the very least.

CG doesn't require a deposit, they require a credit card guarantee and the card will be charged if the party doesn't show up. CRT and the dinner shows require payment in full at the time of booking, which is different from a no-show guarantee.

As far as whether they'll be charged if only part of the party shows up...who knows. You can get two different answers to that one if you call Disney and ask.

I had that problem on an earlier trip but was able to have the reservation changed. Call and ask if they have availability for 7 (or have someone else in the party do it). If they do, book that and THEN cancel the other one.

(I see you already worked that one out)