Family bailing on us?

[DisneyDuo]

Yup, happened to us too. My brother has never been to the World - heck, I don't think he's ever been out of our state! We invited him a year in advance, and checked monthly, he said he was coming. We wanted him to have a special time so we got a one bedroom (we only have 150 pts) at Beach Club Villas. One month before he admitted he hadn't gotten plane tickets and didn't want to come. No good reason why. We were so

We ended up having a good time, but felt we wasted our points - we'd rather stay more days in a studio.

So we'll never invite him again!

Lin

 

[likestravel]

Hey my wife and I are looking for a room for Nov 27 - Dec 3 or so. We are in our mid 40s and we leave at the crack of dawn and dont get back until late so we are very low maintanence. The couple that we usually go with well they just had there third baby so they arent going this year. SO if you need someone to take that third bedroom up stairs. Just let me know how much. Would love to help you out Thanks Russ and Lorraine

 

[mmcguire]

This is one reason we always do the big family trips in May. With a February use year, we still have time to bank if necessary. But I must say that we have done 4 big family trips in the past 10 years and no one has backed out yet. We have another one planned for May 2009. So I will knock on wood now. I'm sure it helps that most of our family members really enjoy going to WDW. And they know if they don't jump on the chance of a free room that it may be awhile before they are asked again. Plus after the first trip everyone that went was going on and on about the GV at OKW. Doing 2-bedrooms at BCV one year was a big hit too. Now we have problems with deciding who to take on these trips.

See this is why I love hanging out with you guys! I don't know why that didn't even occur to us before! If they bail, we can always cancel the 2BR, bank our remaining 2009 pts to 2010 and just use what we banked/borrowed for the Studio for just the four of us.

 

[eva]

See this is why I love hanging out with you guys! I don't know why that didn't even occur to us before! If they bail, we can always cancel the 2BR, bank our remaining 2009 pts to 2010 and just use what we banked/borrowed for the Studio for just the four of us.

Great idea! Enjoy!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Just a word of warning. I have a brother, a wonderful guy, who will ask my advice on plane fare. He then waits inside whatever the booking deadline is and then complains he can't find the airfare I quoted him.

You need to provide a deadline that will (most likely) allow them to find affordable airfare. Otherwise they may cancel just because getting there is too expensive.

 

[HGD24]

I would also give them a deadline that allows you enough time to change your ressie if possible or to rent your villa out before your use year in Dec.

We always get in writing with family and friends a deadline of when they can cancel by. It saves a lot of arguments since we're all aware of what's expected.

DH's aunt and uncle invited themselves on our Oct trip. I booked them a 1-bedroom (all that was available) and told them that they need to cancel by a given date and if they don't and don't have airfare by then, the room is being cancelled. DH is on-board with this too since they are the types to hype a trip up, only to bail out.

 

[Karenj2]

I had that happen too, although I'm not a DVC owner... DH and I had invited both sides of our family to join us in WDW last year to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Everyone was enthusiastic except for my parents who said they weren't interested (my mom has a bad back, so she wouldn't be able to go on much, or walk for long periods of time.)

One by one, the families backed out, until it was just my MIL & FIL (who hate florida weather in the summer, which was when we were going) and my older sister & her family. So WE uninvited my in-laws and just went with my sister etc... And as you can see, we enjoyed enough to be going with them in a week, and we're already planning 2009!

The thing that annoyed me a little, was that my BIL & his family from California decided to go to WDW this year, and invited my MIL & FIL to go, which they did. I was a little hurt, but in all honesty, I LIKE traveling with my sister, and not so much with my in-laws. (Even DH would agree with me)