Family Trip??!!

[browniemtb]

Well its official...got the word from my DW's family that they all want to go next November. To accomplish this task we will have to bank and borrow to get everyone there. We have 3 of her sisters and their families going as well as Grandma and Grandpa. When should I start the pool for who will be first to back out and when????

 

[dianeschlicht]

Start it now, because someone is sure to back out over Christmas!

 

[Dizny Dad]

Indeed someone may backout at Christmas, or at least waver a little, tipping their hand as to the change in mind or doubts about their participation, but I vote for the majority to backout right after you pass the window to bank your points.

Good luck to you in your adventure!

 

[dmoore22]

Well its official...got the word from my DW's family that they all want to go next November. To accomplish this task we will have to bank and borrow to get everyone there. We have 3 of her sisters and their families going as well as Grandma and Grandpa. When should I start the pool for who will be first to back out and when????

I must admit I have a wonderful DW. Whenever she brings up the idea of having a family trip, in-laws, nieces, nephews, etc. I get out the points charts, show her what we will have to bank/borrow, which of course means we will be giving up our twice yearly trips. Her response: "They can pay their own way. They might like staying in a Value Resort." And that's her side of the family.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

We started planning our big family vacation (18 people) about 18 months out and we didn't lose a single person during the process, and actually we added one, a newborn who was 3 months old when we went. We had 4 rooms (3 studios and one 2 bedroom) and everyone was on some form of DDP for convenience.

There were 3 families with children (12 people total) and the balance were either single or a couple with no children. We traveled from Syracuse, Boston and Chicago and honestly, although it was a lot of work to manage, it really wasn't as bad as I expected in the beginning.

 

[perpetualplanner]

We're doing the same thing except for June of '11. My parents and all of my siblings and their families....15 in all from a 3 mos old to a 74 yr old.

Should be interesting planning. We've just stated 1 rule....You MUST attend the family dinner - otherwise have a great time!

If we had to spend major time together as a large group it would surely come to blows...I'm hoping for the best

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We've done a lot extended family trips over the years...with both my husbands & my family...the largest was for my parents 50th anniversary(18 people)....we were lucky to get into BCV when it first opened.....after that trip my brother purchased his DVC membership there....over the years we have worked together planning many trips..."knock on wood" no one has backed out over the years....and we have our trip planned next year to celebrate my daughters 21st birthday ..........sending you pixi dust that you will be as lucky as we have been and no one cancels

 

[castleri]

I'll vote for one cancellation at the 30 day mark - had that happen to me so we ended up with 5 in a GV over Christmas week. Last year they cancelled early so it wasn't so bad. I was the one who ended up not being able to go when I became caregiver for my Mom on Dec 12 - 14 days before the trip. Everyone else went at my insistence and the ones who had to cancel prior to that still haven't been able to make it for a trip to WDW. Hoping they get there this winter as I am dying to get my youngest DGS to WDW- he will be almost 5 by then.

In our case the cancellations were due to lost jobs, just starting new jobs and unexpected financial problems so I have no hard feelings about them.

 

[jekjones1558]

Well, it will be hard for your family to top mine in the switch-oe-change-oe category. Today I booked 3 - 2 bedrooms and 1 - 1 bedroom for a week next October. While I was still on the phone with MS getting the last of the names on the rooms, I got an e-mail saying that maybe we should reconsider and book a GV and 2 - 2 bedrooms. This after I had already (I thought) achieved consensus on room sizes and assignments. I am now waiting to get consensus--again--before I call MS to start over. Lucky for me I have an October use year, but I am worried about the BW view rooms (especially the GV) being booked by the time I might call to change. I have loved our 2 previous family trips, but it is always a relief when we are all finally at the Minneapolis airport and ready to go! Hopefully any adjustments you need to make will be within your banking window. Happy planning! Have fun and hang loose!

 

[Granny]

... but I vote for the majority to backout right after you pass the window to bank your points.

Yep.

 

[nickspace]

On our extended family trip, which was for 20 people, I used points for my unit and everyone else paid cash for their units with the registrations in their name. They got my 25% DVC discount but putting the rooms in their names made them responsible for their own actions.

 

[browniemtb]

Thanks for all the replies.....some made me laugh. I hope it all works out especially since I will be banking and borrowing. My In-laws actually asked if we could pull this off a couple years back when we were sitting around the Luna Park Pool. They wanted to get the whole family there for their 50th but were concerned of cost, so I offered our points to pull it off. I still have to wait for the first part of December before I can book....some may even back out by then.

 

[crisi]

Well, it will be hard for your family to top mine in the switch-oe-change-oe category.

We planned a trip for - 2005? I think it was October 2005. My family, my parents, little sisters family, baby sister and boyfriend.

My baby sister switched jobs. October wasn't going to be possible with her job - move to Spring six months later.

Little sister gets pregnant - baby sister loses job. Can we push it back another six months - we are back to October 2006.

Baby sister has issues - in and out of rehab. Little sister has second baby. Little sister gets cancer. We push it out again - maybe twice.

We make the trip in 2008 - without baby sister (who had gotten her act together, but not enough to travel at that point - she was six months sober and trying to keep a job for the first time in many years for longer than six months). But we did get it made. With one less sister (boyfriend LONG GONE), two extra nephews and one fewer breasts than originally planned.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Make them all get their own reservations and you'll be set. Either they will or they won't.

 

[Chellymouse]

Just went through this and quite frankly....won't do it again! DH's sister, her husband, their 2 kids and his mom and us. We do an add on (sooner than we had planned and spent more $$ to go through DVC for the "extra points"), call the first morning of our 11 month window to get THV to have his sister cancel on us a week after we came home in Oct. Now, we were stuck with 233 that HAD to be used used by 9-30 or we lose them. We did re-book and we're going in May and staying at BWV for the first time, but if they decide at some point they want to go, they are on their own.