How do I keep the trip from being too stressful?

[adamsloco]

The "Maybe this time will be better" trip has been booked. We are heading down for Oct 20 to 28, and will be staying in a tent. I have only asked the Travel Agent to request a site large enough for our tent.

Hopefully, this trip will be better than my last. I found that one extremely stressful, and no fun at all. The highlight of the last trip (for me) was the Fort. That and the Hoop De Doo Revue, which is ... at the Fort. That's why I think I might be able to endure this Disney trip, because the family really wants to go again.


Any stress reducing ideas out there?

Traveling with my DW, DS 12, DD 8 DD 4 and DS 1/2.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

"Any stress reducing ideas out there?''
drugs,,,nuff said.

 

[plutospup]

First of all what was the nature or cause of the stress? Once that is determined you can work to avoid, or learn how to deal with those stresses. Family vacations can be very stressfull. Everything from trying to plan every detail, to daily family interactions can lead to a meltdown.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

The "Maybe this time will be better" trip has been booked. We are heading down for Oct 20 to 28, and will be staying in a tent. I have only asked the Travel Agent to request a site large enough for our tent.

Hopefully, this trip will be better than my last. I found that one extremely stressful, and no fun at all. The highlight of the last trip (for me) was the Fort. That and the Hoop De Doo Revue, which is ... at the Fort. That's why I think I might be able to endure this Disney trip, because the family really wants to go again.


Any stress reducing ideas out there?

Traveling with my DW, DS 12, DD 8 DD 4 and DS 1/2.

Not sure if this will work for your group but, you might try "planning" your down time. We'd get up and head to the parks while everyone was fresh and rested in the morning. Whenever the first kid started to tire, we'd head back to the Fort. Everyone could just relax. Kids watched movies, rode bikes, made friends, swam etc... My DH took several naps in the afternoons. If we felt recharged and wanted an evening activity, we'd go back to a park, go to the beach, or the campfire.

It actually felt like a vacation.

 

[VAN]

Agree that we need to know a little more about what was stressful from the previous trips.

Did you take everything on yourself? Did you get no help from your DW and the older children? If this was the case, you may want to have a serious discussion with the family about what their role will be ... that it is YOUR vacation too, and in order to make it work, you will need to be organized and everyone will have assigned roles. This should help with the stress of camping in a tent ... I hate it when people don't put their clothes "away" and things start getting cluttered. There is no extra room in the tent for a mess. Everything needs to be left in order so that if you come back from the parks late, the PJ's and everything are laid out so bedtime is smooth. I don't know, but if someone does not take charge and get everyone involved, then it will be stressful. You have to let them know that this isn't going to happen!! Assign all the tasks before you even leave home and things should work more smoothly. Let everyone know that you aren't leaving for the parks until your "camp" has been "policed".

Another stressful thing can be when the children want to buy this and that. Give them all a set amount for souveniers and tell them when it is gone, it's gone! This worked wonders for my children in that they were very careful about what they purchased. I'd go halves with them on any clothing items though since it was a practical item and I purchase clothes for them anyway.

Now if the stress is centered around seeing everything at WDW and making the most of your time in the parks, then you will just have to adjust your expectations. Plan to come back in future and know that you can see the things you missed on a future visit. Make sure you have the discussion with everyone prior to departure to find out what is important to them.

THEN, plan that downtime into your schedule. If you don't you will find that you are working too hard to have a good time ... kind of defeats the whole purpose of a family vacation.

Happy to comment more because we do camp and I tend to be the one in charge ... I refuse to do it all and will have a major melt-down if everyone is not pulling their weight!! LOL.

 

[IslandHtsCampers]

The Fort is relaxing. Don't be overburdoned by the parks. Enjoy the fort and make little trips to the parks.

 

[adamsloco]

Thank you Van, you had some good advice in your post, advice I will definitely follow.

The kids and money wasn't a problem, last time. We had made up 'fake' money for the kids. That way, they knew how much they had to spend. They paid us their money, and we bought the item for them. We had no problems with the "I wants" on the trip.

I was the one who was in charge of everything for the trip. Except cleaning the cabin, my wife did that. The kids didn't have any chores. This will change this year. Especially since we will be dining in the campground this time.

The main stress came from timing. Not in trying to see and do everything, but in trying to maintain the schedule that we had to follow because of the dining plan. Obviously, we won't do the dining plan this year so that won't be an issue.

In fact, the main plan is to make no plans. Go to a park, and return when the first kid starts acting too tired. No going to a park the morning after being at a park the previous day. Another option that we are considering is getting tix for only 4 days in the parks out of the eight day stay.

Crowds were also an issue. Neither myself or my DS 12 like being in large crowds. So, this year we will avoid EMH like the plague, for one. My vacation is end of October, and I'm hoping it is less busy than the beginning of December. Or at least, not busier.

I'd be happy just going to the Fort, and do nothing else, but that would create a lot of friction.

I'm also afraid that the food could be stressful, in that it needs to be prepped, cooked, and cleaned up afterward.

Thanks for all your advice!

 

[homebrew2]

Might I suggest Booze and lots of it

 

[arielmomma]

My family has discovered that while my DH loves Disney, he gets stressed out on vacations as well - crowds & heat are big factors for him.

To avoid friction, we separate for a few hours each day. We start out all together in the morning at the parks, then, after lunch, he takes our DD back for her nap while DS and I stay and play. He puts DD to sleep and literally basks in the quiet for a few hours. Then they meet us back up for dinner and a few more hours at the park. Then again, after we all go to bed, on some nights, he goes for a swim alone.

At first, I didn't understand his need to get away from it all, but I have come to respect it. Our vacations are so much better for the whole family now! While I go with the flow and can relax at WDW, DH loves it, but requires the down time. A family vacation doesn't mean that the family must be together 24/7. Maybe you and your 12 yo need breaks too? Just a suggestion.

 

[katiekomo]

I agree with ArielMomma-- if that's your personality, I would think that one of your kids might be the same way-- ready to take a break in the middle of the day. In fact, when I was 5, 10 & 15 that was always mandatory. No one wanted to leave at 2pm, but my dad drug us out of the park and made us have FOB time (Flat on Back)(somehow calling it that and not "nap time" went over better for me). Before you know it, my pouts would turn into snores. At 5 we'd be walking back into the park completely refreshed (and often passing miserable looking families with whining children and overwhelmed parents on their way out).

For the cooking, I would suggest you "plan" to have lunch at the campsite. That forces everyone to come back for a break (under the disguise of saving money). Give everyone a task in the cooking and the cleaning. While the kids have FOB time, you can finish up with the cleaning and enjoy some rest time. Also, if you do that (and not dinner) at the campsite you won't be cooking/cleaning at dusk/dark.

I grew up with family vacations at WDW (and worked there for a semester), but have never been to the Fort (yet!). So definitely take my advice with a grain of salt!!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Kungaloosh

 

[VAN]

When we camp, I am the one to have to clean up. I always hear "Why don't we have eggs and bacon like the other campers?" .... because I don't want to have to do the clean up of greasy items!!!

We keep it simple. We have a toaster and coffee pot ... OJ, Milk and cereal to go with any toast that someone may want to make for themselves! Disposable bowls, cups, plates (I do use real flatware though).

Lunch ... chips, fruit, cookies, potato salad/coleslaw and sandwiches. I will have deli meats and some meat salads. I put everything out on the picnic table and everyone helps themselves to what they want.

We actually have the same for dinner, unless we eat out.

We have a camper and so I have stocked in it a hot plate (don't like to mess up the inside of the camper) and a George Foreman grill. Occasionally I will make hot dogs on the GF grill so don't have to mess with a fire.

You get the picture ... keep it simple for you or your DW. Some people might start out with some frozen meals that can be heated, but I really don't get into that much.

Don't forget at the Fort, you can purchase pizza for take-out as well as a chicken dinner. Just take the family down to Pioneer Hall and eat at a picnic table or on the beach. Mid-week we will stop at a grocery store and that is when I might get take-out Chinese or something like burgers to bring back to the site for everyone.

Anyway, just keep it simple. I find that discussing things with the family prior to the trip as to what they can expect and why really helps. They might also have some good ideas that you could use and that's always a plus so that it doesn't appear that it is your "show" and responsible for every single friggin decision that needs to be made! LOL. Sorry about that.

Relax and have fun!

 

[ntsammy5]

I agree with others - my choice would be beer though.

 

[clkelley]

As far as passes go, you mentioned only getting 4 days of passes for those 8 days. With only 4 days of passes, you may be of the mindset that you have to get full value for those 4 days.

We have a different theory (although we do have Annual Passes). If it were me, I would get passes for the entire 8 days, but FORCE myself to believe that if I'm in a park for only a couple hours, I'm not wasting money.

While we do have a camper, and we have the ability to cook at the campground, we do mostly eat out.

We lounge around in the morning and go to a late breakfast somewhere on property (10:30ish). If that breakfast is at a park, we might do one attraction.

Then we head back to the camper and chill most of the day. Napping, looping, napping, looping. (We get a golf cart).

Then we'll head back out for dinner somewhere, then go to the park that has late EMH. (Magic Kingdom from midnite to 3am is a beautiful thing).

If there is no late night EMH anywhere then we head back to the campground and watch the fireworks and light parade at the beach, then with drink supplies in hand find another Fort Fiend in the campground to chill with for the evening.

 

[Nayan]

I cannot agree more with idea of scheduling downtime. The last couple trips we took were stressful, trying to fit everything in and make everyone happy and it's no surprise that I failed. We just got back a couple weeks ago and it really was a much different trip! I scheduled a goof-off day and planned our park trips so we could be out of them by noon and if we wanted to, could go back later in the day. The only thing I was firm on was AK morning EMH. I got a bit of grief for planning such an early morning, but when we rode the safari and saw animals we'd never seen up and about it was well worth it. Now I think it's a mandatory must-do for my brood! But a loose schedule, maybe one or two must-do's in each park and relax time are the key to a less stressful trip. And Kungaloosh, lots of Kungaloosh!

 

[Lil' Lisa]

...The kids and money wasn't a problem, last time. We had made up 'fake' money for the kids. That way, they knew how much they had to spend. They paid us their money, and we bought the item for them. We had no problems with the "I wants" on the trip.

I'm going to have to try that with my husband!!!

 

[Magicbus]

Has anyone suggested drugs, beer, or booze yet? Oh, oh, I feel a left turn coming up on this thread.

 

[RocklandRVers]

I cannot agree more with idea of scheduling downtime. The last couple trips we took were stressful, trying to fit everything in and make everyone happy and it's no surprise that I failed. We just got back a couple weeks ago and it really was a much different trip! I scheduled a goof-off day and planned our park trips so we could be out of them by noon and if we wanted to, could go back later in the day. The only thing I was firm on was AK morning EMH. I got a bit of grief for planning such an early morning, but when we rode the safari and saw animals we'd never seen up and about it was well worth it. Now I think it's a mandatory must-do for my brood! But a loose schedule, maybe one or two must-do's in each park and relax time are the key to a less stressful trip. And Kungaloosh, lots of Kungaloosh!

DITTO! The Fort is our home away from home and the real vacation. The parks are there to fill in with. We usually pick out our must see items. I too try to adhere to the early morning EMH for the parks. So much nicer to get there at rope drop and get on most of the key rides while its cooler (usually) and less crowded. Then before we become totally exhausted we head out for the Fort while many people are just coming in.

We keep things loose and keep an eye on the weather forecast. If its a really super nice day, we might head to Daytona and spend a day on the beach doin nuttin. In fact thats how we spent Christmas Eve 2008 sitting in 80 degree sunshine having left a major blizzard back home a few days earlier.

As for the food we make sure everyone chips in. DS is the grillmaster. I do a lot of the prep work. DW sets the table. If we have a 4th with us the heck with being a guest they gotta work too. We use paper plates and cups and it all goes in the garbage afterward. Cleanup usually consists of sharp knives and utensils. Other times we eat out. Trails End gets our business at least once per trip as do some of the other great Disney restaurants.

 

[adamsloco]

Has anyone suggested drugs, beer, or booze yet? Oh, oh, I feel a left turn coming up on this thread.

Yes, there have been multiple suggestions (each!) for Drugs, Booze and Beer. Interestingly, Sex hasn't made the list. I guess it causes more stress than it solves, especially in a tent. And no Rock n' Roll either!

Too bad, you see neither I nor my wife drink. But we enjoy Rock n' Roll, and ... the other thing. : (Although people tell me that THAT'S the reason I have 4 kids )

Back on topic, thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice. I think there might be a way through this trip. We weren't planning on getting Park Hoppers, but now I think perhaps we should. What do you think? Is it worth getting the hopper if you are planning on going back for a downtime, or FOB time. (I like that one.) And do one park morning, a different park afternoon or evening depending.

Somebody mentioned golf carts. Are they really necessary for this return in the middle of the day? I figure that we are going to be in the 2000 loop, maybe the 1500 loop because we are really tenting it, in a huge tent. (24' x 16') And I understand those are the loops with the biggest sand pits. The 2000 loop seems really remote, considering.

 

[IslandHtsCampers]

beer?