I am here to gripe

[Carrie772]

What a bummer, I know, but I just can't stand not talking about it.

My hubby's folks wanted to go to WDW with us and the kids this year. So we let them. I wanted to stay at the Poly. They are rather cheap (which is not bad thing, unless it gets in the way of fun), so I was going to concede to Pop. Not a bad place to stay, just okay. Well, it's my vacay too, so I talked them up to Coronado Springs...hooray!

Well, el cheap-o's didn't want to eat at restaurants, so we planned for all CS. Again, not my way to vacation, but I will give in. I like these people. They are good to me and the children. Man, I got sick of sandwiches. I longed for a knife and fork meal!

FIL doesn't like any rides. "They go too fast; they make me sick; I don't like Dumbo"...oh, man! Why are you here? We can't let him sit out every ride, so I or my hubby sit with him while MIL rides with the children.

They are lately estranged from their dearest friends and spent every moment in lines pulling me or my hubby off to the side to tell us the latest or get an opinion from us.

My MIL is also a very nervous person. Has to be in control of the situation, can't just enjoy the event. Has to engineer photo moments and get it just perfect. If she doesn't get it just right, it's ruined.

Hubby and I came back from the trip glad that it was over. That has never happened! Ever.

Now, hubby and I feel like we need a vacation just to recover from this vacation!

Has this ever happened to you? We are determined to go back just us 5 and that's it!!!!! I never want to share again. I have read other threads about this kind of thing happening, just thought it wouldn't happen to me!

Thanks for letting me vent! I hope my Dis buddies understand.

 

[DVCisME]

This SOOO happened to me. I am so sorry for you. To feel like everything you waited for is ruined. Just know that they probably had a great time and want to repeat the experience.
On a good note at least the big family trip is out of the way!

 

[shelby101301]

You poor thing! What a huge bummer! I would be disappointed too!

I've heard these stories too, so we really don't go often with family. And when I do, we set boundaries in advance, basically saying "this is our precious time together, one of the only times a year kids get one on one time with daddy. We need to have time for just us" If they can accept that, great, if not, sorry.

It's a hard thing to say, but if I don't watch out for my family who will, right?

Sorry again.

 

[Carrie772]

This SOOO happened to me. I am so sorry for you. To feel like everything you waited for is ruined. Just know that they probably had a great time and want to repeat the experience.
On a good note at least the big family trip is out of the way!

That's the truth. That I waited for a trip for a whole year and it fell short of the magic.

Oh, I forgot to mention that they are early to bed, but couldn't make their way back to the resort without us...no Wishes or Illuminations, or...whatever that show at DHS is called.

Thanks for the sympathy.

 

[Carrie772]

Just remembered: Fantasmic!

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

I'm sorry you had a tough time. We were really fortunate, we travelled with my parents for my sisters wedding with our four kids and were really lucky that everyone in our family gelled really well (wonderful chance to get to know our new brother in law better too, the kids adore him)

I was very worried before we travelled about potential conflicts but other than a bit of stressing at the airports it all went quite well

 

[Belle4mygrl]

OH been there and done that vacation too. My 72 year old mom went with us last May. We needed a vacation from that vacation. We went back to DW for free dp in September. Mom is good to us and adores the kids but she walked so slow, couldn't stay out late, didn't or couldn't ride every ride so we felt bad leaving her at a bench, and she ended up staying in the room for 3 days of the 6 days and we would come back during the day and back early at night to be with her!

So sorry.

 

[Stitch#1]

I have so been there too. Brought my DH family down since we felt bad because we had been a bazzilion times with my family with no problems. Well I will never do that again.

I should add we had gone with my parents so often because they had DVC before us so whenever they said "want to come along?" of course we said yes. Luckily my parents are like "good morning" "which park ar you guys off too?" "want to meet up say at dinnertime?"

That's my kind of trip. Just see them at night before bed and at breakfast!

 

[tchrrx]

I have a feeling I'll be posting something similar when I return in June from my trip with the in-laws. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it to be good though. We are staying at SSR on our points, so that's free for them. We're going to have them pay us for the DDP ahead of time, so we don't have to worry about food prices. DH is planning on picking up all of the tips, so we won't deal with that either.

 

[holly7347]

Most of our vacations have been HUGE extended family events. We have gone to Gatlinburg 2X's with everyone from great grandma/pa down to their great grandchildren and everyone in between. It was a huge group as they had 4 kids who are all married with kids and most of those kids are married with kids. Before we had kids we went to Vegas 2X's with DH's extended family. I have a talk with DH before we go and tell him this is my vacation too and I do not want to spend the entire time following his family around. It can be nice that we have plenty of people around to watch the girls and cousins for them to play with if we want to slip away for a dinner alone. But it gets frustrating when they are planning a 4 wheeler outing and DH things we have to go because "everyone else is" and I am just not interested.

At a place like WDW I think it could be even more frustrating to stick together as a group if people have very different interest in rides and food. I think when you agree to a group trip like that everyone has to be willing to split up on ocassion so everyone gets a chance to do the stuff they really like without making the others sit and wait.

But I agree I rather just go with my own little family.

 

[dolfinjuls]

Oh yes...I completely understand! The MIL came with us this past summer. She kept saying how much she wanted to go as she'd never been. How much of a help she'd be, blah, blah, blah...

Half of the time she wanted to stay at the resort to rest/sleep! And when she was with us she was the slowest person in the world. You'd think she was 80 or something...she's far from it. I had zero sympathies as I was up and running non-stop and I have rheumatoid arthritis...so never again with us either!

 

[daleswife]

I did that with my entire family of 13!!! Big Mistake.....Long story short....I do not speak to my mother, father, or older sister anymore......And they blame ME for all the drama......grrrrrr.

 

[JimR24]

Wow Carrie, it's like we lived the exact same thing. We went the week on 9/13 with my in-laws and I was excited to leave. I hate being that way at Disney but they sucked the life out of me. My MIL knows everything and thinks My FIL is constantly cranky and can the death of any good time.

This was their first trip to Disney and it will be their last with us, the things I do for my wife when she asks at the right time. My parents were Disney people and like me, went with the flow and things rolled off of them. They are gone now and miss them dearly, especially when things like this happen.

It was an expensive lesson but one I will NEVER forget.

 

[Carrie772]

I am so glad for all the responses. It took me 2 weeks to get over it and write my gripe report to you all.

A word of warning to all those considering a trip with the grandparents: Make sure you can stand these people for a whole week. If you check your watch 1 hour into Thanksgiving dinner, don't even think about Disney with them!!! Don't take them just for the sake of having taken them. Do something else. It's too expensive a lesson.

 

[shelby101301]

Luckily my parents are like "good morning" "which park ar you guys off too?" "want to meet up say at dinnertime?"

That's my kind of trip. Just see them at night before bed and at breakfast!

That's exactly the kind of attitude we adopt, although we don't mind if they tag along with us. It's just that it's unrealistic to think everyone will want to do the same thing, at the same speed for the whole trip.

so sorry to hear about all these bummer trips!

 

[noahdove]

I too have been there and done that and never again! I think you all need another Disney trip even if it's just for a few days..I am planning a trip with girlfriends and before we get too far with the planning, I am going to make sure they know, that we will need to separate at times, be it for meals, shows etc...

 

[disneyJMD]

We just did a trip with SIL and nephew plus my family of 6. We asked my parents and my MIL to join us at some point during the trip...we were there 12 days. My parents agreed to come and my MIL said no way would she want to travel with 5 kids. Fine..no problem, just wanted to ask both sides so there was no issue with "you asked HER parents...". Well, when my MIL figured out that my parents were going, they decided to join us for two days--the same two days my parents were going and 1 week before our departure date!! I made it clear to my DH that I was not changing our ADRS because I had called 6 months ago for them. He said that was fine and I think he understood my frustration. My MIL and FIL showed up, decided both needed to spend the day talking about how great "drinking the world" is, how glamorous alcohol is, and of course my SIL (23) joined in. My husband could see my anger, as they dawdled in every line waiting for their drinks, so he agreed to seperate and spend the day with my parents and three of my kids. My DS12, wanted to be with them, so my MIL's plan worked. She won over my DS 12 buying him everything he asked for and making sure she flaunted the money around in front of all of us. I think some of it could have been the fact that she did drink all day, but knowing her history, she was very aware of what she was doing. The encouragement of drinking around my 12 yr old really made me mad. It definately ruined those two days, but my DH was very good about the situation, and he could see what she was doing too. He let me vent and also stayed with me the whole time, even when I told him it was ok to join them for awhile. Needless to say the next trip will include my immediate family only...So I can understand the OP!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We must be very lucky. My grandparents have gone on all but one of our trips with us. They are 71 and keep up as well as any of us. We seperate sometimes, but mostly are together. They are fun and the kids love having them there. We only see them about 5 times a year, so we look forward to seeing them there. Yes, we have a few moments, but when we do we go our seperate ways for a while and when we meet up all is forgotten. We have very little family. DH doesn't speak to any of his and I pretty much have just have my grandparents, so we try to do special things with them when we can. Fortunatly thye go where we want as far as meals and stuff, saying whatever is good (and they mean it!) If they want to head back to their room, they go. If we need a break from the kids (this time we are going to cali grill to celebrate 15 years of marriage!), we get it. Fortunatly my DH loves them and loves having them around. I couldn't say the same if it were some other unnamed people, but I can for them...
Sorry it didn't work ot, it sounds like they changed your plans whereas my family comes along with our plans. (And they would never miss Wishes or for goodness sake, FANTASMIC!!!)

 

[powellrj]

FIL doesn't like any rides. "They go too fast; they make me sick; I don't like Dumbo"...oh, man! Why are you here? We can't let him sit out every ride, so I or my hubby sit with him while MIL rides with the children.


.

I just quoted this part. Please don't feel like you can't leave you FIL alone while you ride. My DF has never liked rides and loves to sit alone and people watch and nap. He would hate it if someone sat with him the whole time. As DH is getting older, I am noticing he is the same way. They would rather sit alone than have to have someone sitting and talking to them.

 

[KirstenB]

Many years ago, we brought our in laws on vacation using our DVC pts to stay at OKW. I found out they're not theme park fans, and MIL hates the heat. Despite this, we all had to stay together every moment of the day, because that's how they are. I don't care if you're George Clooney,,,I can't spend every moment with anyone!!!!

There was complaining from them the entire time. We've never invited them back, which probably suits them as well as us.