i am so discouraged!!!!

[mom2my2princesses]

my Dh & i originally were taking our DDs on this trip (their 1st & probably only for the next 5 years or so) anyhow, we were originally leaving the last week in Feb, had it all booked out (planned not paid for) online & everything was set until.... BAM! my mother decides she would love to tag along. we thought hmm, we do have a 5 yo& 18mo old with us, it would be great to have another pair of hands. well along with this extra pair of hands have come so many problems!! first she insisted we booked with a travel agent (which i have never done & will never do again) because she didn't think it was "safe" to do it online. i have always done it online without a single problem. we ended up paying almost 2x the original cost we had figured, my 18mo ended up without a seat on the plane (after repeatedly assuring me she had one my mom says TWO days ago, oh - madison doesn't have a seat) and then she had to change the date to 3/24- now all i keep reading about is how busy the parks are. i feel like i have sabatoged our trip- we could have gone durring a slower time & spent a lot less. i'm worried about the lines & just feeling so discouraged about this trip now. are there any good strategies for busy times (i mean obviously get a fast pass when you can, but aside from that any tips???) thanks for letting me vent!!
betsy

 

[cyndibelle]

plan your shows out you want to see...get to the parks early...remember your on vacation..smile...breath in the air and have FUN..............

 

[rnnomore]

The best thing for you to do now that your Mom has "sabotaged" the trip is to just let it roll off your shoulders. You will go and once there, be in the happiest place on earth!! Don't worry about crowds. There will be some crowds, but not like it's a high holiday season.

Look at the park guidemaps, and figure out what you want to see and do. Then take it from there. Everything else will just be icing on the cake. Taking breaks in the middle of the day is an excellent idea, as is using EE.

Relax and have fun!!!

 

[NHDisneyFan]

Did your Mom pick up the cost of this trip after doubling the price?

 

[mom2my2princesses]

thanks for all the advice- yes i did tell my mom that since she "requires" the more expensive hotels, non stop flights & such she needed to pay the difference (which she has been reminding me of for 2wks now) i think i am just getting stressed. but i am sure we will have a wonderful time... right? LOL!! thanks again
betsy

 

[NHDisneyFan]

We too will be down there next week, I'm sure it will be a fantastic time.

 

[mmeb144]

Maybe you don't want to hear this, but I would talk to Mom about your expectations of her during this trip. Like, childcare, family time, etc. It will help things go a little smoother once you are down in WDW.

Remember to keep smiling and don't overplan. Enjoy the moment!

Marie

 

[Naisy68]

Wow, I thought my mom was controlling. Now I know that I am not alone. We are taking my mother -in-law this summer and I am very hesitant. I just don't want to worry about her not having a magical time. I hope that she enjoys herself.
Anyway, my advice to you is to relax, enjoy yourself and do what you want to while you're there. You may have to set some ground rules with your mom. I know from experience that that's not always easy. Maybe you're my long lost sister that I never knew about because this story sounds like my life. Ha!
Have a safe and magical journey!

 

[memymomonica]

I feel for you. We have taken my mom of trips before. We call her our Granny Nanny. We never have a problem. I think you should just relax. Let her know what you think should happen on this trip. If she "reminds" you that she is paying for the difference, remind her that you already had your family vacation planned when she invited herself.

 

[luvaladdin]

We have been in March before, and noticed the crowd difference between then and May, when we usually went. However, it was not overwhelming. The key piece of advice I give everyone is to arrive early at the parks. My kids are early risers, whether at home or on vacation, so this is no problem for us. We are always at the park before it opens, and we do all the popular rides first, finishing up by 11:00, where we can have a relaxing, early lunch while it's uncrowded and then do "lesser" attractions after that, i.e. stay from away from Fantasyland, things like Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Carousel of Progress, Tiki Birds, etc. Back to the resort for a rest, swim and/or nap, then back to another park from late afternoon to closing.

 

[jsjohnso]

I love my parents but travelling with them does add more stress. I was relieved when they decided not to come with us to WDW even though the free babysitting would have been nice. If they were going, I knew that the midday rest is as essential for them as it would have been for DS, and we would not be expecting to do everything together all the time. One nice thing about staying at a nicer hotel for you would be no guilt trips about leaving her there if she didn't want to do some of the things that you do.
If she doesn't mind spending money, your DDs will probably make out with Grandma along!
So, yeah, talk about expectations with her; find out what she's expecting, so if there are big discrepancies between her plans and yours, you can take care of it up front. if you plan out the itnerary, share it with her ahead of time, so there wouldn't be any fuss at the last minute..(I'd hate spending a lot of time on plans and then have it all messed up) The thing about her paying for part of it is, she will feel like she has some say in the plans.

Ultimately, you will be making great memories together. One day in the future you and your DDs will be happy that you've shared this time with your mom.

 

[sandyneck]

Don't stress too much about the crowds. With the ages of your children you are limited in what attractions you can do, so just set a list of must do's and do them! Sit down with mother and map out a game plan for your days. I am hoping you have already talked out the general theme of the trip, i.e.--what time to get to parks, how long you plan to be there, types of meals you are going to eat, etc. Maybe you can get a night out without kids! Have fun no matter what!!

 

[winniedapooh]

Pixe dust and and remember just breathe.....you are going to a most magical place.....once you are on Main Street let the sights and sounds take over and be a kid again! Have a great trip!

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

We have taken my mom with us on 3 trips to WDW in the past and the 1st time was the hardest. It was just a tough time because we drove down and the girls were a bit cranky and then they behaved differently because of course "Grandma" was there! I had to explain to my mother that I did not like their behavior and that she had to help me out by not necessarily being her normal self! LOL This is a woman who, as many grandmas, let the children get away with EVERYTHING! Granted, they were not behaving terribly, but just not what I felt like dealing with, kwim. After the little 'de-programming' session, it all fell into place. Since that first trip, my girls are older and I have experience with all involved, so I lay down the GROUND RULES with everyone. We are going on our 4th trip with mom and she is really excited about it and so are the girls! I love having the 'built in' babysitter and they love it too! This time we hope to actually take advantage of it! Most times we have been too tired to deal with getting dressed up and going out at night!!! But we will be there for our 15th wedding anniversary and intend to do something special! As for the crowds ... I will be there on the March 30th - April 7th and am not looking forward to the crowds either, but will grin and bear it. Reminding myself to stop and see the little things through my children's eyes. We have, in the past, done the things suggested here, going in on Early Entry Days and done ALL the biggies and then go eat off hours. Back to the hotel to cool off and rest up ... return to the parks and if there are two parades, we do the later one (sometimes they are less crowded). The biggest thing to remember is, you are making memories here, don't let the hustle and bustle ruin that for you ... stop, smile often and live the magic with your children! My 3 girls absolutely cherish the little things we have done together while at WDW and it means so much to me that they remember those small touches that I thought were overlooked. :::sprinkling you with Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust::: sending you on your way :::