I love my friends but

[Rafikifan]

they're making me crazy. Our two families are going to WDW in June. We went the same time last year but we had the trip planned and they decided to come along kind of last minute. I asked my friend to check out the menus but she never would give me an answer other than, "you know the places and we don't so you pick." I did, and I'm pretty sure they enjoyed most of the meals although we ended cancelling a couple since they didn't feel like much more than counter service that day which was fine with me. I don't think my friends dh enjoyed 1900 Park Faire for dinner. He was annoyed it took so long to get his tea refilled, he thought the prime rib was underdone (the rest of us thought it was done just right but we like pink prime rib.) I was really looking forward to taking them to Le Cellier. We had a little time to kill before our AR time so we headed to Mouse Gears. On the way my friend commented how good the big pretzels looked with the cheese dip and I told her not to get one then since in 15 minutes we would be heading to Le Cellier and I told her about the pretzel bread. I got to shopping and when dd and I came out there's my friend and her dh both with a pretzel and cheese dip. Now, they are adults and can eat what they want - I'm not trying to sound like the food police but sure enough neither of them were hungry at dinner and didn't even want to try the breadsticks or cheese soup, and didn't eat much of their steaks.
I basically felt kind of "resposible" for whether or not they enjoyed their dining and swore that next trip I would insist they pick out some places or give me a list of places they'd be ok with but I got the same answer, "We like just about anything so you decide." I've made some AR's but I am constantly going back and forth on whether to switch places or not. AGGGGH! Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[bicker]

Yeah, I know the feeling. I am going to deliberately not care whether my brother and his wife enjoy the restaurants we've picked out for them. I know I've done a great job integrated their specific dietary preferences with the available options, and heck, I'm paying, so they better enjoy themselves!

 

[disneylizzy]

I appreciate that it is probably fun to go to WDW with friends and extended family, but this is why I will never to it. I can picture people not wanting to do the research and waving their hands to say, "you do it all, we're easy, we like everything", and then whammo! Complain, complain, complain. I just don't want to feel responsible for someone else's vacation. Call me selfish, but I don't want to consider anyone else's likes and dislikes except my children's.

That being said, I bet you have some great memories to share from your trip. I just can't think of anyone besides my kids that I could get along with for a week at WDW.

 

[mistydoodles]

Oh MY GOODNESS!!!!! This was so my vacation a couple weeks ago. I swear I will never ever take anyone besides my kids and husband to WDW again.

My sister and family decided to join us on our trip this December back in July. Also my mother came along but I had no problems with her, besides her favoring my nephew but that is another story.

Anyway, From July until the time I made our ARR I came over with menus and the plans I made for my family to see if they wanted to do the same thing we wanted to do.

All I kept hearing was, "We don't know any of this. We will just do what you plan on. We trust you". I kept trying to include them in the planning and they wouldn't give any input.

Low and behold.......complaints, complaints, complaints. My brother in-law was complaining that he was hungry all the time. He kept saying he thought the dining plan allowed him a breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. He didn't understand why we were waiting longer in between meals.

He also complained about not eating at enough restaurants with steak.

The all hated the breakfast we had at CRT and the princess breakfast at Norway. Their son hated the characters. So every picture I have with my kids and him with the characters I have to look at his pouting face.
I tried to take the pictures without him in them but his parents would insist he get in the pictures. Which brings me to another thing, I somehow got in charge of taking all the pictures for our trip. How annoying!!!!!

They didn't like watching any of the parades and would make sure I knew that while I was attempting to watch them.

The even managed to ruin my time at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

I will never ever in a billion years do this again.

Even my daughters were upset by the last day. My oldest broke down and cried on Main St.

My husband has suggested we try to go again next year so we can try to have a nice vacation with just our family. I am really considering it.

My advice to you would be don't do it!!!!! Or if you have to then make them make their own plans and just meet up with them once in awhile. It is too stressful being in charge of other people's happiness.

 

[Stacerita]

Dont let your it get to you. Is there any way to do the trip without them? Sounds like they might have a different idea of what they want then you do (by their having pretzels before doing Le Celier) I know its hard not to feel responsible for them enjoying themselves, but they are adults and aren't giving you any imput. I would consider just making the ADRs you want and sticking with your plan weather they like it or not. Dont let her ruin your good time.

 

[Ginamarie]

Don't beat yourselt up about it. I'm always in the planning position, and have gone to Disney with all different friends/family at various times. It's incredible to me how people will insist they want to take your advice and then wind up doing the OPPOSITE of what you suggest. I've learned that I can't feel responsible for making sure everyone has a great time, even if I'm the one doing the planning.. I can make suggestions and then it's up to them what they want to do.

On our last vacation, we went with a couple of friends who could NEVER be on time. They liked to sleep in the morning, and took a long time for primping. So I had to accept that they might not get to enjoy everything that we did, but I had a great time anyway. Actually, they had a good time too, though they didn't know what they were missing most of the time.

For our next planned vacation, I'm making up the itinerary now and asking people which activities they want to do and which ones they're not interested in, because I'm not dragging 10-12 people from restaurants to rides to resorts and listening to complaints!

 

[snowy76]

Rafikifan, I'm assuming it was your friend's money that paid for her portion of the meal she and her DH didn't want to eat. In which case, who cares what they think? You are NOT responsible for two adults, albeit adults with very little sense. It's their money they blew and just plain stupid IMHO to eat right before a reservation, at WDW or anywhere else. Let them do what they want and make sure you take pleeeeeenty of time at the meals you want to enjoy, while they sit and figure out where to get their next pretzel.