Mission:Disney 6/18-7/2/04 - Part #3 - Cast

[ehagerty]

Plan for 2004 Vacation - Cast
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Cast (aliases provided by Cousin Ed at Ohana)

Cousin Mom (ME49) - mere months from the mid-century mark, currently a project manager in a bank, karate black belt

Cousin Dad (DH47) – 47, karate school owner and master instructor

Cousin Young Man (DS16) – 16, serious, studious, scout leader, Sea Cadet, just finishing sophomore year at Canisius High School

Cousin Dragonball “Z” (DS14) – 14, his own man, loves the “wind in his face” (biking, skiing, etc.), black belt, heading to Cansius in the Fall

Will the real Aladdin please smile??

Cousin Pikachu (DSF13) – Sean’s best bud, fellow black belt, first time to WDW (once or twice to DL)

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Joining us along the way for short stays, locals:
Kate (44), friend of 30 years, lives near Cape Kennedy, works at Sea World
Her son, Sean (16)
Her daughter, Siobhan (12, going on 30)

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Thoughts on inclusion:

We so enjoy ourselves on our Disney vacations, that we have tried to share that enthusiasm with other friends and family. This has taken different forms, everything from friends joining us for a day at our resort or a park, to family members sharing our room for a portion of the trip. We have learned A LOT about how to do this successfully (with minimal pain and conflict), and continuously learn more, since each new person presents his/her own hidden expectations or personality peccadilloes. The key is PLANNING and EXPECTATION ALIGNMENT. This will not uncover every possibility, but it will lay the groundwork for addressing the unanticipated as efficiently as possible. I could write a book on this (especially since it has several parallels with standard project practices….), but it would only be interesting to those who are thinking about doing this – or have already suffered through it! I can say this – there are very few people who are truly willing to just go along for the ride and enjoy whatever you plan – or participate in the planning so that you can insure that their expectations can be met.

Some “shared trip” highlights in the past:
• Watching my brother (multiple sclerosis) enjoy WHATEVER we do, including almost all the rides, and especially, the pools.
• Having my sister along; she, like me, likes it all; has something positive to say about everything; tries new stuff (cirque when it opened) and shares well; is grateful for whatever you do for her.
• Videos / Pictures of everything. The occasional stresses and conflicts are forgotten and the memories are great.

Some “shared trip” lowlights in the past:
• Giving (in-law) family members DVC points (with the free park passes associated, prior to 2000) and having to listen to how expensive everything is, how loud the buses are, etc. The irony is, they enjoyed themselves and have asked to return with us. YIKES! It is all relative (literally!).
• Standing in the OKW parking lot with DH and promising each other that we will apply electric shocks to the spouse who EVER suggests bringing ANYONE along on a future vacation. Of course, we always forget in the building momentum of planning the next trip…..

Some advice:
• I’ve learned to preface any invitation with “This is OUR vacation and we are willing to SHARE it with you, but there are conditions….” Or “I am NOT a paid tour guide, but I am willing SHARE our expertise with you, IF….”
• Have pre-arranged signals and agreements for how to know when to spend time apart. Plan “apart time” into the itinerary
• Require that the guest participate in planning, or agree to go along for the ride completely.
• Strongly suggest that guests get in training for the levels of walking that you anticipate. I had a 14 year old boy with us one year and every time I turned around, he was lying on the nearest bench. Even though I warned him the average WDW guest walks 15 miles a day, he still wasn’t up for it, especially in the August heat / humidity.
• Know your own limitations. For example, I cannot stand whining. I make it clear up front that whining will have to be taken out of earshot….
• There WILL be lowlights, have a high level plan to process them.

Coming next - THE PLAN for 2004......

 

[janets]

and am glad you are giving a background on your cast and planning.

Must say, though, that the thing that caught my eye was in the descriptions of the cast...you are a black belt, dh is a master instructor and ds is a black belt. I bow to you all.

DS#1 is a yellow/orange working towards advancement. He loves it. I am currently thinking of joining myself, as our sensei has offered any parent of a current student the opportunity to try it out for 2 months free before making a commitment. They reopen after vacation next Monday and I'm thinking of joining the adult classes. I really need some sort of physical activity and like the idea of only having to compete (at least at first) against myself.

Can't wait for your next installment.

 

[ehagerty]

Thanks for the encouragement as I embark on a new skill as a first time, white-belt trip reporter!!

I started karate after my second son reached the age of 3 and was old enough to come along to class with brother (then age 5) and dad (master instructor). I was 38. Going to classes at least 3 times a week for nearly 5 years, I tested for black belt shortly after my 43rd birthday. At the time, I was the oldest person to test for black belt in the school. Since then, another woman also tested at 43.

I encourage everyone to explore the martial arts. However, the styles are not all the same, and not all instructors / schools are equal within a particular style. Rather than recapitulate what has already been written well, I recommend the following book to anyone who in interested in personal mastery of any kind:

"Mastery" by George Leonard.

He is a Ph.d. in education and an Aikido (if I recall correctly) instructor. His focus is on how people learn in general and mastering a skill, with karate as an example. He has an excellent chapter on how to evaluate a style / school / teacher, as well as great insight which will be useful to you not only as a parent / coach of a karate student, but as a potential student as well. He has good advice for how to overcome the resistance and urge to quit that plagues most people who are trying to learn a new skill. I remind fellow students that, just as only 3% of boy scouts reach the rank of Eagle, only about 3% of students in our school will make it to black belt. How to be one of the 3% is articulated in this book.

I tell people they may spend $20 on the book, but it will almost certainly save at least one month's "tuition" by removing obstacles to black belt and shortening the number of months (which you have to pay for) to get there. It pays for itself easily - and applies to all areas of life as well.....

 

[Deb T.]

Thanks for the report!