Need Advice Re: Camping in January/Family/etc.

[loveabargin]

My parents are graciously taking us to Disney in Jan 08. They are paying for camping in their 5th wheel and 2 of our 4 tickets (me, DH, DD9, DD4)...so it's basically on their dime, which I'm very grateful for. Here's my problem...my DH and I do not really want to go because my father can be very grouchy and hard to get along with...especially in close quarters. My parents have been to Disney around 30 times and they fly through everything, always on this ridiculous schedule...the kind of people who hurry up to do everything! DH and I are more laid back, wanting to enjoy our vacation, and of course we have to be more flexible with a 4 year old in tow! Anyhow, it will be my family's 4th trip. We cannot say "no"...but I'm trying to figure out a compromise. Do you think we could tent camp? And if so, is it possible to do it on the same site as my parent's or would we need to get another site? I ask b/c it was difficult to get our reservation as it was (about 2 mths ago!) and I don't know if we could get another site for that time frame. My other option is to get a resort room, but we do really enjoy the campground, especially after a bad experience at a value resort in Sept.

Any suggestions? I don't want to hurt their feelings, but we are really, really dreading this trip.

 

[Jsands72]

Yes you can tent on the same site. I called to ask that very question this past week. My family and I DW, DS 5, DD 1, and soon to be D? are going next week and my sisiter and her family want to come up for the weekend and tent on our site for 2 nights.

I would just set up your own schedule and let you father in-law know what you are planning and welcome them to tag along. That way he is on your schedule.

 

[Cousin Ed C]

We stay at the Fort through Jan. We stay in a MH and would not stay in a tent (TOO OLD) but we always bring a tent for guests who have really enjoyed it. Just bring a small electric heater (plugs into Disney outlets, not the camper's) and a queen or king areo bed. January is the best month.

 

[CottontailCurl]

Have your kids gone to Disney with the Grandparents yet? There's a chance that this could be something really fun for them but I would recommend that you guys plan on not doing everything together. When we go as a larger group, we meet at a park to start the day together and go on traditional rides that my family loves (PotC, Splash) and then split up with a plan to meet up again for lunch. The next meeting place could be for a parade and the next for a closing family ride and fireworks. This way different walking and touring routines will be respected and you don't end up getting on each other's nerves. You could find out that you're having more fun than you expected and plan on more things together. I also think it would be fun to ask the grandparents if the kids could tour with them for a couple hours while you guys go do something on your own.

You definitely can set up a tent on the pad behind their rig, if you decide to take one all you have to do is call Disney back to tell them the size of it so they can make sure you get a site that is big enough.

 

[loveabargin]

Thank you for your replies. My oldest has been to Disney with grandparents (and us), but not my youngest. We went in Sept by ourselves (youngest was 2.5), but she probably won't remember it. I think we will look into borrowing a tent from friends. That way, if the kids want to "spend the night" with the grandparents, they can, and we can have our own space.