Oh what should I do!!!! Reservations ???

[Twinprincesses]

Ok I made our reservations for CRT with our party of 12- 180 days ago. My dads family has now decided to get together for a big family meal and the only day they can all get together is the day of our reservations for CRT. We were going to do Lunch at CRT but they are wanting to do dinner at Medevial Times at 6:30. This was going to be our first day at Magic Kingdom so I know my girls will freak out if they have to leave (they are only 3). Plus that is a couple large meals pretty close together. I called tonight and Disney has no more openings for CRT for a party our size.... What should I do????

I was going to call back (my CM that I talked to was not too pleasant) in the morning and see if there are anymore openings or I was thinking I could juggle around and see if maybe just my DH and I could take the girls on another day. It is just we have something planned for almost everyday of our trip and I hate to lose our Illumination cruise or tea with sleeping beauty.

 

[tjmouse]

Well, part of me says that you only get to go with that big of a family group once, so give up your CRT, go with the family and know that you'll do it next time.

The other part of me says, hey, you made these reservations months ago, no one is allowed to change your mind for you now! It's your vacation too and if you want your little gals to go to CRT then the family should understand.

That was absolutely no help was it?

I don't know what I would do, but I have very rarely changed my Disney plans to accomodate anyone, not even my husband, errrr, ex-husband. Point made!

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

I don't know what I would do, but I have very rarely changed my Disney plans to accomodate anyone, not even my husband, errrr, ex-husband. Point made!

I am at a juncture in my life...34 years old, time to make my own plans and if they don't conform to everyone elses then they can go along with mine or just go along...not really friendly sounding but I feel like every vacation of my life has been about what other people want/can afford and for once I want my dream vacation. I am paying and I am still making time to be with family, just when it is best ofr my children and husband, not when it fits other peoples plans.

That may not be an answer, but It's an opinion anyway...why does Midieval Times have to be that day? There are usually shows nightly!

 

[tjmouse]

That is just too funny Tinker*Shell*Bell! I am the same age. Must be some kind of switch that goes off when you hit 34. The "I'm not going to put up with other people's crap anymore" switch.

Sorry Twinprincesses, we're not being very helpful are we!

What does your dh say? Is it his family or yours? Is this the only event you are doing together during the trip?

 

[Stitch1404]

My daughter is 5. I know if I told her she had to leave the Magic Kingdom because we had to go have dinner as a family elsewhere she would be pretty bummed. When I take her to Disney, the trip is focused around her. I know a lot of people don't agree with that philosophy, but I do what she wants (within reasonable limits) when we're in Disney. I would go to CRT even if it was just me and my family. It is a pretty magical experience for a little girl!

 

[majortom]

My daughter is 5. I know if I told her she had to leave the Magic Kingdom because we had to go have dinner as a family elsewhere she would be pretty bummed. When I take her to Disney, the trip is focused around her. I know a lot of people don't agree with that philosophy, but I do what she wants (within reasonable limits) when we're in Disney. I would go to CRT even if it was just me and my family. It is a pretty magical experience for a little girl!

I think it all depends on how it is presented. You are certainly right if you say, "we have to leave this fun place to go have dinner now." that she would be disappointed. If however you talk up Medieval Times, you certainly should be able to convince a 3 or 5 year old that it will be fun. I think there is a middle ground between letting the kids control everything and ignoring their wishes altogether. I have been in the park with friends that have younger kids and they have on occasion let them make decisions for which they did not really understand all the implications. For example choosing to go to a water park that is almost the same as one 45 minutes from their house, instead of going to Animal Kingdom that is unlike anything local for them.

As someone with more information, that has experienced more of the parks, I think guiding one's kids is a reasonable approach.

Having said that. I think this is not really about what your 3 year old kids will want, but what you want. If you want to go with your family, save Cinderella's Royal Table for another trip and start promoting Medieval Times. If you do not want to do that, politely explain that you have a conflict and that you cannot go that day.

/carmi

 

[Tazicket]

Having said that. I think this is not really about what your 3 year old kids will want, but what you want. If you want to go with your family, save Cinderella's Royal Table for another trip and start promoting Medieval Times. If you do not want to do that, politely explain that you have a conflict and that you cannot go that day./carmi

I totally agree. If this is a dream vacation with your immediate family and you all have your hearts set on CRT, then do it! It's not your fault that extended family waited until the last minute to decide they want to get together. Like majortom said, there are polite ways of explaining you have a conflict and won't be able to attend. HOWEVER, if the majority of your immediate family wants to leave the park early and not do CRT, then that's ok, too. Do you see this branch of the family very often? That could factor in, too.

I hate to make it sound like Disney is more important than family to me, and that is absolutely not my intention (or belief) with the next few statements.

Disney is not something my husband and I get to do very often and when we have children, I imagine it will be the same. If extended family that we see all the time decided that they needed to have a get together during a time we've set aside as a special vacation with our children on a day that we made almost impossible reservations months ago, I'd tell them "maybe next time". If it was family we don't see very often (which we don't have much of), it might be different.

 

[Twinprincesses]

Well there is not one opening for b-fast or lunch while we are there. My dad is going to call the rest of his family (they are not doing disney) and seeing about changing the date for Medevial times.

If I had not already told my girls we were going to the castle to eat with "princesses" it would not be a huge deal. But right now the one thing they are definatly into is princesses so they would be pretty crushed if I said we could not eat in the castle.

I am hoping it all works out for us, but I guess if we need to we can just leave the park early so we can still do both. I think the girls would eventually get over having to leave the park once we got to Medevial Times and they saw the "show".

 

[sixcats]

I also had my whole trip booked and planned when my sister and her family decided to go at the same time. The CM thought I was crazy when I cancelled Le Cellier and Cinderella's castle meals.

I see that you do visit pretty often, as do we. I figured we can always eat at the castle on another trip. My only concern would be to make sure the tickets are purchased for the big family dinner before I cancelled anything.

I bet your daughters will enjoy the show at Medieval Times. Play it up, and keep trying to get something for a small group the castle if you can.

 

[crisi]

My response would be "we will be at the MK that day. We'd be happy to join you all for dinner at one of the resorts near WDW or someplace just offsite, but we don't have time for a Mideveal Times dinner and don't think it will be something our three year olds will enjoy - with toddlers we need to keep our meals and shows brief."

However, your choices on dining with that large at party anywhere will be slender - even offsite. It may be more workable to see just a few of them, or spend some time with your whole family in DTD.

You also have three year olds. You probably won't spend the whole day in the MK anyway. You could do the MK in the morning (best time for it anyway), finish the day with lunch in the castle, go back to your room for a rest and still get to Mideval Times. When we travelled with kids that age, we would generally go until early afternoon, then take the evening easy.

 

[Stitch1404]

I think it all depends on how it is presented. You are certainly right if you say, "we have to leave this fun place to go have dinner now." that she would be disappointed. If however you talk up Medieval Times, you certainly should be able to convince a 3 or 5 year old that it will be fun. I think there is a middle ground between letting the kids control everything and ignoring their wishes altogether. I have been in the park with friends that have younger kids and they have on occasion let them make decisions for which they did not really understand all the implications. For example choosing to go to a water park that is almost the same as one 45 minutes from their house, instead of going to Animal Kingdom that is unlike anything local for them.

As someone with more information, that has experienced more of the parks, I think guiding one's kids is a reasonable approach.

Having said that. I think this is not really about what your 3 year old kids will want, but what you want. If you want to go with your family, save Cinderella's Royal Table for another trip and start promoting Medieval Times. If you do not want to do that, politely explain that you have a conflict and that you cannot go that day.

/carmi

I understand what you are saying, but it is a little different for us. I had my daughter very young and while I finished high school and went to college she "lived" with her grandparents daily from about 7:30-3:30. Now that I work she is with them during the day from 8-4. So if I went on vacation with them I wouldn't make spending time with them a priority. I know that doesn't sound good, but what I mean is that she and I see them so much at home that if we do a few seperate activities just for us during the trip it is not a big deal. However, if this was a rare chance to see her grandparents I would say definitely go to Mideval Times. Hope you can work something out!

 

[mickeyfan2]

Can the big family meal be changed to another day?

 

[sahm3]

Just a thought, I have never been to Medieval times but a friend took her kids, 6 and 9 1/2 and they were both scared to death.Now these kids do tend to be a little more afraid of things but it really shook them. I doubt I would take a 3 year old there knowing this.

 

[majortom]

Well there is not one opening for b-fast or lunch while we are there. My dad is going to call the rest of his family (they are not doing disney) and seeing about changing the date for Medevial times.

If that works, great - problem solved.

If I had not already told my girls we were going to the castle to eat with "princesses" it would not be a huge deal. But right now the one thing they are definatly into is princesses so they would be pretty crushed if I said we could not eat in the castle.

There are Princesses at Medieval Times as well. Again, if you present it as "we cannot have in the castle with the Princesses and instead have to go somewhere less fun to be with our awful family." You are right, they will be crushed. If you say: "We are going to this cool place with knights, horses and princesses." They will be very happy about it.

I agree with Crisi that you will not want to spend the whole day at the park with three year old kids. I tell all my friends to remember that these trips are supposed to be fun - for you and your kids. That may mean spending part of the day napping, spending time at the pool, or doing something else.

What I am reading in your posts though, is that you want to go to Cinderella's Royal Table and that you do not want to go to Medieval Times. If that is the case, then you are likely to convey your feelings to your kids and will probably have a bad experience. If you decide you want to do this, you have need to make sure that you come across as if this is what you want to do. This is just my inference from your text, so take it as you will.

/carmi

 

[Twinprincesses]

The girls do want to eat in the castle. What we are going to do is keep our reservations for the castle to have lunch. We will leave the park at about 4:30 go back and get freshened up then head off to Medevial Times for Dinner @ 6:30. I figure by the time we are all seated we will not even start to eat till 7:30.

I think it will all work itself out. I just did not want the girls to be dissappointed since we have been talking about eating in the castle and they have their special Cinderella dresses ready to go.

Thanks for all the great advice.