Our disappointing "Travel With Family" story

[bmalonef45]

You know it is too bad when things like this happen. We've never had anything this bad happen so far. I hope to keep it that way. Fortunately most of the people that we've invited got what a good thing they were being offered so it was never an issue.

I did have one guest one time not want to spend the extra on the park hopper, that was somewhat annoying to me. By the end of the first day I basically made it clear that if they were done and wanted to head back to the room they could and we'd fly solo when needed. It worked out well but just wasn't the same.

I guess different people have different expectations from WDW. It has been a while since our immediate family has been by ourselves but we do plan to travel that way on our next trip.

Sorry to hear about your issues, you've really shown a good attitude about it and I'm happy to see you've made the best of a potentially bad situation.

 

[starstruck93]

Please, cancel this trip! It's going to be hot; not even the time of year you like to go and these people are clearly ungrateful! Save your points for you and DH to enjoy a trip at a time you guys want to go! Do NOT take this trip with these clueless people! Good luck and keep us posted! April

 

[Cee]

I am so sorry. I think part of the problem is that, as WDW "experts", we make the planning of these extravaganzas look so easy, folks don't think twice about switching their plans, etc. Like it will be no problem for you to just change things up along the way and at the last minute.

Well, we live and learn and sometimes the lessons sting a bit. I hope this doesn't ruin the two days you will have together and then you and your husband can enjoy each other the rest of the time.

I hope you love BLT!

 

[jodifla]

Here's how I handle traveling with family and friends (and we travel with others more than 75 percent of the time)...

I book a 2 bedroom WHERE and WHEN I want to go. I then offer the second bedroom to select guests. If they come, GREAT! If not, GREAT! My DS then moves from the living room to his own bedroom.

And when we're there, I only expect to see them for breakfast and midnight cocktails. If we connect some other time, that's great, but not expected.

The 0 expectation thing helps a lot.

 

[DVCAmy]

so sorry this happened to you. SOmetimes people just dont get the work and frustration that goes into all of this.

 

[crisi]

Here's how I handle traveling with family and friends (and we travel with others more than 75 percent of the time)...

I book a 2 bedroom WHERE and WHEN I want to go. I then offer the second bedroom to select guests. If they come, GREAT! If not, GREAT! My DS then moves from the living room to his own bedroom.

And when we're there, I only expect to see them for breakfast and midnight cocktails. If we connect some other time, that's great, but not expected.

The 0 expectation thing helps a lot.

We've done very similar. Book a two bedroom. If our kids end up on the sofabed....ok. If they end up in the bedroom - that's better.

If our friends want to tour with us on our schedule - great! - this is where we are eating, am I making the reservation for four or eight? If they don't and we don't see much of them - that's fine with us as well.

 

[jamn]

Wow! I was just talking last night about doing an extended family trip to Disney and we'll take care of the rooms with our points. Now I'm second guessing that - glad I didn't mention it to any one other than my husband . . . really need to think through how to impress upon them the importance of committing to doing the trip.

 

[nunzia]

I might just talk with my cousin and make it clear that this trip doesn't seem to be working out for either of us. It would cost both of us too much to take a trip that has too many snags. I would say that the important thing is just to get together, and we should plan to do that a different way. (Could you meet someplace cheaply for a couple of days in July?)

That's assuming, of course, that it would work for you and your husband to cancel this trip and use your points for something you'd rather do.

Hope this works out for you. I know what you're going through. Paying a price for bending over backward to be nice sounds really familiar!

I agree with this..muddle through as best you can and well...never plan a trip for this group again. I am waiting for a disaster with one of my sons for October. They are just horrible planners and horrible with money. I have taken each family group, all expenses paid, big meals covered and spending money..after that I will provide the room if they do the rest. They understand it's a timeshare and must book and be locked in, so got the call at a year out, all booked, they said they were driving..fine, we'll take the train, get a roomette since we don't have to help occupy kids in coach and meet you there. I buy 7 Halloween tickets, I bug them constantly..all still good? etc..they decide to maybe take train..ok..but we are in a roomette..I tell them non refundable tickets bought as my treat (which they knew I was going to do..not a surprise)..kids are all excited..son finally tells me they blew last year's bonus (he makes more than DH and I combined)..he knew we were going well before last year's bonus...I call to say maybe buy tickets now since the prices are going up..no money..plan to BORROW from this years bonus to go. Train or driving? don't know but train tickets go up up. I gave them a nice size Disney GC for Christmas last year to give them a head start..Will be really disappointed if they fall through at the last minute, especially since the kids are hyped up, but I just won't bail them out..sorry for venting but really..if you are going to make plans then acutally make them people..

 

[anna08]

OP, I think you've hit it right on - after they spend one day there, they will wish they had not shortened their trip! BLT is really awesome - the views from both sides are captivating and when they see how nice the 2BR villa is, they will be sad they can't stay longer.

You will be able to relax from their part of the trip with a few days by yourselves after they're gone. Make all your favorite ADRs for this time! We are morning and evening park goers too, and really have had some awesome trips in July.

We enjoyed taking the little boat from the Contemporary dock to Wilderness Lodge one night and walking around there and ate dessert there. It's neat to ride those boats at night and the breeze is usually refreshing!

You can also ride the monorail to Grand Floridian and have a nice meal at Narcoosee's. We would grab a pre-dinner cocktail at the pool bar and walk a bit.

Both these options are so nice because they are so quick from BLT.

I bet it will work out to be better in the end for you!

 

[photobob]

Wow! I was just talking last night about doing an extended family trip to Disney and we'll take care of the rooms with our points. Now I'm second guessing that - glad I didn't mention it to any one other than my husband . . . really need to think through how to impress upon them the importance of committing to doing the trip.

I think we probably expect everyone else to be as thrilled to be taking a Disney trip as we are and a lot of times that simply just isn't the case. My DW tried to plan some family trips in the past, not Disney, and they generally just haven't worked out well. My DW had great intentions thinking how great to have the family together, after a couple of attempts we decided we like our own company better!!!

 

[DizBub]

Here's how I handle traveling with family and friends (and we travel with others more than 75 percent of the time)...

I book a 2 bedroom WHERE and WHEN I want to go. I then offer the second bedroom to select guests. If they come, GREAT! If not, GREAT! My DS then moves from the living room to his own bedroom.

And when we're there, I only expect to see them for breakfast and midnight cocktails. If we connect some other time, that's great, but not expected.

The 0 expectation thing helps a lot.

This is some of the BEST advice I have seen yet!!!
Pretty much what we are doing. Once a year book a 2br at our home resort (BLT) at 11 months and go from there. Plan a couple of breakfasts/dinners with others and if they don't choose to participate then it's their loss.

 

[donald...really]

Thanks again everyone for the support and the suggestions. As I mentioned, we were able to extend the trip and are now staying until Sunday instead of checking out on Friday once we switched the last couple of nights to a studio, so it really did benefit us in the end. And we travel to WDW 3 or 4 times a year, so it's not like the trip in July is the ONLY trip for the year. It will be fine. It's just that they have no idea what they gave up. Oh well.

Oh and your boys Weasley and Fester could be related to my boys Franklin and Winston!! Aren't Pugs the greatest???!!!

Yes, pugs are the greatest. And thanks for reminding me that I needed to post a more recent picture of our guys!

 

[Debbie H]

We usually get our guest a studio to stay in or a 1 bedroom. If more and we need to get a larger accomadation we have done that. What we have always done is make sure that everyone knows the cost, oer night of the rooms they are staying in per night. You can get that information at the front desk or from the website. We found it is to difficult to stay in the same roon with another family. Everyone likes to do their own thing and we let them!

 

[wbl2745]

Wow, this is quite a story. I'm planning a trip next year in June to the DLR at the VGC, which is our home resort. We've traveled with friends and family, in fact every one of our DVC trips since we purchased last year have included someone else.

This one next year is a little different. DD and DSIL want me to invite his parents to join us. The only time we've met them is during the wedding about two years ago. They seemed very nice and we enjoyed our time together. I'm really concerned about them agreeing to the trip and then backing out, but based on this thread and some others I think that I'll call them, find out a time in June that is reasonable for them and let them know that I'm making the reservations and they are invited. I'll tell them that it will likely be impossible to change the reservations once they are made. June is when Carsland is opening so I expect that VGC will go quickly. If at the last minute they bail out on us, we have friends who are usually willing to enjoy VGC at the drop of a hat. We'll just invite someone else.

Regarding your trip in July, I'd back out with some diplomatic excuse about it not appearing to be a good time for them or you.

 

[SabresFan]

I think you have a great attitude about it. As for going in summer, it wouldn't be my first choice, but we were there last July and are going back this July. I'm the kind of person that thinks Buffalo is too hot in summer, and so I don't enjoy the heat at all. But if you have the right attitude, it's not that bad.

Basically, as long as you are in the shade, it's warm but tolerable. Thirty seconds in the sun and you start feeling it big time. So I wouldn't even consider viewing an afternoon parade unless I found a shady spot to do it from.

But the crowds were manageable for us, the restaurants were all wonderful (and especially enjoyable just for the AC if nothing else), you can always duck into a gift shop to cool off (and since we are maniacal pin traders, if nothing else it's another chance to find another CM with a lanyard to inspect). The fireworks are great, the night parades are great, the pools are great, there are no bugs at all - it's like the old joke that a bad day at the golf course is better than a good day at the office. And for me, a bad day at WDW is way better than any day on a golf course (since I am truly horrific at golf).

 

[dbs1228]

Thanks again everyone for the support and the suggestions. As I mentioned, we were able to extend the trip and are now staying until Sunday instead of checking out on Friday once we switched the last couple of nights to a studio, so it really did benefit us in the end. And we travel to WDW 3 or 4 times a year, so it's not like the trip in July is the ONLY trip for the year. It will be fine. It's just that they have no idea what they gave up. Oh well.



Yes, pugs are the greatest. And thanks for reminding me that I needed to post a more recent picture of our guys!

You are going to have fun, great attitude! ITS VACATION! Enjoy the time your cousin can give you and enjoy the rest of the week with your family, win win! I talked to my cousin about going to wdw with him and his family, it never happened because he passed away in 2008 at 42 years old!

BTW I love your pugs!!!!!

 

[Micca]

Would it be possible to cancel, telling her it seems like it just isn't meant to be this timeand you can go some time in the future when they have more time and money.

+1. You don't even really want to visit in July, and they've screwed up everything and wasted a bunch of your points. Maybe you could tell them "something came up".

 

[crisi]

Wow! I was just talking last night about doing an extended family trip to Disney and we'll take care of the rooms with our points. Now I'm second guessing that - glad I didn't mention it to any one other than my husband . . . really need to think through how to impress upon them the importance of committing to doing the trip.

There are a few hints - you can do what Jodi and I do and book a room you'll use "anyway" if they come or not. Don't extend invitations to people who are flaky to start with. Some people have their guests get some "skin in the game" - buy park tickets or airfare before we book the room. Some people extend the invitation, but do charge their relatives the dues. (We have only rented more room than we could use ONCE. It worked fine, although we did end up with more room than we needed when my flaky sister flaked out. But that just meant my kids had the second bedroom she and her fiancee would have used, my mom and dad and sister and family had another 2 bedroom).

The biggest is to explain upfront what the deal is. Set expectations on what you are covering and what their expenses will be. LET THEM BACK OUT. i.e. its a week, its in July, you'll have $500 in tickets, around $400 in airfare, and you'll need to cover your own food - which can be $10 a person a day if you cook in the room or $100 a person a day if you eat all your meals out. It WILL be hot. It is an invitation to WDW, and while we love it, it isn't everyone's thing, and its OK TO SAY NO. We'd much rather have you say no now - or say we will think about it and come back to us in the next month with an answer, then say yes and then back out later. With this timeshare, backing out later will be a problem for us.

 

[Sammie]

There are a few hints - you can do what Jodi and I do and book a room you'll use "anyway" if they come or not. Don't extend invitations to people who are flaky to start with. Some people have their guests get some "skin in the game" - buy park tickets or airfare before we book the room. Some people extend the invitation, but do charge their relatives the dues. (We have only rented more room than we could use ONCE. It worked fine, although we did end up with more room than we needed when my flaky sister flaked out. But that just meant my kids had the second bedroom she and her fiancee would have used, my mom and dad and sister and family had another 2 bedroom).

The biggest is to explain upfront what the deal is. Set expectations on what you are covering and what their expenses will be. LET THEM BACK OUT. i.e. its a week, its in July, you'll have $500 in tickets, around $400 in airfare, and you'll need to cover your own food - which can be $10 a person a day if you cook in the room or $100 a person a day if you eat all your meals out. It WILL be hot. It is an invitation to WDW, and while we love it, it isn't everyone's thing, and its OK TO SAY NO. We'd much rather have you say no now - or say we will think about it and come back to us in the next month with an answer, then say yes and then back out later. With this timeshare, backing out later will be a problem for us.

Well said, put the fear in them.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I think we probably expect everyone else to be as thrilled to be taking a Disney trip as we are and a lot of times that simply just isn't the case.

Thank you, you've summed it up perfectly!

Disney holds a special place in my heart because of my parents and the good times we had there from the time it opened in 1971! I've come to realize over the years that not eveyone is the Disney nut that I am, not even my son but you know that's o.k.!

Sometimes it's hard to accept that the value we see in a gift we give may not be perceived the same by the receiver! So while I would be over the moon at the prospect of free accomodations for a week at Disney, someone else might think 2 days at Disney is more than enough. There's no right or wrong!