Pixie Dusts Request

cedarparkgirl

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
136
Well, we are leaving this Sunday for DL. I just received a call from my sister (whom I am very close with) that she and her husband decided that my niece whom we were taking, that they changed their minds! They were to drive 5 hours to get here so we can fly out. We have already purchased tickets (airline and 3-day park hoppers). I am praying they change their minds because I know my sister will kick herself for not doing this after we leave. I was told they aren't ready to be separated from my niece for the 5 days we are in CA. And that she kept on telling my niece.. are you sure you want to go? And my response was, she will not have time to miss you because she will be having so fun.. and of course as a 5 year old they cannot foresee their future feelings based on experiences yet not done.

Anyways I will try selling her ticket if she does not go.. maybe on craigslist because I noticed today that the AAA children's 3Day Hopper pass also states free parking at the Mickey and Friends Lot.

Has this happened to anyone else before?
 
Wishing you the best of luck!

Honestly, I dont know that I would be seperated from my 5 year old for that long. The 8 year old probably, but not the younger one, so I can understand their side. But, I also know that my husband is regularly gone for 4-5 days at a time and my son cries and wants his dad every night. I know it would be worse if he was away from both of us. The longest he's every been away from me is 3 days, a year ago, and he was with his dad. He goes to grandmas house 4 days a week while I work, but I'm always home for bed time.
 
I can understand them not wanting to be separated from their 5 year old also, but the tickets are purchased already! That is what would frustrate me. It's a little late. There's also nothing you can do. Try Craigslist or ebay if you have an account. I wouldn't try it again until your neice is a few years older and you're positive it will work out!! Have fun anyway.
 
I can understand them not wanting to be apart that long, but agree it is a little late to think of that.....Maybe one of the parents can buy their own ticket and come also? Whatever happens, go and enjoy, you will have fun.
 

It seems to me that if the plans were already made before you bought the tickets and your sister backed out she should reimburse you for your niece's ticket. That's alot of money to expect someone to spend without being sure it's what you want to do.
 
Is it your nieces first trip to Disneyland? then I can totally understand her parents reaction. What might have sounded good at first, now might seem like a missed opportunity for so many firsts for them. And I also understand that they might not want to be apart from a 5 yr. old for so long. Not sure how the trip came about, was it your idea? Perhaps they were greatful for your generosity, but upon thinking about it realized that it was something they wanted to experience with her.

When you say they were going to drive down 5 hours to you ..that also seems like a lot of trouble for them to go through, and perhaps not what they would have suggested, had they been the trip planners. So 5 hours there and 5 hours back twice in 5 days? I completely understand their reluctance, especially when they don't get to share in the experience of seeing their daughter at Disneyland.

This is when it's good to do a 'surprise trip' for the child, in case something falls through. Sorry it happened to you, I've taken my neice and nephew, but they were 9 and 11. When I took my little neices (5 and 7), their Mom came with me. Both trips were surprises for the kids. It's always best to keep the parents very involved, especially since you and your sister are so close.
 
My grandaughter was 5 when she asked me to take her to Disneyland. We spoke to mommy and she was all for it. I think that it really was mommy idea anyway.

We thought that she might not like not having mommy there. But when we got there we did so much. She had a blast and called mommy every day. We had taken so many pitcures that mommy felt she had gone.

When it was time for us to get our flight the baby did not want to leave. She stood in the airport and told anybody that would listen that we where mean people. I thought that we would be arrested. Now we go ever year.

I am sure that mommy will change her mind. Tell her to play some disney movies that is what did it for us. Just my thought

pixie dust to youpixiedust:
 
Well we had a wonderful time in DL/DCA. Its funny.. after doing so much research here and preparing myself before hand.. once we got there, everything went great. I am so thankful for the advice we got here. Each time we always had some leftover FassPasses and we never waited in line more than 10-15 minutes.. with the exception of waiting to see Mickey Mouse in his house. We had no idea that his house was so big and how it went into the movie barn. By the time we left for CA, I was focused on our family having a good time and I wasn't concerned about my niece. My sister called while we were there to see how things were. Honestly it probably worked out for the better because we only had to push one double stroller around vs. 2 strollers.. and my kids who like rides got to enjoy them.. I am not sure how my niece would have done.

My daughter who I was worried about her height cleared all the 40"rides by a half an inch with her normal shoes so we were very thankful for that. We brought lots of snacks, bottled water, crystal light, and koolaid single packs in and settled for a nice dinner in the evening. I am so glad we did this. We did Ariels Grotto for lunch one day as well. Each day we went back to the hotel for a nap and swim.. some nights we never made it back to the park. We did buy some Dole Whip's a couple of times and Churros once. Other than that we did not do any other park food.

We will probably go back in a couple of years or do DW. Only sad thing that happened was our camera bag which had my DSLR and new Vid. Cam was stolen the last day of our trip at Huntington Beach. So we have no pictures except we did have lunch at Ariels Grotto with some friends who gave us some of their pictures of all of our kids together.

Most importantly when I asked my kids about their trip.. they both just go on and on how much they loved it. This was so different than when I went as a little kid.. cause I hated it.. long lines.. walking too much, way too hot.. and I remember drinking icky tasting fountain water. This time I came really prepared so we all enjoyed it. And those FassPass tips helped so much. I will say though.. I was like a FP Drill Sargeant wanting to stay on schedule and this was not good for me and my husband. By the second and third day.. we went with the flow since I understood how everything worked.

***On a side note we stayed at Holiday Inn Express in Garden Grove. It was about 10 minutes from the Park. I was very impressed with this hotel. Lots of DL Families staying there the day we went. It is only a couple blocks from Harbour Street where most of the Hotels were. And there was a Starbucks a couple blocks down from the Hotel. The only other Starbucks I found was one that was hidden in a hotel on Harbour.

We also rented from Enterprise and was very happy with them. We walked right onto the shuttle at the LAX airport and once we arrived at the rental desk there were several CSR people waiting to help us. We paid $20/Day for a Chrysler Pacifica SUV-Crossover.

We did eat Dinner at Outback, Joes Crabshack and Mimi's cafe. I didn't like dinner at Outback or Joes, but we LOVED Mimi's Cafe! I didn't even finish half of my dinner, I was stuffed. This restaurant was laid back and we did not feel rushed. The other too restaurants were loud, bad service, and the food was not very good.

The only other thing I did and I was glad I did it...every day I had waiting back at the hotel some gifts for the kids I had bought before hand at the dollar store and Disney Outlet. However on the last day of our trip I did go to VIVA 99 Cents store next to Target on Harbour. And I loaded up with Disney gifts for our kids for one final gift bag home from Disneyland. From the beginning the kids though the gifts were from Mickey and Friends since there was always a personalized note from Mickey that I brought down and made with Disney Font. Not once did my kids even want us to buy them any souvenirs because they were excited to see what Mickey left for them in the hotel. That store is awesome. Best Disney stuff at a Dollar Store I ever saw.
 
Glad to hear your trip went so well!!! I am still a little sad your sister and bil changed their mind about your niece. . . . hope that you were able to sell the tickets ok!
 
Glad you had a great trip!! It probably was better off just being your family, but I also hate when people change plans on me! If you commit to something, you should follow through! It's not like they didn't know this would be her first trip!

But I digress, I am always thrilled to hear when people have fabulous first time trips with their family!! I bet you'll be back before you know it!

Andrea
 
I'm really glad you had such an enjoyable trip! It sounds like you were really well prepared and that kept everything going smoothly. And I love your creative idea of having little surprises back at the room for your girls.

I'm so sorry to hear about your cameras. :( How sad to not have pics from the trip. Although I'm glad that your friends had some pics they could share with you.
 


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