Please help with a tough decision...

[Tinkermom76]

I was planning on taking my kids (DD5 DD7 DS15) to WDW in Jan. My brother and my mom want to come too and my brother said he would pay for my mom. Last time they both came as well and my mom paid for my brother. I like my brother to come so my DS has someone to hang out with and not have to do princess stuff all week.

Here is the problem.... my brother always seems unable to pay his bills so I can't see how he will pay for the trip (and my mom can't afford it this year) my son says he doesn't want to go if my brother doesn't go (which would suck) I was gonna go with 2 rooms but I thought the FW Cabins might be cheaper but I don't want to get stuck paying for the whole thing (I am a single mom and save hard for 2 years to take them) and if I just take the girls I will feel bad for leaving out my son

Please help me

Thanks

 

[mom2faith]

I was planning on taking my kids (DD5 DD7 DS15) to WDW in Jan. My brother and my mom want to come too and my brother said he would pay for my mom. Last time they both came as well and my mom paid for my brother. I like my brother to come so my DS has someone to hang out with and not have to do princess stuff all week.

Here is the problem.... my brother always seems unable to pay his bills so I can't see how he will pay for the trip (and my mom can't afford it this year) my son says he doesn't want to go if my brother doesn't go (which would suck) I was gonna go with 2 rooms but I thought the FW Cabins might be cheaper but I don't want to get stuck paying for the whole thing (I am a single mom and save hard for 2 years to take them) and if I just take the girls I will feel bad for leaving out my son

Please help me

Thanks

I say book a room for you and your kids and if he wants a room for him and your mom, he can book it, and therefore pay for it. KWIM??

You would have seperate trips - together. You are not big enough for a Grand Gathering anyways, so really this should work out fine.

Good luck!!

If your son does not want to go without his DUncle - tough - he's going to Disney and that is that!!! LOL!!!

 

[luvmy2sams]

I wouldn't book the vacation under one reservation or at a pricier resort unless you are fully prepared to take on the entire financial responsibility. Given that you don't want or need that burden, do as the previous poster suggested and book everything separately.

As for your DS not wanting to go along without the uncle, it sounds like now is a good time to remind him that a family vacation means the entire family unit participates. Get his input and help with the planning and make sure he knows that you will do things specifically for him as well. Your DDs are old enough to understand that everyone should get an opportunity to experience their favorite things. Your DS shouldn't have to "do princess stuff" the entire time. That might be as much of his problem in not wanting to go as anything. Compromise is a wonderful thing!

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[powellrj]

I'm gonna take a stab here and guess the other posters don't have teenaged sons!

15 is a hard age for boys at WDW. Many boys even without sisters don't like to make the trip!

If money is an issue with more than 4, I would suggest off-site. With more than 4 you are looking at 2 rooms, but you can rent an off-site home or condo for less than 2 value rooms.

With your DS, compromise is the name of the game. With my oldest, he still hates going and he is 26, so at 15 it was really a struggle. We finally let him hang out at the pool when we went to the parks because he REALLY didn't want any part of the parks.

Middle DS wasn't too interested at that age until we found things he enjoyed. He loved planning our meals so he was more willing to go with the flow with other things. One character meal he enjoyed was 1900 Park Fare because the mad hatter really played up the teen boy factor and was trying to fix him up on dates with other teen girls at the meal.

Another thing was the water parks. He wasn't interested in Disney Quest, but he liked the water parks.

Good luck with your trip.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Geeze, I hear YA..
I have a ds an ONLY child...not easy....I lucked out last year and this, my extended family is going and he has a cousin, though female, same grade level...they hang out sometimes, matter of fact just yesterday....its the ONLY way we could go, otherwise he is awful and we would not even be going....its ME that is the only disney addicted person...not easy!
I always have to be conscious of any vacations as he is not a social kid either, so double tough....
Anyhoo, I think you have to be prepared to go alone with your immediate family and maybe make conscious decisions as to what Your SON wants to do...I do not blame him, girly stuff is NO fun for a boy his age..... Girls have to understand it is a FAMILY vacation and Each gets a special day to PLAN what THEY want to do.....
Personally I do not believe in breaking up families for vacations, take one kid leave another behind, sometimes you have to remind everyone how darn hard it is to even be able to Enjoy a vacation at all...... I Have family that dumps one of the kids, just because he was too much work, I was disgusted, they dumped him and did Disney without him and he was 2!! PUH Lease!
Anyhoo, I digress...
I say PLAN, compromise and touch base with brother to say, Look I know you said you'd pay for mom and I wish I could help, BUT I cannot, so heres my plan and IF you can swing it I HOPE you can both come!!!

Sorry you are in the situation, BUT, you're going to Disney, so be HAPPY and make the VERY best of it!

 

[Tinkermom76]

Thanks for all of the advice

I spoke to my mom today and she agrees that she doesn't know how he will pay for it either and she thinks that it's best I just book for me and the kids.

Still the teenager though insists he doesn't want to go if my bro isn't going.
I'm tempted to say too bad this is the vacation we are going on and if you don't want to come then stay home but you don't get anything else... I would hate to have him come and ruin it for the girls

 

[clanwilson]

Have a heart to heart talk with your son. Tell him that you would love for him to come, but if he really doesn't want to join you and his sisters, then he can stay home with other family members. (I'm assuming that would not be a problem.)

 

[Tinkermom76]

Thanks for all the advice
I spoke with my brother and he says he can't get the time off from work (may be an excuse but that's ok)
my DS still doesn't want to go so it's just me and my 2 DD's
since it's just us I moved up the trip and booked the CR from Nov 29 - Dec 5
My fav place at my fav time of year at the resort I have always wanted to stay in!!! If my son was there it would be perfect
I am still happy that we are going to Disney at Christmas!

Again thanks everyone for all the help