Tips for traveling with other families? Please share!

[polkadotladybug]

Hello - I'm not sure if this is the best forum for this question, but I'll give it a shot -

We will be going to WDW in two weeks - yikes - it's right around the corner!! June 1st! We haven't even told our girls yet - we didn't want to tell them too soon, and then I've had a medical situation with my father that has made it difficult to be certain we are even going. I have my sisters' commitments that they will be able to watch my dad while we are gone, so we feel pretty confident about going...

Anyway - the point of my post is that we will be going the same time as two other families that we know. The dates vary a few days or so - but we will all be there 4-5 days at the same time.

Us - arrive Fri June 1st - depart sat June 9th (dd 10, dd will be 7 in June)

Family 2 - arrive Sat June 2 - depart Fri June 8 (dd 10, dd 8 1/2, ds will turn 7 on June 7th during trip!)

Family 3 - arrive Sun June 3 - depart Sun Jun 10 (ds 11, dd 10, and ds will be 7 in Aug)

All of the kids are school aged - there will be 3 first graders (just completed first grade), 1 second grader (just completed 2nd) and 4 fourth graders (just completed 4th). Three of the 4th graders are girls and are BEST FRIENDs. Edited to add the ages above -

We are all staying at different resorts and we all have different approaches - LOL - we like to stay out late and do the EMHs and go for broke (plenty of time for resting when we are home). ANother family does the same - while the other family is an early morning, early to bed family - I'm trying to convince the dad of that family that they should stay out late - I know that at least one member of his family (his fourth grade daughter) is always the last one to bed at our house for sleepovers LOL (way past midnight). I really think he's the only morning person in the bunch.

So we are trying to work out a plan of how to have time for the kids to get together, while making sure to have quality family time as well (without the famiy time consisting of hearing the kids complain about wanting to see the other kids all the time).

Has anyone traveled with other families? how did you balance fun with friends with a family time trip? The family part is still very important to all the families - when they are surly teens - we'll be more apt to let them go off together.

How did everyone not drive each other crazy? Any tips that worked well for you or mistakes you might have made and would try to do differently next time? Please share as the control freak in me is getting nervous!

Ideally - we will all have a great time and like each other well enough when it's over to consider planning another trip together in the future. LOL!

Thanks!

Carol

 

[isla bonita]

I would be in contact at all times with our cell phones.

They are great for just these reasons. So when you can meet up you do and when you can't so be it.

Also we would make reservations for a couple of lunches and all meet up and talk non stop about what we have seen, done and experienced.

We do this twice a year and it is wonderful memories for all of us.

 

[robinb]

We travel to WDW with another family ... we even share a DVC villa with them! They are like you, they burn the candle at both ends ... up early for rope drop and out late for evening EMHs. Our DD goes, goes and goes until she hits a wall and then passes out. We don't stay out late, especially when my DH gets grumpy when he loses out on sleep.

It sounds like your 4th graders will want to be joined at the hip, but staying at different resorts will make that difficult. I would recommend that you make a park plan and share it with the other families. Do your own thing but arrange times to meet up and tour together. We bring both FRS radios and cell phones with us so we can be contacted easily in the park and outside of it too. Don't press the other father to be a night owl. I know that wouldn't go over well with me. Perhaps you can arrange a "sleep over" for the one girl on one of the late nights instead.

I would also recommend that you try to make one or two meal reservations for the whole group. It may be hard at this late of a date, but it would be really fun. Group dining may be able to do something for you. You certainly qualify as a Grand Gathering.

 

[ellyn2000]

I agree with isla bonita----keep cell phones handy for a quick meeting during your day or maybe plan a dinner or two with the whole group. The one thing I learned from traveling with more than one family is to make it clear that I am not responsible for their happiness and that I have plans that I want to stick to. They are welcome to tag along or go their own way and we can meet up later. Sounds harsh, but if it's politely stated in the beginning it can nip any hurt feelings. I hope your trip is loads of fun!

 

[jodifla]

We travel with other families all the time. We do some pool time, breakfasts and dinners together, and go our own way most of the other time.

Everyone being flexible is what's important. I'd I second the PP about not being responsible for other people's happiness..

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We have toured many times with 4-5 families at some points. One thing we always did though was to agree on one resort and all stay together (usually all compromised with a moderate resort pick). Going into the trips we all knew we had the same touring style-total commando (early up...go all day...late nights). We almost always spent our days together and agreed upon the park of choice for the next day. It just seemed much more fun to do the park as a group. We never had problems with the kids and our kids are totally varied in ages. Not everyone did every ride or attraction. The general rule for us was that everyone in the group knew they were free to split off at any time and do their own thing if they wanted. Dinner dining ressies were almost always made together (grand gatherings/group dining) and 9 times out of 10, everyone was present for the evening meal. I think most everyone was understanding that kids have hissy fits, get cranky and become tired. We might all be commando tourers, but nobody was the high strung or impatient type, so no problems.

I agree with ellen2000. So if folks have a MUST SEE or MUST DO thing, they need to know they are free to do their own things-no hard feelings. Get everyone's cell phones and keep in touch that way if everyone decides to go their own way-meet up at the end of the day or for breakfast the next morning. Nothing worse than getting home from the trip and hearing how it is your fault that somebody didn't get to do or see the very thing they went to Disney for-and there are some people like that. We did encounter the sour grapes mode from one of our traveling companions once, but we didn't have them at gun point and they chose to stick with us during the vacation-you can't please everyone all of the time. Aside from that experience, we LOVE traveling with other families. We have the same group now for about 4 years and we do at least one group trip a year. Now it's like traveling with one really BIG family!

 

[JohnsonsRUs]

We have done a little of each. The first year we went on the entire trip to DW with another family, flew together and had rooms next to each other. This was probably our least favorite trip to DW. Our daughters are the same age, however, our styles of raising/disciplining our children are very different. In addition, we felt kind of trapped, that we couldn't do anything without them doing it with us. Finally on the last full day we were there, we each went our own way for the day and met up in the evening, this was our best day there. I think it was togetherness overload, especially since we see these friends all the time at home too.

Last year when we went, it happened to be that 2 other families we knew were going at the same time. We had a great time with each family because each family decided what they were going to do on their own and met up as they could. We spent quite a bit of time with each family, but by ourselves too, which was the best of both worlds!! One family was at POP with us, so that was convenient, the other was offsite, so cell phones are highly recommended for communicating.

The main thing to remember is, it's your vacation, do what you want to do and don't wait for others or let them make the decisions for you. Have a wonderful trip.

 

[polkadotladybug]

I am loving all the ideas - thanks so much! We do all have cell phones - and I was even thinking about getting a Pay As you Go phone so if we get separated from the oldest daughter (like if the older kids want to ride something - you know how the exit is always somewhere else and it's easy to get separated especially if there is a long line to wait for the ride itself). As far as I know - all the adults have cells - and none of the kids do.

We thought the separate resorts would be best too - and it just worked out budget wise that way - we are cheap and got a great rate at ASMusic - family 2 is DVC member and staying at Boardwalk - and family 3 is staying at Port Orleans b/c they have 5 and can't stay anywhere cheaper - LOL. We do all plan to do swim dates at each others' pools (hope that's okay - LOL!) - and are especially looking forward to going to the Boardwalk pool where we'll be doing a little birthday celebration for the boy who is turning 7.

We've worked out a plan that will leave us with most days (am) by ourselves and then meeting up at night - although we do have at least one am together.

At the very least - I want us to at least still be talking to each other after the trip - LOL!!!

We told our girls last night - and they are freaking out - they can't wait to talk to the other kids but we won't let them until family 3 tells theirs (should be today some time) - they're already working on their packing lists.....and struggling over which of their Webkinz to take - LOL!

 

[guelde96]

We went last year with friends. We are very close and all get along great, even the kids. We made ADRs in advance for all of us. We were usually up at the same time in the morning. We have little kids. 6 kids in all. We met every night for dinner where are ADRs were planned. We stayed together the rest of the night.

This worked out great! The kids never got tired of each other. Everyone was happy to see each other by dinner. We got some adult time and the kids enjoyed seeing each other.

We are all going back together in September. This time we are staying longer. We can't wait!!


We did stay at the same resort. That way we can have pool time together also. Staying at seperate resorts will make it more difficult.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I probably should have said in my PP that the families we travel with are all in different states-so we are happy to be together all the time.

On the flip side, we traveled twice with friends that were local to us and it was a nightmare...OVERLOAD! If we ever were brave enough to do it again, we would make sure we all went our separate ways and only met for meals.