Traveling with Genghis Khan's Mongolian hordes ...

[Dreamfinder2]

Well, maybe it's not THAT bad, but this is a first for us. On our typical DVC trips, DD has taken a friend, for a very managable party of 4. This June, however, we've invited another couple (dear friends), their two kids, and three other random girls (all the kids are teens, and female. Lordy.) We've got a 2 BR plus a studio at BWV. I've read some interesting trip reports about traveling in mobs, so I'd like some input from any of you who've managed trips like this without bloodshed.

Here's our rules:

- Lifted from Dean - we don't wait for you, you don't wait for us. I've got an agenda, and you're welcome to join me: brisk, purposeful park assaults in the mornings, afternoons and evenings more laid back.

- We provide the room; you provide admission media and your own meals for your family. We all chip in for groceries - breakfast fixin's for all, snacks and sandwiches and maybe easy entrees at your discretion. I've always enjoyed meal prep for family and guests, and let DW coast for the week.

- We do a couple of meals together (in this case, Hoop-De-Doo and 'Ohana); the rest, we'll determine once there and snag PS's. (The guest family buys HDD for all). Meals are dutch.

- For the three "spare" kids, same rules; they buy their park passes, and their families "kick in" some cash to us to help defer meal costs.

Our concern is rooming arrangements - while there is room for 12 in the 2 BR and studio together, even 10 seems a little snug. Who goes where? (and, of course, the master BR is already called for!) I've waitlisted us for a OKW GV - seems that space would be great. But we've never stayed at BW, and three of the girls going have neve been to Disney, and being in the thick of things seems really appealing. We're taking advantage of the Magical Gathering options, too. And, as I've told 'em with all modesty, "You haven't done Disney till you've done it with ME!"

Any suggestions, comments, or snide remarks? All are welcome.

 

[BillPA]

I think you have the basic rules down fine.

No help on who sleeps where, good luck with that.

I just suggest you find out if any of the "random girls" have any medical concerns or food allergies. Also get a copy of their medical cards, and a letter from their parents allowing you to make medical decisions if needed. I know, WDW is a great fun trip, but just be prepared. ( yes, I was a boy scout)

Have a great trip, I have found that if you are prepared for problems, they won't happen, but .....

 

[PamOKW]

Originally posted by Dreamfinder2
and three other random girls (all the kids are teens, and female. Lordy.)

That's my first concern (and a big pat on the back to you)!

You're going to have 3 streams running....yourselves, the other family and the "girls". Is the other family going to be staying in the studio? That might not be a bad idea since it would give them some time away from the teens -- especially if their children are not included with this group.

I'd be sure things are laid out with the girls and their families. The cost of tickets and food should be estimated for the parents so the girls have the money with them. Some parents may not realize how much a park ticket costs. I'd also get the permission slips, special instructions as suggested. I'm not sure how old the girls are but teens in groups sometimes make bad decisions. You'll need to set some guidelines as to where they can go on their own....when they need to meet up with you and/or the rest of the gang, etc.

I can't WAIT to hear this trip report!!

 

[HookdonWDW]

I agree with everyone's suggestions. I wouldn't leave on the trip without a medical power of attorney and insurance information for each of the unaccompanied minors. I would put the other family in the studio, so they can have some peace and family time, and so that there will be someone (you) to keep an eye (or ear) on the girls. I also agree that you have a talk with the girls' parents about the cost of tickets and food.

Another suggestion... you're rules look good, but I think that I would have a list of rules specifically for the girls that outline things like curfews, expected behavior (acceptable use of the couch ), if you want the girls to travel in groups to the parks, or if it's okay for them to wander individually, what happens if someone misses a breakfast/dinner reservation, etc... If there is behavior that would result in an immediate trip to the airport, I'd make it clear to everyone.

Maybe you could talk with all the girls and parents ahead of time, and make sure that everyone is comfortable with the ground rules. I'd have each of the girls sign it. It probably won't prevent drama on the trip, but at least everyone will have agreed on the consequences...

I would ask the parents to purchase the tickets ahead of time, and perhaps explain the different places that sell food vouchers. That way the girls can't "divert" the food money to oh say... the Virgin Megastore, or my dd's favorite - the Roxy clothing shop!

Have a great time, and may I suggest that you add Motrin and earplugs to your packing list???

 

[mamarobin24]

From the perspective of a family therapist, I agree whole-heartedly with HookedonWDW. Having behavioral guidelines will life easier for everyone.

Acceptable use of the couch, acceptable use of the bathrooms, the phone, etc. An understanding that, even though you are not their parents, you are The Parents when on this trip. Also, an understanding about no cliques forming. You have the potential here (with what sounds like at least 4 teen age girls) to have splitting going on in the ranks. This is just typical behavior for females ages 10-16. Something along the lines of, "no fair making one member of the group do everything alone". This will be important on the rides. Some of them have room for 3 in a row, not 4. Others have room for 2 in each row.

It's fun traveling with teens, although with teen females it can be exciting.

By the way, I once took 14 teens to WDW on a 2 week trip with only 2 other adults. Yes, I am crazy (it was a church trip). It was only 4 days on property, but still . . .

 

[CarolynFH]

Just relax a little and be sure to have fun yourself. It is your vacation too.

I would bring two way radios or cell phones so that when the group splits up at the parks or elsewhere you have a means to stay in contact. We have found that cell phones work the best for us. The radios can get too much cross traffic and limited range especially in buildings.

 

[Tigger7570]

My husband and I took three additional teenagers with us together with our two sons a couple of times. I agree with all that's already been said. One thing that we did that worked out great was that I did estimate the cost of meals and had each teenager give us the meal money so that we had no worries that towards the end of the trip we would have a teenager saying they had no money to eat because they had spent it all. They kept total control of their spending money, but the meal remained with us and it worked out great. At the end when the trip was over we returned the extra meal money to them. It worked out great. They ordered whatever they wanted to eat and we had the reassurance of knowing that they ate decently and that they weren't going to run out of money. Another thing I did do for them was keep their spending money in the safe, at their request, and that way they weren't walking around with a lot of money. I just had separate envelopes for each with their names on it. Again, they actually found that they spent less because they didn't impulse buy because they weren't carrying all their money with them. It worked out great. Good luck and have a great time.

 

[rocketriter]

Great ideas for ground rules. Yes, you probably should have a meeting with the parents about financial and behavioral expectations, and a "town meeting" with all the travelers. In the town meeting, try to work out the ground rules collaboratively rather than by dictum. Your guests may also come up with a couple of good rules you'd never have thought of, and the fact that everyone participates and buys into the rules is worth gold the first time someone has to invoke them.

In addition, you might want to avoid plans with too many linkages. That's where, for example, several people have to meet in one place and accomplish something before something else can happen, after which somebody else arrives so some other thing can happen. Linkages sound great when you're planning, but in practice if one party is late to one of the links, everyone else's experience falls apart.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Getting the rules strict and out in the open up front is important.

Flexibility is the key to getting along once you're there.

Make sure they (and you) understand whether togetherness is the primary goal -- or seeing Disney World. As long as you both agree on that and the financial details -- and no one is a completely rude slob -- I think you'll have a great trip.

 

[Mic]

Being a special kind of stupid, my last 3 trips have been similar to the one you have planned! We took 3 extra teenage girls with us 18 months ago as a birthday trip for oldest DD. Younger 3 children(2 more girls and a boy)wasted no time planning their "big 14th B-day" trips, so we are set to do the same thing again this coming May/June for 2nd daughter. Anyway, you've been given great advice. I did insist on medical release forms listing all known allergies and a copy of the parents' insurance card for each child, and I made 2 copies. One copy stayed with me at all times, and 1 copy was left in the glove compartment of my van in case of accident, etc. I met with the parents of the children a month before the trip to discuss cost. Since this was in lieu of a birthday party for our daughter, we covered the cost of park passes and most meals. I let the parents know that the girls would be in the same park with us, but would be allowed to walk around without us(I am comfortable with this , but some parents may not be). We provided each girl with a walkie-talkie(they all have cell phones now!)and insisted they stay together, even to go to the bathroom. Since they had the option of not joining us for lunch, I asked each parent to send $10 per day for lunch($60 total), that each girl held onto. Anything more than $60 was up to each girl, but I requested they not bring a lot, as we had park and water park days planned, leaving little time for shopping. One parent gave her child a Visa Bucks credit card to use(with a pre-set limit) that seemed like a good idea. I gave each girl a calling card to use in the room to call home so I would not be "surprised" with a big phone bill at check-out(and that was a GREAT idea). We now have a cell phone plan that will allow us to call home with no extra charge, but I will probably still hand each girl a calling card on arrival in May since that worked out so well. I did not discuss behavior expectations with the girls or their parents, but we didn't have any major trouble. For the upcoming trip, I plan to address this issue, as well as set a limit on how much extra money everyone should bring(it was a little awkward for us when one of the girls had so much more than everyone else, and had spent it all by the time we left WDW!). I will probably heed the advice of another poster and ask that the parents give me the $60 for lunch that I will dole out daily. To be quite honest, the trip with the girls and trips with friends was a lot less stressful than taking family(that is another animal altogether!). The trip with the teen girls went so well last time that we are also taking 3 other families with us: 2 friends with their kids, and my daughter's teacher(an end-of-the-year-thank-you-for-teaching-my-daughter-for-3-years gift). Our wonderful neighbor/friend will have a room at the BW like us, but the other 2 families will be at OKW, and this arrangement seems fine with everyone. We all know that getting together is optional; our neighbor has accompanied us on 2 other trips and has been great about giving everyone "space", and the other 2 families don't expect a tour guide. My only concern is my SIL, who has invited herself before, and proceeded to ruin my vacation. So far, her schedule will not allow her to come, but if that changes I am just going to have to tell her "not this trip". I did not invite MY sister to come along because I felt entertaining her and 2 young children would be too taxing and take away from the teen experience of my daughter, so letting my husband's sister come along would be disastrous. Besides, I have no points left I hope things go well for you...I'm totally looking forward to it!

 

[Dean]

Put the other family in the studio and the four girls in the second BR of the 2 BR. If they need mor space, put your daughter or one of the others on the pull out in the LR.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Y'know how you ask for opinions just to verify what you already believe? Thanks for the feedback from everyone - it just affirms what I already felt.

Having been a church youth minister for the better part of my adult life, I've taken groups of as many as 120 to Disney with minimal loss of life. And, these girls are all world-class, family lovin' types (and, yes, I have been surprised before, but we feel pretty safe here). There is an even number of teenagers - if you have teenage girls, you know that odd numbers don't work, 'cause sooner or later it's gonna be two against one, someone left out, etc. Actually, it's three pairs of good friends, and this crew has been buddies for years.

Yep - I'll pass along a trip report when this is behind us. And I have a good time at Disney every time, no matter who's with me, what the crowds are like, what the weather is doing, whether I run up on a CM having a bad day, whatever. It's DISNEY, for cryin' out loud, and I pack my optimism and cheer every trip.

Thanks again!

 

[jcanary]

We just took 3 extra 16 year old girls down this past July for 2 weeks and I would do it again. The girls were great. OUr main source of communications was the cell phone, they never knew when I was going to call to check on them and talk to all 4. They all hung around together and had a ball. One other suggerstion that was GREAT would be the Q&C vouchers. I would give them two vouchers when they took off for the park and I did not have to worry about them carrying around money. I let them charge things to our room as long as I was told when they got back and we would go pay our room bill, therefore no cash was handled. I kept their money in the safe so I knew how much they had left etc. I bought all 4 the fun in the sun pass so they could go and do whatever they wanted. We also got the bike and boat plan at wilderness lodge and they would go over there int he afternoon for a few hours and they would always call. They had a ball and I did too. Lots of laughs with them and great stories. One of the families heard so much about it they are going down this summer and trying to recreate it with their family. Enjoy it.

 

[Cruelladeville]

With three teens, I would speak very clearly about the rules, including:
1--There is no sex with anyone, anywhere, any time on this trip;
2--There is No loud music;
3--Forget most of your makeup, this is a vacation, and we are not waiting an hour for you to apply it;
4--Just because there is a phone next to your bed does not mean that you can use it. Get permission first!

I learned the hard way!

 

[crisi]

Since it sounds like all six girls are good friends...

I'd put the six girls in the 2nd bedroom and the living room pull out. I'd make the rule that all six hang in the second bedroom if they want to chat past whatever time you pick, that past that time (and until X time in the morning) the living room is for sleeping and making the morning pot of coffee.

You'll take the master bedroom and the other set of parents the studio.

It will be crowded, but the girls will have a great time with no one left out of the fun. You may want to put some rules around your master bath as well - with six girls and two bathrooms - one of them that you need....like the master bath can't be used by the girls past "quiet living room time" or earlier than X (when you guys are out of the shower and dressed) - they can all use the second bedroom bathroom during those hours, and their cosmetics/hair junk/etc need to be cleaned up and kept with their suitcases.