Traveling with multiple families?

[jpeka65844]

Hey all! I'm back posting on the boards! I took a hiatus for 9 months to incubate and give birth to our "little souvenir" from our March trip and now that he's here, we're planning another! Trip, that is, not little souvenir.....

We're thinking of going in March '07 and going with two other families; their kids will be 5, 3, 2, 1, ours will be 1 1/2. Could we start a thread with tips for traveling with multiple families?



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

 

[LovePug]

Tip #1: Don't try to force everyone to agree to do the same things at the same time. People may want to split up and meet again later. Let them. Trust me.

 

[isla bonita]

Enjoy the company and when it gets to much excuse your self. With a 1 yro it is easy to do. We go down all the time with others and stay in our pool home. It is the bomb. The first time I did it my mom had rented a pool home for our whole family. I told my husband to bring a credit card just in case. It was wonderful. We all had a great time and ended up purchasing one and we keep doing it. Our home is big so we have many people with us and it is still enjoyable. So enjoyable that many have come more then once. Have fun and when you need a rest go for it.

 

[MajorDaisy]

Our family is planning a trip together & have come up w/ a couple rules for the "vacation". We are 5 grown siblings, each w/ our own husband or wife & children & our mom too. Everyone was asked to contribute to the trip rules, we wanted to set the bounderies prior to the trip to prevent any problems.....we'll see if it works.....

(1) There is a park pre-chosen for each day w/ lunch & supper times & places...each family goes & comes as they wish, joining in when they want, ect. (we have some that want to be up at 6am & others never before noon)

(2) Everyone's kids stay w/ their parents (we have some that would become week long babysitters otherwise)

Any ideas for needed additions to our rules to make for a magical family vacation would be much appreciated....we have never done this before & I am sure we will learn alot...and have great fun!!!

 

[isla bonita]

We travel in packs every time we go. We own a 6 bed 5 bath rental home and we fill it every time we go down. We all have built in baby sitters and I have to say kn one abuses it at all. Our children have built in friends, and so do we. We have a blast. We are not with each other all the time but when we are it is the bomb. My kids have such great memories of times with frinds and family. Maybe it is not for every one but it sure works for us.

 

[mickeyholic]

Our family is planning a trip together & have come up w/ a couple rules for the "vacation". We are 5 grown siblings, each w/ our own husband or wife & children & our mom too. Everyone was asked to contribute to the trip rules, we wanted to set the bounderies prior to the trip to prevent any problems.....we'll see if it works.....

(1) There is a park pre-chosen for each day w/ lunch & supper times & places...each family goes & comes as they wish, joining in when they want, ect. (we have some that want to be up at 6am & others never before noon)

(2) Everyone's kids stay w/ their parents (we have some that would become week long babysitters otherwise)

Any ideas for needed additions to our rules to make for a magical family vacation would be much appreciated....we have never done this before & I am sure we will learn alot...and have great fun!!!

I love this, we will definitely being using this for our future trips. I had first said we would have a family prescreening before we invited anyone outside of my family and my sister-n-law's family. We live close by each other and can get along no matter what. However, we did invite two families to join us this past summer. It was fun, but there was tension at times. When I read your post, I had to laugh, I LOVE IT! It is a must for all of us now!!!

 

[jorodopo]

We are trying to put together a reunion of 5 families for early 2007. Thanks for the thread.

Has anyone ever used the magical gatherings software to help keep the organizing organized? I've sent out invitations and an email but haven't heard back from anyone yet. This is not boading(sp?) well......

 

[jonestavern]

Our family is planning a trip together & have come up w/ a couple rules for the "vacation". We are 5 grown siblings, each w/ our own husband or wife & children & our mom too. Everyone was asked to contribute to the trip rules, we wanted to set the bounderies prior to the trip to prevent any problems.....we'll see if it works.....

(1) There is a park pre-chosen for each day w/ lunch & supper times & places...each family goes & comes as they wish, joining in when they want, ect. (we have some that want to be up at 6am & others never before noon)
(2) Everyone's kids stay w/ their parents (we have some that would become week long babysitters otherwise)

Actually, this is what we've done. Our group was DH, DS16, moi, DBIL,DSIL, DNiece7, DSIL's son7 & her DD13, & DFIL.
I would just say if friends/relatives want to travel around with you fine & if they don't want to, make that fine, also. Expectations can sour a holiday
DBIL & his brood chose to stay off site (the then under construction HI Family Suites). They are late risers & didn't do research, & we have a plan!
We wanted to go for on site with a large group due to transportation issues(we will all be on site late in '06). they had a rental van, we were on site w/a rental car. When DFIL got pooped he had to wait to take a HI Family Suites shuttle(at that time not plentiful) or hang out trying to relax--did not work out at all. On the other hand, I simply hopped the bus & went back to CBR/VWL(split stay)
DBIL also gave DFIL the pull out in the HI Family Suites. Not a good idea as, DBIL & DSIL liked to go out clubbing, would return very late at night & when pulled out, the sofa bed left very little room to go 'round.
In other words, try to make the less obviously flexible members of yr party comfy --
You're going to have a fabulous trip!

Jean