Travelling with another family

[DawnM]

Another family wants to go with us to Disney. That is fine. They have never been and we are Disney folks.

The catch is that they are "the kids will like it so we will go and let them have fun" and I am "I am here for ME, the kids can tag along on rides too!"

I am trying to decide how to politely say that I will show them around, but there are some rides and shows we don't care as much for and other rides we could go on 10 times in a row if there is no line, so we will need to split up some.

We will not drive together, but will meet down there and stay off site in the same condo complex (not in the same one.)

I really would like the chance to sit down and plan with the wife and show her the maps and what we typically do for our strategy BEFORE the trip.

Should I give her a copy of our UnOfficial Guide? I hate to give it up! But it is 2 years old. Maybe I should buy a more recent copy????

Suggestions????

I really want us to continue to be friends AFTER this trip!

Thanks!,

Dawn

 

[Nancyg56]

I think I would sit down with them and discuss your own touring plan and ask what they think their family will want to do. I traveled with my own family and we often split up. What you could do is to plan to visit the same parks each day and perhaps have dinner together but suggest that they feel free to enjoy touring without having to stay with you family all day.

 

[browneyedmom]

We are going with (more like at the same time) as another family that we are friends with. Our kids are the same age and go to school together. Their family goes to Disney annually and we have not been in 5 years. We have planned to spend a day in AK together, MNSSHP and one other dinner together. Otherwise we are on our own. We both agreed that no one wanted to be right up under another family, but we still would like to do some things together.

 

[vcgirl925]

We are going with another family too. However i think we both understand each others expectations. We know their son doesn't really like the loud, dark, or scary rides, but my kids like them. So we'll probably split up a lot because of that. We do our thing but we are flexible. I think you'll have to be a little bit more flexible when you go with another family. But definately sit down with them and lay it all out. Tell them what you usually do and see if that is fine with them. Ask them if there's anything they definately want to do and try to work it in. Maybe you can have one day where you aren't together at all.

 

[sk!mom]

We've done this twice- once with one other family and once with 21 people total. I made and shared my families plans and invited others to join us if they wanted.

 

[imthatgirl]

i think you will need to sit down together and discuss what your expectations are for the trip. then you will both have to compromise certain things, or just plan to stay seperate for the day and meet up for meals.

 

[SaraMc]

We are going with another family as well. We are not spending all our time together. We would kill each other We have three table service meals planned together through the week and our we are on the same flight at same resort. We will do some stuff together but we already have said, we have to have alone time with our seperate families.. it just wont work if we even try to spend all our time together.

 

[Belle4mygrl]

We went with another family during Thanksgiving week and had a blast. Maybe because we had such fun showing them WDW or we are compatible.

Slow down and take a deep breath and see WDW thru their eyes. Have a great time.

 

[rentayenta]

Another family wants to go with us to Disney. That is fine. They have never been and we are Disney folks.

The catch is that they are "the kids will like it so we will go and let them have fun" and I am "I am here for ME, the kids can tag along on rides too!"

I am trying to decide how to politely say that I will show them around, but there are some rides and shows we don't care as much for and other rides we could go on 10 times in a row if there is no line, so we will need to split up some.

We will not drive together, but will meet down there and stay off site in the same condo complex (not in the same one.)

I really would like the chance to sit down and plan with the wife and show her the maps and what we typically do for our strategy BEFORE the trip.

Should I give her a copy of our UnOfficial Guide? I hate to give it up! But it is 2 years old. Maybe I should buy a more recent copy????

Suggestions????

I really want us to continue to be friends AFTER this trip!

Thanks!,

Dawn

I would just be upfront. Let them know it's Disney and all plans are subject to change. I like that you are not staying together. Maybe plan some meals together and go from there. Once the meal is over tell them where you are going, invite them a few times, and go from there.

 

[HeidiPA]

We are taking some friends along on our next trip as well. I think the important thing about travelling with another family is to make sure you are compatible with each other. I find it very hard to travel and spend every waking minute with another family whose children are the same age as ours. If the kids fight, then the parents end up mad at each other also.
We are travelling with younger friends who will have an infant along. Our kids are 14, 8, and 2. My oldest is thrilled to have a baby along!
Our friends have never been to Disney, so I'm anxious to see their reactions to the various things. I think we'll have a great time together.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

DD and I are going with another single parent and his two kids in September. I think the key is open communication and planning time apart as well as together.

My friend and I are both Disney fanatics and go for ourselves as much as for our kids so our outlooks on Disney are similar. We sat down several months ago before our 180 window opened for ADRs and discussed our plans. We had each created a tentative schedule for ourselves including what parks on what days and what restaurants we wanted to eat at. We then compared our schedules. It worked out that about 1/2 the days we would be at the same parks and the other 1/2 we would be at different parks. There were 4 meals we both wanted to do and I made those ADRs for all 5 of us. When we are in the same parks, we will tour together some so it will be easier for us to handle the rides and my DD and his DS aren't big enough for. But we also have the understanding that we won't spend the whole day touring together so we can each do the things that we enjoy most without dragging the other person away from what they want to do.

 

[rosiejo]

I think it would be wise to let them know up front what your plans are and not plan to live in each other's pockets. I tried to organise a trip for 8 family members for our wedding trip and i was so stressed trying to please everyone I pretty near ruined the trip for myself.

When my hubby and I went with my parents last year we booked two hire cars and planned to do our own thing - we then ended up going to the same parks on the same days and one of the cars went unused - but it was much more laid back and enjoyable!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

Make it about them missing out if you all hang out together. Tell them that if they hang out w/you the whole time, they will miss out on things that they might enjoy that you really don't care to do. This way, it gets the point across, but in a nice way. It seems like you are putting them first, instead of just saying, we need to split up so we can do what we want. Just my opinion!!

 

[LoveKermit]

I agree with the other posts.

I like your idea of buying your friend her own book. Then she can mark things that sound good to her. Then you can get together and "compare notes." I'd see how many meals they might want to do together and go from there. We plan our park visits around our ADRs. If dinner is at Epcot, we get ourselves to Epcot, either before or stay after dinner, or we go back to MK.

I'd be more inclined (and we did this with family) to separate, even at the same park, for some or most of the day, convene for dinner (but it was family--not friends) and then maybe stay together for the evening or before dinner at the parade. But not always. It would be different with friends and will be different if we go with family again, because we have our own kid and my niece is a huge frady-cat (so is my SIL).

I guess make sure your friend knows she can speak up about not wanting to do the same things as you and you can act relieved when she mentions it.

My $.02.

 

[momofmickeyfans]

We travelled to Disney for 1 week w/ my Best Friend, her DH, and DS (4), my DH, DSS(13), DS(5), DS (13mos). Open communication IS KEY!! We travelled to the parks together several days, had several meal reservations together, and did many attractions together, but we split when we had different interests and things we wanted to do. It also worked out REALLY great at Hollywood Studios that my DH, and DSS could go and do Indiana Jones and Rock n Roller Coaster while I kept 2 DSs and stayed w/ BF and her family to see the High School Musical 2 Pep Rally, Block Party Bash parade and Playhouse Disney. We also took separate cars to the parks a couple of days b/c we knew we had different plans and attractions to conquer from the beginning........so it was no big deal. We knew from when we started planning the trip that we wanted to experience some things together, but also to have the freedome to make sure we got to have the experience we wanted without limiting them or vice versa.

It was a WONDERFUL trip!!! Can't wait to go back!

 

[LoveKermit]

Staying off site alleviates this, but separate transportation will help.

 

[DawnM]

Thanks guys. We are getting together in a week and then again in Sept. so we can work some of the details out.

I am worried that she will want to sit and talk while the kids go on rides, so I need to make it clear.

Going our separate ways for much of the trip would be best. We can show them around and then meet for dinner or something.

Or my husband can sit and talk to her and her DH and I can take the kids on all the rides! HA!

Actually, I really do like these folks, but I can't take them for too long either if that makes sense. We enjoy being with them for short visits and we enjoy when they leave. They are a bit intense for us.

Dawn

 

[Walt Disney Worlders]

We are possibly going with another family, and we are trying to be sure we get time by ourselves, too! Thanks for starting this thread!

 

[5stljayhawks]

We are going with another fam. staying at FW. I have done most of the planning, well all of it and that is ok.... I have present a number of spreadsheets that show ideally!!!!!(KEY) what we want to do on which day (AKA hitting extra magic hours and character meals......) We have been up front since this is their first trip, they can do want they want and we will do what we want.... most of time we will be together, but we be traveling back to the camper for lunches and nap and dinner.....

Make sure the rules of seperation are clear..... of that you can get away ....