WDW with relatives. Why do I do this to myself?

[Sleeping Becca]

My trip has not even started, and already I can see that my family is going to drive me insane!

Why do I do this? Why do I allow my happy place vacation to be tainted? Why? Why? Why?

I'll tell you why. I'm crazy, and evidently have problems with my memory.

I swore I'd never go to Disney with extended family again after a disasterous trip in 2003 with 14 of my nearest and dearest. When my best friend (and first cousin) asked when we were going to Disney this year, and if I wanted to go together, evidently I had a brain fart and forgot the events of 2003, and said sure, we're going in Dec. come along it will be great!

Don't get me wrong I love my cousin, her kids, and her husband, but lately they have been having problems and do nothing but fight and snipe at each other, non stop. My husband and I have a wonderful relationship and love being around each other , these two.......not so much.

After their Thanksgiving blow up...... I warned my BFF.... DO NOT BRING DRAMA TO MY HAPPY PLACE.... behave yourselves.....be nice to each other or that is your................(I didn't say it aloud, but she knew the body part I was referencing)

So.... pray for me as I embark on this trip.

Deep breaths.......this is a happy place......this is a happy place......this is a happy place.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

So this was supposed to be a relaxing-enjoy the Christmas stuff-trip. I was going to do a few ADRs maybe 2 or 3 and just play it by ear (something I have never done).

Well insert family, and my plans go out of the window. I'm the family planner, not only for trips but for everything: showers, parties, weddings, vacations Disney and otherwise, financial, everything. So the fam gives me the laundry list of things they want to do, so I map it out make the ADRs, and golf tee times. 8 ADRs including a BBB, and 2 rounds of golf for the boys, MVMCP tickets, HDDR, done. Yay! I don't don't mean to complain, I actually enjoy doing this tremendously, it's just I'd like them to be a little more appreciative of my efforts.

So after all of this, my family is hounding me for the itinerary, they are used to the highly organized dossiers I make up, and will settle for nothing less. So I deliver a beautiful, highly informative packet and it is well received, go me! Except now, my BFF's husband is now flip flopping on the golf, I booked the discounted 2 tee promotion, and he wants to cancel one of his rounds, so I have to deal with that. DH is still going to keep both of his times, he doesn't care who he plays with.

I made the plans very loose,I recommended a park of the day, gave the park hours, time and location of ADRs, etc. Hoping that my fam would take the hint, and go and do their own thing during the day and just meet up for meals, yeah who am I kidding, of course that didn't work. They plan to be...to quote Dan Medix.... "jam packed and jelly tight" with us all week! Dear Lord....give me strength.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

DH just called he has underwriter flying in from London to meet with one of his clients in Houston, guess when????, yeah you guessed it.

So DH asks "So when am I playing golf?" He wants to make sure that whatever day he picks to fly to Houston, it is not on a golf day. He tells me he's thinking of flying out and back on Mon or Wed, and that he thinks he can make it back for our evening plans, HDDR on Mon, and CG on Wed.

No worries, I just remind him about the cancellation fees, he doesn't care. If he is not worried, I'm not worried.

DH is not a Disney fanatic like myself and DD. He is a peach and tolerates and indulges me in my obsession. He loves me very much and agrees to go on Disney trips, however he doesn't go full tilt like DD and I. He plays golf, watches games at ESPN, hangs out at the resort, and meets up with us for meals and light touring. It's his vacation too! By doing this, it is a win win for everyone. DD and I can go bananas, and do all of the silly stuff we love to do (like sing at the top of our lungs on COP) and he gets to do what he likes to do, play golf, relax, and watch sports. Compromise is a wonderful thing! Some of my relatives should try it, uuummm ummmm.

 

[DARuss]

Praying for you and your family. I don't think I could take an entire week with my family. We do a long weekend every summer but, so far, family has not come with us to the Happy Place. We do, however, go with an adopted family. LOL

Good luck with the family.

Waiting on more updates.

 

[lynn71092]

Oh, this sounds good.
I'm onboard!!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

The FBI's Most Wanted....ummm I mean...The Cast:

(The names have been changed to protect the guilty)

Me: Mary Freakin Poppins, accountant by trade, vacationer extrodinaire by choice, knows everything, self diagnosed DISney Addict, there are meetings. Welcome.

DH: Love of my life, man of my dreams, my Prince Phillip (without the tights), Work-a-Holic Risk Advisor (lots of meetings for this club), golfer, sports fanatic

DD: age 11, ASD, OCD, ADD, ODD, and a tic disorder, yeah that's a lot of conditions for a little girl. We manage, and she is the apple of our eyes, a beautiful girl and a blessing beyond belief! She is my partner in crime, she loves all things Disney, and will kick your butt in a game of Disney Scene It. Worships DNephew

Mom: She really is Mary Poppins, loves everyone, is always happy, counselor by trade, loves life, would never complain, even if her arm fell off and was bleeding profusely. She has terrible knees that are excruciating painful, and horrible feet which are also excruciatingly painful, according to her "it's not that bad" as the knight in Monty Python would say "it's only a flesh wound". I rented her an ECV for the week from Care Medical, we will see how that goes. She loves Disney and is up for anything.

Sis: Eyore. Thanks for noticing me. Wonderful gal, very caring, social worker by trade, and would give you the shirt off of her back, loves Disney, thinks I'm crazy, (I know she's crazy) but we get along great. Has absolutely no patience what so ever, for........

BFF: First cousin, thinks I'm crazy (I know she is crazy), loves me very much and I her, have been friends for life, urologist by trade, extremely stubborn, also she doesn't have a volume knob, talks very loudly, she doesn't scare her patients though so that is a good thing, knows everything

BFF DH: Love this guy, has many good qualites, very likeable, but also sort of a whiner (can put out enough for an Italian wedding), anesthesiologist by trade, he puts people to sleep

Sweet Pea: age 3, the cutest little girl in the whole wide world, knows more than any of us, loves her Auntie Becca awwwww

DNephew (my godchild): age 11, super smart, and super cool (too cool sometimes), loves his cousin, my DD and is great with her, and is an awesome big brother to Sweet Pea

Well that's our rag tag little group..... hopefully everyone will be on their best behavior.

 

[DARuss]

Sounds like you have a family full of crazy people. Or does that have anything to do with living in Houma? PS, I grew up there.

Honestly, it sounds like you have a great family to enjoy your trip with. I can't wait to read this report.

 

[heaven2dc]

Coming on board for this one for sure!! This should prove verrrryyyy interesting

I can sympathize with traveling with family members (our 1997 trip with in-laws - complaints, complaints and thought they knew better but didn't. Even though I paid for the entire trip but wouldn't take it back for anything in the world. Memories good or bad are still memories).

Can't wait to get this party started!!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Sounds like you have a family full of crazy people. Or does that have anything to do with living in Houma? PS, I grew up there.

Honestly, it sounds like you have a great family to enjoy your trip with. I can't wait to read this report.

There is def. something in the water here. Although Sis lives in Lafayette, and BFF lives in Shreveport so it is possible the crazy may originate at Terrebonne General Hospital. So unfortunately you may be afflicted too! (if you were born there)

 

[DARuss]

There is def. something in the water here. Although Sis lives in Lafayette, and BFF lives in Shreveport so it is possible the crazy may originate at Terrebonne General Hospital. So unfortunately you may be afflicted too! (if you were born there)

Wasn't born there (pretty close though) but I have been there . Still reside in southeast La. tho.

Looks like ya'll are gonna have a great time. Love your writing style can't wait to here more about your trip. Waiting on the party here. I'm considering starting a PTR for our Jan 09 trip. wrote one on last Jan trip and enjoyed it.

 

[DanMedix]

So this was supposed to be a relaxing-enjoy the Christmas stuff-trip.

I actually enjoy doing this tremendously, it's just I'd like them to be a little more appreciative of my efforts.

LOL, good luck on BOTH counts.....I'm right there with ya....

I made the plans very loose,I recommended a park of the day, gave the park hours, time and location of ADRs, etc. Hoping that my fam would take the hint, and go and do their own thing during the day and just meet up for meals, yeah who am I kidding, of course that didn't work. They plan to be...to quote Dan Medix.... "jam packed and jelly tight" with us all week! Dear Lord....give me strength.

HEHEE! A MENTION! *HUGS!*
*gives you lightning speed, to DITCH those that deserve to be ditched!*

 

[BayouMickey]

There is def. something in the water here. Although Sis lives in Lafayette, and BFF lives in Shreveport so it is possible the crazy may originate at Terrebonne General Hospital. So unfortunately you may be afflicted too! (if you were born there)

It's coonass genetics! can I say that word here? It's maticulously intwined into our DNA. that's why when we venture out the bayou people look at us like a confused puppy!

 

[snookiedoodles]

God bless you.....my family wanted to come to Disney with me and let me tell you............I made plans and did not tell them....not sure when I will!!!

Already signed sealed and delivered.....they can't come!!

Why?????.....because I ALWAYS pay for them !!!!

Not this time!!!

I am going without them and bringing my boys!!!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

God bless you.....my family wanted to come to Disney with me and let me tell you............I made plans and did not tell them....not sure when I will!!!

Already signed sealed and delivered.....they can't come!!

Why?????.....because I ALWAYS pay for them !!!!

Not this time!!!

I am going without them and bringing my boys!!!

Ha! I've done the not-telling-until-we're-leaving-town thing for the past few trips, in fact last year, when they all decided to join us for our May trip, I cancelled and went to DL instead. Insert evil laugh here.........muahhhhaaaahhhaaaa

Love it. In their pics they are all hot and sweaty and miserable, in our pics we are wearing sweatshirts and grinning ear to ear!

My mom and I share the cost of paying for my sister to come, and I would pay for my mom to come if she couldn't afford it, everyone else, they are on their own.

 

[DARuss]

Ha! I've done the not-telling-until-we're-leaving-town thing for the past few trips, in fact last year, when they all decided to join us for our May trip, I cancelled and went to DL instead. Insert evil laugh here.........muahhhhaaaahhhaaaa

Love it. In their pics they are all hot and sweaty and miserable, in our pics we are wearing sweatshirts and grinning ear to ear!

HEY, that's not nice. Funny, but not nice.

I'll have to remember that trick, just in case.

 

[figment fan21]

i'm here and so in for the long haul! DF and I were thinking about going away with my future in-laws... this report may keep me away from that

Love it and i can't wait to read more!

 

[DisneyBarlans]

Hi Becca,

Can't wait to hear about your trip-I saw your post with the pictures on the Theme Parks board. It sounds like we have a lot in common being the "family planners" and all. I'm about to plan another trip with my in-laws woo hoo!

 

[OhMari]

Did you guys take your trip yet, if so, how did it go.