What do I tell them?

[Partyof8]

This is a really difficult question for me to ask, so please bear with me. Dh, 3 year old sons, and I will be going to wdw in two weeks. When I called to make our resort reservation, the cm asked me what we were celebrating and I just couldn't find the right words to tell her why we are taking this trip now and what we are celebrating. My dh has been in poor health for a few years now and over the past 6 months has worsened significantly. His doctor has told him that he most likely will not live to see our boys start kindergarten. We are taking this very short trip now because I want my little guys to experience WDW with their dad and I need to find a positive way to communicate this to cm's when they ask me what we are celebrating. Any ideas? It will be the first trip to WDW for all three.

 

[Mum23]

First I am very sorry for the circumstances of your trip. They have a "First Trip" button that you can get for them all. I would think that would convey the specialness of the trip without having to go into details?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

This is a really difficult question for me to ask, so please bear with me. Dh, 3 year old sons, and I will be going to wdw in two weeks. When I called to make our resort reservation, the cm asked me what we were celebrating and I just couldn't find the right words to tell her why we are taking this trip now and what we are celebrating. My dh has been in poor health for a few years now and over the past 6 months has worsened significantly. His doctor has told him that he most likely will not live to see our boys start kindergarten. We are taking this very short trip now because I want my little guys to experience WDW with their dad and I need to find a positive way to communicate this to cm's when they ask me what we are celebrating. Any ideas? It will be the first trip to WDW for all three.

You can say something that fits the idea without going into details. How about saying you're celebrating life, family, or how much you love each other?

I've given some answers to the "are you celebrating something?" question over the years that have gotten some chuckles. We've celebrated the end of the school year, that summer has finally arrived, that I have a week off work. I was booking a reservation for a friend and me to get away for a long weekend and I told the CM we were celebrating that we had an opportunity to get away without our kids.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to hear about your situation.

They do ask what you are celebrating when you make your reservation, but you won't be routinely asked what you are celebrating unless you are wearing an "I'm celebrating" button.

As the other posters mentioned, if you are asked, you don't have to be specific or can make it say something silly. I've seen buttons that say things like the previous posters mentioned or something general like "family".

"First Trip" is a good choice too. You will usually get a lot of comments, but no awkward questions.

 

[pad406]

So sorry to hear the reasons for your visit. I hope you all have a fantastic time and treasure the memories that you will make, especially the boys.

 

[JillyBean1899]

You're celebrating memories. Enough said.

Speaking of which, you might want to check into the Memory Maker. If you buy it in advance, it's $150 (at least 3 days before your trip), and it covers the photos the park takes (rides, characters, and the "hey guys, stop for a quick photo!!" at the front of the park people, which are now all over, they're even marked on the maps). Of course still bring your camera for quick photos on the bus/at the resorts, stuff like that, but with MM you'll be able to make sure that *EVERYONE* is in the picture, and that will be priceless.

 

[SueM in MN]

You're celebrating memories. Enough said.

Speaking of which, you might want to check into the Memory Maker. If you buy it in advance, it's $150 (at least 3 days before your trip), and it covers the photos the park takes (rides, characters, and the "hey guys, stop for a quick photo!!" at the front of the park people, which are now all over, they're even marked on the maps). Of course still bring your camera for quick photos on the bus/at the resorts, stuff like that, but with MM you'll be able to make sure that *EVERYONE* is in the picture, and that will be priceless.

That's a good one.

It made me think of this song from one of the Disney Sing-a-long videos.
http://youtu.be/sSCGUynGfhI

 

[Partyof8]

Thank you all for your kind words. Planning this trip has been bittersweet and I'm struggling to stay happy and positive.

Celebrating memories is absolutely perfect!

 

[lanejudy]

So sorry to hear of your family's situation.

As others have said, don't worry about noting a celebration on your reservation. It's a standard question. Unless you really want to be asked repeatedly, I wouldn't call attention to anything. I'd get the "first trip" buttons for the boys and let it go with that. Plus some lasting memories for all of you.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[KristenFNJ]

{{{hugs}}}

...there are a bunch of great tips here that probably cover most of the situations. I thought perhaps one more way to prepare for the trip, in the event you feel you need to be more specific for whatever reason, might be to type up a very short explanation on a small notecard and laminate it. If you find yourself in a situation where you want the CM to understand the circumstance but don't want to start talking about it in front of your family or anyone else, you can hand them the card.

As sample might me, "We are celebrating our wonderful husband and father, and making memories of a lifetime, as his health has suffered of late and his prognosis is poor. Thank you very much for your understanding!"

I have no idea if you'd be comfortable with something like this, but it's an option you can turn to if it gives you a sense of comfort to feel prepared for any situation.