What would you do?

[Tinker74]

Am I being mean?
Iam making my ADRs tomorrow...we are going with friends who have 3 small childen under 6. We have only one small child age 6. My friend knows NOTHING and I mean NOTHING about disney...I have asked her which restaurants she likes and she bascically wants about 4 character meals that we have chosen...and she wants be to book them for us all together .
I have waited a long time to take my dd to disney and I know that these meals are a welcome break from the heat and tiredness of the day. Iam not sure how much of a break it will be with her 3 unruly children.
Don't get me wrong my dd is no angel and they are no worse but ONE I can take BUT 4
Plus how much character time will my dd get if she has to share our table with 3 other children.
Please don't be hard on me I love them all really BUT iam tempted to just book 2 of the character meals to be with us and tell my friend she will have to book the other 2 herself.

 

[belleandthebeast]

I would book them seperately. Families that travel totgether need some alone time. It will good for both families, not just yours. She'll appreciate it. Tell her that they didn't have tables for 6, just 2. That happens often enough.

I found when traveling with other families, 1 of 2 things happens:
1. I am so incredibly sick of the other family, I wish they were on another planet or
2. We get along great.

If you find yourself in situation #1, you will be very thankful for the time away from them.

 

[kitkatsnindylou]

What about booking seperate tables? It might even be easier to get instead of a large table which sometimes they tell you they have to split anyway.

 

[fizz13]

I can see your point on this one. In regards to character time, your DD should get as much time as the other kids at your table because all the characetrs will stop to give individual hugs, sign each book and pose for seperate photos with each child. It is possible she will be short-changed if they are giving each table equal time but i think she should be ok and not feel like it was unfair.

Now about sharing all those meals, definately a tricky issue. Could you not suggest that you have a day apart from your friends or a half day, so you could have a meal on your own in this time? It could be a relief to have a break with just your family anyway. 4 character meals seems a lot to be doing so why not offer to book them for your friend if she is clueless but schedule your time away to coincide with one of them (or maybe two). I don't think having some time to yourself on a vacation is too much to ask at all and if she is a good friend she will understand.

Hope this helps a little, good luck,
Claire xx

 

[stacy6552]

You can go one of two ways......

1) be up front about not being joined at the hip. Maybe agree to one meal together each day.....

2) Manipulate the ADR's. "Oh geee. I couldnt get us all together. I couldnt even get us at the same time...."

 

[DebIreland]

Plus how much character time will my dd get if she has to share our table with 3 other children.
Please don't be hard on me I love them all really BUT iam tempted to just book 2 of the character meals to be with us and tell my friend she will have to book the other 2 herself.

I dunno, I think your DD will have more fun if she's with the other kids when the characters come around. You know the way kids gel together in a fun situation (e.g. birthday parties)? It would have that kinda vibe I'm sure. I'm certain the characters won't give her less time - I have 3 children, ages 11, 9 and 1 and I can honestly say all of them got a lot of attention from the characters at Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace.

If you do decide to keep your family separate, I would do so at another sitting entirely from the other family and I *definitely* wouldn't book 2 separate tables at the same sitting because your DD will probably end up looking over at her friends laughing together as a group and feel left out, know what I mean?

I do agree though that you'll all need space from each other (having travelled on holiday with other families I can testify to that!). So I would suggest that you attend the character meals together but the non-character places individually (whether they're CS or TS places, doesn't matter). For example after the parks at e.g. 5 or 6, go your separate ways for your evening meal and that will give you an option as to whether or not to re-unite later on. This will also provide you with the break you're looking for - to be honest the character meals are loud and raucous so whether you have one or four children in your party, it's not gonna be very relaxing. lol!! But it IS fun. Good luck!

 

[Tinker74]

Thanks for the replys..
The thing is...We are totally different when it comes to planning. I have planned for a year have a schedule planned to the t. Iam getting up early hitting the parksthen break then a nighttime show...I know all this because i have become a disney fanatic
Friend on the other hand...knows nothing...didn't enen know character meals existed She wants to lie in every day and go where ever the feeling takes her.
As you can see we will be doing much of our touring apart
But as my schedule is so tight packed and it is August I am rally looking forward to the meals as a relaxing break.

Fizz I see what you mean about the character time...You knbow what my dd wouldn't care if she got less time with them because of the other 3
BUT I would...I have become obssessed with planning and would probably have my watch out timing them!
Only joking...I think!

I just want the holiday to be as perfect as it can be.....and her youngest 2 never stop crying or whineing....
My dd was the same at their age but thats all behind me now.....till August

 

[Tinker74]

Claire...just want to add. I love your website
And your trip reports
Iam from the UK too! But I know this one trip will not be enough. Sadly it will be about 2 or 3 yrs before we can go back!

 

[lillygator]

I would maybe book one together and keep the rest seperate. Good luck!

 

[gigi1313]

You can go one of two ways......

1) be up front about not being joined at the hip. Maybe agree to one meal together each day.....

2) Manipulate the ADR's. "Oh geee. I couldnt get us all together. I couldnt even get us at the same time...."

having just recently travelled w/another family, all i can say is DITTO!!!! i wish i had thought of that (and actually on our last night, the cm told us that it would be a bit of a wait for a table of 8 or we could have two tables of 4 a lot sooner, and BOTH families jumped on the separate table idea!")

 

[coachyo]

Tinker74,
Let me throw in my 2 cents worth. I am with you on being a Disney fanatic and planning to make it perfect. We went in '04 and it turned out great for us. But we did not travel with another family for that. We do travel alot with another family and they sound very familiar to your friends. They never really like to plan ahead and they are into sleeping in (lie in ) and I feel like we miss out on a lot. I now handle traveling with them like this... I tell them what our plans are and that they will be at this time and if they want to go they need to let us know ahead of time. I also plan events that do not include them and I tell them it is for quality family time for each our families. They have said they will go with the flow and they also say because I know what I'm doing they would take my advice and go with it. Now they did try to horn in on our trip this June and I just started talking about how I could help them make ressies and such and that they would have a great time. I couldn't do it with them, without really being tough and taking alot of time to ourselves. I think you should plan for significant time each day apart. Especially for events that you think may be magical. Good luck and I hope I didn't cloud your
thoughts any farther.

YO

 

[mommykds]

We were at WDW in Nov 2003 with some close friends. We did 3 meals with them & with just our family. Worked out very well & we are still friends.

I think doing all your meals together is not the best since your touring plans sound very different. JMHO