We bought BLT, now my family gave me a headache About This Page:

[cmhand30]

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE BLT and DVC.

But telling my family was a big mistake. We offered to take them to HH for spring break. OMG, a nightmare. Sis #1 says too cold, and she lives in WI. Mom, well she just not sure checking in on Easter Sunday a good ideal. But both did say was generous. Dad says get Sis #1 on board and Mom will show up. I also said since she has small kids, (niece 7 and nephew 5) I would "pay for" WDW room only instead if she chooses. Sis asked for VB instead. ARRRRGGGGHHHH well, then there was she'll talk to her DH (that I understand). I won't even go into my other sister and her girlfriend. Yep, we're talking grand villa. Told Sis#1 Sun-Thur only due to points. Thought That would give her plenty of time to drive from WI, but if she flew we could drive 2 of our cars from GA to WDW.
BUT HH would be easier all around.

I now wish I didn't even offer. I just wanted to do something nice for the whole family. Mom and Dad paid for a condo in Destin last year and I bent my schedule to join them and didn't complain about the place or anything!

thinking about reserving 2 bedroom and studio and canceling the studio if one of the 3 "groups" don't want to come.

Thanks for listening to my vent.

[TNTWheels]

Just go with your family. You tried to get them together and they didn't take the offer. Then try again next year. Don't stress a vacation over something you have no control over (getting the extended family together is a lot of work I know), but you do have your own family to do it with. Remember have fun at WDW.

[tjkraz]

Welcome to the wonderful world of inviting family on vacation.

Besides all of the indecisiveness you mentioned, be prepared for the fact that none of them will ever appreciate that you have a very real commodity (points) at stake whenever you make a reservation. They will never fully understand that you pay a price for those points each year (dues) and that they are putting you at a very real disadvantage if they cancel on you at the last minute or otherwise change their minds.

Personally I have never made a reservation that I wasn't prepared to use myself. We are a family of 4 so we could survive in a One Bedroom. The worst thing I have ever done with our points is book a Two Bedroom and tell family "we're going whether you come or not." A 2B is more space than we need but I wouldn't have been disappointed if they bailed at the last minute. It would be their loss, and we would still enjoy the larger room.

Good luck!!!

[wvugrrrl]

Oh man, do I feel your pain. I tried to organize a Grand Gathering over Christmas for our entire extended family to go - I offered everyone a free room. All they'd have to pay was food and tickets, and you'd have thought I was sending them a one-way ticket to Hades! The worst part is that it wasn't so much the rest of the family being resistant, it was my parents! The same people who instilled the love of WDW in me! Trying to get them to commit to anything was like pulling teeth.

But I love how my Dad called me the other day and literally told me that my sister wants to go to WDW as a graduation present, and that DH and I need to see about getting her a room using our "free points," as he called them. I think my jaw hit the FLOOR! Nothing like spending my money for me, Dad.

[DoraDoug]

DSIL (the D does NOT stand for dear) was like that last year when we suggested meeting up for vacation in WDW. She insisted she needed nothing less than a 1 bedroom suite just for her family because she needed her own space and she couldn't go at anytime that was actually convenient for anyone other than her own family. I gave her a hard dose of reality when I priced out of pocket what she would have to pay if she had to have her own suite (at BLT with MK view BTW) for 10 days, during Christmas. Needless to say, she couldn't afford to pay that and is now thinking about renting a townhouse off site instead, if they choose to grace us with their presence at all.
I think the part that makes it the worst is getting the family together with all the kids was something my husband has been trying to do for years and the attitude we keep getting from the princess makes me not want them anywhere near my happy place, or anyplace where I'm on vacation at all. I totally understand your frustration, believe me!

[NanaTink]

I so understand, Charleen!
But if they can't make up their minds, then don't worry about them. Make your plans for the ones that want to come and for the time and place YOU want! That's who counts!!!!
Welcome Home, you guys!

[nurse_mom]

I can share the pain as well. We invited my parents last year, then it changed to I was paying for everything. Then, after that was fixed. my parents found out we are DVC members, and started to question and we could all go and get a grand villa. Don't get me wrong. I love my family and want to do a vaction for together time. But I hate it when people inform me what I need to do with our points. We invited a couple to Disney for our next trip, and they have already backed out. But I do agree with the orginal post, get a 2 bedroom and a studio. Drop the studio if needed.

[Timothy Mouse]

Reasons 1-100 as to why we didn't tell my wife's family to our trip to WDW until a week before we left.

Too much unneccessary drama.

[HiddenMickey]

OP-
Tell them you are going to HHI. Tell them the dates. Ask them if they want to go under your terms. If they say no, then say, "we'll miss you". Do what you want to do, and add people if it works for them, but don't go out of your way to plan something around their needs. This is your vacation 'home' and you have every right to say how it's going to be used.

PS...we'll be in HH (not DVC, Marriott) the week of Easter too. This year we did not invite family to join us. Just the four of us doing the things we like to do and not worrying if everyone else is having a good time.

[cmhand30]

Thanks for all the input. still waiting to hear from #1. Mom says make myself happy in the end.
Do need to make ressies soooon.

[spiceypj]

family - yes - it is hard.

what I do is this.

my brother's family will call me and if I can make the reservations they can have it.

now use to give my brother a 2-bedroom during the summer. that is gone. his kids are in college and want their own trips without him.

so everyone gets a studio.

the first time made the reservation I do it for 5 days (if have the points) - but if they change it - they lost a day.

my brother has yet to go using a studio - but both my niece and nephew have.

My niece really wanted a 1-bedroom - but no until she pays for her own points - it will be a studio.

these are vacations without me. even if I am there at the time - they have their space and I have mind.

[rescuesk]

Aren't familes wonderful? This is why we no longer travel with my family.

[saremca]

Originally Posted by HiddenMickey

OP-
Tell them you are going to HHI. Tell them the dates. Ask them if they want to go under your terms. If they say no, then say, "we'll miss you". Do what you want to do, and add people if it works for them, but don't go out of your way to plan something around their needs. This is your vacation 'home' and you have every right to say how it's going to be used.

[Colexis Mom]

Ugh!

[TinkMulanMickeysMom]

Families, Gotta Luv them! Gotta