Mildly frustrated,but in all. we'got it good About This Page:

[CollinsFamily]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I just meed to vent a bit. My DD4 has has 6 surgeries in the last 2 years, starting with a tumor removed from her spinal column that. She has a lot of mobility issues. She walks with braces and a walker and is being fit for a wheelchair tomorrow. She has a nuerogenic bladder and bowell (her brain and her bladder and bowell are not on speaking terms...and apparently no amount of counseling will help that relationship.) During her 4th surgery, Grumpy (my FIL) came to visit and told Vivian that when things settled down a bit and she was feeling better, he would take her (and by her, he meant all of us) to Disney. Hey! GREAT! We're going to Disney and I don't have to fund the trip! Can't get much more perfect than that. So, when he came for Surgery # 5, he told her we would go for her 5th birthday. Now we have a date to shoot for.
So, about November last year, I got THE phone call. Find out how much time Mike (my husband) can get off work (I had to come home from work when we found the tumor....face it, if I had tried to keep the job, I'd have been let go by now anyway with all the time I've needed off) and book the vacation for the maximum length of time FIL (Grumpy) didn't want to have to do anything but pay. Well, Mike has 2 weeks of vavation he can take. We have 14 nights in Fort Wilderness cabins. We'll arrive 30 October and depart 13 November. Did I mention I don't have to fund this bill? Grumpy's only restrictions were that we have to be ther over Vivian's bday (3 November) and we have to have her input on anything and everything we do. No problem. So, quick recap....Grumpy's paying, gotta have Vivian's input, booked for 14 nights.
Then, my best friend (Kendra) said "You're going to Disney? I wanna go!" She's never been before, and has a 2 year old (will be 3 in June). So, I called and priced her, too. She an only stay for 1 week (she's an attorney and can't stay away from her business for that long...and she doesn't have a Grumpy paying for it). The problem is that she will give me NO input. She says "I trust your superior planning skills." And won't say anything else. Enter our "foster" son, Ashto (Ash). He is 15, and we got him just before Christmas. He can't be out of school for 2 weeks, so we booked him onto Kendra's package (and Grumpy paid for him, too) because she will only be there for the week, then he will stay with her for the extra week. Poor kid is coming out of a tough situation, and can hardly believe he's in a house where people aren't cutting him down and yelling at him every 30 seconds, much less that he gets to do something as cool as Disney. But he's coming around. Then Kendra went and found herself a new boyfriend (really nice guy) who wants to go too, and bring HIS 2 kids (11 and 8) who have never been before, either.
So, now our party of 4 has morphed into a party of 10 and has become a Grand Gathering. My husband and I are the only Veterans, and NOBODY will tell me anything they want to do or give me any input.
Well, that's not entirely true. Here's what I do have:
Mike: MUST DO Figment (He's the biggest Figment fan out there), Tot, Pirates, and eat at the Crystal Palace (It's tradition, it MUST be done!)
Grumpy: Doesn't care as long as Vivian's OK with it.
Ash: "Can we do something with Stitch....please?"
Vivian: Wants to do EVERYTHING.....including what we know she will be too short to ride. I figure we'll just go with the flow and let her set the pace for the most part....allowing for side trips to some of the "Older kid" rides for Ash.
So, I've pretty much decided that I'll plan this trip that they are going to go on, and if they don't like it, they'd better not ever let me hear it. I'm putting in a lot of time to plan this, and I have never planned for this big a group, (maybe I should charge for this...how do you become a travel agent?) with little to no input from anyone except Vivian. But, I'm excited. I don't have to pay for it, and by the time it gets here, I will have everyone together in the Happiest Place on Earth, and they're going to LOVE it. And I can breathe and watch my daughter and new son on their first trip and have loads of fun.

There! I feel better. All I needed to do was put it back into perspective.
As always, if anyone has any suggestions or tips on what we can do to make this trip extra special for everyone, PLEASE share.

[Colexis Mom]

I'm sure everyone will be happy with your decisions!

[saremca]

You all are going to have so much fun! I bet everyone is going to be so happy to be there they'll do whatever you plan for and have a blast.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Hi THere!

It sounds like there is quite a crowd! I'd suggest sitting down with a PassPorter and trying to plot out your path and your priorities and must do's. With that many opinions, you might want to work out details of the day while you are still at home.

Hope you have fun, whatever you do.

[Tim Sullivan]

As a veteran traveller to WDW, you know that you can't see it all, so make sure you don't try, esp. with anyone with special needs in the party. (I know, common sense, but I still like to mention it). Also, since you're getting no input on what the new additions to the trip want to do, don't worry about them then, only worry about what YOUR family wants to do. There is no saying that the rest of the travel party can't go their own way for a day or so (or that you can't put plans off for the 2nd week) for those plans that not everyone wants to do.

My biggest tip is to remember that it is supposed to be a vacation, don't over plan and over-stress yourself, and while you're there make sure you enjoy your time spent with family and friends. Far too often I see those harried parents rushing family from one attraction to another when NO ONE looks like they're enjoying themselves... keep that in mind.

Enjoy your trip!

Tim

[mom2twingirlies]

Our trip in January wasn't quite so big, but a similar thing happened. I wanted to take my girls for their 4th birthday. DM stated she wanted to come - DM and DMIL are very competitive about their time with their only grandchildren (for both), so we invited DMIL too as well as DBIL. so total 7 (instead of 4) and everyone's answer when I asked for their opinions was they would leave it up to me. So after asking several times and getting the same answer, I went ahead and planned the trip I wanted taking them all into consideration. I was ready if anyone complained to reminde them that I had asked, but they all declined to participate in the planning.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

I would write up daily itineraries & had them out to everyone in your party. Have "parks of the day" Also have a plan that if people want to split up for any part of the day you will all meet up at a certain time & place for dinner. A huge group is fun, But sometimes it's also good to "do your own thing" too.
Have a wonderful gathering..

[emilyandlogansmom]

I have no advice, but what a sweet Grumpy you have. Good luck!

[TinkerBellK]

if there is a line that is not mainstreamed in WDW, they will only let 5 people plus the person in the wheelchair in the "wheelchair entrance." Almost every line is mainstreamed, so this is almost never an issue, but since you said you are travelling with a large group, I thought you might want to be aware.

[PhilsEagles08]

You and Grumpy are the best!!! I hope Vivian has a wonderful trip!

[roaminggnome]

It sounds like you are going to have a great time!!

[Christine43]

Remember to take breaks if and when you need them and have a very happy vacation!

[Sandra Bostwick]

OH, and make sure everyone has cell phones so you can keep in touch if you split up. Them PLAN ALONE TIME right from the start, before you even leave. If you wait until you are there and people start getting on each other's nerves, people take requests for alone time very personally.

[CollinsFamily]

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

OH, and make sure everyone has cell phones so you can keep in touch if you split up. Them PLAN ALONE TIME right from the start, before you even leave. If you wait until you are there and people start getting on each other's nerves, people take requests for alone time very personally.

This is very good advice. I will be scheduling mostly parks for the day....people can split up as they see fit. I figure this will be the best way to handle it not knowing what the crowd levels are going to be or what people are going to want to do.

[Disneydiana]

You guys are going to have a wonderful time!!!