Originally Posted By sherrytodd OK, actually I get along really well with my in-laws and we have taken several trips together. Next May we have a trip planned with the in-laws to the Virgin Islands. We have chartered a 40 ft sail boat for ten days and plan on sailing, diving, snorkeling and drinking lots of rum. Our original plan was, my husband, son and I were going to fly out first to Orlando for six days to go to WDW, then fly to the Virgin Islands and meet the in-laws in Tortolla. I have all our flights booked and our reservations made, our priority seatings set, etc, etc, etc... Yesterday we get a call from my father-in-law. They wanted to get our flight information since they have decided to swap out their timeshare for a condo in Orlando and join us at WDW. They want us to stay with them at the condo. Now this would save us about $1500 which is a good thing right? BUT... Normally, I am a very laid back person. I always just go with the flow. Whatever everyone else wants to do is just fine with me, EXCEPT for my Disney trips. I have the Disney Trip Notebook, which my husband has learned to accept. I like to stay onsite. we are morning people who like to hit the parks early. We kind of have developed our own routine and it works. We have gone to WDW with the in-laws before, but not this closely. We stayed at different hotels and it was with several other family members so it was more like our vacation while meeting up with the other family members from time to time. Now I will admit, it was a lot of fun. To have the extra money would be nice, but to get that I will have to give up some of my vacation freedom. We are definately morning people, but my mother-in-law will not get out of bed till the crack of noon. I figure we can get two rental cars to compensate for this. We won't be staying on site, but maybe this is the chance to see some things outside of the world. Maybe I can commit the notebook to memory so I won't have any non-notebooker rebelions. What I am really worried about is all of us getting sick of each other before we even make it to the BVI's. Or am I just not willing to give up control of my Disney monopoly.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling As I'm sure you know, communication is KEY! Do your in-laws know that you guys are morning people and plan to be at the park at opening or are they expecting you to do everything with them? I'm hoping that this can very much end up being a "meet up" trip like the WDW trip you mention. After all, just because you're staying in the same place doesn't mean you guys HAVE to be on the same schedule. I don't know if you remember that Disneyland trip we took with "Happy" and her family but we tried to do everything together and it ended up being miserable, miserable, miserable. On the other hand, we went with some other friends in January (there were 11 of us all together) and it ended up being wonderful! Part of the difference is that we had all agreed up front NOT to be committed to doing EVERYTHING together. We'd say, "Hey, we're gonna be at the gate tomorrow morning at 0'dark-thirty. Do you want me to call you when we're ready to leave or do you want to sleep in?" It worked out great and we all had the best time. And we are even closer for it. p.s. I wanna copy of your notebook.
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Originally Posted By disney pete sherry we stayed in a villa 2 years in a row with my best friend and his family and we just done our own thing,we where up and out for the parks early whilst my friends slept late and shopped a lot we all met up at night for food or back at the villa for a few beers before bed it worked ok for us,just imagine what you can do with the money you save.
Originally Posted By beamerdog >> till the crack of noon.<< OMG, I so have to remember that expression, lol.
Originally Posted By smedley 'crack of noon' my time of day... I go with Chickie on this one, the woman is sage indeed
Originally Posted By iamsally I too am in the ChickieD camp. Get it straight what you will be doing and leave it to them to keep your schedule or do their own and meet up. (Personally, I never did well with the inlaws and now that FIL is dead it is worse. But that is another story.) Ultimately the choice will be with you and your family but I would probably already be planning how to spend those extra $$$$. Good luck and have fun;o)
Originally Posted By mater4 Ohnooooo! I just returned from a trip to DL with my inlaws. They are morning people like us so that worked out. I also get along with my inlaws but MIL became unbearable after two days. Like you I go to DL with a plan and it is hard for me to deviate from it. DH and I ended up in a little tiff because after two days I became a little bossy and was irritated when I did not get my way. I agree that you should let them know what to expect and that it is ok not to spend every waking moment together. Have a great vacation.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd RE #3 and #4 thanks to DAR for attempting to add the ominous music, but the LP admin god frowned on the youtube links so here's what you missed... DAR suggested Darth Vader's Imperial March... Da da da dada da dada da... Da da da dada da dada da. But I felt my in-laws were really more the Jaw's theme... Da dum... Da dum... dadumdadumdadumdadumdadumdadumdadumdadum Da Da Dum... That is all. Carry on...
Originally Posted By bloona I read your post out to Patrick, cos I would say exactly the same...dont mess with my Disney!! I have lots of close friends who I adore, but I think theres only one who I could share a holiday to Orlando with. She does the same as me when they go, early starts, everything planned , meals decided on months before etc. Others I would want to send home after two days I think, I could not stand someone to not follow my plans and delay me...lol..... I think the only way to do it ,is to have seperate cars, and basically seperate holidays..lol...say why dont we meet for lunch at 12, or we are going on this ride now, want to come?...no....well see you later... hope it goes well hun.
Originally Posted By iamsally I was wondering what someone could possibly have posted in this thread that could be admined. (But then thinking what I might have posted about a vacation with my inlaws........) Ah well. Good luck Sherry.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd OK, MIL made the reservation for the Marriott Grand Vista which looks really nice. Husband is already trying to get us to do non WDW things since we are outside of the World. I had to beat him down. The in-laws said that they will probably only go to Epcot and maybe Animal Kingdom and then hang out at the timeshare the rest of the time. This may work out.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd So the plan we made back in December was we were going to share the condo at the Marriott and we were going to get seperate rental cars and pretty much go our seperate ways in Orlando since we were going to be stuck together on the boat for ten days. So this week with now 10 days to go, we are finalizing our plans and we find out that MIL decides that she wants to save money and didn't reserve a rental car. ARRRRGGGHHH!!! Husband starts to say, "It's OK, you can just drop us off at the park and use ours." I cut him off and said "No!" We made our plans and we are going to need the rental car since I got the park hopper option and we like to hop between parks and come back to the hotel to take breaks, etc. So MIL tells us that we are going to have to do the food shopping for her so she can have food at the condo. <--- grinding teeth and grumbling now. I'm trying to decide if the money we saved is going to be worth this. I think I will be spending a LOT of time at the parks since she has decided that she doesn't want to go to WDW since it costs too much money.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Can you get a food delivery from a local grocery store - I would check on line and have it delivered when you arrive - it would be worth the delivery fee not to have to mess with your own plans.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove Oh, sherrytodd, I hope things turn out well for all of you. What an investment in time/money/planning book and everything. When all is said and done, MIL will just have to deal. When you're in Orlando, it's about you and she'll have to take the back seat for awhile. I can say this. I have 3 sons in law and 1 daughter in law, and if they ever sat me down and told me respectfully and sweetly their needs and preferences, I would crawl on glass to make sure they were all met. Wishing you the very best time of your life! Take lots of pictures!
Originally Posted By bloona ohohohoh We always advice groups going together to get a rental car for each family, but hopefully since they are happy to stay around the accomodation that shouldnt be a problem. hopefully.
Originally Posted By iamsally Good for you for standing up for yourself (and YOUR rental car.) Have to say I am breaking out in hives thinking of how sour the trip I planned so carefully turned out. I pray that yours will go well. All I can think of is, enjoy the Parks and visit with the inlaws when you have the time. No *ominous music* allowed. Hope you have a great vacation.
Originally Posted By MOLLYSMOM sherry...surely you remember the tales of the half-wits. Within 3 days, those idiots weren't speaking to each other, and some members were seen STORMING out of DL. They shared hotel rooms, they shared a van rental, they even shared vacation side trips to Hollywood, San Diego, and Venice Beach. I was stuck in the middle...listening to my sisters complain about my mom...listening to my mom complain about my sisters...listening to my dad and BIL complain about the entire lot of them. I finally told my sister that this was HER vacation as much as anyone else's, and if she wanted to do something different from the others, then she had just better do it. If anyone wanted to complain about that...let them. She felt she had an obligation to hang out with the other half wits since they had traveled together etc. That feeling of obligation pretty much ruined the trip for many of the half wits. A few members of the half wits have requested that we allow them to come with us on our next trip. They have promised to behave. They suggested sharing a room to save money. I'm no moron...I have already booked them their own room and am gladly paying for it.
