Keeping everyone happy with two families

[diskids2]

I'm looking for some tips on how to make "everyone happy" in WDW. We will be traveling with a group of 7 which consists of two families 4 and 3 people respectively. Two sets of parents and 3 kids all different ages (6, 10, 13).

 

[robinb]

Yes! I have done this before and I am doing it again next week. It'll be me, my DH, my DD, my sister, her DH, her 3 kids and my parents for a total of 6 adults and 4 children ages 1, 2, 2, & 7.

My biggest piece of advise is to do your own thing and let them do their own thing. For instance, if you are EE folks and they are not ... don't make them get up early or wait for them to get out of bed. One or both of you will wind up frustrated. Instead, arrange to meet them at the park. Make a couple of PSs for dinner and lunch. Be prepared for them to deceide that they don't want to go to some of the places you have planned (even if they OK'd it before).

What I do is plan a bunch of PSs, plan my days and then tell my family if they want to join us that's fine. If not, that's fine too.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I so agree, it is a good time to meet for lunch or Pool time in the afternoon, and mornings and evenings can be togehter or alone, or in any combo that works !

 

[diskids2]

Sounds like some great advice, so far! One thing that has worked well so far is that we have all been involved in the planning. We make a party out of it. About once a month we all get together, kids included, bring in some food, talk about the trip, and make some decisions.

 

[melk]

We've done this too. It works out best if you're not together all the time. Spend some down time alone as a family, then you'll be up for the times you're doing things together as a big group. Also, I suggest switching off with the kids at least once (you watch their kids one night so they can go out for dinner and vice versa). Have a great time!!

 

[MickDaddy]

You might suggest that everyone, adults included pick the one activity that would make their trip perfect, and invite the rest to join in. Many times another person's activity becomes the hit of the trip because your're doing something you never would have thought of doing.

 

[Sleepy]

Yes, we have also done the 2 family trip and found that splitting up is the best route. the 2nd family liked to dictate what rides and what order to do them in. After the first day, we purposely left the hotel early to get away from them and never told them which park we were going to and can you believe they saw us at the very first ride we went to? It wasn't even the first ride at the gate of the park either. Was not long before they got the hint that we wanted to tour the parks alone. We just met long enough for a lunch, or dinner and maybe ONE ride afterward.

 

[diskids2]

This is great advice. How did you manage to split with the other family without any hurt feelings?

 

[gn2wdw]

We've done this before and it is best to discuss it before you leave home. If you go and try to make everyone happy, you will just be miserable. We make it clear that everyone is on their own during the days and then make plans to meet for dinner.

Good luck!

Melinda

 

[LoriZH]

Although it worked out well for us, we actually didn't spend much time in the parks with them. We are very flexible and they are pretty much into doing what they want, so we just adjusted or did what we wanted. No hurt feelings involved. We always met up for parades, fireworks, shopping, dinners, etc...

We are doing it again this August with my DS-inlaw and her two ds. They are very last minute fly by the seat of your pants kind of people and they are also a lot of fun! We have things planned but if it doesn't coinside with their plans, we'll be fine and I'm sure they will too! They've gone to DW by themselves a lot! They are actually only coming for two days, so it shouldn't be bad at all.

 

[tednvon]

small ideas......be sure to rent two cars and not one Van.....you can actually get two cars for the same or less than a Van and gives you the split up option from the beginning.......then you can have one group at the mall, and one at the parks or pool and no worries about picking folks up........we stayed in a great 3 bedroom 3 bath condo with two master suites ( bath off each bedroom) and then a nice hall bath for the kids...was that ever great in the morning.....it is at vrbo.com and search 2375 if interested.....under 700 for a week..........nice pool, close to Disney....all the other advice is great....just relax and enjoy......you will LOVE Disney..........Ted

 

[MichaelH]

I have never done this, however I like the idea of the two way radios. Just get a set of them and you could call the other family to let them know that you made it to the park, or that you will not be able to make it for lunch, or see if they would like to meet for lunch. Seems like a good idea, and you would not have to decide where to meet in advance at the parks.

 

[cdackbwv99]

Here are some tips from the Ackerman-Sikora Once-in-a-Lifetime Millenium Celebration. (Some have already been suggested.)

1) Each couple gets at least one night alone without the kids. (The whole night)

2) On one of the days, split up the guys and gals. Guys have lunch at ESPN, gals do their shopping at Downtown Disney

3) Break the days into a morning segment and an evening segment. Rest, take naps during the midday heat. Remember that the most tired person will control the smile factor for the entire group.

4) Schedule several group meals like dinner at Biergarten or breakfast with Chef Mickey; not every meal needs to be everyone together.

5) Be flexible. The best-made plans will at some point have to adapt. How the adults react to the change will affect how the kids react.

6) Let every child have at least one moment where they are the center of attention.

7) You can't see it all; you can't do it all. The most important thing is that you are creating some of the best memories your family will be recalling for many years to come.

 

[Disney Doll]

We've gone to WDW with groups as large as 17, and the best advice I can give is don't think you need to spend every waking moment together. Decide in advance what "big" things you want to do together (ie-character breakfast,Hoop-dee-doo)and make your plans. Once you get there, if there is stuff you all want to do together, great. But no one should get offended if you don't want to be in each other's pocket for the whole trip. We just kind of make a gneeral decision about where we're going the next day, and whoever wants to come, comes and whoever doesn't does their own thing and maybe we meet later for dinner or swimming or something. Cell phones and two way radios are great for this, cuz you can keep in touch with each other throughout the day.