Invited My Wife's Brother and His Family and... Crickets

[Matty B13]

It's easy to forget how little most people get us DVCers' dedication to Disney trips. Honestly, it's not normal adult behavior unless you have kids. Only then do non-Disney goers kind of get it.

Exactly, and everyone here on Disboards is a Power User of DVC and most go multiple times a year which the average person just can't fathom.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Indeed.

DH sometimes tells me about conversations he has with coworkers who've asked where we're going on vacation this year. "The usual, Disney World," has become his response.

Those inquiries turned into incredulity when he said we'd bought into DVC. Upon his explaining how much money a buy-in often requires, coworkers were almost universally, "It costs HOW MUCH?" or "Can't you just get a hotel?" or "Wow! I bought my kid a good used car for less than that."

The only one who really gets it is the coworker who goes to WDW annually like us and bought into RIV last year, graciously naming us as having recommended DVC to her.

Virtually everyone else we know except DH's brother and family don't get it at all. "Jim" explained to their dad that DVC isn't any old timeshare. It holds value. If they didn't have kids in college, they'd buy in, too.

It's easy to forget how little most people get us DVCers' dedication to Disney trips. Honestly, it's not normal adult behavior unless you have kids. Only then do non-Disney goers kind of get it.

I grew up going to WDW on an annual basis. But it wasn't until I had kids that I returned. I realized on our 2022 trip (a free trip thanks to my parents, which I viewed as a one-and-done WDW experience for my kids) that this was something I wanted to do every year for the rest of my life. Partly for my kids, partly for me and my wife. It's something we will do with other people along the way, I'm sure, but I'm excited for all the memories we will create at WDW.

 

[Chuck S]

Absolutely give them a deadline. it is the only way for larger groups I've taken up to 16 people, and they knew their cancelation deadlines and so forth. If you have enough points, book them a seperate studio so you CAN cancel their room in case of an emergency, and still bank those points. Otherwise I book accomodations for myself, then invite people to share my room. One friend prefers OKW studios so we both have real beds, and ohers like one bedrooms for the full kitchen and living areas. Depending on what I book, then I decide who to invite. If they cancel, I just go solo.

 

[Matty B13]

Oh yeah...... and don't borrow points for their room as well, you might regret it!!!!

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Exactly, and everyone here on Disboards is a Power User of DVC and most go multiple times a year which the average person just can't fathom.

We bought DVC with the idea of one annual trip (which it might be, one day) but it's turned into us having APs and we have three trips booked within 10 months of each other. Thankfully, we have met some friends through our oldest son's new school who happen to be Disney families. So they have helped normalize my feelings and behaviors toward WDW.

 

[Marrila]

It's easy to forget how little most people get us DVCers' dedication to Disney trips. Honestly, it's not normal adult behavior unless you have kids. Only then do non-Disney goers kind of get it.

And yet if you switch the words Disney resort with "cabin on the lake" family and friends would smile and approve. I mean really. Why do people care? It's a vacation. Either should be just fine.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Oh yeah...... and don't borrow points for their room as well, you might regret it!!!!

Thankfully, we won't be borrowing. Our resale contract provided some additional points that we didn't know about when buying. But, no, I'm not going to throw them away.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Absolutely give them a deadline. it is the only way for larger groups I've taken up to 16 people, and they knew their cancelation deadlines and so forth. If you have enough points, book them a seperate studio so you CAN cancel their room in case of an emergency, and still bank those points. Otherwise I book accomodations for myself, then invite people to share my room. One friend prefers OKW studios so we both have real beds, and ohers like one bedrooms for the full kitchen and living areas. Depending on what I book, then I decide who to invite. If they cancel, I just go solo.

Yes, thankfully we already know that we will need separate rooms. It would just be too wearing to have to share a room with them. So we have planned our points around this notion and I skimmed a few off the top to create a President's Day long weekend getaway for our family.

 

[2Lunds]

It seems that my wife and I will need to communicate with them soon about the 11 month booking window and the very serious "eight" month booking deadline. Plus we will likely do separate rooms just for the space, as it would be too much to be in the same room with them, even if it was a 3BR Grand Villa.

100%

 

[Her Dotness]

Thankfully, we have met some friends through our oldest son's new schools who happen to be Disney families. So they have helped normalize my feelings and behaviors toward WDW.

There you go!

Some of these might become people you'll enjoy sharing a room with or at least meeting for a meal, doing a park or attraction.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

I've always shied away from split stays because of the hassle of packing everything up and moving it between resorts. I'm on the west coast, so I have to fly in and we don't rent a car we just rely on Disney transportation (or we did when Magical Express was a thing, I'm not sure what we'll do to get from the airport to the resort now). Then again, with Minnie Vans back (at least they were last I heard) maybe moving from one resort to another wouldn't be so bad - we could do 3 nights an AKL and 4 at BRV or CCV.

We are using Sunshine Flyer for our August trip since they have a kids ride free promo through the end of August and adults are just $15. I know there are some complaints about ride length from the airport to the resort, but we didn't have any issues in April 2022, and I'm not willing to pay a significant amount more for a somewhat shorter ride to the resort.

I'm willing to try the split stay this time, because we are going to Animal Kingdom the day we move from Poly to AKV-Kidani. So it will be a shorter ride to the room, we'll be busy during the time of checkout and check-in, and we'll get a full kitchen and a bit more room. Plus animals. But who knows, I may find it to be more of a hassle than its worth.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

There you go!

Some of these might become people you'll enjoy sharing a room with or at least meeting for a meal, doing a park or attraction.

One family is a definite, the other is too new to know yet. But the latter's youngest is named Elias Walter. So probably a yes one day.

 

[RoseGold]

Oh yeah...... and don't borrow points for their room as well, you might regret it!!!!

This one you can fix to some degree if you need to. You can call and have MS reallocate points into the reservations you are taking. So, I wouldn't be too worried about borrowing some points, as long as you are watching banking and borrowing. You can bank in the current year points to replace the borrowed. I did this when I bought a contract with banked points. I took just the banked from that contract, and just the borrowed from the other contract. MS can pick which points you are using.

So, I don't sweat borrowing some points here and there. This is a different discussion if you travel every other year, and then you need to be much more careful.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The thought of it is nice - until the reality sets in. (BTDT.) Sorry they seem unenthusiastic, but go and enjoy your trip your way and try to meet up with them another way, as pp suggested. If you build up your relationship successfully, the way your wife wants, then maybe a future trip is still possible someday. Hakuna Matata

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

If you don't want to give up hope of sharing Disney with your family, maybe consider taking their kids along with you in a few years. You could slowly grow toward that goal: a few visits close to them, bring the kids to spend a weekend with you here and there, etc. I know my limits and have adult friends and family members I refuse to travel with, but I would absolutely take their kids.

 

[Micca]

Branson, MO. That's where we could meet half way and have something to do.

Funny you'd mention that, I have no idea where you are but I was thinking Silver Dollar City would be an easier trip to manage. It has a really good reputation and won't be the massive undertaking you'd have with WDW(also won't cost as much.)

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Funny you'd mention that, I have no idea where you are but I was thinking Silver Dollar City would be an easier trip to manage. It has a really good reputation and won't be the massive undertaking you'd have with WDW(also won't cost as much.)

We live an hour outside of Chicago and they live just outside Dallas. Seems like its a better idea the more I think about it. Thanks!

 

[Her Dotness]

Silver Dollar City would be great for the kids, imo.

It's been an age since my ex and I went there, but we had a terrific time doing rides, browsing for souvenirs and eating junk food. We weren't interested in the shows in Branson so spent most of a day at SDC and stayed in Springfield.

The Marvel Cave tour was fascinating even though a main feature is a multi-story bat poo pile. Seriously! The info about its discovery and uses there still are for that icky substance was really interesting.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Silver Dollar City would be great for the kids, imo.

It's been an age since my ex and I went there, but we had a terrific time doing rides, browsing for souvenirs and eating junk food. We weren't interested in the shows in Branson so spent most of a day at SDC and stayed in Springfield.

The Marvel Cave tour was fascinating even though a main feature is a multi-story bat poo pile. Seriously! The info about its discovery and uses there still are for that icky substance was really interesting.

Great suggestions! SDC would be fun for the kids (and me). Plus I've always wanted to visit Springfield to tour the Wilson's Creek battlefield. Thanks!

 

[chuff88]

We are using Sunshine Flyer for our August trip since they have a kids ride free promo through the end of August and adults are just $15. I know there are some complaints about ride length from the airport to the resort, but we didn't have any issues in April 2022, and I'm not willing to pay a significant amount more for a somewhat shorter ride to the resort.

I'm willing to try the split stay this time, because we are going to Animal Kingdom the day we move from Poly to AKV-Kidani. So it will be a shorter ride to the room, we'll be busy during the time of checkout and check-in, and we'll get a full kitchen and a bit more room. Plus animals. But who knows, I may find it to be more of a hassle than its worth.

Since there's only two of us we'll probably just do an Uber or Lyft from the airport to WDW and back. It's definitely more expensive, but it's probably easier in the long run that trying to coordinate a shuttle. If we do a split stay maybe we'll just rent a car so we can go between resorts, but that also seems like more trouble than it's worth.

I think we'll likely end up just staying somewhere other than AKV so my friend can have a murphy bed. I'd love to have my first stay be at my home resort, but hey, I have 33 years of Disney vacations ahead of me so it's not like I won't have another chance