I, too am one bad day (hour) away from bieng like Brittney, podsquadders can relate?

[happy2go2wdwmom]

My DAunt and her 7 are in WDW as I write this; her youngest cast members include a 4 month old (!) and a 2, 4, and 6 year old grand kids. They are so far experiencing one fiasco after another (actually they have had a month of rotten luck) and I am right about now after many frantic calls from them about to shave my head.... If you can relate, please tell me! I began my planning for them almost a year ago, when wee one was just a glimmer in their parent's eyes---and when I say planning, I mean obsessively over planning, thanks to the disboards and my fascination and love for the World... I'm a devoute PLANNER---a real Mousketeer, if I do say so myself. I have loved every question and challenge they have thrown my way and I'm proud to add that I managed to help them plan an awesome vacation...and if you are like me, you know, you can't just tell folks what to do, but only suggest or strongly suggest things...anyway it took months of convincing--like...just try one character dining meal, and about when to go ("Hey, leave one week earlier than you are planning and you can miss Pres. Weekend [!] and enjoy value season") and I stuck to my guns about insisting they take strollers----which this morning they admitted was a really, really good ideal. Anyway, like I said, "FIASCO"---I'll spare you ALL of the details---but here are two: Last night, when they called me at 7:05pm, they said the Pirate and Princess Party a "total and entire farce" and a "waste" of the several hundred extra dollars they have spent. I'll admit, I crossed into Brittneyland for a few minutes during that call (of which there have been many)---but they will hopefully never know, b/c I love them and I only want them to enjoy their vacation!

#2. Tonight, my Aunt called and cried (one of about 7 or 8 tearful calls we have shared today) about how great her treatment was in the Emergency Room all day today (after her lunch, actually in the Castle) and that she feels so grateful that the docs found the deep blood clot she has and she feels SO BLESSED and ECSTATIC that even though she has to go to the hospital again tomorrow at 9:00am to learn how to give herself a shot in her stomach every 12 hours (eW!), that she does not have to go home or have to stay at the ER and so is relieved that she will be able to enjoy the rest of her Disney World trip---even though it will be in a wheelchair (look out Bawb!!!).

I am almost out of pixie dust and it is only day two!!?! A BIG part of me just wants them to come home. Have any of you planned trips for others only to hear of the terrible time they had?! I feel TERRIBLY responsible for my family!

 

[DisneyDeeva]

I personally have made it a policy NEVER to plan trips for family or friends. I'll answer a question or to and happily point them towards resources. But, it's a "NoWin" situation. Unless, the "get it" much of what I would find magical would be fodder for them to use against me at the next family reunion.

Now, I went out to dinner with my grown son tonight. He's 21 and hasn't come on my last several trips to the World (been about 4 years since his last visit). We're having a nice conversation and all of a sudden, he says "ya know, I'm really homesick for DisneyWorld". Melted my heart...did I raise him right or what!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Hopefully things will get better for your family, but whether it does or doesn't, you did everything you could to create a wonderful time for them...so please don't shave your head.

 

[starwood]

I feel your pain. That has happened to me everytime I go with someone else. We did DL with DMIL before our West Coast Cruise in 2005. It was the 3 of us, my DM, DMIL, 2 DNs, DBIL and DSIL. Well I wanted to get Fantasmic Balcony seating and I explained it to her and the cost and asked how many tickets she needed (not sure if BIL and SIL would want to do it. She said 5 - so I managed to get tickets for all 9 of us. When I e-mailed her she said she only needed 3! I went into panic mode because I couldn't return them. I then explained to her that she said she needed 5 and again explained what they were. She thought it was something else and said I had done it right.

Again - we are going to WDW in April with the school band. Another family is staying with us. I told them about P&PP and she said they wanted to do it. So as soon as tickets went on sale I got 6 with my DVC discount. When I talked to her that night she said they had to leave to come home Wednesday (she thought the party was Tuesday!). Luckily I found another family to take the 3 extra tickets. Never ever again!!!!

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

I just glanced at the weather forecast for the next two days there, whcih is really when my DA can begin to enjoy her vacation at a park versus only going to just a character meal, and OH MY--- I think I had better diconnect my phones....

 

[novajet]

I have never planned a trip for someone else, but I do know the stress of planning one for myself and then having things go wrong. We just got back last week, and of the 7 days we had there, one of my kids was throwing up sick for 5 of them. We still managed to have a great time, though! And, we just jumped right into planning our next trip when we got home. We need to erase the troublesome parts of this last trip from our memories.

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

DA has to go to the hospital daily (7:45am) for level checks and so on...and FYI---she says the hospital staff members there have been truly outstanding!!!!!!!!!! DA spent the afternoon in her new hotel room and skipped Chef Mickey (good call). The children and grandkids have enjoyed Crystal Palace Sat., Cinderella's Castle Sun., and Chef Mickey and another full day at MK!!!!!!! DU is loving the weather compared to their 21 degrees below wind chills at home and snow so dare I say, things may be looking up!!!!!

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

Hopefully things will get better for your family, but whether it does or doesn't, you did everything you could to create a wonderful time for them...so please don't shave your head.

Thanks so much, calypso*a*go-go!

When DA called and said she needed serious medical attention, I immediately remembered everything mentioned in the podcast not too long ago about what to do if you get ill at WDW---I didn't even think I was listening to that part at the time!

I'll try not to pull a Sinead/Spears number on my head, but the week is still young!

 

[miss missy]

I hope your DA enjoys her time there.

I did give info to someone, but didn't plan for them. They ended up in the ER too, the DH felt real ill and had a "blockage", bad enough to have him there for 4 of the days He was ambulanced out of a value and said they treated her well. And she said the hospital staff was great too. She taxi'd back and forth to the hospital. Thank god a family member lived near and was meeting them there, so the kids got to the parks.

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

I hope your DA enjoys her time there.

I did give info to someone, but didn't plan for them. They ended up in the ER too, the DH felt real ill and had a "blockage", bad enough to have him there for 4 of the days He was ambulanced out of a value and said they treated her well. And she said the hospital staff was great too. She taxi'd back and forth to the hospital. Thank god a family member lived near and was meeting them there, so the kids got to the parks.

Oh, UGH! That's just terrible---thank goodness for that someone close by--I am so tempted to fly down, but am large and in charge of a banquet and room mom VD stuff...no child care.... Her little grandkids WANT to go to the hospital w/ grandma (aw!)!? Anyway, original plan was 4 adults to take turn w/ the 4 kids, so now the DM and DD are on their own--oh well. Today is Epcot day---I told them during the massive thunder storm to hang out at "Interventions"---I can't believe I steered them there . THANKS FOR POSTING!