Family of 7 so have to book 2 of our kids in inlaw’s room who aren’t getting mealplan

[NYCgrrl]

Good to know about tipping. I was wondering how we'd figure out the total so we'd know how much to tip. I would want to tip on the full amount (whatever the full meal for the whole fam would have cost us without credits)
Glad they will have it figured out for us already! We usually tip 20 percent so 18 percent is fine with me

Not sure about parties of 6 or more but for smaller tables the bill lists suggested gratuities for 2 percentages: 20% and 18% is what I recall it being. If I could find my purse in this now darkened except for the keyboard residence I could say w/ more assurance.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I'm confused... are all these adults actually functional adults with jobs? No judgement if they are unable to work, but really now, if they do....

there is absolutely nothing standing in the way of your family taking the ski vacation you want, and NOT using the Bank of Mom and Dad.
there is also absolutely nothing standing in the way of your sister's family taking the Disney vacation they want, and NOT using the Bank of Mom and Dad.

If all that is standing in the way of your vacation is the manipulative tactics in order to use the Bank of Mom and Dad, then omit that part. You do you!

Too bad for the other siblings and their sob stories if they "cannot" vacation on their own dime and need to use manipulation in order to use the Bank of Mom and Dad. Sounds like they haven't earned the vacation and don't get to go. wah. *waves very small violin*

I hear what you're saying, but I can understand this from the OP's perspective, as well. I don't get the impression that the OP is sitting around, waiting for handouts from her parents/IL's. But, all it takes is one sibling/IL, who decides that they're entitled, and they can make the OP's life miserable. If the OP decides to take the ski trip, she may well be subjected to a whole lot of grief at every family gathering for years to come. For some people, it might be worth that grief, to stand on principle. For others, keeping the family harmony is the better option. And the grandparents may be willing to shell out this money, so that they can have their entire family together--I can understand that, as well. It looks a lot simpler from the outside, but family dynamics can get complicated.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I hear what you're saying, but I can understand this from the OP's perspective, as well. I don't get the impression that the OP is sitting around, waiting for handouts from her parents/IL's. But, all it takes is one sibling/IL, who decides that they're entitled, and they can make the OP's life miserable. If the OP decides to take the ski trip, she may well be subjected to a whole lot of grief at every family gathering for years to come. For some people, it might be worth that grief, to stand on principle. For others, keeping the family harmony is the better option. And the grandparents may be willing to shell out this money, so that they can have their entire family together--I can understand that, as well. It looks a lot simpler from the outside, but family dynamics can get complicated.

I guess. I would have balked at participating and giving into this craziness a looooooooooooooooong time ago if I was an actual sibling of this woman. It doesn't set her up well for the rest of her adulthood - morbidly, when her parents die, the Bank of Mom and Dad only writes one last final cheque... then who will she bully?

 

[MomOTwins]

Lol, had a funny "grass is greener" moment reading this post. My parents and in-laws both steadfastly refuse to go to Disney, but we LOVE it. So our decision is always do we accept Bank of Mom and Dad's offer to pay for a vacation at a non-Disney location, or pay out of pocket for Disney. We should trade families

 

[Bmh4796]

Lol, had a funny "grass is greener" moment reading this post. My parents and in-laws both steadfastly refuse to go to Disney, but we LOVE it. So our decision is always do we accept Bank of Mom and Dad's offer to pay for a vacation at a non-Disney location, or pay out of pocket for Disney. We should trade families

Ha ha! Yes!

It'll be fun. I'm excited now. It was the room situation that was reallllly stressing me out. I haven't even told them yet that we are not staying at the GF. I want it booked and done before we tell them because I think they want us to be together so much that they might even offer to pay for another room at the GF, but we don't want them to do that. Then I'd seem like a bratt for not just letting my girls stay in the adult child's room. But the parents don't have to deal with her the whole time though, we do. So I'm not being bratty for not wanted my kids in there. I'd be bratty if I EXPECTED/ASKED them to pay for another room though, so that's why I want everything booked and done before they even know.

I booked the Contemporary but am still waiting on DVC rental to get back to me on the availability of the 2 bedroom at Bay Lake Towers. They will let me know within 24 hours. So if that's available, I'll cancel the Contemporary. As soon as I'm certain where we are staying, we will tell them. It should be interesting. The adult child will make a big deal about it. She will corner my daughters about "why didn't your mom want you with me?" blah blah blah. But oh well whatever. I'll prepare some sort of neutral statement for the girls.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Ha ha! Yes!

It'll be fun. I'm excited now. It was the room situation that was reallllly stressing me out. I haven't even told them yet that we are not staying at the GF. I want it booked and done before we tell them because I think they want us to be together so much that they might even offer to pay for another room at the GF, but we don't want them to do that. Then I'd seem like a bratt for not just letting my girls stay in the adult child's room. But the parents don't have to deal with her the whole time though, we do. So I'm not being bratty for not wanted my kids in there. I'd be bratty if I EXPECTED/ASKED them to pay for another room though, so that's why I want everything booked and done before they even know.

I booked the Contemporary but am still waiting on DVC rental to get back to me on the availability of the 2 bedroom at Bay Lake Towers. They will let me know within 24 hours. So if that's available, I'll cancel the Contemporary. As soon as I'm certain where we are staying, we will tell them. It should be interesting. The adult child will make a big deal about it. She will corner my daughters about "why didn't your mom want you with me?" blah blah blah. But oh well whatever. I'll prepare some sort of neutral statement for the girls.

Just curious since you're booking without telling them, will your in laws still be paying 1/2 of the price of your rooms? Or of a 2 BR unit?

 

[Bmh4796]

Yes. There is family drama and my husband and I are the peacekeepers. Each one of my sister in laws dislikes at least 2 of the other ones. There's 5 of us. Some fake it and some don't. But they don't try to hang out with each other. However, they all like me-- Because I put up with all of their differences. I can appreciate each one as an individual, and I love them all. But at times I wish I was the one sister in law that made it known that she didn't like any of them. No one pesters her and no one expects anything from her. If she misses a bday party - no big deal - everyone knows she does what she wants. If I miss one - "why isn't she here. i can't believe she didn't make it. blah blah blah." The only time I get a pass for being blunt is when I'm pregnant. They all know I'm volatile in the first and last trimesters.

One of the biggest spats I have ever been in in my entire life happened in Disney World with the adult child when I was pregnant. She kept fighting with our 4 year old causing him to flip out and taking the map from me and trying to tell us where to go, so by day 3 I lost it. I yelled at her and stormed off crying in Magic Kingdom. When my husband found me he said "It's the happiest place in the world!" LOL

 

[Bmh4796]

Just curious since you're booking without telling them, will your in laws still be paying 1/2 of the price of your rooms? Or of a 2 BR unit?

Oh no. I don't expect them to pay half of both rooms or half of a more expensive 2 bedroom. I figured we'd just subtract whatever they WOULD have been paying for ONE grand floridian room for us. So whatever amount they give the other kids for their one Grand Floridian room is what I'm thinking they will still give us. I don't want them to spend more on us.

 

[10CJ]

Can you afford the options you are looking at if they get upset that you are not at the GF and do not offer any money?

I definitely think the Contemporary or BLT sounds like a better fit for you.

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

Your family would fit into a 2 bedroom villa. Have you looked into DVC? Not sure when your trip is, so not sure if there is any availability but could be worth looking into.

Just seeing this thread and this is exactly what I was going to suggest for OP. DVC rental 2br would be the best option for her family!

 

[MomOTwins]

You will have a blast! Enjoy the contemporary.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Does Disney still have the 'check the room out' policy going? Meaning they will come into your room every day, and will most likely notice you are over the room limit. Even if you book the kids on other people's room reservations, you'll be risking getting in trouble. It has to do with fire codes. I know that's not what you were asking about but no one here wants you to get charged with either having to get another room or kicked off property, or fined/detained during your vacation. It sounds like a fun one. For what it's worth, kids can't share off your plate at sit down meals if you have the meal plan, can they? I thought they charged each person at the table a full fee, which would include the 3 year old.

They were doing daily room checks in March.

 

[lanejudy]

I think I'm going to go the BLT route. I just sent them the availability request to see if it's available. Thx for this!

I want it booked and done before we tell them because I think they want us to be together so much that they might even offer to pay for another room at the GF, but we don't want them to do that.

It sounds like you are going the DVC route -- just be aware that those transactions are final, no cancelling or changing resorts. If it's done before you tell the inlaws, I'm not sure if it will help or hinder that the rental can't be changed.

And if you get a 2BR, the dining plan will be for all (including the 3 yr old) or nobody, since you are all on the same room/reservation.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[sk!mom]

Oh gosh. I’m glad i asked. We are staying 6 nights so another room is about 6,000 more if i remember correctly. If the hotel has a problem with the occupancy, the couple without kids offered to let some of the kids sleep in their room and the single youngest sibling did too. I’d rather not do that though because navigating the parks with her is stressful - she’s argumentative and body and argues with the kids. The couple without kids are cool - but i don’t feel right putting 2 kids in their room.

Here’s the thing. We’ve been to Disney twice with my husband’s family over the past 10 years with my mother abd father in law paying half of the price of the rooms both times. My sisterinlaw wanted her 2 latest children who have never been (were born after the last trip) to go to Disney so she sweet talked my motherinlaw into paying one more time. We, however, were in the middle of planning a ski trip. But now that we have to use our miles to fly 7 people and pay for the meals and maybe an extra room, we don’t think we can go on our ski trip any time soon. My husband is so irritated by my sisterinlaw doing this that he’s refusing to pay for another room because “this is not the trip he wants to spend money on.” So I’m stuck in the middle trying to do it cheaply when we can afford it, but him just being obstinate - sort of- he really really has his heart set on a ski trip in 2020 now that we have to go to Disney in 2019 so he doesn’t want to spend money in Disney like we normally would. Does that make sense?

If my DH didn't want to go on a trip with HIS family and if I didn't get along with them well enough to farm my extra kids out when they offered, then I would politely decline the trip- "Oh sorry we can't fit Disney in with our other travel plans."

Or if you really want the GF, then I would have my 2 easiest to deal with kids, bunk in with grandma and grandpa. I would never impose on newlyweds by sticking kids in the room and it doesn't sound like the single sister is up for having kids.

I wouldn't book the dining plan for anyone. I love the dining plan but it doesn't save money, it just allows you to prepay for food and then order whatever you want. You have taken away ease of use though since you would have a couple of kids on someone else's plan. Just pay out of pocket for your family.

 

[robinb]

Did you look at a DVC 2BR at the Grand Floridan? It's more expensive than BLT, but you'll be in the same resort. Everything is wide open for March since it just opened up for booking.

One other option would be to stick with the room you have at the GF, put your two older children (or the two girls) in the room with your mom and dad and then get the DxDDP for your room of 3 Disney adults and 2 Disney kids.

 

[kaytieeldr]

now that we have to go to Disney in 2019

No, you don't. It sounds like that one sister-in-law learned manipulation from your mother-in-law.

The agent just booked the rooms tonight so i don’t know if i can get out of it now??

Yes, you can. Packages can be amended or cancelled until 30 days before the trip starts.

if you book yourself and your husband and one room (along with some of the kids) leaving the second room with only kids under the age of 18 that

No can do. Minors.

 

[sjrec]

The bay lake towers were more expensive than the Grand Floridian. I guess because they’re new?

Did you look into renting through an agency like David’s rather than through Disney?

 

[sjrec]

You wi

Ha ha! Yes!

It'll be fun. I'm excited now. It was the room situation that was reallllly stressing me out. I haven't even told them yet that we are not staying at the GF. I want it booked and done before we tell them because I think they want us to be together so much that they might even offer to pay for another room at the GF, but we don't want them to do that. Then I'd seem like a bratt for not just letting my girls stay in the adult child's room. But the parents don't have to deal with her the whole time though, we do. So I'm not being bratty for not wanted my kids in there. I'd be bratty if I EXPECTED/ASKED them to pay for another room though, so that's why I want everything booked and done before they even know.

I booked the Contemporary but am still waiting on DVC rental to get back to me on the availability of the 2 bedroom at Bay Lake Towers. They will let me know within 24 hours. So if that's available, I'll cancel the Contemporary. As soon as I'm certain where we are staying, we will tell them. It should be interesting. The adult child will make a big deal about it. She will corner my daughters about "why didn't your mom want you with me?" blah blah blah. But oh well whatever. I'll prepare some sort of neutral statement for the girls.

You will love having a washer and dryer-you can pack less-and a full size fridge for drinks and snacks. We get a grocery delivery of beer, wine and things like cheese and crackers, hummus, carrots, grapes-
It sounds like you have a plan now-and will keep peace in the family!

 

[Bmh4796]

Yes we can. I don't think they'd do that though.

 

[robinb]

The bay lake towers were more expensive than the Grand Floridian. I guess because they’re new?

It depends on the view. A BLT Theme Park view is more expensive than a VGF Standard View. Standard View at BLT is already sold out. It would have been 354 points.

I used 3/2/19 - 3/9/19 for the dates.


Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
2-Bedroom Lock-Off Villa – Lake View
Sleeps Up to 9
386 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Villa – Lake View
Sleeps Up to 9
386 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Lock-Off Villa – Theme Park View
Sleeps Up to 9
472 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Villa – Theme Park View
Sleeps Up to 9
472 Vacation Points

The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
2-Bedroom Lock-Off Villa – Standard View
Sleeps Up to 10
468 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Villa – Standard View
Sleeps Up to 9
468 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Lock-Off Villa – Lake View
Sleeps Up to 10
551 Vacation Points
2-Bedroom Villa – Lake View
Sleeps Up to 9
551 Vacation Points