I need to vent- SOOO frustrated (MIL)

[DisneyMomJen]

This happened to us last year. I have a thread out here somewhere titled something to the effect "Why I will NEVER invite anyone using our points". We invited my husbands parents. We were using points for them in their own studio. Well, they backed out. We were going to lose our points, our airfare was going into a credit (plus we had to pay $400 for change fees). I was sooo upset! This taught me that I will only use our points for OUR family. Based on your situation, I would not invite her with your family using your points. Good Luck

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Jen -- I know you're frustrated but try to have patience with her. At 83 she doesn't have much qualifty time left. My parents are the same way, they sit around all the time talking about how much they would like to take a trip somewhere...but when it comes down to the planning, they change their minds. I feel it's because they're afraid to be away from their doctors and don't want to leave the surroundings they feel comfortable in.

As far as your next trip to WDW, I would just tell MIL that you're afraid the heat might create some health issues for her, as well as the crowds. Maybe you could try and plan a quick trip at a later date that she could be included in.

Hang in there!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

MILs =

True.

This last Friday... DW took her to hospital for scheduled hernia surgery (had to be there by 5am!). They opened her up from sternum to p-bone and put in stent the size of a sheet of paper. The hospital was ready and insurance willing to keep her until Tuesday. NO.... she insisted on going home SATURDAY! with 2 drain tubes filling bags with bloody muck. Didn't really effect me, but DW was emotionally and physically spent by last night. Back to work this morning and taking her back to the hospital Wednesday to get the tubes removed.

 

[eliza61]

Hey Jen,
If it makes you feel any better here is the link to my disasterious plunge into vacation travel with the extended family.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1174821&referrerid=&highlight=

Unfortunately at least once a year it seems, some one has this very unpleasant experience.
Go and have a magical time

 

[crisi]

As long as you change the names on the reservation prior to the check in date you should have no problem. I would hope he wouldn't wait that long to back out.

Might not be a bad idea to have your name on their reservation just in case

 

[kimpossible]

We invited both sets of parents to join us at WDW in Oct/07. My parents are pretty psyched. DH's parents still haven't given us an answer. They actually suggested to us that it would be wonderful to take our BIL and his girlfriend. They cannot even make it to our house (30 min away). I think when it comes time to book the ADR's I will only include the people who have RSVP'd. Fortunately, we can still cancel them out 31 days before and be able to bank those points since it is only 36.

I am right there with you on this one, Jen!!!

 

[JodyTG]

MILs =

Amen.

 

[chainkid]

I think we have all had a bad experience when traveling with family. I found it very challenging to take my Mom and my MIL once theyreached their 80;s. You would think that they would be content to go with you during the day and then go to sleep at 7PM like they do at home so you can go out and spend time doing the things that you can't do with them but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO now they want you to take them everywhere and do only the things they want. Most of my brother's and sisters and their spouses wanted to kill them (in a nice way) before the first day was over. They are just so set in their ways that it makes it very hard on everyone else. I found the best trips with them happened when we took them alone and caterd to everything they wanted. I always romanticize about how great it will be to have them there but the reality has always been a major headache. So I stopped inviting them with the rest of the family. I plan their trip at a different time. The last few years now that they are closer to 90 theycan no longer travel. When you have family from 3 yrs old to 85, it takes alot of independence to let everyone do their own thing. People in their 80's are usually not comfortable being alone and their sense of reality outside their familiar setting is warped. So you can't just go off to the parks like normal.

 

[manning]

I have come to the conclusion that when you hit your 80's something happens in the mind that makes you self centered. I have seen this happen many times to relatives of friends and us. Sometimes I thought my MIL stayed up nights thinking up ways to make things difficult.

I told my wife if I hit 80 and did this just shoot me. What scared me after that comment was her answer "Don't worry, I have the weapon of choice picked out"

 

[BroganMc]

I have come to the conclusion that when you hit your 80's something happens in the mind that makes you self centered.

Geez, then my dad only has 5 more years left of good travel. And he's the adventurous type.

I think it depends on the person. Some people are just homebodies by nature. I have some friends and relatives (25 & 75) who think a long trip is 200 miles away. To my dad and I that's just the first leg.

 

[loribell]

Hang in there Jen. I know you just needed to vent, it sounds as if you really care a lot for your MIL. I do agree with other posters that it probably is best that she not go during the summer, the heat would probably be to much for her. Maybe you could suggest a trip at a different time when it is not so hot.

Also it may that she is, when it comes right down to it, afraid to be away from her doctors that keeps her from committing or backing out. My MIL refuses to go anywhere any more after having her heart attack in 2001. MY FIL loves to travel but she will no longer go anywhere more thatn 30 minutes from home. I understand but I hate that she refuses to do anything any more. She is missing out on enjoying things with the DGK's as is my FIL.

For those of you that have had terrible trips with family and vow to never do it again I wanted to post a link to our trip in the summer of 05. It was the most amazing time and one that we will all remember forever. Hopefully we will be able to do it again before we loose either of my parents or aunt & uncle.

Here it is:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=845249

 

[jns]

This is why I have not told any of our famlies or friends that we are DVC members
We had a really lovely family holiday with all my crowd ,but we all stayed in different resorts
this worked best of us