Am I being rude?

[darthmacho]

In two weeks, I'm going to WDW with my wife and two children for our family vacation. The problem is that a few people, including a cousin and an old friend that live in Florida keep saying they want to meet us there.
Now I don't mean to be rude, but even though we're going for 10 whole days and could probably fit it in, everything we're doing has been carefully planned for our little foursome, and our yearly family vacation is meant exactly for that reason.
Am I wrong for not wanting to meet with any other friends and relatives during our trip?:confused:

[anwruck]

Nope , i dont think its rude. You want to focus on your family and vacation. Not on other things. If they would like to join you on one the pre planned items that might be ok. (of your choosing of course).

[gerald72]

Not being rude at all. There is never enough time to pack in all you want to do at wdw.
You have probably planned this vacation for months, and saved for it for longer.
And if you sacrifice your valuable time to make plans with others, I find half the time they back out anyway.
I might tell them which park I'd be going to on a certain day if they wanted to join me, but I wouldn't cancel and ADRs or change any plans.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Not rude in the least!

Now, if you'd LIKE to see them, let them know that they are welcome to join you, either for some time in the parks, or during a down day at the resort.

If you'd rather not, just let them know you're pretty busy and hopefully you'll be able to see them next time.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I find half the time they back out anyway.


:ditto: Last November my DH had several of his military friends that were in WDW with their families at the same time as us. They all wanted to meet up somewhere. Some even offered to cook and have everyone over one evening for dinner, they had a rental home with a pool and thought it would be great to all get together and let the kids swim. I went ahead with plans for my family just like I always do and told DH that I'd be willing to meet up with any of his friends as long as it didn't interfer with things I had scheduled. In the end no one ever called to meet up, and when we got back DH found out that no one met up while in WDW. I would have been very upset if I had set aside time to meet with people who never even attempted to meet up. DH did text with one of his buddies, and they both had every intention of meeting up, but it just never worked out. We were always at different parks or were busy with something.

So I don't think your being rude at all. I'd maybe tell them you could meet them in one of the parks for a CS lunch, or if your planning on watching the fireworks somewhere outside the park, like the beach at the Poly I'd maybe tell them you can meet there and enjoy their company while watching the fireworks. But that's about as far as I'd go. That way if they really want to meet up you don't have to change any plans, and if they don't show up you've not gone out of your way for nothing.

[AllDisney]

You aren't being rude at all. Looks like it's been some time since your last WDW trip.

Perhaps next time plan on spending a day or evening with them. Maybe they can come visit you on your home turf:twocents:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

It is YOUR vacation. It's nice that they want to see you and if they can meet you for something you've already planned, great. If not, maybe next time.
I stay at the S&D and have a friend that works there and sometimes we don't even have time to spend with her!
If you can make it work, that's fine but if not don't feel guilty.
I think we are going to be there the same time as you but don't worry, we won't ask you to meet us for lunch or anything. lol
have fun!

[Fangorn]

Hey, one of our 4 kids whom we love dearly and thoroughly enjoy being with (he's also a Disney CM) lives in Orlando. We live about as far from Orlando (and DS) as possible and still be in the continental US. But there have been a time or two over the past 5 years when we've snuck into town under the cover of darkness and not told anyone we were there - just so we could have some alone time.

I don't think you're being rude at all.

Steve

[akaDisneyDreamer]

I was in sort of the same predicament! I met up with old friends on Facebook, who happen to live in Fl and they saw some of last years WDW pictures, and of course said, "next time you come out, we'll have to meet up, since we don't live too far ..." Well, since then I booked our trip, and have not mentioned it on Facebook because we have everything planned out and simply don't have time or the desire to meet up with anyone else during our vacation. If we were simply going to FL it would be different. I was afraid of sounding selfish or rude too, but it is our vacation and we just want to enjoy it our way. You do the same! :thumbsup:

Another peeve ... does anyone else have problems with friends wanting to give you money and a shopping list to buy them stuff on your WDW vacation? This happened to me last year, and it's being brought up again this year (we leave in 10 days!) and I really don't want to spend my time picking out stuff for them or use my souvenier space for their stuff! How do I handle this tactfully? :confused:

[divinedi]

To the OP, all the suggestions are great, and I don't have anything to add!

To akasemjoy, with the airlines charging such horrendous luggage fees these days, it's easy just to say to them that you are packing very tight, with only room for a few souvenirs of your own, so you won't be able to add theirs.

Enjoy your trip!!

[brownie]

It's not rude. Just explain that it's family time and they should understand. If you have plans already, it can be hard to get a decent visit in. Let them know you'd rather see them at a time where you can devote your attention to them.

[Mickey91]

My sister recently moved to southern FL. She makes feel me guilty that I don't want to take time off our trip, already only 8 days total including the two travel days, to see her. She lives another 4 hours south which would take the better part of a day just to get there and back. Last year she visited us for a day. That was fun. We love to see her, but this is my ONLY family vacation all year. And, trying to make myself feel better, I will point out that all of her vacations don't involve seeing us. So, I feel your pain.

[DVC2004]

I wouldn't tell anyone for future trips. Then no one's feelings are hurt and you don't have to feel wierd about it.

[darthmacho]

Thanks for all the support. I thought it might be me. Thanks for all of the advice. :mickey:

[PETE FROM NYC]

Follow your own plans, not the other guys.
Thats why there are very few people that I will consider going on vacation with.
Example:
2007. DW wants to bring along her SIL,adult niece with her two tweens. They said that they would follow our lead, for us to make all the ADRs,etc.
We wasted so much time hunting for those spoiled kids, we got to do less than half of what was planned and we missed many of our ADRs.
NEVER AGAIN!!!

[Disney Yankee]

We used to go to WDW with my 2 sister-in-laws, my MIL and FIL, and my husband and two sons. Well, I guess we have really talked a lot about how much we love our Disney vacations:mickey:, so now my Mom and Dad have joined us for the last three years. This year, my sister and her family and my nieces and my other SIL (my brother's wife) joined us, too. (Not to mention some other friends of the family and some cousins.) I had a WONDERFUL time. And my kids just loved it, too. The thing is, I just feel like Disney is such a MAGICAL place that family members and friends want to join us there. All of our children will have these Disney memories forever...;)

[darthmacho]

We used to go to WDW with my 2 sister-in-laws, my MIL and FIL, and my husband and two sons. Well, I guess we have really talked a lot about how much we love our Disney vacations:mickey:, so now my Mom and Dad have joined us for the last three years. This year, my sister and her family and my nieces and my other SIL (my brother's wife) joined us, too. (Not to mention some other friends of the family and some cousins.) I had a WONDERFUL time. And my kids just loved it, too. The thing is, I just feel like Disney is such a MAGICAL place that family members and friends want to join us there. All of our children will have these Disney memories forever...;)

Glad you've enjoyed time with your extended family. It sounds nice.
There is a difference between planning a trip with extended family (our 2003 trip included my sister and nephew) and friends and family asking to join up on an already planned out vacation.
Believe me, these are wonderful people and kind offers, but as others have reinforced for me, this vacation is my special time for me and my three girls (dw + ddx2). :mickey:

[snowflakegirl]

I'm feeling the same way right now. A friend moved to Florida last year and lives about an hour away from DW. I'm leaving tomorrow for my first trip to the World with my boyfriend and his first trip. We're there 7 days, 6 nights, and we've planned this trip to be a special thing for the two fo us. There isn't a day that we don't have plans. Now every time I mention something about Disney on my facebook...she responds with :-(. I'm feeling guilty and was wondering if I was being rude, too.

I think that if you've planned this trip for you and your family for a family vacation, it's up to you if you want to include others in it.

[Pagan]

I've gotten to the point where I don't tell people I know when I'm going down. DW and I have everything on a "Griswald Itinerary," and the few times we have met up with friends it threw everything into chaos.

[Jillirose]

I've gotten to the point where I don't tell people I know when I'm going down. DW and I have everything on a "Griswald Itinerary," and the few times we have met up with friends it threw everything into chaos.

Along that note,funny story: When entering the Contemporary parking lot for Chef Mickey's brunch, the parking atendant loudly announced to us, "The Griswalds have Arrived!!" :haha:

[magicofdisney]

Another peeve ... does anyone else have problems with friends wanting to give you money and a shopping list to buy them stuff on your WDW vacation? This happened to me last year, and it's being brought up again this year (we leave in 10 days!) and I really don't want to spend my time picking out stuff for them or use my souvenier space for their stuff! How do I handle this tactfully? :confused:

I would tell them you just don't have the luggage space to buy extra souvenirs.

[Cinderelley]

Another peeve ... does anyone else have problems with friends wanting to give you money and a shopping list to buy them stuff on your WDW vacation? This happened to me last year, and it's being brought up again this year (we leave in 10 days!) and I really don't want to spend my time picking out stuff for them or use my souvenier space for their stuff! How do I handle this tactfully? :confused:

You could mention the tight luggage space and offer them the phone number to order Disney merchandise. I don't know what the number is, but if you post a thread about it, I am sure someone will have it.

[joonyer]

I would tell them you just don't have the luggage space to buy extra souvenirs.

I'd just take their money, and then buy a bunch of cheapest, tackiest junk-useless souvenirs I could find from out on Hwy. 192. Then just tell them "I couldn't find what you really wanted". That'll be the last time they give you money and ask them to shop for them.

[dinahvixen]

We had some people meet us poolside at our hotel in the evening, and that way we got to visit while the kids swam, time was limited since it was evening, and it turned out very nice. Having people meet you at the park, for me anyway, cuts into my selfishness. I want to go where I want to go and do what I want to do when I save two years to bring my family on a trip, but the evening hotel meet turned out well!

[BluewaterBrad]

Nope....not at all!:mickey: