What shall we do to celebrate the Millennium?" That’s how it started.
"Lets go to Disneyland"!
"All of us together?"
"Why not?"
Now for a small group of like-minded people with similar outlooks on life this would be a really good idea – but for a family of 12, ranging from 3 to 73? Alarm bells began to ring – this could be a recipe for disaster or at least a large family rift! We did it though & have done again for the past three years. Just in case anyone else is contemplating such a seriously challenging undertaking let me give you a few hints!!
Consider your ages:
We span three generations. Nana & Grandpa in their seventies (only physically; mentally they are both 21!), Three sisters around the age 40 mark (two married & bringing husbands along) and five children (aged 3 to 13, four girls, one boy). Plenty of space required then! Don’t be tempted to economise on the number of bedrooms required whilst a one night sleep over is fun when kids are cramped into one bedroom its no fun by the end of the fortnight when they’re all tired!
Consider your levels of fitness:
Grandpa having had serious surgery, Nana recently diagnosed with angina, single sister with ME, another sister partially deaf & one child with serious motion sickness!! The airlines are generally pretty good at catering for special needs so contact them in plenty of time. Wheelchairs can be provided at airports & in the theme parks are easy to rent, but be aware that there can be quite a walk to the pick up point from the car parks.
Consider your lifestyles:
Grandpa is an insomniac who is likely to watch tv through the night, one sister & family are likely to be up with the larks & off out but 9 o’clock at night is likely to find them asleep on the couch! The rest of us are late risers who like to breakfast slowly but stay up late! In the end we decided that two villas side by side was the ideal solution!
The golden rules then:
Plan ahead considering everyone’s differing needs.
Give yourself lots of space
Don’t always presume you have to do everything together, its great fun to meet up at night & chat about your days.
Agree to disagree.
Make sure you stock up on the gin & tonic!
Was it hard work? YES! Was it worth it? YES!
We all have memories of things that we never would have thought we would see!! Nana wet through after riding on Kali River Rapids! Grandpa going down a water slide at Blizzard Beach, playing cards on the deck at breakfast time, the kids playing in the pool during a storm, a birthday party eating lobster!
Give it a go! (But don’t tell anyone it was my idea!!!)