Quite the predicament we are in

[Karen]

Hmm, do you know what airline? How close to the departure can one cancel a flight with no penalty?

[sparks19]

Hmm, do you know what airline? How close to the departure can one cancel a flight with no penalty?

it would be whatever airline he could get the best deal... most likely southwest since we always get the best price there.

I will have to check out their rules on that. thanks for the suggestion

[Moesha]

Southwest will let you change your flight dates without penalty. You may have to pay a higher fare for another flight, but there they don't have a fee for doing that. I just saw a commercial on tv about that 30 minutes ago. Which cities would you be flying from and to? Are there any other family members that would know about both sides of the plans being made with whom you could consult?

[sparks19]

The party for my FIL i s... HUGE lol. There are like 100 guests and they are having it at the hall of the golf club my MIL works at lol. so the party is a pretty huge event and she has been planning it for months. EVERYONE is flying in for it.

My MIL has her siblings there in florida so they might be able to do something... I have no idea who their friends are or anything so I don't know who else I would contact about it.

As for the food... Brian and his sister are cooking the food that my MIL bought (pasta) for the party so they could control how much is made.

But I believe my MIL said they were at capacity for the hall (it's not a really big place but pretty fancy) so I'm not sure we could invite more people if we knew who to invite.

As you can tell I am not a party planner lol. Other than Hannah's first birthday I don't plan or throw parties lol. I suck at it.

Brian is going to talk to his sister .

but the surprise for my MIL was supposed to be her kids coming to see her... so if we do it the same weekend there wouldn't be a surprise lol.

[jennielynn1970]

I like Freedom's idea. I wonder, since you said the hall might be at capacity, if there is a smaller hall, or something to connect you to the main one? Maybe also an outdoor area to add on a pavillion or tent of some kind?

Gosh... what a combination of events to have happening so close together!

[Daisy and Delilah]

I just wanted to ask if you guys have Allegient Air available there. I think that's the correct spelling of it. Their flights from Asheville to Florida are $19 one way and $19 back. With those kind of prices, you could keep the surprise going.

Best of luck!! That's quite a dilemma.

[Moesha]

That's why I was asking which airports she would fly from and to. We're using Allegiant from Chattanooga to Tampa and then Orlando back to Tampa. It is a few dollars more that way, but the flight times are better. Knoxville to Tampa has good times, but the flights haven't dropped in price for the dates we need them yet. But I'm watching! The $19 each way is without taxes. A round trip ticket costs about $70 once you add the taxes. Some dates are still $59, $49 or $29, but they are constantly changing. By the way the website link is here.

ETA: I just looked and didn't see flights out of Asheville. There are flights out of the TriCities, which is near Bristol TN/Bristol VA and also Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area. They do fly out of Greensboro and Willmington, NC though.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

That is quite a predicament! I have no suggestions for you. It did remind me of "A Very Brady Christmas" (a Brady Bunch Christmas Special from the late 80's). Both the mom and dad planned to surprise the other with a vacation. They each told all their kids, and told their kids to keep it a secret. They ended up finding out that they both had the same idea and then canceled both trips. They decided to use the money to fly all 6 of their kids and their families home for Christmas.

I just wanted to ask if you guys have Allegient Air available there. I think that's the correct spelling of it. Their flights from Asheville to Florida are $19 one way and $19 back. With those kind of prices, you could keep the surprise going.

Best of luck!! That's quite a dilemma.

My Sister-in-law loves that airline too. She flies from Chattanooga to Sanford on it.

[Freedom]

Three years ago, cousin phoned. She was planning a party for her twin girls, for their college graduation. She was combining it with a party for her mom's 80th birthday, and THAT was a surprise.

A week later, the twins contacted everyone. (They knew about their graduation party). They were ADDING to all this a surprise 25th Anniversary party for their mom and dad. I told the twins we would be there.

I told my cousin we had other plans!

It was a HOOT! Everyone was surprising everyone else, and folks arrived for the Anniversary party who hadn't been invited to the other parties, throwing a loop for my cousin; the twins had it covered, they planned extra food. We all still marvel about it.

SO: can someone (maybe a few someones, lol) be "busy" on the date Dad wants and have Dad plan Mom's party the date of the party which is already planned and which he does not know about. As for the tickets, can you say you will take care of it and present him with the receipt so he can reimburse you?

Is there anyone who lives close by the 2 of them who can "assist" with the plan, so they don't have WAY TOO MUCH food? And are both parties happening at the home? You need to make sure they don't book TWO Halls! (I'm not sure how large these parties are going to be.)

It will require some subterfuge, but it CAN be done, maybe, if you think on it!