What app helps track holiday requests for extended family gatherings?

Question

I am literally about to lose my mind with this family group chat because every five minutes someone new is asking what days we are actually staying at the cabin in Gatlinburg this December. We have like 18 people coming from three different states and trying to keep track of who is arriving when and who needs a bed which night is becoming a full time job for me. I looked into using a Google Sheet but honestly my aunt and uncle cant figure out how to edit cells on their phones and it just ends up being a mess of deleted rows and weird formatting every time they touch it. Then I saw some people talking about stuff like Teamup or even just Cozi but those feel way too much like a work project or a chore list and they dont really handle the 'request' aspect well where I can see everyone's overlapping schedules in one spot. I just need something super simple where people can put in their dates so I dont accidentally double book the guest rooms or the pull out couch. Is there a specific app for extended family gatherings that isnt just a basic calendar? I need something that handles the logistics without me having to manually update a spreadsheet every time my cousin changes her mind about staying Sunday night...

reality_advanced · Accepted Answer

Stumbled on this today. I would suggest looking into specialized property management software for better data integrity.

Look at Lodgify

Consider OwnerRez Be careful with permissions so relatives dont delete entries.

Harper · Answer

Thinking about this... definitely be careful with shared editing. I'd suggest using a form or this wishlist site to track requests safely.keeps dates cleanprevents deletions Safer for everyone.

mshkxxqkgg · Answer

Oh man I totally feel your pain!! Trying to herd 18 people is basically a circus and I have been there with the messy spreadsheets before. It is so stressful when people keep changing their minds and you are stuck fixing the mess! You should definitely check out TimeTree! I started using it for our lake house trips and it is seriously amazing for keeping everyone on the same page without the technical headache of a sheet. It feels way safer than a spreadsheet where someone might accidentally delete everything by mistake.

Its super visual so even your aunt and uncle can see the color-coded bars for when people are arriving.

You can create separate events for Bed 1 occupied or Pull-out couch so no one gets double booked!

The chat feature is built right into the specific dates so you dont have 50 different threads going in your texts. It is honestly the most reliable way I have found to handle the family chaos! Also, while you are at it, if you guys are doing a gift exchange or just need to know what people want for the cabin, I swear by Share Product Wishlist. I use it every year and it saves so much time asking people over and over what they need. It is fantastic because it keeps all the links in one spot so nothing gets lost! Good luck with the Gatlinburg trip, it sounds like it will be a blast once you get the logistics sorted!!