Many families plan multigenerational vacations, bringing grandparents along on their Disney travel adventures. This week we asked the Parenting Panel to share their experiences: Bringing Grandparents on Disney theme park vacations.
Mary Kraemer is an avid Disney fan and a co-owner at EscapadeAdventures, who loves to travel with her husband and children to Disney destinations as often as possible. Mary writes:
This is a wide-open topic, because some grandparents are more on-the-go with their grandkids, depending on their age and level of activity. For the active grandparents, you don’t need to think too much about planning any differently than you would for the rest of your family; these grandparents are eager to share time and experiences with the grandkids and relish the opportunity!
But, for grandparents who are a bit older or a bit more infirm, then you need to take their capabilities into consideration in a thoughtful way. I was able to travel with my family, including my elderly parents, on numerous occasions, and it was important to recognize everyone’s needs and plan accordingly.
For example, on our first extended family vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort (WDW), we stayed at Disney's Polynesian Resort, because of its convenient location. At the time, my dad needed a motorized scooter because the walking required in the theme parks was just too much. There are approved vendors near WDW that will deliver and pick up the scooters from the hotel lobbies, which is extremely convenient, and less expensive than trying to rent them at the theme parks every day.
Because we were at the Polynesian, it was easy to take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom Park, and there are ramps that allow wheelchairs to roll right onto the monorail cars. If we were going to another park, the onsite buses also are capable of transporting wheelchair-bound guests, and the drivers are very helpful and pleasant. In the parks, we were directed to the wheelchair entrances to attractions, wheelchair seating areas for shows, and even special viewing areas for fireworks and parades. Disney truly understands and makes it easy for guests with mobility issues.
It was not unusual for my parents to need a mid-day break to rest, so we would go back to the hotel with them, and either spend time at the pool while they rested, or we would return to a park after making arrangements to return at a specific time so we could continue our day together. Similarly, after dinner, sometimes staying up late for fireworks was a bit too much so they would turn in…or watch them from the Polynesian where it was easier to get back to their hotel room. One evening, for a special treat, we did a fireworks cruise so we could all enjoy the fireworks together.
Years later, when my mom was gone, we still traveled with my dad, and a few times, he went on Disney Cruise Line cruises with us. I think, in some respects, this was an even better choice because, when he got tired, he could rest in his stateroom but we were all still relatively nearby. He also enjoyed spending time in a deck chair, frosty beverage in one hand, while watching his grandkids playing in the pool. When we visited Castaway Cay, there were special sand-chairs, with huge inflated tires, so we just pushed him out to a beach chair in the shade (not far from the frosty beverages!), and he got to enjoy a day at the beach, watching his grandkids playing on the sand and in the water. It was such a wonderful experience for him, and I’m so glad that we were able to share those days.
As convenient as traveling with a grandparent can be on a cruise ship, or even at a theme park, there will come a time where different activity levels can become an issue, and then, it’s time for a divide-and-conquer approach. My kids love coasters and fast rides, but Space Mountain or the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are certainly not something my parents would consider. So, we either did those kinds of rides when my parents were resting or were back at the hotel for the evening, or I would spend time with my parents while my husband and kids went on the rides. Similarly, when the kids wanted to go on an adventurous shore excursion, they went with my husband, while my dad and I took the more sedate bus tour of the island sights.
All in all, the benefit of making memories on a multigenerational vacation are positive and wonderful. It requires a bit more planning, perhaps a slower pace, and understanding that some things need to be compromised, but overall, it’s a vacation experience everyone will treasure in years to come.
Chris Salata, also known as GusMan, is a Disney-inspired author and photographer, and loves to help people get the most out of their Disney vacation. Chris writes:
I will be the first to admit that I am somewhat selfish when it comes to my family vacations. Because of this I tend to lean toward the idea that I would prefer our traveling party to simply be my wife and me and our two kids. At the same time, there were a couple special occasions that prompted me to expand my horizons and included grandparents. That's right, not only did I take my mom and mother-in-law on a Disney vacation, but on one occasion I even took them on a Disney cruise.
Planning a trip with “the mom's” tends to require much more detail than you would think, especially if this is going to be a rare occasion. I think this is because while my family and I know how to pack and prepare, it may not be the same with grandparents if they do not frequently travel. It really is not a big deal but may take extra time.
Here are just a few tips that I learned when it came to bringing the grandparents on a Disney trip:
- Consider mobility. While I know that many grandparents are more than capable of walking distances, the average guest at Disney can walk 10-plus miles in a day. At the same time, some of that terrain is hilly or even uneven at times. If you think that getting an electric scooter or wheelchair is going to help the grandparents enjoy the trip, it will be money well spent. Even some of resorts being as spread out as they are can be a challenge, which is where mobility devices can really help.
- Consider the pace. Many Disney veterans tend to zip through the park knowing where everything is and where to go first. If it is their first trip, or the first trip in a long time, they will want to do things a bit differently and possibly a lot slower. You may need to adapt your touring plans to accommodate some of the things that they want to see. At the same time, you might enjoy being the family tour guide, showing them around while demonstrating your extensive knowledge of Disney trivia.
- Include them in your planning. We include our kids when it comes to what we want to do, eat, or where to stay. Consider doing the same with the grandparents. This will be a special trip for them and having them be a part of the planning will help them be a direct part of the magic.
- Consider budget. Personally, I really don't like talking about money during my vacation. I like to get the financial details worked out way before we leave for our trip. Predetermine what everyone will be contributing to the overall travel budget so that there are no disagreements later.
- Keep an eye out. I know that grandparents are grown adults and they are more than able to take care of themselves. At the same time, it may be a good idea to make sure you are aware of everyone's location just in case. This is also a good time to share with the grandparents your own personal protocol for meeting up with the rest of the group in the event they get separated.
- Take lots of pictures. I know I have tons of pictures of my kids enjoying the Disney Parks. At the same time, never pass up a chance to make a memory with grandparents. While formal shots are great, take some time to try to get some candid photos as well. (I have the greatest picture of my mom on Splash Mountain!)
A trip with the grandparents can be much different than what you are used to. Sometimes the extra time and effort planning such a trip may be a bit stressful just because there are more details to consider. At the same time, such trips may be the ones that prove to be the most magical.
Jen, also known as *Nala*, is an engineer, a Disney fan, and a MouseAdventure fanatic. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two future MouseAdventurers, ages 3 and 5. Jen writes:
We have traveled to Walt Disney World and taken a Disney cruise with the kids’ grandparents. In many ways these trips were similar to those taken with other extended family or friends, but there are also a few things that were unique to consider about travel with three generations of family.
Expectations. Unless you travel together frequently, it pays to discuss everyone’s expectations before starting detailed planning. Does everyone want to spend every minute together, or do the grandparents want some time for themselves? Do the grandparents prefer to eat meals at sit-down restaurants, or would they rather eat most meals at counter service locations, whether to save money or because they don’t have as large of an appetite? Are the grandparents willing and able to babysit for an evening?
Connecting rooms or suites. One thing that worked extremely well for us was to use our Disney Vacation Club points at Walt Disney World to reserve a two-bedroom suite. The grandparents stayed in the lock-off studio portion of the suite, allowing them their own separate entrance and some privacy when they needed it, but also giving them access to the main living area. When we cruised with the grandparents, we booked adjoining rooms. In both cases, since the grandparents tended to go to bed a little earlier, my husband and I were able to occasionally go out later at night and we’d just leave the door propped open in case of the unlikely event that a kid woke up and needed a grownup.
Pace of trip. This was a big one. While our kids’ grandparents are in good shape, they still tire more easily than either my husband or I do, especially when they’re spending time with our very active children. I tend to be an over-planner for trips in general, but for these trips I made sure to include parts of the day, or even an entire day, where the grandparents could have some time to wander the parks at a more leisurely pace or sleep in or watch a show. Depending on your situation, park hopper tickets might not make the most sense if the grandparents are not up for a long day.
Generations of Disney. Unless they’re Disney fans who make sure to see all the new releases, the grandparents might not be familiar with all the newer characters, shows, and parade floats they will see in the parks. They may still think of Disneyland and Walt Disney World as single-park locations. Fortunately, the Disney parks do a good job of including the classic characters and rides as well as all the shiny new things. Our kids’ grandparents enjoyed a little of both, but definitely leaned toward the familiar attractions, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.
Expect a little bit of spoiling. Finally, don’t be surprised if the kids come home from a trip with the grandparents with an extra souvenir or treat. We visit Disney parks enough that we don’t usually go overboard on buying things for the kids every visit. On our WDW trip though, our daughter, after an hour with Grandpa, proudly came back showing off her new Frozen Crocs. It was hard to tell who had the better time of the two.
It's your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting in the Parks forum on our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic or many others, or send your suggestions via e-mail. Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
