I'm so excited my Mom and Dad are coming, but....

[anabelle]

But...
If you have grandparents along do any of you alter your touring plans?
My mom is not a real speed junkie like my kids and I don't want her to be bored. My dad will go along with anything.

[CleveRocks]

Of course I don't know the circumstances under which your parents are going, but I'll tell you mine, and you can decide if that's of any help.

My wife and I have planned this trip for about 2 years. We're going in May, taking our 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old. Several months back, my in-laws invited themselves because they want to see the kids enjoy WDW. This sounded good to us -- we have a great relationship with them and we value their special relationship with our kids. My in-laws are not the type to offer to babysit so my wife and I can do anything alone, so it's not like we'll have any advantages to their going with us -- well, we are getting connecting rooms, so maybe it'll be nice to put the kids to bed in one room and hang out in my in-laws' room until the grown ups are more ready for bed.

As far as park touring, we have a dilemma. My in-laws are very out of shape. Let me put it to you this way. I live in a beach town, 4 blocks from the beach, and my in-laws always drive to the beach when they visit us. When we take the kids to the boardwalk, my in-laws are good for a block or 2 and then choose to sit on a bench and hold us up. I always jokingly contrast this with my parents, who are 10 years older than my in-laws. Even while my Dad was undergoing chemotherapy, we used to take walks from my house to an Atlantic City casino and back, about 5 miles.

My wife and I decided that since the trip is OURS and they decided they also wanted to go, we are not going to let them hold us up. Did I also mention they like to sleep in and get rolling around 11 AM? We'll all have cellphones, and I think it's going to be something like they will peter out quickly and stop to rest :rolleyes1 , we'll carry on and meet them somewhere a little later. What makes it worse is I've been trying to warn them how much walking is involved and have encouraged them to take daily walks in their neighborhood to get ready for vacation, but they refused and say they'll handle it just fine. These are the same people who, when they visit us the first time EACH summer, refuse my offers for sunscreen because they "never sunburn" but then send me out for aloe vera :sad2: around dinner time. Good luck.

-- Eric

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

My mother ALWAYS comes with us and last trip my dad came too(my parents are divorced). We all ad a blast. My mom always babysits my girls(she lives with us too) so we get to go downtown disney and party every night. She dosen't like thrill rides either but she's content to just sit and eat some ice cream or whatever and wait for us..or stay with the kids that can't ride. I know I am lucky to have the ideal situation. I think it also depends on how used to walking and constant moving they are. My parents are still young(my dad would LOVE that I called him young), they both still work, so they are used to a fast pace. My dad is a smoker thought so sometimes he would "disappear" and then reappear through a cloud of smoke( then we would all do the dying cough bit). Having parents or in laws with you can be a real blessing! Maybe you guys should get walkie talkie or something.

[newtowdw1]

.

As far as park touring, we have a dilemma. My in-laws are very out of shape. Let me put it to you this way. I live in a beach town, 4 blocks from the beach, and my in-laws always drive to the beach when they visit us. When we take the kids to the boardwalk, my in-laws are good for a block or 2 and then choose to sit on a bench and hold us up.

My wife and I decided that since the trip is OURS and they decided they also wanted to go, we are not going to let them hold us up.
These are the same people who, when they visit us the first time EACH summer, refuse my offers for sunscreen because they "never sunburn" but then send me out for aloe vera :sad2: around dinner time. Good luck.

-- Eric
Sounds like you're going to have lots of fun!! ;)
I suggest (though they may not agree, at least the first day) ECVs or wheelchairs. I'd also PS a character meal and agree to all do Fantasyland (or something). That way they can see the gchildren play, but you have a time limit for togetherness. We're taking DH's grandmother (85). We're going to have her along for CRT, the Afternoon Tea (just DD8, me and DGG85), and maybe part of WS in Epcot. She WILL use an ECV as necessary. She's happy to just hang out at the cabin, see the kids at FW, and enjoy her laid back trip. Sounds cruel, I suppose, but this was her proposal. She wasn't even sure she'd go into the parks, but we'd love her to see the kids interact with the princesses (DS thinks they're pretty) and the parade. BTW, she will watch them for us. :teeth:

Oh, and for the sunburn issue...buy them each a hat from the kids, and let THEM insist that their grandparents wear them. And make sure the grandparents rest in the SHADE!!

[jstbcuz]

Last year we invited the ILs to come with us. I have a great relationship with her, and he and I have issues, but get along for the most part (we are adult enough to set them aside). I kept asking them what they wanted to do before the trip and no suggestions, just "whatever". So I made all the plans. I tried to have meetings with them before hand to talk things over, but noone saw the need. I gave everyone an itinerary of the Must dos, etc. with those being first of course (IE.......get a fastpass for Test Track, etc).....We go to MK just to get the initial oh and ahs out of the way and then off to Epcot. My DH, kids and I start walking to Mission Space, Test TRack, to get FP......by then my ILs wonder why we are passing by all this stuff and not doing it. They NEVER Looked at the itinerary........nothing. Needless to say....they went off by theirselves and we met up later.

So it doesnt matter how much you try to include them or what your relationship is........sometimes it just doesnt work out the way we hoped it would.

[all4fun]

But...
If you have grandparents along do any of you alter your touring plans?
My mom is not a real speed junkie like my kids and I don't want her to be bored. My dad will go along with anything.

If you're staying off site and renting a car, my advice is to rent two cars, that way if the grandparents want to do their own thing they can, and no one feels like their stuck doing something they didn't want to, or don't feel up to. We have done two family trips (both times staying off-property) one with two cars and the other with one, and the trip we only had one car, we ended up really regretting it because it turned out that MIL and SIL had a totally different vacationing style than we did. Now if we had been on-property, at least we could have fallen back on the Disney transportation system.

hth,
Cheryl

[SqueakyMouse]

My ILs invited themselves along the first time we took our older ds to WDW. While they never complained, they obviously were not up for the heat, walking, etc. This was the first big vacation (translation = not on a budget) we had taken since having ds. While the ILs accompanied us and made many dining requests, they didn't help out financially in any way. (We didn't expect help with the $, but we ended up spending more money on meals than we had planned since they wouldn't eat counter service at all.) Additionally, the only night dh and I got a break from our ds, my fil came along with us. Now, my ILs can be a lot of fun -- in moderation. This trip, my mil wanted to come along and help with our 3 children. (Evidently, many of her girlfriends have been doing this.) Since she really doesn't do this under normal circumstances (and she only lives a few blocks from us), I was a little concerned about this. I'm glad I didn't have much time to dwell on this, because she decided a couple of weeks ago to take my BILs family to the beach instead. Of course, she neglected to tell us this until after we'd made reservations for her. Typical. Anyway, back to the topic, if anyone (family or not) accompanies again, I want to have expectations spelled out very clearly. (i.e., what meals we will eat together, how much time to spend together)

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

If too much together time could be a problem, here's what we did when my parents came along....we did almost every thing together. My parents were good about getting going in the am and could keep up without a problem...no offers to watch the kids in the pm, though, which I knew going into it. To give my DH a break from my parents, I sent him golfing a few am's. He was very glad, and then it was just my parents and my kids I had to deal with ;) Also, to break things up some more, we made a PS for my parents at the California Grill and sent them to a nice dinner (gave us a night as just a family of 5). My parents loved their dinner, were very appreciative, and I felt good giving them a special night and giving us a break. We also brought cell phones, but didn't really need them. My parents really were great about following *my schedule*

[anabelle]

Thanks for all the advice. I was the one who invited them. They didn't invite themselves or anything. We just joined DVC last year and had points we banked from last year so we were going to get a 2 bedroom anyway. It seems like a waste to have a 2 bedroom for 5 when you can sleep 8. DH and I decided we would take turns inviting our family. Last year we took DSIL. I really enjoy having family with us on vacation. I just want to make sure that I don't tire them out too much or plan inappropriate things. They live in Mexico so I don't think that the heat will be too much for them. I know that if I send them an itinerary they won't get it. Maybe I will just plan Disney for Active Seniors. They work out every day, so I think they will be fit enough.
Sorry for the rambling ......

[crisi]

A lot depends on your parents physicalness and temperment.

We took my MIL. Sixty five, in fairly good health. A slow mover/late sleeper A "good sport" but not really a theme park/consumerism type person. Thrill rides definately not her thing. Doesn't swim. But she enjoys shopping, she enjoys food, she enjoys looking and we knew she'd enjoy poking through Epcot.

We had a four and five year old who wanted to ride Goofy's Barnstormer, move fast, play in the pool, seldom sleep past 6:30 (especially at Disney) - and looking at Hummels in Germany is a ten second activity.

We took her sister with us. She was 70 and moved even slower - but it let us break off guilt free. They spent days poking through Epcot as slow as they wanted, sitting on benches. We did the parks at a kids pace and met up with them for Dinner. We spent several days together, moving slower than when we were solo (they moved a lot faster) and doing things that interested everyone - which really is most of WDW.

[anabelle]

Crisi,
Your post has made me realize that Disney is different things to different people. I am sure that your MIL and her sister enjoyed themselves, but just doing different things. I am going to suggest the Flower and Garden show in EPCOT. We will be there the last day. My mom is a wonderful gardener. I will try not to stress is she doesn't want to ride the Test Track

[crisi]

Yep, they had a wonderful time - and so did we. But it would have ruined our vacation to spend all our time with them - no waterparks, little pool, no Barnstormer - and my kids think the Hall of Presidents is BORING! And it would have ruined their vacation to spend it on our terms - we'd have run them ragged, they'd have missed a lot of things they really enjoyed - like the Hall of Presidents, and poking through shops in Epcot. We all really enjoyed the time we spent together.

However, we all had the expectation going in that this was how it was going to be and agreed it was for the best. I'd say things like "Wednesday we are going to the waterpark - you are welcome to join us, but I think you'd have a much better time exploring Epcot." And my MIL would say "I think you are right." She was as sensitive to "holding us back" as we were to "making sure she had a good time" when she was with us. My mother - a wonderful person - is a little more fond of togetherness "oh no, I want to be with you all, that's why I'm here." We are taking her on the cruise, where togetherness is easier to pull off. And her DVC trip will be with us and my sister and nephew, who will be three, when my kids are 8 and 9 - she'll feel the need to help with the three year old, leaving my kids alone to ride the coasters.

[eeyore45]

I'm walking the tightrope here too!! I invited my mom (her and I have volitale conversations at times - she almost died, and really wants to do this. I love her. ) They live in Florida, and have an old PHP, they're not sure how many days are on it, maybe 2. They do not understand how we can spend one whole week at WDW, after all my brother only spent 3 days there, that's plenty!! :rotfl2: We have a dd8 who cant wait to see nana and papa!

The best part in my planning has been the Travel Channel - thanks to the Dis for the heads up!! We called and begged nana to watch it!! :rotfl: She had never seen AKL, AK, had never heard of Fantasmic. She wants to do the Spirit of Aloha, but doesnt want to spend $50, so I told her about Ohana's!! Now I thought we'd do MNSSHP, so that will help with their ticket situation... my dad just wants to golf and hang out at the pool bar... :rotfl2: We'll also hit F&W, but again, I dont know how to get around they only have 2 day tickets!!

I send my dad word documents that I've cut and pasted together, apparently they stayed in Asm before, I've got the POFQ, and am debating with their Florida resident upping us to AKL!!