Advice for a multi-generational DL trip?

[VandVsmama]

Hello fellow DISers!

We (me, DH, ODD-12, YDD-10) & my MIL (mother-in-law) are considering a trip to DL this spring to take advantage of the ticket deal. I'm looking for advice & suggestions from those of you who have gone to DL with grandparents. What worked well for you? What would you do differently next time?

So far, we're thinking of going for 3 days. MIL can't walk long distances, so she'll need a scooter. She'll likely rent one from Deckert's & have it delivered to the hotel. We are normally rope-droppers and we like to take an afternoon break at our hotel, so we prefer to stay at an off-site hotel on Harbor Blvd. Right now, I'm thinking of Desert Inn & Suites, Park Vue Inn, or Tropicana Inn & Suites.

Grandma will have her own hotel room. I think this will help with the times when MIL needs an afternoon nap and when she'll probably want some peace and quiet away from the 4 of us.

Based on her current routine when she's at home, DH & I know that she has more energy in the morning than in the afternoon. So she'll likely spend all morning with us at the parks. Then we'll have lunch somewhere in the parks. And then she'll head back to her hotel room to rest. We will probably meet up again for dinner and then she'll go back to her hotel room after 1 or 2 rides after dinner.

She's definitely in a situation where the mind is willing, but the body is not always able.

I think that Park Vue Inn would be a good choice lodging wise because there's breakfast included there. So if she needs to sleep in on the 2nd or 3rd morning, then she can take her time while we run off to the parks.

How did you set expectations with your elderly family members when they joined you on a DL trip?

 

[Geemo]

Way back when, my uncle took me to Disneyland on opening day. I have been going to DLR for years with my kids and then the grandkids. My kids are grown and four grandkids range from 16 to 25. It's getting harder to find times they are available to join me on trips. So now I go on solo trips.

Since we fly in from Oregon, I prefer trips to be a minimum of 4 park days for a group trip. Solo trips can be 2 - 3 days. If I can find flights that give me at least 6 hours in the park, I've been know to fly down for the day.

As I age (late 60's now) I do notice my stamina isn't what it use to be, especially when going for multiple days in the parks.
Some days we open and close (8am to 8pm) the park without a mid day break.
If the days are 8am to midnight then there is a pizza-pool break late afternoon.

The last few trips I have enjoyed using a scooter. Makes it easier to keep up with the group if they have come with me.
Once in the parks, I'll park it when I get to a land and wander around from ride to ride.
I learned the CM's will move scooters around like they do the strollers. It's almost impossible to find your scooter when it's been moved. So I always bring a bright color ribbon to tie on the handle for easy spotting in the sea of scooters.

Having the scooter means I don't have to find an open bench when I need a break towards the end of the day. I always have a place to sit. I like the scooter to get to and from the parks.

We start with a plan and flex as the day goes on. I find it IMPOSSIBLE to have a strict park itinerary anymore.

The goal of a trip is family fun and making memories. This is what it's all about for me.

Enjoy your time in the parks

Geemo

 

[azdisneylover]

Very well said, Geemo!

 

[edhmom]

We went with my 78 year old MIL a few weeks ago. She did amazingly great, has a crazy amount of stamina so that wasn't an issue. The two things I'll mention is meals and Fantasmic. She doesn't eat much and found a childs meal was a good size for her. At one restaurant she even ordered a toddler meal because she wanted the mac n cheese, and then we shared some of our meal with her. Bottom line, you don't need to be a kid to order off the menu. Second, for Fantasmic we did the River Belle Terrace premium dining package so we could have dinner and watch the show, all from the same seats. I didn't want her to have to sit on the ground for a long time, or stand waiting for a spot. It sounds like your MIL will have a scooter so that might not be an issue, but it was perfect for us.

Remember Photo Pass comes with Max Pass so even if you aren't doing Max Pass for everyone, you might consider it for one person for at least one day so you can get some good group shots. We got some great shots of the 5 of us that wouldn't have been the case otherwise.

Have fun!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Schedule any big things, e.g. dining packages for shows or character meals, for early in the trip when MIL will have the most energy, stamina, and be the most chipper. Make sure that she knows there is no guilt in wanting alone time or more rest time at the hotel. Or just quiet time on a bench with a cold drink while you guys do a ride. Last trip, my dad was totally content munching beignets and watching the Royal Street Bachelors while the rest of us conquered NOS. And bring some snacks and comfort foods that MIL can have in her hotel room. DLR food is better than most theme park food, but it can be very calming and comforting to have familiar things at hand, too. And bring some snacks for her (protein snacks especially) into the parks. My mom's metabolism goes crazy when we're at DLR -- she needs calories all the time! All the sugary snacks look so good, but experience has taught us that Grandma on a sugar crash is not a pretty sight. So we mix in protein snacks with all the fun park stuff. And lots of water. My parents were so used to looking after toddlers and young kids that they never developed DLR habits of looking after themselves! So we had to make sure to do that -- and teach the grandkids to be mindful and caring about their grandparents, too. ("Offer Grandma some of your protein bar -- maybe she'd like to try that flavor!" "As long as we're going right by Stage Door Cafe, run to get some ice water for yourself and Grandpa -- I'm sure he's thirsty, too!") Then my parents feel cared for, but not baby sat -- if you know what I mean -- and the kids get some good bonding time with their grandparents that doesn't involve spinning on a ride.
Have a great trip and report back with how things went!

 

[VandVsmama]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions, everyone! I think that we're probably going to stay at Park Vue Inn since it's so close, so MIL will be able to easily get back to her room on her own. Plus the free hot breakfast will be very handy.

 

[tink89]

My mom & dad have came with us on almost all our DL trips. They are grandparents but still in their 50's and able to do anything with us but sometimes they are just not interested in certain rides or shows anymore.

I think the expectations you have set already seem fair. I always go over our plan for the days with my mom & she decides if there is anything she isn't interested in doing and instead goes shopping or back to the hotel. We usually all go back to the hotel together around 1 or 2. We rest, go to the pool, shop, etc. My parents sometimes join us back at the parks or just meet us at dinner. Some times the parents just grab coffee or a "drink" if at DCA and just people watch while we ride some rides.

Will you have connecting rooms? My mom loves having her own room but also wants to be in our company so we usually get a connecting room or a 2 bdrm suite.

 

[VandVsmama]

My mom & dad have came with us on almost all our DL trips. They are grandparents but still in their 50's and able to do anything with us but sometimes they are just not interested in certain rides or shows anymore.

I think the expectations you have set already seem fair. I always go over our plan for the days with my mom & she decides if there is anything she isn't interested in doing and instead goes shopping or back to the hotel. We usually all go back to the hotel together around 1 or 2. We rest, go to the pool, shop, etc. My parents sometimes join us back at the parks or just meet us at dinner. Some times the parents just grab coffee or a "drink" if at DCA and just people watch while we ride some rides.

Will you have connecting rooms? My mom loves having her own room but also wants to be in our company so we usually get a connecting room or a 2 bdrm suite.

We are likely not getting connecting rooms, but it's not a big deal for us.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Bathroom breaks! One thing I hadn't realized was how important knowing where bathrooms would be for both the younger and older generation. Familiarize yourself with the bathroom layout if possible ahead of time - there are plenty of RRs around both DCA and DL, but some of them were easier to spot than others and it can cause a lot of anxiety if one isn't in sight when needed.

Hydration and protein as others have mentioned is very good. My mom is a nightowl and NOT a morning person, so when she came with us, we only did one rope-drop/early morning group meet up that trip. She did NOT like our situation for F!, which was one of the only down moments of that trip (she is very short, and we did not have an optimal spot for viewing and she kind of threw a tantrum and stormed off). If she came with us again, I would definitely do the RBT package.

 

[Disney_Dame]

Ditto with hyrdration and bathroom breaks, but also be more careful of sun and heat.

 

[VandVsmama]

My MIL is type 2 diabetic and sometimes doesn't pay enough attention to when she's hungry...or what more likely happens is she doesn't want to stop to eat something. So DH has already decided that he's going to be in charge of tending to MIL's needs in that department. She's on insulin, too, and has to give herself an injection after each meal, so I know where First Aid is in both parks...she can have the nurses in First Aid keep her insulin refrigerated each day while we're in the parks.

 

[Geemo]

My MIL is type 2 diabetic and sometimes doesn't pay enough attention to when she's hungry...or what more likely happens is she doesn't want to stop to eat something. So DH has already decided that he's going to be in charge of tending to MIL's needs in that department. She's on insulin, too, and has to give herself an injection after each meal, so I know where First Aid is in both parks...she can have the nurses in First Aid keep her insulin refrigerated each day while we're in the parks.

Planning ahead is an important first step. Does MIL generally have good control of her diabetes?
It's good your husband will take charge of this. Balance is key to a diabetic's glucose numbers.

Might be an idea to have a small crash kit along too. It's miserable to need something right away and not have it at hand.
I'd be sure to have numbers for her medical team back home in case of an issue.

The first aid stations in the park will be very helpful. Let her know not to be afraid to use them.



G

 

[VandVsmama]

Planning ahead is an important first step. Does MIL generally have good control of her diabetes?
It's good your husband will take charge of this. Balance is key to a diabetic's glucose numbers.

Might be an idea to have a small crash kit along too. It's miserable to need something right away and not have it at hand.
I'd be sure to have numbers for her medical team back home in case of an issue.

The first aid stations in the park will be very helpful. Let her know not to be afraid to use them.



G

She usually does have a good handle on her blood glucose. I'm already planning on having a small kid-sized lunch box w/an ice pack in it to keep my & DH's snacks in it since we're eating keto these days. So I'm bringing in nuts, cheese, & salami. She can share that w/us. DH is going to talk to her ahead of time about the importance of, well, not being stupid on this trip. As in, pay attention to how you're feeling. Pay attention to what time of day it is and whether it's getting close to your normal meal time. Speak up & tell us what you need so we can help arrange that. Sometimes she has a tendency to expect others to just "know" what time she eats at home...so she goes too long without eating and then ends up in a situation where she needs something high sugar & pronto. We'd very much like to prevent that sort of thing from happening, of course. Usually the times she eats lunch and dinner is when we eat lunch and dinner, so that shouldn't be a problem.

She always carries all of her doctors' phone numbers and other medical info in her purse, so she'll have that with her all the time.

She has a pacemaker, so she won't be going on any rollercoasters or stuff like Indiana Jones. And no RSR since it would probably take 2 grown men to hoist her out of the RSR ride vehicle. She'll enjoy people watching while we go on a thrill ride. Then we'll go on a ride that's more her pace.

I'm pretty certain that she'll need a good 4 hours of downtime at the hotel in the afternoon before she comes back to DL for dinner with us.

 

[VandVsmama]

This trip is most definitely a bucket list thing for my MIL. She likely won't be going to DL again after this and it's been a good 30 years since she's been to DL. She's asked to eat at the Blue Bayou because when DH & SIL were kids and on the rare occasions they went to DL, they could never afford to eat there. We're planning on getting some nice family photos with a photopass photographer so the kids can remember decades from now what a nice time we had with Grandma that one time at Disneyland.

MIL is calling Deckert's tomorrow to book her scooter. I'm very grateful for Disboards and everybody's recommendations to go with Deckert's from what I've read in other threads.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Please let your DH and MIL know that if she ever needs to rest or feels unwell and doesn't think she can make it back to the hotel, she can go to either First Aid to lie down. As long as there is a cot free (and there almost always is), she can lie down with the drapes drawn for privacy until she feels better. The nurses are so nice!

 

[figment_jii]

I would also ask her what rides, shows, etc. she really wants to do and which ones she really wants to do with the grandkids. Then try to figure out how to slot those into the morning hours when she has the most energy. You can do the things she's less interested in when she's taking an afternoon break. I would also keep in mind that it's okay to split up into smaller groups (your group isn't that big, but there might be time when it would be fun for her to spend one-on-one time with each of her grandkids).