Am I the only one spoiling grandchildren?

[PalVal]

I have 3 grandchilden who range from 2-5. The 4 & 5 year olds have been to Disney 4 times and the 2 year old twice. With DVD it makes it so easy to spoil them! People ask why take them when they are so young, but they don't understand the joy you see in children at every age when you are at Disney. Plus, my two adult children really bond when they can spend a whole week together knowing that they can go out at night with built in grandparents babysitting! It's a win, win situation for everyone!

 

[locodemickey]

I have 3 grandchilden who range from 2-5. The 4 & 5 year olds have been to Disney 4 times and the 2 year old twice. With DVD it makes it so easy to spoil them! People ask why take them when they are so young, but they don't understand the joy you see in children at every age when you are at Disney. Plus, my two adult children really bond when they can spend a whole week together knowing that they can go out at night with built in grandparents babysitting! It's a win, win situation for everyone!

I never understand the "why take them when they are so young" question. Why take them anywhere, then?? If you can afford it, then there is no reason why not to take them. Our kids (4, 8, and 11) have been there dozens of times. "Spoil" away....

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

This is one of the reasons I bought into DVC. The first time we took our children to WDW was when they were 9 and 7. I was told by many to not take the kids until they can remember it. We actually took our first trip thinking that it would be our only trip. I regret not taking them when they were younger. I missed out on so much! Now that I am a DVC member I know that I will at least be able to capture some of it with my grandkids--one day! I think what you are doing is fabulous!!! You aren't spoiling your grandkids; you are spending quality time with your family and creating lifelong memories!!!

 

[El&Asmom]

Spending quality time with your children and grandchildren at the happiest place on earth. Sounds like fun to me. We have been taking our children yearly, (or more), since the oldest was 18m. We have fond memories of our girls at every age a Disney. The youngest just turned one, and will have been to WDW three times before she is 15m old. I don't mind that she won't remember it. Dh and I will.
We also love that we can use our DVC with extended family. We will be bringing my parents down for the second time in less than two weeks. We enjoy having the "built in babysitters" too.
Enjoy every minute with your grandchildren. They will appreciate the memories as well.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

I think it is great and even though being a grandparent is a ways off for me(I hope) this is a thought I had when purchasing. Not only would I continue to take my kids yearly or more. But, that someday I would see a grandbaby light up and enjoy the magic. I cannot wait to make more memories at the World with my family. What a wonderful gift to be able to give to your grandchildren and children. This is what is so great about DVC

 

[js]

My mom (karensi) spoiles us with DVC

She purchased, for my family (dh, dd-16, ds-11 and me) 300 SSR points and now informed us she wants me to find another 100 as an add on (they are in my dh and my name). Her only stipulation is that she always comes with us and stays in the master suite LOL I can live with that

So, my mother gets to spoil my family and my two children and thanks to my mother, I'll be able to do so with my grandchildren (well, I'm sure she will then be able to spoil her great-grandchildren)

I'm sure she will be reading this so, as always, thanks mom!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I was just a bit too old to watch Captain Kangaroo myself, but my younger sister would watch it and when he closed his shows reminding people that time was the best gift that you could give children, I was impressed. I want to see my family as often as we can, and WDW is a great place to do that. I'm glad for WDW where children and adults have great times together.

Bobbi

PS. We're meeting the DGC, DS, DDiL and DSis at BLT in just 4 days!!!

 

[helenk]

I have enjoyed my trips to WDW with my children and now I get to enjoy taking my grand daughter. Her first trip was this past June and she was only 14 months old. I know that she will not remember the trip, but I will.
Priceless, is all I can say. I just loved the look on her face when she saw Eeyore at the CP and the Princesses at the breakfast in Norway. She absolutely loved watching the animals from our balcony at Kidani.
I have booked the VWL next year for the end of Nov/beginning of Dec and I am hoping that my son, his wife and grand daughter can join me for all of the holiday goings on.
I am actually enertaining the idea of taking my grand daughter by myself if her parents can not go. She will only be 2 and a half by then so I'm not sure if I could manage her on my own, but I am willing to think about it.

 

[SusieBea]

We've been taking our two girls since they were infants. We purchased DVC in 1993 when they were 11 and 8. I think the "don't take them until they can remember it" is valid if you plan to take them to WDW only once or twice, but when you have DVC, that's not the case. I believe that they enjoy different experiences at different ages. When they were 18, they were not as enamoured w/ Small World as they were at 6. We our taking our first grandchild for the first time in September. He will be 23 months old. I would have taken him sooner, but, hey, I'll take what I can get. I can hardly wait. Bottom line, do what feels right for your family. We don't care what anyone else says anyway! Enjoy.

 

[sandieb]

We have been taking our 7 grandchildren there since they were under 1 years. We have 4 contracts with 650 points! The piece about taking them when they can remember is silly - the reason to bring them is so we can enjoy it together - trust me, even the babies enjoy it! By the time they are 3years old they speak confidently about WDW and what they love. The funny thing is now that I am 60 and my husband is 66 my kids may stop taking us when we don't remember it (joke). I love being their "Disney Grandmother".

 

[SusieBea]

The funny thing is now that I am 60 and my husband is 66 my kids may stop taking us when we don't remember it (joke). I love being their "Disney Grandmother".

I love this!

 

[Quilter007]

You just never know what is going to happen 'next year'. So, enjoy today. My Grandma was going to take me on a big trip for my 16th birthday. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 15. She was only 64 and she wasn't ill or in bad health.

So, I say go & enjoy. We started taking DMIL for half to 2/3 of the summer and taking her with us on our summer trips and telling her to get over her multiple travel phobias. So at 70 she finally started going places. She's having a great time and our kids are loving having their Grandma experience these things with us. She cried all over WDW -- especially Animal Kingdom!

Another thing, kids who never ride the thrill rides are freaked out when you expect them to ride them at 8 or 10. Our kids have been riding them their whole lives -- the gradual introduction has worked well, especially for our older son who has high-functioning autism. Because Disneyland is very familiar (we lived 20 minutes away for the 1st 5 years of his life), he has no issues feeling comfortable & enjoying himself there, despite the sensory overload.

 

[arthur06]

Im not a grandparent by any means, I am 30 and DW is two weeks short of 28! My DS8 has been to both DW and DL many times, and my DS3 and DS1 have been there as well. My youngets DS went before he turned 1. I really dont care if they remember it, cause I do! I know that there will be many more trips. I have many great memories from that trip...watching DS2 (at the time) go down the big slide at AKL all by himself! I bought DVC with the intent to go MANY times to Disney!

I have a friend who has DD5, DD3, and DD6months. They will not travel until DD6months is 5. At that time, DD5 will be 10...Why wish away half of your kids life? I dont get it at all!

 

[Paticake]

We bought DVC (6 1/2 years ago) the year before both of our kids got engaged and 2 years before both weddings! Our grandsons'(2 years and 8 months) at the time had their first trip with us and their parents (DS, DDIL, DD and DSIL) in June. My parents who live in FL came for a few days to meet their great grandsons. It was a fantastic vacation staying in a GV at SSR. DS and DDIL also own DVC, (bought it on a vacation with us a few months after the wedding) and were there again in Nov. with their then 1.1 yo. We head down again with them in May. My other grandson who is now 2 1/2 slept over the other night and was talking about WDW. He remembered so much. He talked about Peter Pan, he said " remember Mimi we went on the teacups. He loved everything about the trip. We will go back with him and his new baby sister ( due in 5 weeks) next year. They are never too young to make memories!

 

[sandieb]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart! I had another thought. I think that children's experiences throughout their life build upon each other. Even if they do no actually remember the events, the love and happiness we share at WDW and doing other things creates an overall positive relationship. I know we don't have to bring them to Disney to do this - we get it in many different venues, but our Disney trips help make it extra wonderful!

 

[Donna M]

You're not spoiling your grandchildren by giving them a fun family experience. It's all in how you do it and you don't sound like the over indulgent grandparent. That would be different. If the grandkids became obnoxious with demands to go to WDW then you have a spoiling issue.

Part of the reason we bought into DVC was to take the grandkids, if we get any

 

[quentina]

It's the opposite in our family...we spoil the grandparents!

We owd DVC and have 3 kids. We always take our parents to HHI with us....sometimes WDW (they don't really want to go there). We invite my inlaw's along also.

My kids love traveling with grandparents. It works out great for us as they chip in and buy a few meals.

 

[ccigliano]

I say spoil away! I have no children of my own but I took my nephew, DS, and DBIL when my nephew was almost 4 (now he's 5) and he still remembers it. And I just took my two nieces and my other sis and BIL a few weeks ago while my nieces were almost 4 and 18 months. While I don't expect the 18 month old to remember much, the smile on her face when we were on Small World and at Chef Mickey's with all the characters was priceless. I was just out to dinner with all of them this evening and the older ones were talking about their special Disney trips, with Tink flying from the castle during Wishes, to feeding the "dolphins" (manatees) lettuce and seeing the sharks Epcot to riding on a safari in the jungle and seeing lions, elephants, and giraffes. Have fun and keep the trips coming.

 

[VLee]

Hey, I not only spoil my grandchildren, I spoil my mother and others in my family. I have taken my mom 3 times since 2006 --by the way, she turns 82 in March. I have treated my sister and brother-in-law to a week concierge AKL and treated two sisters for a week in a 1 BR Boardwalk View.

I've taken my 38 year old son and his fiance and my daughter and son-in-law numerous times. But it is the grandkids that I really spoil, buy their annual passes, buy the plane tickets, dining plans, do all the special event things at Disney, took them on their first cruise, bought a small contract for my daughter in addition --well you get the picture. Have two weeks reserved for October and after Thanksgiving to take "someone".

And the biggest treat for me is seeing them enjoy Disney...it is worth every penny!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I say spoil away! I have no children of my own but I took my nephew, DS, and DBIL when my nephew was almost 4 (now he's 5) and he still remembers it. And I just took my two nieces and my other sis and BIL a few weeks ago while my nieces were almost 4 and 18 months. While I don't expect the 18 month old to remember much, the smile on her face when we were on Small World and at Chef Mickey's with all the characters was priceless. I was just out to dinner with all of them this evening and the older ones were talking about their special Disney trips, with Tink flying from the castle during Wishes, to feeding the "dolphins" (manatees) lettuce and seeing the sharks Epcot to riding on a safari in the jungle and seeing lions, elephants, and giraffes. Have fun and keep the trips coming.

Hi!

Please tell me more about feeding manatees lettuce!

Thanks.
Bobbi