Best time to go with grandma :)

[CaroM8]

Hi friends!

I've been to Disney a few times already, this time I would like to bring my 65yr old mom who has never been! It would be a dream come true for her! So it would be myself, my 8yr old daughter (who has been a couple of times too, she's a trooper) and my mother.

She is not a super active grandma but is working on it. She can still get tired and overwhelmed sort of suddenly depending on circumstances so I need to approach this trip differently and I do accept that we will be going at a slower pace this time.

We usually go in September because of lower crowds but the weather might be too hot and humid for grandma. What would be the ideal time to go to bet a perfect blend of not too extreme heat, not too busy crowds and good promotions? I was thinking mid January or early November? What do you guys think?

Also any other tips for traveling with a cool, but slower grandma?

Thank you!!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

January is one of the least expensive months to visit and is a little less crowded, but it can be super cold just beware. There are some dates to look out for that raise crowds, like MLK day, new years and the races. Rides are more likely to be down for refurbishment in January also.

We were there last January and are going again this January, but we usually go in November/early December. November’s great weather wise, there will be Xmas decorations up all month and Xmas parties but only after Thanksgiving will Epcot do its festival of the holidays. Novembers more crowded than January but the weathers better in my opinion.

I’ve been to Disney with my parents many times. They’re slow too, so we take things at their pace and sometimes have rented a scooter when my mom couldn’t do the walking (bad knee). Just let her know too that it’s ok if she just wants to hang back in the hotel or leave the park early if she gets tired.

It’s great you’re taking your mom, you guys will make lots of awesome memories. I still have memories of going to Disney with my grandparents as a kid.

Just remember to slow down, keep aware of your mom’s stamina and stop for frequent breaks. Have fun!

 

[gottalovepluto]

The great deals of Sept exist for a reason- the weather sucks and it’s peak hurricane season. Grandma getting heat stroke because she isn’t used to FL summer would be disastrous to a trip. (I have seen that a couple Sept trips, very sad for all.) Early Nov is hit or miss crowd wise- watch out for Jersey week, F&W marathon and sometimes veterans day if it coincides with a weekend or the other things. That time of year can really catch folks off guard. And if there are deals they will not be like Sept.

Others can speak to January for you.

Mousesavers has rack rates for each hotel so you can see anticipated lower demand times, may or may not materialize crowd wise but it can help with cheaper hotels.

In general what will help her is time off her feet, that means mid-day breaks and probably LL. When every step matters LLs are not only quicker but often physically shorter lines- might be even more important if she isn’t a rope drop & jostle with the bulls to a big ride sort of person.

 

[liamthompson]

Between Jan and Nov, I would pick early November, avoiding the week of veterans day. If your mom likes Christmas decor, I would try to push to the weeks between thanksgiving and christmas.

Whenever I look at the crowd calendar, January is a landmine of events + sudden high crowds so I think it depends on which week you choose. Plus ride closures for refurb.

My other suggestion would be late Feb/early March, giving buffer to the weeks around easter. The weather is still quite nice and the spring break crowds haven't shown up yet.

I convinced my parents (early 70s, good mobility but moving slower now) to join us this past July and while they enjoyed themselves, it was too hot for them. If you don't typically do mid-day hotel breaks, I would suggest booking ADR for lunch just so that your mom can take a defined break and rest. You may also want to focus more on shows. I did not buy LL for my parents (they decided to go to Epcot at like 10:30am...I gave them a crash course on the app and a rough itinerary and then off they went on the skyliner, my dad couldn't even be bothered to wait for me to buy tickets for them in the app, ha) but I would recommend it if there are certain things your mom may want to see or do. Even if the crowds aren't bad, at least the time your mom spends on her feet will be less.

 

[FamilyGuy]

Just returned from 1st week of December and crowds were low and temps were much more bearable than Sept. If you can do 1st week of December, give it strong consideration as a great time to go!

 

[Micca]

I'd shoot for November, not as hot, not crazy busy, and the Food & Wine fest is a lot of fun.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Hi friends!

I've been to Disney a few times already, this time I would like to bring my 65yr old mom who has never been! It would be a dream come true for her! So it would be myself, my 8yr old daughter (who has been a couple of times too, she's a trooper) and my mother.

She is not a super active grandma but is working on it. She can still get tired and overwhelmed sort of suddenly depending on circumstances so I need to approach this trip differently and I do accept that we will be going at a slower pace this time.

We usually go in September because of lower crowds but the weather might be too hot and humid for grandma. What would be the ideal time to go to bet a perfect blend of not too extreme heat, not too busy crowds and good promotions? I was thinking mid January or early November? What do you guys think?

Also any other tips for traveling with a cool, but slower grandma?

Thank you!!

Grandma here! And I've been to WDW in both September and January. What part of the country do you live in? That would determine to some extent she'd respond to the weather. Where we live, the weather's hot and humid, so the weather when we went the last week in September seemed fine. Warm, but not too hot. And crowds were low-especially going to the MK the morning of a party night. And I've gone the last week in January for the last 3 years. That has the Festival of the Arts, which has become my favorite festival, and paint the mural by #, which is my favorite activity at my favorite festival. But this year, when I went a week earlier than usual, it was freezing! Also, it get's dark earlier in January than September-I only mention that because some people are bothered by the early sunset. Or think dark aquals go to sleep time! Crowds aren't too different from September. So the only tip I have is GO! Give her a chance to enjoy the trip with her DGD and great-DGD.

 

[sponica]

My MIL was a few months shy of 65 the last time she came with us....her one regret from our last trip for my FIL's 65th birthday was not getting an ECV. She was in denial about a hip replacement she desperately needed and looking back, she wishes she had just swallowed her pride and admitted how miserable she was.

She ended up skipping out on a park day because she was sooooo tired and sore.

We went in late February, but it was unseasonably hot. (My husband and I had originally booked the week in February because our April trip was hot and we thought, February would be cooler....silly us).

We'd gone with them about 5 years earlier and went in early May. I think that actually had the best weather/crowds mix. It was warm but the humidity hadn't caught up yet.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

My MIL was a few months shy of 65 the last time she came with us....her one regret from our last trip for my FIL's 65th birthday was not getting an ECV. She was in denial about a hip replacement she desperately needed and looking back, she wishes she had just swallowed her pride and admitted how miserable she was.

She ended up skipping out on a park day because she was sooooo tired and sore.

We went in late February, but it was unseasonably hot. (My husband and I had originally booked the week in February because our April trip was hot and we thought, February would be cooler....silly us).

We'd gone with them about 5 years earlier and went in early May. I think that actually had the best weather/crowds mix. It was warm but the humidity hadn't caught up yet.

This was my father back when my kids were little and we went to Sea World and WDW. First visit was to Sea World. He has had 2 herniated discs that vary in pain level over the years. He insisted on walking and was literally bent in half by the end of the day.

For the rest of the trip, when we went to WDW, my parents both rented scooters. It's hard to admit you need one when in your head you think, "Hey, I can walk just fine." The difficulty is the sheer amount of walking you do in one day.
They were both in much happier spirits by having the scooters. They could focus more on having a good time rather than just focusing on walking. It made them stop saying, "You want to go all the way over there??!!" Instead, they said, "Sure, let's go!"

 

[danceintherain]

Definitely push her on the scooter. You can even drive it around a little, if she doesn't want to sometimes. Or leave it nearby as you go. My mom swears by them and she's a bit younger than yours.
I went with a friend last September and when we were waiting in line for a photo our last day, a whole line of ladies on scooters came rolling up to the Magic Kingdom at like noon.
For me, its not the walking yet, but the standing, so I highly recommend paying for shorter lines where you can.

January is probably the only time that is consistently "not hot" but it's also possible for it to be very cold. Crowds are kind of all over the place all the time.

 

[CaroM8]

Thanks everyone for your tips and tricks!

We hesitate with a scooter because mom is a bit clumsy and uncoordinated
She feels that driving the scooter around will give her more anxiety than anything else and would rather walk, take breaks etc... We will see

And we have decided to go when the Christmas decos will be up (at least the MK ones) so it will be either the week before thanksgiving or the week after

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Either of those weeks would be great. The entire resort and all the parks are decorated and look amazing.

Having done a trip like you are describing, I wouldn't discount the plans for a scooter so fast. In theory, she could rent one for the week and at least have it available. She wouldn't need to take it every day. My mom fought me on it until she gave in. After the trip she said it was the best decision she made for the trip because she would have missed out on so much by not being able to walk as much as the rest of the family. She won't have to be in the scooter all the time - just having it along on longer park days can be a huge benefit and will allow her to enjoy so much more. The controls on the scooters these days are so simple, I expect the anxiety would go away quickly. She might end up having more anxiety because she's missing out on things with the family. She also has 10-11 months to perhaps build up her stamina for walking at the parks, as long as there are serious medical issues.

 

[sponica]

Thanks everyone for your tips and tricks!

We hesitate with a scooter because mom is a bit clumsy and uncoordinated
She feels that driving the scooter around will give her more anxiety than anything else and would rather walk, take breaks etc... We will see

And we have decided to go when the Christmas decos will be up (at least the MK ones) so it will be either the week before thanksgiving or the week after

She could always practice using one at the grocery store or home depot, that's where my MIL got comfortable using one pre/post hip replacement.

 

[VandVsmama]

If you go in January, avoid MLK weekend. Also avoid the WDW marathon weekend that's usually in the 1st half of the month (next year's in 1/7-1/11).

Go some time between a couple of days AFTER MLK weekend and the start of the Princess Half Marathon in late Feb.

 

[PatsGirl]

When my kids were young, we always went the week after Thanksgiving. We actually flew in on Thanksgiving evening because flights were half the price as the Fri/Sat ones. We'd spend Fri and Sat visiting resorts for the Xmas decorations and using the hotel amenities, often making a TS at Boma or Ohana for dinner. We would then hit the parks starting Sunday when crowds started getting much lower. Fly home on Wednesday after four days of the parks. People still laugh that I've never made a Thanksgiving dinner, I always travel somewhere that weekend even though the kids are grown and flown!

 

[loves to dive]

I would go the first week in Dec. Well, let me change that, I usually go the first week in Dec. I also go some time in early April, I just plan that around the race so I avoid that. I also go either late Aug. or early Sept. I'm 68, will be 69 by my next trip. I blew out both my knees in my 50s jogging and have developed a bad hip. Don't know what's happening with that but I do know I have osteopenia in both of them. I haven't worked out in about 6 months. So, older grandma with bad knees and one bad hip and go all times of the year, and usually go solo. It just depends on what your mother's usual amount of exercise is as to what she does at WDW. It's a lot of walking but there really is no need for an ECV if she's mobile in her daily life. I tend to take afternoon breaks no matter what time of year. I try to get a room with a bath tub so I can soak at night, if that doesn't happen I use the hot tub at the pool. I travel with a heating pad, yes that sounds old but trust me, after walking all day that helps the back a lot. I try to stop and sit a lot I don't rush any where. I go slow and if a boat or a bus is offered, I take it. For example, I use the boat to get from one side Epcot to the other. I don't carry a lot of stuff around with me so I'm not using a heavy back pack or cross body. I actually can't use a crossbody at all because it tends to hurt my shoulders. Most days I can just use a bum bag around my waist. I do own a lot of skorts that have big pockets but the only time I carry a small backpack (Loungefly size but not always a Loungefly) is when I know it's going to rain cats and dogs and a disposable poncho isn't going to cut it or when it's cooler and I know I'm going to start out or end up in a lighter sweater/jacket. You just have to modify your style a tad but it's totally doable.

 

[CaroM8]

I would go the first week in Dec. Well, let me change that, I usually go the first week in Dec. I also go some time in early April, I just plan that around the race so I avoid that. I also go either late Aug. or early Sept. I'm 68, will be 69 by my next trip. I blew out both my knees in my 50s jogging and have developed a bad hip. Don't know what's happening with that but I do know I have osteopenia in both of them. I haven't worked out in about 6 months. So, older grandma with bad knees and one bad hip and go all times of the year, and usually go solo. It just depends on what your mother's usual amount of exercise is as to what she does at WDW. It's a lot of walking but there really is no need for an ECV if she's mobile in her daily life. I tend to take afternoon breaks no matter what time of year. I try to get a room with a bath tub so I can soak at night, if that doesn't happen I use the hot tub at the pool. I travel with a heating pad, yes that sounds old but trust me, after walking all day that helps the back a lot. I try to stop and sit a lot I don't rush any where. I go slow and if a boat or a bus is offered, I take it. For example, I use the boat to get from one side Epcot to the other. I don't carry a lot of stuff around with me so I'm not using a heavy back pack or cross body. I actually can't use a crossbody at all because it tends to hurt my shoulders. Most days I can just use a bum bag around my waist. I do own a lot of skorts that have big pockets but the only time I carry a small backpack (Loungefly size but not always a Loungefly) is when I know it's going to rain cats and dogs and a disposable poncho isn't going to cut it or when it's cooler and I know I'm going to start out or end up in a lighter sweater/jacket. You just have to modify your style a tad but it's totally doable.

Thank you for all this! This sounds like my mom a lot

 

[Mle8308]

The week immediately after Thanksgiving, like leave that Sunday for Disney. People aren't travelling for vacation after the long holiday weekend, all are getting back to school/work right after Thanksgiving. The first weeks of December used to be really quiet, but that has changed over the past few years, it's a very popular DVC time. I was there 12/9 to 12/18 and it was busy, not unbearable, but definitely crowded. And with Jollywood nights at DHS and MVMCP at the MK, it definitely changed park crowd dynamics. I also go in September, and would recommend that, but as you know, it is hot and humid!

 

[CaroM8]

The week immediately after Thanksgiving, like leave that Sunday for Disney. People aren't travelling for vacation after the long holiday weekend, all are getting back to school/work right after Thanksgiving. The first weeks of December used to be really quiet, but that has changed over the past few years, it's a very popular DVC time. I was there 12/9 to 12/18 and it was busy, not unbearable, but definitely crowded. And with Jollywood nights at DHS and MVMCP at the MK, it definitely changed park crowd dynamics. I aslo go in September, and would recommend that, but as you know, it is hot and humid!

I booked exactly that! We are traveling on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend of 2026. I know the Sunday might still be busy but it's ok, knowing the rest of the week will be somewhat quieter.
And yes, if it was just me again I would totally go in September like usual but mom will not handle that kind of heat (we are from Ontario, Canada )

 

[Mle8308]

I booked exactly that! We are traveling on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend of 2026. I know the Sunday might still be busy but it's ok, knowing the rest of the week will be somewhat quieter.
And yes, if it was just me again I would totally go in September like usual but mom will not handle that kind of heat (we are from Ontario, Canada )

Saturday works, too! Sunday is a big check out day, so I don't think it will be too bad - Monday will be even better! Have a fantastic trip!